A History of God - The 4,000 Year Old Quest of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam

After 6 months, I finally finished reading this book. I finished last night before I knocked off for bed. 6 months for my standard is very unusual considering it usually takes me less than 3 months to finish a book as thick as this one. No, it is not because this book was not a good read but due mainly to the fact that I lack the relevant knowledge on such a topic. I am certainly no clergyman and do not think I am under the category of a God fearing person. Personally I believe there is a God who is constantly around us. 

I constantly seek knowledge on this elusive topic because I think there is much for us to understand about God. Who, where, how, to answers these questions. Out there in the world there are many religions, beliefs and faiths all centered on one Almight Being - God. Ironically, there is no one person that can clearly tell or explain this God, and this one God of all these faiths may have stemmed from the same starting point. After all, a close study will point out that the Middle Eaest does seem to be obvious starting point where it all began. 

Now that I have finished the book, I have come to realise that there is so, so, so much more to look out for and that what I currently know now is merely the tip of the iceberg. Not to mention, I am was very much misinformed about this subject altogether. 

This book starts by exploring the nature of God - is it a one God, does God exist in Threeness? Or does God exist in an infinitude quantum?  This book clearly opens the window to the many different ideas, views and opinions of different sects dating way back in history as early as the sixth century BCE. Before I go on further, for those who depend on the unshakeableness of their beliefs may find this book upsetting, disturbing or worse you may now realise you might have been believing in something without due inquiry.

In a nutshell, this book is very much a book of thelogical history. Armstrong narrates from how humans first began to worship the Sky God to Earth Mother to polytheism  (i.e. the belief in more than one God) and then to Abraham's faith in one God (i.e. monotheism). 

In her book, Armstrong also explores "Documentary Hypothesis" of the Pentateuch stemming from the sources of J, E, P and D. Truth be told - I have no idea what is it, and I am still reading up on this topic to gain a better insight.

Until the point where monotheism became the predominant belief, Armstrong then narrates on the global paradigm shifts in monotheism. You'd be surprise how it has changed to become our God today. It starts with the Judaism belief in Yahweh and the priestly temple-centric regime which insists that the temple is the ultimate dwelling place for God on earth, having chosen Israel. Then came John the Baptist and the ministry of Jesus - the well known God in Trinity. Then, about the year 610 an Arab merchant bearing the name Muhammad ibn Abdallah receives an epiphany and brings forth the advent of Islam, a faith that was unity centric during the trying times when civil clashes were common in the Arab region. 

As society became more informed and learned, God became a focus of studies and in depth scrutiny evolving God into a God of the Philosophers attracting the likes of Socrates, Archimedes and Aristotle to name a few. The evolution did not stop there, and slowly God evolved into a God of Mystics whereby mythology reasserted itself as the chief vehicle of religious experience. 

Towards the 15th and 16th centuries, God became a God for reformers with the advent of the Renaissance period. Renaissance was the period that gave birth to thinkers and faith was an important factor in lives of the people during that time. People were becoming vocal and were dissatisfied with the medieval forms of religion and faith that could no longer meet the demands of current generation. This period was very much a clash of intellectuality, which saw the split between Catholic and Protestant camps. In addition, this was also the period where Islam splitted to several sects. 

Then comes the era of enlightment, a period when, and I quote from the book "there was new optimism about humanity as control over the natural world, which had once held mankind in thrall, appeared to advance in leaps and bounds. People began to believe that better education and improved laws could bring light to the human spirit. This new confidence in the natural power of human beings meant that people came to believe that they could achieve enlightment by means of their own exertions.".

Towards the end of the book, Armstrong then puts forth a discussion on how our society has evolved given our advancement in technology, knowledege, anthropology, and puts forth a chapter which in short asks -  Does God have a future? 

All in all, from a knowledge acquiring point of view, this is indeed a good book for readers who like history like myself. I must admit, having finished this book there are more questions marks running through my brain. I should be doing more book purchases soon given the long list of suggested further reading at the end of this book.

Hard times around and staying thankful sure helps!

Global recession has kicked in with many strong economies being brought down to it's knees, and for most of us the term 'lavish' does not quite exist in our vocabulary. Spending is kept under tight control and saving is our main priority. 

Hard times come and go but there is one thing all of can do to make the hard times feel less painful. Be thankful! :) Being thankful has worked wonders for me probably because I never had much to begin with, so being thankful was really all I could do.

How I feel thankful:

1. I start by searching for things I can be grateful for - I've got my car albeit it is 20 years old, I get decent food everyday, I've got clothes to cover me, I've got a roof over my head during the rainy and sunny times.

2. Spread the joy of being thankful by sharing how grateful you are about something with a loved one or friend. You will probably find yourself smiling by the time you are done sharing about it. 

3. There's always more to be grateful for. Although having wealth can always bring about a verr, very, very comfortable lifestyle, it can sometimes lack the value. For example, when wealth was in your grasp 350g sirloin steak was probably your staple diet. But ask yourself, when was the last time you had a simple sandwich or roti canai (roti canai is one of the local Malaysian food). Just because you are less wealthier during these hard times doesn't mean you can't enjoy the value in things around you.

4. Wealth starts from within you. If you can't have what you want, just be happy with what you have. :) I can give you a list of what I want, which probably is endless but I won't do that because I am just going to be happy with what I have. After all, one can never satisfy one's wants. Enough, it seems never seems to be enough for any of us.

5. Wealth, richness, if you ask me is a matter of perception and lies entirely in the realm of subjectivity. A 1 million dollar house in a 300 thousand dollar neighbourhood is like a mansion, but a 1 million dollar house in a 5 million dollar neighbourhood is probably like a shack. Ever looked at things from this point of view? I am guessing........ no. Well, try it!

6. Learn to give. A dollar to you may be a little, but a dollar to someone out there could mean having something to fill his/her lil' tummy for today. 

Times are bad, wealth is low but it doesn't mean we can't be thankful for what we have. Be happy people!

Everyone is No.1

My road isn't your road, my pain isn't your pain;
Each person has hidden abilities to go forth and face any challenges.

My tears are not you tears, my pain isn't your pain;
Under the same skies with different glorious moments embeds the same feeling.

There is no need to feel fear or guilt.
Instead, we need to stay calm and keep running forward.
Tell yourself, "I can do it!"

Everyone is No.1!
No matter the circumstances, never question if you can do it or you can't do it.
Just take a deep breath to refresh yourself and embrace the future for it will not wait.

Everyone is No.1!
The secret to success lies in your willingness, where the hottest sweat flows from the most sincere heart;
Everyone can truly be number one.

My hands are not your hands, my mouth is not your mouth;
As long as you have a heart, through the strongest winds and rain, we can all be best of friends.

There is no need to feel fear or guilt.
Instead, we need to stay calm and keep running forward.
Tell yourself, "I can do it!"

Everyone is No.1!
The secret to success lies in your willingness, where the hottest sweat flows from the most sincere heart;
Therefore everyone can be number one.

Do not fear the cold road ahead, for as long as there is a bit warmth I will gather my strength and speed.
No matter the circumstances, never question if you can do it or you can't do it.
Just take a deep breath to refresh yourself and embrace the future for it will not wait.

Everyone is No.1!
The secret to success lies in your willingness, where the hottest sweat flows from the most sincere heart;
Therefore everyone can be number one.

These are the words of my favourite Chinese singer, Andy Lau. Fine, fine, fine, some of you may think he is old and why am I not listening to younger singers like Jay Chou, Wang Li Hom, etc... (just don't like them). Besides, I find much meaning in most of Andy Lau's songs. The lyrics came from the song "Everyone is No.1", the official theme song for the Beijing Paralympics 2008.

It is actually a Mandarin song and I hope I got the translation correct. Anyone who thinks I may have made a mistake in the above translation, please let me know and I will do the necessary corrections.

Personally, I can't get tired of listening to this song because of the deep rooted meaning in the song. Everyone is special in their own way and despite the fact that we live in a result oriented world, it really isn't always about the results. Everyone judges one another by evaluating what one has achieved or done. "He made is 1st million when he was 35 years old", "she created this multi-million dollar business on her own", "he created this ground breaking gadget", "she designed this award winning blouse", he did this, she did that...... all these finger pointing at others' successes has now become synonymus with our lifestyles. I can't say that there is anything wrong with that because it does become a focal point for motivation for many people. I have my reservations for such habits though.

I used to look up to many successful people - from extraordinary CEOs, conglomerate founders, country leaders and many more. Keyword here - USED to look up. Up until recently, I realised it wasn't a very healthy habit. I found myself becoming more materialistic, results driven and sometimes even unreasonably agitated at myself.

Rather than being a motivational factor, it somewhat turned into a demotivating factor and was in fact an impetus for low self-esteem. Easiest way to explain the predicament I went through - I suddenly found myself making comparison with these successful people, trying to imitate their success recipe, trying to be like them, do those so called success habits. At the start, I found it very helpful giving me the drive, or at least that's what I thought it was doing. Instead, as time went past, I found it tiring trying to meet those self-imposed expectations. A friend of mine coined it "killing myself".

On top of "killing myself", it also introduced health problems to me. I have now become a statistic suffering from irritable bowel syndrome, gastric, insomnia and also having a very close call with depression. Not to mention, some added medical bills to the tab.

I heard this song some time last year, and it never really occured to me how much truth was embedded in the lyrics. We are all different - in terms of skin colour, ethnicity, backgrounds, jobs, height, weight, and close to everything else. It is with such differences, that we all stand out in our very own way. Some of us may be very fast at picking up languages, some are innately good at socialising and making new friends, or some are born leaders.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with trying to be successful but be successful in your own way. You don't have to have net asset worth of 1 million or a billion to be considered successful, you don't need to drive a Beemer or a Merc to be considered successful, you don't have to wear a watch that costs as much as a house or even eat food that costs as much as 10 McDonald's lunch sets!

I caught a glimpse of the Paralympics that went on in conjunction with Beijing Olympics 2008. Those athletes were no where as fast as the record breaking runner or swimmer but they showed the spirit and emotions in participating. Deep down, I felt that great sense of pity for them because seeing a guy without one leg and yet being able to swim well is no joke. The guy who played tennis in a wheelchair is not the world's no.1 tennis player like Roger Federer but he is no.1 in his own way - you try playing tennis in a wheelchair and I am sure you'll get the point.

Just like the lyrics of the song above, we all have our own set of special abilities. There is no need to try to imitate some other person just because he/she is successful. Be special in your own way, be who you are. Failures happen every now and then but put this way - sometimes even failing can be difficult for some people! Everyone is No.1 - and I mean you too!

We Are Not Alone..... we can always find comfort in those around us

Our days never really gets easier as we grow up and mature. From the day we are given birth to as a tiny toddler, as we go into kindergarten, primary school, secondary school then into tertiary studies and then finally coming out as a graduate to look for a job to make ends meet.

For those who have been in the workplace would understand how tough it can be, having to deal with a myriad of complications from an unreasonable client, to having an uncooperative subordinate, to working for tough bosses; some if not all of us usually end up getting some sort of combination to the above complications and sometimes some unfortunate ones end up having to deal with all three misfortunes.

Forget the workplace, some of us already have a load of other problems at home - car loans, kids' education, house loan, etc...... and the list goes on. Some people even have to deal with the death of loved ones.

Times liks these, when one is dealt with tough reality blows really can really steam roll one's motivation and emotions. In fact, these are the sort of things that lead to depression - mind you, cases of depression increase every year.

Deep down, most of us look at people who suffer from depression as being mentally and emotionally weak not knowing that we ourselves can succumb to depression. I'd know because I went through a rough time earlier this year and I think I am still recovering from it.

Believe you me, it is far from what I would call a nice experience. To some extent I am lucky to be able to speak to people around me (parents, close friends, relatives) and get their insight but there are many out there who don't have people to turn to, and therefore most of the time breakdown and some even end up taking dratic measures like suicide.

Although I haven't fully recovered, I am slowly trying to get myself back in shape by reading more motivational books, blog more to just let it out (not so just much of letting it out, but simply because I like sharing through writing), and playing with my dog.

I do not know how much of it is true, but going on the road of recovering from depression is made less bumpier with the assistance of a pet. I think it is true because during the early part of this year when I went through a horrible time I found much comfort in my dog. I don't have an expensive dog and I don't even know what sort of breed my dog is, but it is nice to have him around.

I must admit that I do find his barking sometimes irritating but I must accept the fact that he is dog and he is going to bark at people, other dogs, cats and etc..... But strangely, I find playing with him relaxing and even if it is for a short moment, I am able to forget about stressful and unwanted thoughts; even if it is for one minute, that one minute of cheerful time means a lot to me.

I clearly remembered the time when my mom wanted Blackie (that's my dog's name anyway), I was rather adamant about it because I knew having a dog would pretty much mean another member of the family, which eventually was going to mean more work to do - cleaning his poo, feeding him, etc..... But now that I look back, I am pretty glad to have Blackie around.

These days when I get back from work, I find myself looking forward to food (that's obvious given my high metabolic rate) and I find Blackie waiting for me to give him a pat. He'd be pacing up and down impatiently for me to pat him. Probably because of his sharp ears, he surprisingly recognises the sound of my car's engine and knows that I am home. It is a good feeling to know there's someone waiting for you when you get home. After all, sometimes I get back pretty late and I find my parents already in bed but I still have Blackie around to fool around with before I go to bed.

Bad times and sad times can come at anytime given the volatile state of our lives - ups and downs are always around. Knowing you have someone around to just be there when you need them can really lift you up, whether it is to just hold your hand, give you a pet on the back, give you a hug or even if it's a dog that goes, "woof, woof!" when it sees you feeling down.

"Our Moment is Now" - Barack Obama

Today's announcement of Obama's electoral success, I believe was no surprise to many of us. One's success also means another's disappointment - McCain has my respect having fought hard and tried hard during the electoral campaigns.

Obama being elected as the President of the United States of America is not just about having a 44th President of USA. His election into the White House creates history - first black President, also the youngest ever person to be elected as the President of USA.

Having missed his maiden speech as the President, I had to settle for a transcript of his speech although I really would have loved to see him giving the speech live. Having witnessed his debate with McCain, I really like his charisma and his innate ability to speak sounding with confidence yet not sounding pompus, his unique ability to stay on the very fine line that divides confidence and arrogance.

Having the majority of Americans vote him clearly spells out one thing - they are ready for change. In his speech, he does not take credit for the win but instead gives the credit to people - the people who voted him. He acknowledges his responsibility to make the very changes people want. Most importantly, he addresses that long road ahead to make reforms - I quote from his speech, "The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even in one term. But, America, I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you, we as a people will get there. There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who won't agree with every decision or policy I make as president. And we know the government can't solve every problem.".

If it is one thing that he has shown to the world, it would be that nothing is impossible if one tries one's best and gives it his all. When he first started campaigning, hardly anyone knew who he was let alone think he was ever going to have a chance to win. I remember asking people about who they thought stood a better chance to win. Many whom I spoke to had their fingers pointing at McCain for one reason - because Obama is black. Clearly, his win sends a very clear message - the colour of one's skin has no relationship to one's capabilities.

His speech really does emphasises on how close to anything is possible - "And tonight, I think about all that she's seen throughout her century in America -- the heartache and the hope; the struggle and the progress; the times we were told that we can't, and the people who pressed on with that American creed: Yes we can.

At a time when women's voices were silenced and their hopes dismissed, she lived to see them stand up and speak out and reach for the ballot. Yes we can.

When there was despair in the dust bowl and depression across the land, she saw a nation conquer fear itself with a New Deal, new jobs, a new sense of common purpose. Yes we can.

When the bombs fell on our harbor and tyranny threatened the world, she was there to witness a generation rise to greatness and a democracy was saved. Yes we can.

She was there for the buses in Montgomery, the hoses in Birmingham, a bridge in Selma, and a preacher from Atlanta who told a people that "We Shall Overcome." Yes we can.

A man touched down on the moon, a wall came down in Berlin, a world was connected by our own science and imagination. And this year, in this election, she touched her finger to a screen, and cast her vote, because after 106 years in America, through the best of times and the darkest of hours, she knows how America can change. Yes we can.

America, we have come so far. We have seen so much. But there is so much more to do. So tonight, let us ask ourselves -- if our children should live to see the next century; if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? What progress will we have made? This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment. This is our time, to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth, that, out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope. And where we are met with cynicism and doubts and those who tell us that we can't, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people: Yes, we can."

I am not American and I probably will not be directly affected by his reforms but I definitely can learn from Obama's experience.

Can anyone be succesful in his/her own way? Yes they can.

Can we make a difference to the lives of the people around us? Yes we can.

When everything is down and just looking horribly out of place, when everyone else is saying you can't do it, we can get back on our feet and start walking with pride. Yes we can.

We can do anything as long as we set our minds to it and earnestly work towards our goals. Yes we can.

Happy Birthday to me!

Yesterday was my birthday but, I don't really celebrate my birthdays for reasons I myself do not know.

Anyway, at the office my boss decided to celebrate my birthday after she found out that yesterday was my birthday. I was called into her room for a short discussion. While talking to her, her room door suddenly opens and I get a group of people singing a birthday song for me. I think I was so happy and surprised I ended up blushing......

It's almost 11pm now and I am so happy I can't seem to find what words to put into this blog entry. I guess I'll just keep it short by saying thanks to all those people who arranged the surprise - you know who you are...... thanks also to those who sang the birthday song as well....... I was very happy and the cake was very tasty too. THANK YOU all from the bottom of my heart!