There is no God?

This is one of my favorite articles of all time. I read this on a Reader's Digest back issue when I was 15. Whenever I doubt the existence of God and I remember this article, it never fails to give that sense of comfort and relief. Its probably one of the reasons why I never turned Atheist. 

Happy Easter Everyone!

There is no God?

By Jim Bishop


There is no God. All of the wonders around us are accidental. No almighty hand made a thousand-billion stars. They made themselves. No power keeps them on their steady course. The earth spins itself to keep the oceans from falling off toward the sun. Infants teach themselves to cry when they are hungry or hurt. A small flower invented itself so that we could extract digitalis for sick hearts.

The earth gave itself day and night, tilted itself so that we get seasons. Without the magnetic poles, man would be unable to navigate the trackless oceans of water and air, but they just grew there.

How about the sugar thermostat in the pancreas? It maintains a level of sugar in the blood sufficient for energy. Without it, all of us would fall into a coma and die.

Why does snow sit on mountain tops waiting for the warm spring sun to melt it at just the right time for the young crops in farms below to drink? A very lovely accident?

The human heart will beat for 70 or 80 years without faltering. How does it get sufficient rest between beats? A kidney will filter poison from the blood, and leave good things alone. How does it know one from another?

Who gave the human tongue flexibility to form words and a brain to understand them, but denied it to all other animals?

Who showed a womb how to take the love of two persons and keep splitting a tiny ovum until, in time, a baby would have the proper number of fingers, eyes, ears and hair in the right places, and come into the world when it is strong enough to sustain life?

There is no God?

A Test of Spirit

When I got to my seat on the plane, that's when it all sank in. My wife's tight embrace and my son's soothing smile are the most irreplaceable things that I will dearly miss as I try to rise up to the challenge of seeking a new life in Singapore.

6 months ago, I was walking the streets of Bedok South with them. I took bus and train rides with my son on my shoulder. I held hands with my wife through the parks and subways of Singapore. now its a totally different thing when you're gonna have to do it alone.

Its funny because when I was back home, I couldn't wait to get out. Everything that is there to love about human existence has eluded the Philippines. I'm probably gonna be first to say I hate my country. From its discolored past and every corrupt government official that leeches every Filipino dry to the lowest organism in its infamous bureaucracy. From its insanely ridiculous conservatism that has held our country from moving forward up to the most high and mighty of our catholic church that sticks its fingers to every freakin' issue with their holier than thou attitude. The Filipino society, with its hopeless romanticism with all things tragic, scandalous, miraculous, dramatic, libelous and finds comfort with the mundane, has doomed itself to becoming the perpetual Sick Man of Asia. 

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Which is why its easy to fall in love with a country like Singapore. Who doesn't want order, cleanliness and discipline? Sure people here have complaints and things to whine about like the rising costs of living which has been going on for a number of years now but anyone who's been here would say its so much better here.

Basic fact, people move to another country because they want a better life. Its hard because you have to leave the people you love behind. My friend says, you can't have your own success story without that part of overcoming trials or making sacrifices, and I jokingly said "Wouldn't it be nice to have it all easy?" 

I know nothing's easy, and if this will be my test, then I'll take it head on. Walking the streets without my wife holding my hand or my son on my shoulder will be tough but I guess I have to endure it. Yes, I will always be a Filipino but I refuse to die like a sick man who willingly got devoured by his own kind.

How to make money out of rules

Yesterday I had the unfortunate chance to experience government service at its finest (okay Im just teasing, I mean worst). As most Filipinos unwillingly have to endure every once in a while I had to visit the MMDA office at Guadalupe. Apparently, I needed to settle some penalties for 2 traffic violations before I can get my driver's licence renewed. I have no complaints about that, after all it was my fault. I chose not to pay the fines on time. So I went there to get done and over with. 

As soon as I got there and old lady selling pens approached me and asked, "Lisensya po Sir?, Plaka?" (License, Plate?) "Ay Sir, di po kayo pwede dyan, nakashort kayo... magpantalon po muna kayo" (Sir, you can't get inside, you're wearing shorts, you have to wear jeans). I walked passed by her, ignoring her completely. I had a big wound on my legs and I can't wear jeans. I explained this to the guard who told me to ask their commanding officer to grant me an exemption so I can transact with them. I went out looking for the their head, went to the security office only to find an empty office. It was lunchtime. I'll give it to them, maybe they were on a break. I went back to the guard on the office and told him there was nobody there. He said I have to look for their "boss". A teenager approached me and said "Bakit boss? kelangan nyo ng pantalon, pantalon po sir?"  (Sir, do you need a pair of jeans?").

I was able to find the head master general his excellency, the Royal Guard who took pity on me when he saw the wound on my right leg. The agony was just about to begin. Their office did not have any AC's. Ceiling fans and the exhaust fan were no match to the scorching heat of the sun. An hour and a half after submitting my documents and paying the P30 clearance fee, my name was called and was given a number so I can proceed to the next window. I had to wait for another hour for my name to be called so I can make the payment and another hour and a half to get my name cleared of my violation. I guess the word efficient was a word they've never encountered.

There are a couple of things I want to raise. What's wrong with wearing shorts? Why do they need to require applicants to wear jeans before they can transact and enter that rat hole? Was it a call for decency? Are we going to meet the pope to kiss his blessed hand for atonement? I find that rule ridiculous, superficial and discriminatory. I see nothing wrong with wearing shorts or slippers. Where do they think we are? The Vatican?

Second, the staff had to deal with technical difficulties (I noticed that their internet was down as soon as I got in) and they were disorganized. Instead of finding a way to address their trouble, they laughed and talked non-stop. It took an hour before an IT staff to check their internet connection, before they decided to have our papers checked through their other office. 

Can someone also explain what clearance fee and computer fee is for? Does that mean we need to pay them for having them check their computers? or for having our names cleared even after paying the penalty? 

Don't get me wrong, Im not singling out the MMDA. It just so happened that I had to deal with them yesterday. This goes to all government offices in general. Anyone who has tried getting their NBI clearance has been made to endure their long tiresome queue just to get to the first window. (Unless you paid one of the fixers). What's the airport tax for? Why does the NAIA charge it but Singapore Airport doesn't?

Do you know when the MMDA traffic enforcers are most visible? Its around 7 in the morning and 3 in the afternoon. I don't think I have to explain why, but for the sake of those who doesn't drive? Its when the color coding rule is in effect.

Rules. What do we do without them?