Our new sofa cover :-)
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Sunday, November 28, 2010
Jacqueline on 1:27 PM
Science and Religion
Saturday, November 27, 2010
For those of you who are interested in this topic, go read Albert Einstein’s address at Princeton in the link below (no, he did not revive; it was in 1939). It’s amazing how we should never diminish personal responsibility, and deprive ourselves of introspection, so necessary in our search for ‘truth’. I rather like what Einstein said as follows.
1. ‘Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind.’
2. ‘We have penetrated far less deeply into the regularities obtaining within the realm of living things, but deeply enough nevertheless to sense at least the rule of fixed necessity. One need only think of the systematic order in heredity, and in the effect of poisons, as for instance alcohol, on the behavior of organic beings. What is still lacking here is a grasp of connections of profound generality, but not a knowledge of order in itself.’
3. (The truest religion cultivates) ‘the Good, the True, and the Beautiful in humanity itself.’
4. ‘If it is one of the goals of religion to liberate mankind as far as possible from the bondage of egocentric cravings, desires, and fears, scientific reasoning can aid religion in yet another sense. Although it is true that it is the goal of science to discover rules which permit the association and foretelling of facts, this is not its only aim. It also seeks to reduce the connections discovered to the smallest possible number of mutually independent conceptual elements. It is in this striving after the rational unification of the manifold that it encounters its greatest successes, even though it is precisely this attempt which causes it to run the greatest risk of falling a prey to illusions. But whoever has undergone the intense experience of successful advances made in this domain is moved by profound reverence for the rationality made manifest in existence. By way of the understanding he achieves a far-reaching emancipation from the shackles of personal hopes and desires, and thereby attains that humble attitude of mind toward the grandeur of reason incarnate in existence, and which, in its profoundest depths, is inaccessible to man. This attitude, however, appears to me to be religious, in the highest sense of the word. And so it seems to me that science not only purifies the religious impulse of the dross of its anthropomorphism but also contributes to a religious spiritualization of our understanding of life.’
5. ‘The further the spiritual evolution of mankind advances, the more certain it seems to me that the path to genuine religiosity does not lie through the fear of life, and the fear of death, and blind faith, but through striving after rational knowledge. In this sense I believe that the priest must become a teacher if he wishes to do justice to his lofty educational mission.’
The greatest mind of the 20th century indeed, Albert Einstein.
(btw, mind does not refer to just the ‘brain’ [head], but also heart, and guts. Some say we hv these three brains [a greater ‘whole’], although we seldom use all of them).
http://www.panarchy.org/einstein/science.religion.1939.html
1. ‘Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind.’
2. ‘We have penetrated far less deeply into the regularities obtaining within the realm of living things, but deeply enough nevertheless to sense at least the rule of fixed necessity. One need only think of the systematic order in heredity, and in the effect of poisons, as for instance alcohol, on the behavior of organic beings. What is still lacking here is a grasp of connections of profound generality, but not a knowledge of order in itself.’
3. (The truest religion cultivates) ‘the Good, the True, and the Beautiful in humanity itself.’
4. ‘If it is one of the goals of religion to liberate mankind as far as possible from the bondage of egocentric cravings, desires, and fears, scientific reasoning can aid religion in yet another sense. Although it is true that it is the goal of science to discover rules which permit the association and foretelling of facts, this is not its only aim. It also seeks to reduce the connections discovered to the smallest possible number of mutually independent conceptual elements. It is in this striving after the rational unification of the manifold that it encounters its greatest successes, even though it is precisely this attempt which causes it to run the greatest risk of falling a prey to illusions. But whoever has undergone the intense experience of successful advances made in this domain is moved by profound reverence for the rationality made manifest in existence. By way of the understanding he achieves a far-reaching emancipation from the shackles of personal hopes and desires, and thereby attains that humble attitude of mind toward the grandeur of reason incarnate in existence, and which, in its profoundest depths, is inaccessible to man. This attitude, however, appears to me to be religious, in the highest sense of the word. And so it seems to me that science not only purifies the religious impulse of the dross of its anthropomorphism but also contributes to a religious spiritualization of our understanding of life.’
5. ‘The further the spiritual evolution of mankind advances, the more certain it seems to me that the path to genuine religiosity does not lie through the fear of life, and the fear of death, and blind faith, but through striving after rational knowledge. In this sense I believe that the priest must become a teacher if he wishes to do justice to his lofty educational mission.’
The greatest mind of the 20th century indeed, Albert Einstein.
(btw, mind does not refer to just the ‘brain’ [head], but also heart, and guts. Some say we hv these three brains [a greater ‘whole’], although we seldom use all of them).
http://www.panarchy.org/einstein/science.religion.1939.html
Jacqueline on 1:56 PM
Encourage the heart
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
I was teaching some of my learners on how in effective and courteous interpersonal communication, for instance, we shld make statements of agreement, praise, and/or affirmation, if we honestly feel so. This is to improve their conversational skills.
I added this also helps for growing relationships and for a healthier them, since they wld not suppress their genuine, positive, and healthy feelings abt themselves and others. ‘If you deeply feel positively so, say so.’ At the end of the session, a group came up to me: ‘Sir, you are brilliant…you are really gd…I enjoy your classes very much…you are handsome…’to the point I was blushing! Then they said: ‘really ah, sir. Really’. Despite hvg to take care of my throat etc, this is why I enjoy learning – do we really need to ‘learn to learn’? Just follow your heart (Kouzes and Posner).
I added this also helps for growing relationships and for a healthier them, since they wld not suppress their genuine, positive, and healthy feelings abt themselves and others. ‘If you deeply feel positively so, say so.’ At the end of the session, a group came up to me: ‘Sir, you are brilliant…you are really gd…I enjoy your classes very much…you are handsome…’to the point I was blushing! Then they said: ‘really ah, sir. Really’. Despite hvg to take care of my throat etc, this is why I enjoy learning – do we really need to ‘learn to learn’? Just follow your heart (Kouzes and Posner).
Jacqueline on 10:17 AM
Man's Search for Meaning
Friday, November 05, 2010
I haven't read this book by Victor Frankl (original: 1946) in full, but it centers around how some people may still emerge triumphant in the darkest hour, if they found meaning in their lives. How? And what do you mean by 'meaning'?
Essentially, it is about taking responsibility for your life. It is about discovering a deeper meaning for how you live. And much of such responsibility and deeper meaning revolves very much around the concept of love. You must find a calling or mission in life which brings you a sense of fulfilment. For instance, slogging for money and power alone may just deplete your wholeness and sanity as a person, and your soul. You must answer your own life, by being responsible. A sense of 'responsibleness' is the very essence of your human existence.
Do you want a responsible, loving, and meaningful life?
Essentially, it is about taking responsibility for your life. It is about discovering a deeper meaning for how you live. And much of such responsibility and deeper meaning revolves very much around the concept of love. You must find a calling or mission in life which brings you a sense of fulfilment. For instance, slogging for money and power alone may just deplete your wholeness and sanity as a person, and your soul. You must answer your own life, by being responsible. A sense of 'responsibleness' is the very essence of your human existence.
Do you want a responsible, loving, and meaningful life?
Jacqueline on 9:57 PM
Karma & Love
Monday, November 01, 2010
If you send out goodness from yourself, or if you share that which is happy or good within you, it will all come back to you multiplied ten thousand times. In the kingdom of love, there is no competition; there is no possessiveness or control. The more love you give away, the more love you will have.
- John O' Donohue (Anam Cara: A Book of Celtic Wisdom)
Jacqueline on 7:38 PM