~mercedo Moments ago
Is art eternal? This art still gives impression every time I see.--Ancient Greek Philosophers - 18c Enlightenment Thinkers - deviantART Users

http://lovejoker.deviantart.com/art/a-depot-67702475

Real meaning of silence

>No comments have been added yet.Really?People would keep silent when they have too many things to say.--Ancient Greek Philosophers - 18c Enlightenment Thinkers - deviantART Users

http://enricomestre.deviantart.com/art/Ava1-124266832

~mercedo 1 second ago
The contrast of black and white makes the impression of this photo sharpen.--Ancient Greek Philosophers - 18c Enlightenment

Terms

Gross World Product interchangibly with Global Gross Domestic Product.GWP is defined from human perspective.GGDP is defined from regional perspective. GGDP doesn't change even if men bear wealth in space, open sea, and in Antarctic.

No future lies in this country since there's no rule and regulation, order and moral.

Slow and steady make perfect

Eiko Onoda said...
>Speed and impatience kill.
I agree. Modern men tend to get faster and faster every day as if they were under the threat of 'Repent, the end is nigh!'

But the reality is there's no end in timeline. Probably there must have some 'end' of human species. But it is just the beginning of another species. Life evolves from microorganisms to more complex one taking millions of time again.

So look at sky and breathe deeply. Slow and steady only make things perfect.
May 15, 2009 4:27 AM


In reply to 'Slow and Steady, Makes Right ' by Ted Seeber

John Paul the Great used to say "I'd rather be right and the leader of only a church of 1000, than wrong and the leader of a billion."

One of the big reasons I'm still Catholic is because that isn't just a saying- there's a real system behind it.

Long before anybody ever imagined the scientific method, we had the Councilar method. Unlike some other more modern Christian sects, for Catholics (both Orthodox and Latin) Doctrine Develops. Dogma is set in stone, but doctrine develops, and discipline (which the Councilar method also affects) is temporary. Theology is in fact logical, despite what some atheists will want to tell you.

But one big difference between the Councilar method and more modern theologies and philosophies; it's slow. So slow in fact that it took more than 1200 years for one theological theory (the Immaculate Conception of Mary) to move from first being written down, to being believed by the whole church, to being preached from the See of Peter as being infallible.

The theologians of Catholicism are nothing if not complete in their tasks.

600 years to come up with an Apology to Galileo for our side of the argument.

But when I see such theological mistakes as the American Shakers denying the existence of human sexuality or the rush of emergence theology to embrace homosexuality, or scientific mistakes such as Thalidomide and the nuclear bomb, I have to wonder if speed in human development isn't a mistake in and of itself. How much better it is when change happens slowly enough so that those who remember the old way are long dead before the new way fully takes hold!

Speed and impatience kill. The reason why the scientific method is faster, is because it enables the scientist to disregard huge swaths of data that the theological council must consider. But by ignoring the moral and philosophical implications of their work, quite often science gets it wrong. One way I think science is getting it wrong in the United States under the Obama Administration is the fight over stem cell research- because the fight had been going the other way under the Bush Administration, embryonic stem cell research is being funded at the expense of adult stem cell research- despite the fact that embryonic research has yet to find a single cure, but we can hardly go more than three months without hearing about a new cure from Adult Stem Cell research. It's clear which one should get more funding based on past performance, yet we do the reverse because it is trendy and quick rather than making the harder moral decision.
Posted by Ted Seeber at 2:02 PM 0 comments Links to this post

Order in chaos

"New Autistic thing I figured out"
1 Comment -
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I've spent the last 25 years or so with homophobia and a fear of gender segregated team sports, because I've been mislabeling idiot jocks as homosexuals (due to certain behaviors common in my high school when it came to team razing and initiation ceremonies).So first, to all homosexuals out there who aren't predatory and don't bother the people around you, I'm sorry for misjudging you. For all of the jocks I misjudged- you might want to look at some of those team rituals with a critical eye towards how they might look to the kid you're bullying just because he's weird. And finally, to all parents of autistic kids- you might want to have a talk with them about stereotypes and how being bullied has affected the way they see the world.
posted by Ted Seeber at 10:58 AM on May 4, 2009

Eiko Onoda said...
This post seems very irrational to me, therefore I like it. I see indescibable order from just a chaotic world.
May 7, 2009 10:17 AM

Snow out of season

Here in Tokyo -actually I'm not there though, it started to snow untimely. Snowfall continues as of now 21:50 to three in the morning tomorrow. It piles up to 3 to 5 cm. Cold night..

Ms Clinton comes
2009.02.18 4:55

Secretary of State Ms Hillary Clinton comes to Japan. She said bilateral relation between United States and Japan is essential and a corner stone to world politics. Japan is the first country for her to visit outside US and she invited Japanese premire to visit the White House as the first foreign leader.
Through Japan bashing, passing now is the time to Japan banishing. Assimilation has been in progress in such a degree.

Journal: Drunken proved on 2009.02.16 23:17 Comments: 0
Journal by Mer_panacea on 2009.02.16 23:17
People who made a mistake under the influence of alcohol often make an excuse as they didn't drink much. This is the proof of their intoxication. They think they didn't have much because they had already much.

My destiny

My destiny
2009.02.01 23:32

In my youth, words appear one after the other. So in a class I was unable to bear anything in my mind, instead, I needed to take down what appeared in my mind. I shut down the entrance to knowledge. This was my destiny. I was obliged to be a writer without being given time to choose.
Hah, I was supposed to title 'My excuse' for this post.

A letter from America
2009.01.17 23:44

One of my close friends went to America, staying for a while. He sent me a riddle. Here's a part of his letter from America.
>After Noah and his family survived the flood, God now allows humans to eat animal meat (except the blood). But as you recall, there were only pairs of animals or each kind with seven. So if people would start eating animals right away, wouldn't some animals be extinct right away? No, because God provided a solution for these animals. The answer is in Genesis 9:2! Please check it out!
Genesis 9:2 from New International Version: The fear and dread of you will fall upon all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air, upon every creature that moves along the ground, and upon all the fish of the sea; they are given into your hands.
Is this answer?

My motto
2009.01.16 1:06

Don't look around, but forward.
But now it's time to look around. Life is long.

Illusion

Illusion
2009.01.11 2:11

I used to post a comment in someone's blog that love gives us everything and deprives us of nothing or something like that. Now I challenge my previous statement. Love gives us illusion and deprives us of all.
Therefore we love?

Appearances of a beggar's village
2009.01.05 6:00

At the very centre of Capital, hundreds of unemployed spent their year out and in in the hall of Ministry of Labour and Health. They became refugees. Can we call this country an advanced nation? Now it's so dubious.

Beginning of job
2009.01.05 5:46

New work day starts to day. I like working, but I don't like to get along with people at work. I'm working as a dispatched worker there, that's a main reason. The rate of dispatched labourer in Japan is 37.8%, unusually higher than that in the UK as slightly more than 5%. I'm not working there with my pals and fellows.

Aquarium
2008.08.12 12:52

Last Sunday we -my girlfriend and I went to aquarium called 'Kaikyo Kan', which means both 'strait hall' and 'sea echo hall'.What amazed me was the fee. It was 18 US dollars. We were there for about one hour and a half.
We were supposed to go upstairs to the third floor. Then from the third to the first we were supposed to watch fish and sea mammals, etc. we had a seal and dolphin show.
The entrance was located at the first floor, though the exit was in the ground floor. They had a large skelton of blue whale on the ground floor.
Shimo no seki is famous for its port facility as other port towns. There was a wharf. We strolled there for about half an hour.
The highest temparature yesterday here was 37.3 Celcius. It was highest among all the cities in our country.
Stupid summer continues.

Summer holiday
2008.08.12 12:22

Now summer holiday started! I take a rest for six days from 12th to 17th of this month. Last year I took three days off. We went to Aso volcano.I haven't decided what to do in this holiday.

Report of Earthquake
Jul 25, '07 1:16 AMfor everyone
American Army contributed 96 air conditioners to refugee camps in Niigata earthquake occurred some one week ago.
One nuclear power plant there decided to accept IAEA's investigation, not inspection some time after IAEA offered.

Ten Minutes Supper

We usually have a regular meeting of English circle on Tuesday from 8 pm to 9 pm. I finish working in 7 pm and I need to move, so usually I have no time to eat supper before the meeting. But today I had some time to eat supper, the time was limited though. It was only ten nminutes. But ten minutes was enough for me to finish having supper, so I felt strange when one of our members said it's very short.

Ten minutes supper, is it strange?

Marriage of Inconvenience

This marriage was suspiciously made between homosexuals. But not between same sex but different sex. This marriage was made between a man who likes a man and a woman who likes a woman. The woman was a famous figure so I guess she needed to hide her sexual preference from the eyes of general public.

What she didn't realise was what her husband said soon after they got married. He revealed simply that he is gay.

Crime and No Punishment

Aren't people who just followed the order of state power and committed some serious crimes guilty after the state lost its political power?

The Gatekeeper
2007.07.25 0:30

There are tens of thousands of shrines in which you know two gatekeepers are guarding in front of the entrance. Those figureheads are called Komainu - dog of foreign origin. Their head is similar to lion's and the body an ordinary dog. Those figureheads were so common in ancient Babylonia, Persia, etc. I know the gate of the Garden of Eden was protected by two cherubim so I wonder cherubim must have something to do with Japan's Komainu.
By the way I encountered some article that says the Garden of Eden stands for a womb. Certainly Bible says they can't back to the garden once they left there. In this article that says the cherubim represent unborn babies who were killed before their birth for some reason, usually economic one.
Related to this but not directly though are the origin of cross. Jesus was crucified but the fact does not automatically deduce as to why cross has been used as a symbol of Christianity for a long time. So when I encountered the article that suggests the similarity of the brazen serpent and Seraphim, I thought this must have something to do with cross. I had half a mind that cross must have represented the ascension of Jesus. Jesus was born as human and he later must have resurrected in spirit. My conclusion is cherubim, seraphim are representing spirits after death. Cross must be representing humans with wings, hoping to ascend.
Back again gatekeepers. We sometimes pay respect to shrines. This practice is so common in Japan. If inside the gate represents the Garden of Eden, the shrine must be playing the similar role. Inside the shrine is called 'sanctuary' as a matter of fact. We weren't caught in the gate. We weren't a gatekeeper yet.

What is 'Truth' ? I am willing to help test Slashdot's New Discussion System.
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"Truth"?(Score:1, Flamebait)
by johndiii (229824) * <.moc.tsolima. .ta. .iiidnhoj.> on 2007.07.18 5:03 (#19892077) (Last Journal: 2007.07.19 8:54)
Truth includes things that have already verified. That is a meaningless statement. Verification is the process of determining whether or not something is true. All that you are doing is defining "truth" as those things that are known to be true. That isn't a good definition, though. "Truth" is all those things that are true, whether or not they are known as such. Your definition also might include things in "truth" that are actually not true, due to mistakes or flaws in the verification process. And it doesn't account for things that are formally undecidable, as per Gödel's incompleteness theorem (which states that any sufficiently powerful formal system contains propositions that are true but not provable within the system).
--As you wish.
[ Reply to This ]
Short answer: Yes(Score:0, Redundant)
by Morosoph (693565) on 2007.07.18 8:30 (#19894803) (http://homepage.ntlworld.com/tim.wesson/ Last Journal: 2007.06.10 2:25)
Does truth include things that cannot verify?Jondiii got it right; truth exists independently of our knowledge of it, and therefore verification isn't the point. This doesn't mean that verification isn't important, for we all want knowledge of truth.
Our lack of knowledge naturally means that we are inclined to disagree, but our disagreement doesn't change what is true; it only changes our opinion of it.
--My Amigos. Your Amigos.
[ Reply to This ]
Re:Short answer: Yes(Score:2)
by johndiii (229824) * <.moc.tsolima. .ta. .iiidnhoj.> on 2007.07.19 12:15 (#19910081) (Last Journal: 2007.07.19 8:54)
Interesting moderation in this JE, don't you think?
--As you wish.
[ Reply to This Parent ]
Re:Short answer: Yes(Score:1)
by Jeremiah Cornelius (137) on 2007.07.19 12:24 (#19910155) (Last Journal: 2007.07.19 14:42)
Yeah. Looks like you have a doctrinaire Christian in Mercedo's friend list. Morosoph gets knocked, and even the lengthy anonymous comment is modded down - like that matters in a JE for someone with no UID!Style is a good way to ID the ACs, tho'. I notice typographical and punctuation convention "tells" that give some regulars away. Foolish to mod such a post down - just an expression of anger.All Love,Jeremiah "secret pre-Raphaelite and Byronic romantic" Cornelius
--So I pass that on to you.Write it down, and put it in your computer, so you can forget it.
[ Reply to This Parent ]
Truth is Absolute Reality(Score:-1, Offtopic)
by Anonymous Coward on 2007.07.18 15:49 (#19897819)
Truth is not mediated by the senses, the intellect, nor the psyche.The world is a veil on Truth.God is Truth."Other than God" is a ludicrous fallacy. There is only Truth, "Other than Truth" does not, by its nature as fallacy, exist.Haqq, Brahma, Tao. The names of this endless ocean are many - its essence is the Unity, not the many names given under the shadow of the apparent world.The Delphic Oracle says: "Know thyself, and thou shalt know the Cosmos."Jesus says: "the Kingdom of Heaven in within you."Saint Clement says: "He who knows himself knows God."Gautama Buddha says: "Look within. Thou art Buddha."Siddha Yoga holds: "God dwells within you as You."In the Q'ran is written: "He who knows himself knows his Lord."Seeking other than the Truth is self-deception, but Truth cannot be attained by intellectual means.
One night, Nasruddin's neighbors found him, crawling around on his hands and knees under a lamppost."What are you looking for?" they asked him."I've lost the key to my house," he replied.They all got down to help him look, but after a fruitless time of searching, one neighbor thought to ask him - just where he had lost the key in the first place?"Oh. In my house!" Nasruddin answered."Then why are you looking under the lamppost?" he was asked, impatiently.Nasruddin replied, "Well, it is dark in my house, of course!The lamp of intellect does not illuminate the house. When Diogenes as similarly asked why he carried a lamp in the broad daylight, he responded "I am looking for one that knows the truth!" The lesson of this was lost on those who have recorded the deeds of Diogenes - and his rivals branded him "cynic," meaning one who barks meaninglessly like a dog and not engaging in proper philosophical discourse. The lamp of discourse would never illuminate the abode of truth - and in misunderstanding he is even misquoted today as one looking for "an honest man."All of this is the essential teaching of Jesus, as relayed by the Secret Gospel of Thomas, destroyed by the Priestly enemies of Truth:
"Jesus said, If your leaders say to you "Look! The Kingdom is in the sky then the birds will be there before you are. If they say that the Kingdom is in the sea, then the fish will be there before you are. Rather, the Kingdom is within you and it is outside of you."(Saying 3a)"His disciples said to him: Show us the place you are, for it is essential for us to seek it. He responded: He who has ears let him hear. There is light within a man of light, and he lights up all of the world. If he is not alight there is darkness."(Saying 24)"Jesus said: When you give rise to that which is within you, what you have will save you. If you do not give rise to it, what you do not have will destroy you."(Saying 70)That "Man of Light" is the only one who can teach how to find this. Some are struck with realization, but they are unable to explain what they witness. They are rarer than proverbial hen's teeth! But the Truth is known to some in every time - they are hidden from the insincere seeker, by the same ignorance that caused Diogenes to be misunderstood, down to this very day.The Man of Light would not be accepted by ordinary seekers - he would not appear "holy" - even ridiculing many of the pieties of religion. He will have both fools and sages among his followers, and contempt for this condition hides his being from the casual seeker. Without knowing they have done so, they fail even the very first test.I guess that leaves us with Bayazid Bestami, who I will quote - like a tape recorder, accurately but not comprehending:
"I never saw any lamp shining more brilliantly than the lamp of silence."
[ Reply to This ]

What is 'Truth'?

Truth includes things that have already verified. Truth doesn't include things that have not verfied yet.Does truth include things that cannot verify? Some people insist that 'God is almighty, it's truth.'

In & Out

In & Out
2007.07.17 1:14

My assumption was basically as follows.
Men are once in his mother's womb and in there all nutrients were served through umbilical cord. I must say men are passive in a womb. Men who prefer a hip must have a strong yearning to the state in a womb. His interest is inward, he is not trying to find a partner but satisfy in protection.
Once he came out of his mother he had to feed himself by trying to suck his mother's bosom. This is an active action. He just started to learn he has to do something to feed himself. This is the very first step to socialisation.
If still mother's influence strongly sheds light on his life, he must be a hip lover. Or those who prefer hip rather than nipple must be still under his mother's control -that is so called a mother-complex.

Bosoms Lover? or Hip Lover?
2007.07.16 2:34

I have heard that a man who is obsessively affectionate to women's hip is likely to be suffered from mother complex, who loves his mother in unconsciousness.
How about the cases of a man who loves particularly bossoms? Womb is where he used to stay before his birth. In this case he was formed a part of his mother. Instead bosoms are where he had been nourished after he was separated from his mother. It is natural to love bosoms because they are where he was able to acquire his first food. At least desire to fulfil his hunger is more socialised than the nostalgic yearning to his home before birth.

The Meaning of 'God is Almighty'

The Meaning of 'God is Almighty'
2007.07.16 1:46

Have you ever thought about the meaning of God is almighty?
If God is almighty, he can be outside the universe or inside, can be omnipresence or somewhere, he can banish himself so he can be nowhere at the same time. He can live forever and even be dead. Of course later he can resurrect himself. He can even bo back to the past.
God is almighty and God is omnipresence, both are different in expression, but in reality the former includes the latter in notion.
Is there any omnipotent being? That is the eternal theme humans keep on raising. Omnipotent being can banish himself. Under the notion of Almighty God even atheism becomes just one phenomenon of theism.

God cares for you

God cares for you
2007.07.14 2:26

Until a few days ago I had taken it for granted for a long time that Nietzsche denied the existence of God by declaring Gott ist tot or God is dead. But if God were almighty, he could resurrect himself. If Jesus were God before he arrives on the Earth, he or God experienced human's inevitable destiny through the crusification.
If so, the real meaning of Gott ist tot is different from what I thought. God experienced death because he wanted to give his best creature, that is all humans, an eternal life in Eucharist and wanted to share the same suffering all humans once had to experience, that is death -sharing in other words, Communion.
So real meaning of Gott ist tot is God experienced death through which he was able to give us an eternal life and also share the same suffering. The real meaning of faith was giving and sharing.
God is dead was an ultimate expression of God cares for you.

Some Christian firmly believe they will be resurrected.
Reincarnation is as a thought based on the immortality of souls, but we can't be so certain as far as we can't confirm the souls are immortal.
Resurrection, on the other hand, has nothing to do with this immortality. We can't deny resurrection, we can say we can realise resurrection as the ultimate form of our scientific achievement. Those who wish their resurrection had better try to make the most of their life at present. This is one of the rarest opportunity they live.
In the end resurrection will take place, but it takes time. It will definitely take place by the end of time.

Establishment of Self

Establishment of Self
2007.07.06 23:39

Somebody told us in our presence that his relation to God is more important than the relationship to others.
I thought he merely stated that he has nothing more important than himself, but I think this is the way how Westerners established themselves. Establishment of self, that is what lacks completely in Japanese. Westerners have established themselves through their personal dialogue to God. As opposed to the cases in Japanese, who only talk to people in their surroundings who have the similar problem with themselves. So so-called establishment by Japanese is fragile.

Testis

Testis
2007.07.06 2:37

Testis means witness in Latin. Did you know that? It's interesting because both martyr and testis relate to life and death. Witness must have been a very responsible act.

Martyr

Martyr
2007.07.05 3:46

Martyr, whose original form is Martur, means witness in Greek. Did you know that?

Why Apocrypha was Apocrypha? II

The Wisdom of Ben Sira was written 180 to 175 and canonised in Catholic and Orthodox, but not in Protestant. Therefore we can read it in Septuagint, Vulgate. The reason this was taken out of canon in Protestant was probably judging from its contents. They are regarded as a copy of Proverbs.

Maccabees were written in 100 BC and those Hebrew texts were lost.

The rest of Daniel& Esther might be added later. Not found in Hebrew canon.

Book of Baruch is not found in Hebrew Bible but found both in Sepuagint and Vulgate.

Book of Tobit is not found in Hebrew Bible but found both in Septuagint and Vulgate. Therefore this book is canonised in Catholic and Orthodox Churches. This book was probably written in 2 century BC. But the contents were about 8 century BC.

Book of Judith is dominant in hstorical anachronism. This book is considered as a religious novel. Therefore excluded from Protestant canon.

Wisdom of Solomon was written in 2nd century BC. No Hebrew texts are found. Platonism & Stoicism can be read and we can find allusions to Gospel of Matthew. Found in Septuagint.

Prayer of Manasseh is apocryphal by all dnominations. Found in Septuagint.

Esdras was written 1st century BC to 1st century AD. Canonised only in Eastern Orthodox Church.

Typical characters Apocrypha have are Not found in Hebrew canon. Written between 2nd to 1st century BC. Found in Septuagint, Vulgate. Reformation was a restoration to Jewish tradition. There was a reason for it.

Why Apocrypha Was Apocrypha?

Why Apocrypha Was Apocrypha?
2007.06.22 2:02

Apocrypha refers to the collection of books written between the end of Old Testament around 500 BC and the beginning of the New Testament around 50 AD. Basically the Old Testament is a record between 1300 BC to 500 BC and the New Testament between 50 AD to 100 AD. Apocrypha covers those missing links between two testaments.
During that period, Jewish cultures were on the verge of extinction. Overall Hellenisation was on the process in those Levant area. Antiochus (175 -163)was probably sarcastically called Epiphanes but went too far to proceed this movement. But many important books were written, those include
1 Esdras (Vulgate 3 Esdras) 2 Esdras (Vulgate 4 Esdras) Tobit Judith Rest of Esther (Vulgate Esther 10:4-16:24) Wisdom Ecclesiasticus (also known as Sirach) Baruch and the Epistle of Jeremy (all part of Vulgate Baruch) Song of the Three Children (Vulgate Daniel 3:24-90) Story of Susanna (Vulgate Daniel 13) The Idol Bel and the Dragon (Vulgate Daniel 14) Prayer of Manasses 1 Maccabees 2 Maccabees
Those Apocrypha were included in Catholic Canon but excluded from Protestant Bible in the Reformation in 16c.
My assumption why Apocrypha was excluded is probably Protestant needed to establish authority against Roman Catholic and Greed Orthodox Churches. Jewish states were reigned by Ptolemaic (323 -198) and Selucid ( 198 to 166 ). Jewish state enjoyed its independence from 142 to 63 after the Maccabean revolt in 167 and following struggle that lasted till 142. Protestant didn't like to follow Roman and Greek authority in Church, so they went too far to hide those scriptures written during that period.
Apocrypha is just hidden, God reveals as Epiphanes.

Creation? or Evolution?

Creation? or Evolution?
2007.06.17 22:13

Missing link is a hypothesis there might have existed the pre humans that connect apes to modern humans. The reason of this claim is as follows. Although we can find many species closer to each other in the case of other animals, we can't find a closer species to modern humans. So assumption here is we must have had pre humans that were much closer to modern humans but we haven't found them -that is called ' missing link'. And the archaeological evidence that proves the existence of pre humans are not found yet. Missing link is used somehow to explain human's unique existence from other species. Missing link is supportive to creationist' s insistence.
Even if some result proves man's existence merely dated back to 6000 years ago, that doesn't tell anything whether humans existed before 6000 years ago.
Evolution was led from many scientific experiments and partly from archaeological evidence, but not entirely from artifacts. Lack of evidence in artifacts has nothing to do with the support of any theories.
So whatever the reason you believe a man was created by God around 6000 years ago.
But I believe 4.57 billion years ago the Earth was born and 3.7 billion years ago life on Earth started. 200,000 years ago current humans were born. 6000 years ago human civilisation started.
As to the reply to your question, yes, I think so. Our species were originated from a common human ancestor that appeared in some part of Africa 200,000 years ago. The number of our ancestors was considerably fewer than now.
And most important thing here.
Creation? or Evolution? That's an obsolte dichotomy. It is unknown whether life was born by itself or created by God. But life evolves. If you are a creationist, you can say ' humans are a form of life that were brought by God on the Earth some 3.7 billion years ago.' If you are an evolutionist, you can say ' humans are a form of life that were born on the Earth some 3.7 billion years ago. ' Life evolves, but nobody knows the origin of life was spontaneouly appeared or brought by some intelligent Being with intention.

Love

Love
#174341 ] 2007.06.15 23:04

Love is born from happening to have had a time to spend in only two and unfulfilled desire makes our love even more intense.

Marriage

Marriage
2007.06.14 1:40

"It doesn't much signify whom one marries for one is sure to find out next morning it was someone else." -- Rogers
Really? If I were you, I would say, ' It doesn't much signify whom one marries for one is sure to find out next morning it was certainly one's better half." -- Mercedo

Incest was not taboo

Incest was not taboo
2007.06.12 2:40

Incest was forbidden because it was the easiest way for mating. Probably before civilisation, many humans kept on practicing this for too many years. Incest became taboo mainly from economic reasons. Suppose if we got married to one of our parents, we can inherit their property. But remember we can automatically inherit their property because we are their child, so we don't have to get married to them in order only to inherit their property.
If we got married to a person from other family, we can inherit property that belongs to other family. From the same reason even if we got married to one of siblings, we find no economical merit on this since our siblings merely inherit a part of our parents' property. That's why we are always encouraged to get married to a person from other family that owns more property than us anyway.

Prostitution

Prostitution
2007.06.09 22:29

I thought about why prostitution is prohibited legally here. Because it is the easiest way to get money, everyone would be trying to do this job if it is permitted by law. That must be destroying the country's economy. Because so many people will be engaged in this job, few can work in more productive field.

Time, etc

Time & Space
2007.06.08 23:06

From human criteria, space is so wide and limitless, gigantic in comparison to humans. From similar reasons, microcosm is so small, both macro and microcosm are beyond our comprehension. Strangely the natural rules that are adaptive to human world, macrocosm, microcosm are all different.
You can only assume what the world is like from only human point of view. It is simply impossible to know simple fact, how the world actually is in the first place.
Though I highly value your endeavour, I'm afraid you can only approach, but you can't reach. It's only worthy for us to know it as long as it relates to human interest. How about time? Do you think there's absolute time? Time has only meanings when it regulates the relative relations to each other. Time is a notion we start noticing after we are born. Space is also the similar notion. There's no absolute time and space other than trying to measure in the eyes of humans.
I'm afraid your attitude is not even in common among natural scientists. Einstein won't think as you do. For example, how could you think that the same laws of physics apply at all scales? Newtonian mechanics only applies at our ordinary life, quantum theory and theory of relativism are needed in both microcosm and macrocosm to explain respectively. Natural science we seek for only solves questions in human sphere from micro to macro pivoted at our ordinary life. We might be able to pick a couple of shining sands at beach, yet haven't noticed the sea of truth lying before us.
Since I said that humans are the only being that can be aware of time in the first place, I say time has only meaning as long as it relates to humans. I mean for monkeys and birds or other living species, as long as they can't detect the sequence of time, time has no meaning, in other words, time doesn't exist. How can you detect time? It is impossible to detect time when we sleep. Unless we are aware, as it were time stops.
Do you still believe in time, are you going to say time can be measurable by watch? Are you going to say a watch or clock keeps on measuring time after all humans die away? No.

Adam
2007.06.08 22:59

The perception of time has been particular to humans since Adam found all humans are dead. Unfortunately despite your insist, time doesn't exist outside our perception.
My idea is completely in line with the plausible scientific facts from anthropological point of view. 4.57 billion years ago the Earth formed. Life on the Earth started existing 3.7 billion years ago. Current human species originated 200,000 years ago in Africa, then Adam was born at least more than 7000 years ago. In comparison with relatively long history of current human being, Adam ought to be regarded as the first modern human.
He was the first human who noticed 'humans are dead', 'human didn't wear anything'. Before the birth of Adam, no one noticed humans are mortal, and it was just natural for them not to wear anything. Humans before Adam never realised who they are. They weren't even ashamed of their nakedness.
Adam was the first person to try having food other than they already knew. It was adventurous at that time. Adam was also the first person who started getting out of their living sphere, that is Garden of Eden. First expenditure to seek for a better life started here. Adam was indeed one of the most remarkable figures in human history in many senses, who ought to be completely distinguished from humans before him.
We start counting years from the start of the first civilisation that occurred in East of Eden, somewhere in Mesopotamia. Then argument in Time and Space. Adam was the first human who noticed there might be Time. Time didn't exist before Adam noticed there might be. After he noticed them, he noticed there's only limited time he can live. From the similar reasons, space didn't exist until he noticed he only lives in a limited space.
Why do you believe in Time or Space? Time & Space are an illusion that the first humans started to have. They cannot be arguable from scientific viewpoint.

Professionalism

Professionalism
2007.06.05 2:50

I started writing poems at age 10. I wrote about 200 poems during junior high school days. I devoted myself to writing poems from 16 to 19. I lost everything in my life what usually minors can acquire but I got what usually minors can hardly acquire, that is fame and recognition.
It took nearly twenty years to be able to write something workable in English. I never compromise, never, never. I am proud to be a writer. I never lose to anyone when it comes to writing. Never, never.
I usually write 5 hours in a day at least, always at night from 10 to 4.

Silver Cremated Bone of Buddha

Silver Cremated Bone of Buddha
2007.06.05 0:30
Here in Japan we call white rice as above in Japanese Ginshari. White rice has been respected from ancient times even though it became the cause of beriberi for the lack of thiamine.

Compatibility of human parts

Transfusion is one form of transplantation. Or rather the former can be said the earliest attempt of the latter.

Battle of Conscience

Battle of Conscience
2007.06.01 0:39

In the end it's the patient's freedom to see a doctor who honors his direction or change a doctor who ignores his wish. Of course he can choose not to go to see a doctor in the first place or in the end. A doctor can merely suggest a better way to take but he can't force his patients to undergo his way.
Respectable believers won't sue any doctor even if he did what his patients feel detested. But once lawsuits were held, the doctors won't win. He needs to pay compensation for the psychological loss of the patients. But the amount of compensation might be significantly lower in comparison with the benefit the doctor brought. In short, lawsuits are counterproductive and less beneficial. What was important was not keep away from blood itself, but what he did to avoid them. His conscience won't question himself if he did best what he could before his conscience.
For example, as to blood transfusion, products. It's better for him to emphasise the sacredness of blood rather than the risks blood has. Medically speaking, blood products or transfusion has more risks than other treatment. However probably Moses prohibitted it from the health risks blood has. First successful blood transfusion was reported after blood type was found in 18c and blood products are a result of modern medicine. Moses won't prohibit the use of blood in medical purpose for this health reason if now.
Usually people without faith are eager to live just longer, but people like you don't want to live against your faith, instead want to live well in accordance with God's will. Society, doctors ought to respect the patient's wish first. The most important thing is the doctor won't be inquisited for the allegation of euthanasia even if it involved the cases of life and death. Because he did his best to save the life of patients within a range all he allowed to do. That's my idea so far on this matter.

Two Days Leave

Two Days Leave
2007.05.29 3:03

I am going to make a short trip with my girlfriend for two nights from tomorrow. I intend to concentrate on our relationship. See you on Thursday.

Tomorrow Never Comes

Tomorrow Never Comes
2007.05.29 2:55

When I arrived at the office, I saw one parcel with a piece of paper attached. The paper read ' Please send this parcel tomorrow.' The date of certificate of leave was 27th of May, so I understand we ought to submit it today on 28th. The person who wrote this note came before the parcel was collected by freight. I asked him,' When do you want us to submit it? Tomorrow or today? Because the certificate of leave read 27th, so usually this means tomorrow is the next day of 27th. I intended to submit it today.'
He said, 'No, I meant it tomorrow on 29th.'
I said, 'Ok. But please specify the date you want us to submit. '
After the talk with him, I said to my colleague. 'Tomorrrow never comes.' We can't submit it today, but tomorrow we can. But tomorrow, we can't submit it if we follow his note.

Diseased Kidney Transplantation

Diseased Kidney Transplantation
2007.05.28 3:36

Our country doesn't have an established kidney donation system, so those who want a donation need to go overseas, or go to see a medical team formed by Dr Makoto Mannami 66.
After educated in the US, he formed a regional group of kidney transplantation here that allows chronic nephritis patients who need a constant dialysis to receive a diseased kidney that was removed from other patient's body because it had a tumor or cancer in part of it.

Habit

Habit
2007.05.26 3:01

I usually stay up till 4 o'clock and keep on sleeping till 9. Last night I only took a nap for a couple of hours. I was unwell all day long. But I can't sleep earlier than 4. How strong the power of habit is!

Martyr

Martyr
2007.05.26 2:16

Religious people more or less believe in life after death though the notion varies. So they are not afraid of death, or rather they are eager to start another life after their death. Martyr is their ideal form of death. Because otherwise they can't expect another life they hope for. Some religious people are willing to welcome this way to reach death. The desire to martyr shows itself in some refusal to current medicine.

The Rotten Society

The Rotten Society
2007.05.26 1:49

At work I usually take a rest once in two hours. Some people take a rest once in every thirty minutes. They go out to smoke outside.
Please keep on stay there.

The Childish Society

The Childish Society
2007.05.26 1:44

8:00 a rod seller comes. 10:30 a recycle company comes. 13:30 another recycle company comes. 19:30 a baked sweet potato seller comes. 20:00 a noodle stall comes. 22:30 a night watch comes.
I want to go wherever if it's outside of this world. -the word of Charles Baudelaire

Bad Tune

Bad Tune
2007.05.26 1:28

Last night I was writing personal letters, articles, comments...then it was already twenty minutes past six in the morning that I fell asleep. I was forced to get up two minutes before eight in the morning. I was supposed to keep on sleeping till 9:30. Three hours sleep like a log is enough for one day's activity.
It was rainy at 8. Hawkers are moving slowly broadcasting loudly in speaker.
They were a rod seller, so particular in Japan.
My one of the worst day started. All day long I was unbale to concentrate on anything. I replied to a couple of comments, trying to concentrate on otherwise diversiphying mind.
I went to the beach at 23:00. It was really a horrible day.

High Monk & Politics

High Monk & Politics
2007.05.24 2:48

In 761, a Buddhist monk Dokyo 700-772cured the disease of then Empress Koken -later she became Emperor Shotoku. Since then he had got a steady political position in court. In 769, he failed to be Emperor. It was iossible to be Emperor from outside lineage of royal family. After Emprero Shotoku died in 770, he was exiled to northern region.
In 1904, Rasputin 1869 -1916 cured haemophilia of Tsarevich and started gaining political influence in Russian court. He was poisoned to death in 1916.
These are similar incidents over the time and place.

Atheist

Atheist
2007.05.22 3:04

This is a hypothesis in history. For many years many people believe in one God. A man who doesn't believe in God was one day asked whether he believes in God or not. The person said, 'I am Atheist.' But people thought atheist means monotheist, people who believe in only one God. But of course he meant he doesn't believe in God. Thus the word atheist started being used to satisfy both theists and atheists.

Atheist, Agnostic, Secular

Atheist, Agnostic, Secular
2007.05.22 2:14

Many people believe atheist means someone who does not believe in God or belives there's no God. Prefix a means without in Greek. But actually I think atheist means a theist or one theist. They still think whether God exists or not, then they will believe in God or not.
There's still one God in their mind, so atheist means one theist.
Those who never thought about God are called secular people. They lack the notion of God in their mind at all. They are secular, but not an atheist.
Many people believe the agnostic means someone that think human can't know whether there's God or not within a range of limited human wisdom. This is also a kind of theism. They know human wisdom is limited. They can comprehend if there's unlimited being, suggesting it might be God.
Please put the word secular in religion section in our profile. I can't choose any words.

Apprentice

Apprentice
2007.05.21 3:12
I asked a 20 year old young girl about her email. She kindly told me her email address. I invited her to have date with me in an email. She wrote she has a boyfriend.

Sexual relationship is a means to know one another for adult men and women, we can't evade passing through it. She's an apprentice teacher in a kindergarden. But she seemd not to be an apprentice of romantic relationship.

Pickled Plums

Pickled Plums
2007.05.19 0:31

I always make luncheon by myself. In June we have a rainy season and it is prone to have food-poisoning most in this rainy season. I always put a pickled plum especially in this season at the centre of rice to prevent this food-poisoning. I had thought this produce is common in Asia, but actually this one is only found here. This produce is too salty, too sour, and too redish. This must not be a food but a preservative in origin.

Patient's Will & Doctor's Duty

Patient's Will & Doctor's Duty
2007.05.18 22:54

One of my friends who works as interpreter showed me a card -blood transfusion refusal card. He showed his intention in the card to refuse not only blood transfusion itself but also blood products. Do doctors respect his will? If doctors found alternative measures, they can avoid using blood to patients. But how about the case there's no alternative other than using blood transfusion, blood products. Any patients have a right to direct the kinds of treatment doctors can do. At the same time doctors have a right to either refuse or respect patient's will. I don't think patients' will can affect doctor's dicision if there's no alternatives. It might be fulfil patient's will to accept their wish, but it is against the ethics of doctors. It is doctor's duty to do his best. Doctors can do whatever they want in a matter related to life.

Pieta, Piety, Pity

Pieta, Piety, Pity
2007.05.18 20:51

I think these three words derive from the same etymology.
Pieta is a painting or sculpture of Virgin Mary holding her dead son Jesus with lamentation. Piety is a religious devotion in short. Pity means compassionate, etc. Then altogether means the crusification of Jesus was his devotion to mankind for compensation of sin humans made. Christians are people who not only feel conpassionate to Jesus, but also willing to show his example in them. They feel satisfied when they had sufferings similar to those of which Jesus had. Sometimes it's pleasure for them to be suffered.
It's nearly hard to understand their feelings, though, some people certainly have such distinguished tendencies.

Over the Ideology

Over the Ideology
2007.05.18 0:26
Humans are not a slave of particular ideology. Any ideology ought to serve the happiness of humans.

Existentialism appeared as antithesis to inhumanity of world war. This thought was humanism.

Structuralism appeared as antitheis to existentialism.

Time has passed and two thoughts were gone. The age of computer comes. This age ought to be in accordance with the rise of homocentrism or anthropocentrism. As long as this thought is called -ism, 'Over the ideology' never would be able to overcome the ideology itself though.

The eternal fight between system and men continues.

Armageddon

Armageddon
2007.05.15 1:14

Armageddon is a thought typically represented the catchphrase as 'Repent, the end is nigh'. In short, armageddon is the end of the world.
This idea exists in many faiths. Usually the appearance of this thought corresponds to the social unstability. The more the unfair of the society enlarges, the more this thought gains popular.
From the social phycological point of view, the unfulfiled desire of people is subject to take this form. The nearness of the end of the world helps promote their fulfilment of desire. By their setting a timetable shorter, more quickly they can satisfy their unfulfiled desire in a limited time.
Armageddon won't come as far as we keep on trying to make an effort to improve our society. Even if it comes, nothing can stop the stream of time. The end of something is the beginning of another thing.

Manifest Destiny

Karl Marx 1818-1883 knew that communism was the biggest illusion people started to have at the dawn of first capitalism era. Look at the first part of Communist Manifesto published in 1848, that says

A spectre is haunting Europe -- the spectre of communism.

He proposed Communism as an ideal social system that had been thought to be found in primitive society in a form 'primitive communist society'. He was an advocate of communim as an ultimate ideal form of social system, but he was not so-called a 'communist' as a political activist. He was a scholar. He was unable to know what would become of the future society. Communism was a thought particularly popular in 20th century.

Biggest Illusion

Biggest Illusion
2007.05.13 4:58

Founder of scientific socialism - in short, Communism, Karl Marx once wrote that religion is opium.
Religion is opium, because it makes people to hold illusion.
He died before we realised what the name of illusion people had at that time. If he said,
'Religion is opium, because it causes people to start holding illusion. The biggest illusion people had had is unfortunately 'Communism',
he might be regarded as one of the greatest contributers to the modern capitalism. He had a qualification at least. What he made clear was a system of capitalism in 'The Capital', and it was not 'The Communism.'
He was unable to see what he was. It stands to reason - since he was the very person who reflected this illusion in mirror.

Christianity and the Principle of Socialism

Christianity and the Principle of Socialism
2007.05.12 23:57

2 Thessalonians 3:10 read something like you mustn't eat unless you work. In other words, 'work in ability, get according to your ability.' I had thought it is a principle of socialism. I didn't know this catchphrase was taken from the verse in Bible.
This phrase is quite acceptable, but how about the phrase of communism which was 'work in ability, get as you want'. This is the reason communism is called an unrealistic idea in Utopia.
Many teachings in Christianity, especially those in Paul's are very realistic. He was a Roman citizen before he's a Christian, let alone Apostle. He exercised the freedom of belief under the full benevolence of Roman citizenry. It is necessary for Christians to be a good citizen before anything else.

Truth

Truth
2007.05.12 3:08

A friend of mine is an interpreter, at the same time a respectful Christian. He said 'Truth is simple, if it's not, not everyone can understand.' I interpret what he wanted to say 'Truth is simple, because truth must be the one that everyone can understand.' Probably he was referring to the phrase like God is Almighty, intending to invite me.
Einstein made the theory of relativism by himself. In 20th century many physicists made quantum theory collectively. Einstein never gave up trying to unify two theories together. He dreamt of making a unified field theory that explains both relativism in macrocosm and quantum theory in microcosm. A unified field theory is simple, yet no one could reach this theory.
He ought to have said, 'Truth is simple, therefore it's hard to reach.'

Invaluable & Priceless

Invaluable & Priceless
2007.05.12 0:41

I feel questionable every time I encounter these two words. These terms are not used to refer to gold, money, love, etc. those are really valuable and beyond price.
Invaluable, priceless are used to refer to something like water, air, time. Those exist everywhere, omnipresent countless, limitlessly. All come up with value, but that only depends on how we use them.

Sin

Sin
2007.05.10 4:58

My understanding is we were born, that is our sin. We have to fight with this sin throughout our life. Our life is a purgatory.

Trinity

Trinity is a difficult theology, the reason trinity had been so accpeted was because it was beneficial for us to think about Our relation with God through Christ.

This theology matches a traditional logical way of thinking, dialectics, which had developed from the tradition of ancient Greek philosophy. Westeners preferred to grasp the truth from logics rather than intuition.

Beelzebub

Re:i think i was confused(Score:2)
by mercedo (822671) * on 2007.05.09 23:41 (#19051597) (http://www2.blogger....00096157591312337186 Last Journal: 2007.05.09 1:40)
Beelzebub is a god in Ekron, one of the Philistine city states. Originally the name means the Lord of things that flies. Philistines and Jewish people were always under conflict throughout Biblical days, so as opposed to Jewish God, this god -Beelzebub started being meant devil soon, so the title the Lord of flies started being used thereafter.
Philistine people were called one of Sea Peoples, they came from Crete or Aegean islands, indeed their lineage was Indo-European, and probably invaded coastal area of what we call now Palestine in 1180-1150 BC, soon after the fall of Jericho in 1240-1220 BC, so almost the same time they arrived Levant area and started the long history of conflicts.
Philistines are sure to come there by ship, they certainly wanted to fly after their arrival, the name of their god tells that. Flies was replaced instead of the things that fly in association with the image of adversary to Jewish God. The fate of god greatly relies on the rise and downfall of the people he created.
--Ancient Greek Philosophers -18c Enlightenment Thinkers -Slashdotters

Scapegoat Whose Name Was Azarel

Scapegoat Whose Name Was Azarel
2007.05.09 1:40

These three days and nights I was completely occupied by the word Azazel. That itself is a good thing. I am a teacher and recently I've been trying to learn Bible. What I was wondering was what Azazel means. According to several sources, azazel means the place where the feast of expiation or Yom Kippur, Day of Attonement was took place, or the goat itself that was sent to the field alive so that it can flee, or the guardian of goat to whom the goat was sent.
Aaron needed two goats, one is for Jehovah and the other is for Azazel, when he needed to name the name of god-like being the name had better be named after the goat that will be sent to this being. Therefore the name of god-like being to which the goat will be sent was named Azarel which means goat that departs. So the name of goat that sent was scapegoat, and the the name of god-like being that the scapegoat was sent to was Azarel that also means goat that departs. It is no hard for them to call the name of the place Azarel, because there is where goat that departs.
Taking everything binto consideration, all three names are the same origin. We tend to think there were many in the fields, but probably one goat Azarel was walking in the field called Azarel to be offerred to the name of God Azarel.
The etymological meaning of Azarel was all the same -scapegoat.

Essenes

When the Dead Sea Scroll was found at Qumran in 1947, I wonder what Essenes is, that had been kept Bible as well as other apocryphal writings in a community. Some sources insist that Jesus and John the Baptist came from this community. It's interesting if Christianity not started abruptly but had some hotbed to nurture the typical teachings that differ from Judaism. It is favourable if the ones who shared a common value formed a community and lead a life.

Origen & Josephus

Origen & Josephus
2007.05.08 14:58

Origen 185- 254 AD, Josephus 37 -101 AD, both are an interesting figure. Basically they tried to grasp religious belief from non believer's point of view scholastically. That's my understanding. Religion exists to tell us how to live.

Azazel -Original

Azazel
2007.05.08 7:02

Hi ***
Today I believe most scholars consider Azazel is one of the spirits. The etymological analysis of this word is unclear. Some say it means goat that departs, others God strengthens, etc.
You see Septuagint -3 b.c. translated it as the one carrying away evil which has nothing to do with scapegoat yet.
It was not until Vulgate which is the work in 4 c, that started translating as the emmisary goat, which is very similar to the notion of scapegoat.
Since then almost all major translations - Tyndale 1530, King James Version 1611 rendered the word scapegoat for the word Azazel.
If this word is translated as scapegoat, one of the goats was offered to scapegoat, anyway the your explanation above is completely in accordance with the traditional Christian theology -Azazel is a scapegoat and prefiguration of Jesus Christ.
American Standard Version preferred to use the word itself rather than the translated word, that leaves us a room to look it up the meaning of the word Azazel.
Anyway I was able to understand what Azazel means clearly by the explanation in your letter.
Thanks a lot.
Mer

Azazel - Comment

Re:i thought(Score:2)
by mercedo (822671) * on 2007.05.08 14:04 (#19032257) (http://www2.blogger.com/profile/00096157591312337186 Last Journal: 2007.05.08 7:02)
Azazel is a guardian of goat to which scapegoat was believed to be sent in the Day of Attonement. Probably I suppose the name was used in some game as a lord of flies. Many angels have wings, so that makes sense.
By the way I wrote about this topic in a personal letter to one of my colleagues. How hard to deal with the same topic in an article after I wrote about it in a personal letter. Many traces of private matters had to be omitted. Next time I write an article first. It's easy to add a personal matter, though, it's not easy to omit them without changing the main meaning of the writings.
--Ancient Greek Philosophers -18c Enlightenment Thinkers -Slashdotters

Azazel II

Azazel
2007.05.08 7:02

Today I believe most scholars consider Azazel is one of spirits. The etymological analysis of this word is unclear. Some say it means goat that departs, others God strengthens, etc.
You see Septuagint -3 b.c. translated it as the one carrying away evil which has nothing to do with scapegoat yet.
It was not until Vulgate which is the work in 4 c, that started translating as the emmisary goat, which is very similar to the notion of scapegoat.
Since then almost all major translations - Tyndale 1530, King James Version 1611 rendered the word scapegoat for the word Azazel.
If this word is translated as scapegoat, one of the goats was offerred as a scapegoat, here as or to is desputable though, which is completely in accordance with the traditional Christian theology -Azazel is a scapegoat and prefiguration of Jesus Christ. Although I raise some question.
But American Standard Version 1901 preferred to use the word itself rather than translation word, that leaves us a room to look it up the meaning of the word Azazel.
Anyway I was able to understand what Azazel means clearly thanks to the direct use of this word in Leviticus 16:8 in this version.

For Your Eyes Only

For Your Eyes Only
2007.05.08 6:51

I spent one night and day happily with my girlfriend. She's eager to marry me, yet we are not married. When her leaving my house I noticed she abruptly lost the shinning in her eyes. The phrase 'For your eyes only' are used as 'Top secret, confidential', but for me the phrase was used like the shinning of her eyes are only for me, not for others. I'm sure her shinning comes back again when she see me again. Till then her eyes are nobody's but mine.

Azazel

Scapegoat
2007.05.08 3:19

Today I believe most scholars consider Azazel is one of spirits. The etymological analysis of this word is unclear. Some say it means goat that departs, others God strengthens, etc.
You see Septuagint -3 b.c. translated it as the one carrying away evil which has nothing to do with scapegoat yet.
It was not until Vulgate which is the work in 4 c, that started translating as the emmisary goat, which is very similar to the notion of scapegoat.
Since then almost all major translations - Tyndale 1530, King James Version 1611 rendered the word scapegoat for the word Azazel.
If this word is translated as scapegoat, one of the goats was offerred as a scapegoat, which is completely in accordance with the traditional Christian theology -Azazel is a scapegoat and prefiguration of Jesus Christ. Although I raise some question.
But American Standard Version 1901 preferred to use the word itself rather than translation word, that leaves us a room to look it up the meaning of the word Azazel.
Anyway I was able to understand what Azazel means clearly thanks to the direct use of this word in Leviticus 16:8 in this version.

Exception Proves The Rule

Exception Proves The Rule
2007.05.08 5:30

Matthew 5:31-34 states, except for marital unfaithfulness, unchastity, or fornication which differs depends on the translation, you can divorce your wife. This is unique as a word of Jesus.
If I were authorised to talk about marriage, I'd say you ought not to divorce your wife even if you found your wife is engaging in unfaithful relations with others, stays under unchastity, or commits fornication. Marriage ought to keep in the face of all obstacles you and your wife had. Am I rather idyllic, thus more Hellenistic? Adultery proves the marriage.

Nephilim

Nephilim
2007.05.08 4:11

Genesis 6:1-4 states nephilim are children born by the intermarriage between sons of God and daughters of men before Deluge. The borderline between spiritual beings and physical ones is uncertain in ancient times.

Scapegoat

Scapegoat
2007.05.08 3:19

There's one description of the word Azazel in Leviticus 16:8 -10. Today I believe most scholars consider Azazel is one of Spirits. The etymological analysis of this word is unclear. Some say it means goat that departs, others God strengthens, etc.
Septuagint -3 b.c. translated it as the one carrying away evil which has nothing to do with scapegoat yet.
It was not until Jerome's Vulgate which is the work in 4 c, that started translating as the emmisary goat, which is very similar to the notion of scapegoat.
Since then almost all major translations - Tyndale 1530, King James Version 1611 rendered the word scapegoat for the word Azazel except American Standard Version 1901 that used the word Azazel itself.
If this word is translated as scapegoat, one of the goats was offered to scapegoat, in Christian theology scapegoat is a prefiguration of Jesus Christ.
Jesus was really a scapegoat.

Baptism

Baptism
2007.05.04 23:37
It's hard for me to imagine how important baptism is. It's just hard to imagine the difference before and after someone baptised. Immersion in water relates to purification traditionally, and baptism means conversion from non believer to believer. I understand it has symbolic meaning, but I think religion is most of all a matter of our inner conviction.

Epiphany
2007.05.04 18:45
After Ezra-Nehemiah period 5c BC to the birth of Jesus, for about 400 years was a hard time for the history of Jewish people. After Alexander the Great took power in Levantine region, Jewish religion and culture were on the verge of extinction. Particurarly Antiochus IV's reign 175 -164 BC, he oppressed Judaism, by forcing Jewish people to violate their food rule, by putting Greek God Zeus to their temple, etc.

He was called 'Epiphanes', people usually imagine the word's apparent relation to 'Epiphany'. Epiphany is a feast which commemorates Jesus's appearance on the earth and the following Magi's visit to infant Christ.

Until recently I was wondering why the fierce oppressor of Judaism was called 'Epiphanes'. For four hundred years the teaching of Judaism was influenced by the waves of Hellenism from the West and Zoroasterianism from the East. We can usually see a Bible in a combined form of Old and New Testament, but the teachings of two scriptures are very different as if Christianity is baptised by Hellenism and Zoroasterianism. Jesus was celebrated by Magi from the East.

Sakura

Sakura - A Record of An Age -Slashdot Archives

Translation

Translation
2007.05.03 3:54

One word in one language has several meanings, so we must replace it in several different words according to the context the word was used. If you automatically replace one word in one language to other word in other language, I must say it is a bad translation. Again, this is not a matter of consistency, instead, we have to change the word of translation depending on the context.

Who Jacob Struggled With?

Who Jacob Struggled With?
2007.05.03 2:55

I read this part of Genesis 32:22-32 some year ago and I took it for granted that Jacob wrestled with God and later Jacob started being called Isreal because of this incident since Israel means in Hebrew 'he struggles with God'.
I just wondered why angel instead of God when I found many arts titled 'Jacob Wrestled With Angels'. Was someone interpret it angel from the context? But judging from the later flourishment of Jewish 12 tribes from Jacob, I think it's natural to think the one who fought with Jacob was God.

Seraphim & Cherubim

Seraphim & Cherubim
2007.05.01 3:06

There's only one description in the Old Testament as to Seraphim, which is in Isaiah 6:1-3. It has six wings, in which two wings for flying, two for covering head, two for covering feet. Compared with Seraphim, there's more occurence of Cherubim. Genesis 3:24 mentions there are cherubim in front of the gate of garden of Eden. Exodus 25:18 also shows the word, but that was Ezekiel who wrote concrete description about cherubim. Cherubim were located before the palace of Babylon when Ezekiel was exiled. This happens to coincide the fact that the garden of Eden was thought to be located in Mesopotamia. The word cherubim is Assyrian origin. They had four wings and four faces -human, lion, bull, and eagle.
The relationship between Archangels and seraphim& cherubim is uncertain, but I think it's natural for us to think Archangels are superior to seraphim & cherubim. Archangels includes Michael, Gabriel and Raphael. Michael appears in Book of Daniel 10:13,21 and 12:1, Gabriel appears in 8:16 -25, 9:21 in the same book -Daniel. Cherubim, Seraphim, Gabriel, Michael are definately Babylonian origin. Both Ezekiel and Daniel were exiled writer, but I'm not so certain as to seraphim. Besides who was the one who fought with Jacob, a man, angel or God? The existence of various angels confirmed us to see there's polytheism tradition in the past.

Jehovah's Witnesses

Jehovah's Witnesses
2007.04.29 5:03

They believe in 'earthly resurrection', their belief is we can resurrect after we died and are discompsed fully on the earth. There are many descriptions of resurrection immediately after their death in Bible. But I don't believe we resurrect after we are cremated or discomposed.
Their refusal to transfusion is also their unique belief. There are some descriptons which prevent us from eating blood in Bible, but there's no direct prohibition in regard to transfusion. They extend the teaching to transfusion.
Despite such differences, I feel symphathy with them very much. They are very nice. I like their nature very much. I think they have their own raison d'etat to stay in the face of 'everything' materialistic world.

New World Translation

New World Translation
2007.04.29 4:30

I obtained a tiny Bible called 'New World Translation' from a friend of mine who belongs to Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, who is an assistant professor in some college. I tried browsing it a little but I didn't realise it is particular as some slashdotter pointed out in my previous JE. This Bible is translated from the viewpoint of unity of God as opposed to trinity, but for me this is not so important. They use 'God's active force' instead of using 'The Spirit of God' and 'obeisance' instead of 'worship' in regard to the feeling toward Jesus. These differences don't make many differences unlike many Western people might feel.
They use 'torture stake' instead of 'cross'. This is also not very important.
This translation was thought to be done by only one person -Frederick Franz, and probably with little help by other 4 people in the committee, which is what I think it anazing. I read Bible in New International Version. This translation was done by 115 scholars from various dominations including many Protestant beliefs in America, but New World Translation was done exclusively only for Jehovah's Witnesses. This translation is chewy, and tasty, I like its uniqueness.

Adam's Legacy

Adam's Legacy
2007.04.24 2:33

One accuses someone when one is to blame. Before accusing someone's weakness, be strong yourself.

Theology

Theology
2007.04.24 2:22

Whether the nature of God is trinity or unity belongs to theology, not a faith.

Authenticity

Authenticity
2007.04.24 2:11

According to some sources mainly in Wikipedia, Romans, First and Second Corinthians, Galatians, Philipians, First Thessalonians, Philemons were actually written by Paul, the authenticity of other letters believed to be written by Paul is uncertain.
Paul was an Apostle, not a political leader like Moses, or King like David, Solomon, or prophet like Jeremiah, so my question is why there have to be someone who had to write under the false identification of Paul, was there any merit? Or is the entire argument based on just an ambiguous speculation?

Pauline Letters

Pauline Letters
2007.04.22 5:34

I always read them just before sleeping.

Gun Society

Gun Society
2007.04.21 6:10

It is forbidden for the general public to own guns. Even security guards can't hold guns. But guns are full of our society and ordinary people are killed by the guns.

Gnosticism & Arianism

Gnosticism & Arianism
2007.04.21 5:34

Gnosticism is an idea we try to look for the meaning of prophesy by speculating the words and caluculating the number.
Arianism started before 325 and after 325 the tradition of Arianism has kept on surviving till today.

Gnosticism & Arianism

Gnosticism & Arianism
2007.04.21 5:34

Gnosticism is an idea we try to look for the meaning of prophesy by speculating the words and caluculating the number.
Arianism started before 325 and after 325 the tradition of Arianism has kept on surviving till today.

Soul

Soul
2007.04.21 4:17

Near my house I found one bar was abandoned. This bar has been located at the residential area, so I suppose the owner couldn't keep on running the bar. On the front window the big character 'Soul' has been written.
Soon after the house started being demolished. He must have left the soul in it.

Wake

Wake
2007.04.21 4:03

I had an idea in the first place that the wake was called so because attendants keep on waking whole night long. Now I add, in the hope of the deceased's waking up.

History Of Bible Translation

History Of Bible Translation
2007.04.21 3:14

Septuagint was written in 285 -246 BC, this is a Koine Greek translation of the Old Testament.
Vulgate was written in 382 -405 by Jerome, this is a Latin translation of Bible.
First English translation was done by Wycliffe in 1384.
After a partial attempt by Tyndale, King James Version was published in 1611. This is a work by 47 scholars. -Paraphrase Rate 2%
Following list is a modern translation.
American Standard Version 1901 -Paraphrase Rate 3%
New American Standard Bible 1963,1970 -Paraphrase Rate 7%
Good News Bible 1966,1976 -Paraphrase Rate 20%
New American Bible 1970 -Paraphrase Rate 14%
New International Version 1973,1978 -Paraphrase Rate 10%+
English Standard Version 2001 -Paraphrase Rate 10%-

Calendar

Calendar
2007.04.21 2:09

BC, AD, BCE, CE...ah, so confusing...same year, then why we have to replace them?
Abraham was born in 2000 BC, so why not start counting the year from that year.
According to this counting system, this year falls on 4007.

Translation

Translation
2007.04.18 2:38

The Old Testament was written largely in Hebrew and partly in Aramaic, and the New testament was written in Koine, simplified form of Greek.
Today I read Bible in English. There are many English translations, and all are written under some idea translators had.

True Meaning Of Resurrection

True Meaning Of Resurrection
2007.04.18 1:52

We can see the good illustration as to the true meaning of resurrection in the first Corinthians capter 15 verse 42, 43, 50, 54.
My understanding here is our body is perishable in physical body after we are dead, however after the death our body will be reborn as imperishable in spiritual body.

Blood

Blood
2007.04.16 1:02

There are three descriptions in Bible that forbid us from eating animals that contain blood -Genesis 9:3 and eating blood itself -Leviticus 17:10, and simply abstain from blood -Acts 15:29. Moses wrote not only which meat ought to eat but also prohibit the consumption of blood. I guess in his age people need to be instructed what ought to have. Because no one was not so sure whether they might catch some disease by eating some meat or blood. From his observation drinking blood often result in severe consequences among those who consumed it. Therefore he needed to warn by prohibiting it. I assume the description in Acts is the one that follow the restriction Moses did three thousand years ago.
The attempt of blood transfusion started back in 1492. It was not until 1818 the first example of success was reported. Till that year the blood type had been found.
No blood or blood originated medicine is safe from the possibility of being contaminated by unknown viruses or viruses that cause hepatitis. In fact some are sufferred from transfused blood or just medicine made by blood. But we mustn't forget tens of thousands of patients were saved from blood transfusion or blood medicine.
Moses prohibit the consumption of blood because that saves the life. In the same reason blood transfusion or blood medicine save our lives.

Mirror

Mirror
2007.04.14 2:00

The possession of a book becomes a substitute for reading it. -- Anthony Burgess
I don't possess any book. All books that I read are in my mind. I always thew away the books I finished reading.

Conscience

Conscience
2007.04.14 0:26

Strict moral standard is good for those who have got a criminal tendency. Ordinary people can tell what is right and wrong without being taught particulary strict ethics.

Weltanschauung

Weltanschauung
2007.04.13 23:11

Humans are imperfect...? Uhmmm, I have no idea how this thought arises. Westerners have been established their identity through one to one relationship with God. God is almighty, therefore humans are imperfect? For those who don't see the concept of almighty, humans are perfect because they make errors.

Slogan

Slogan
2007.04.09 1:54

By the way his -this elite's slogan was 'I have a dream'. Many years ago I memorise the slogan of some candidate to the House of Representative was 'Possibility'.
If they really wanted to get elected, they ought to have raised their slogans as 'I realise' or ' Realisation'.

Elite

One candidate to Governer here is an elite. He's graduated from the most prestigious university, the most prestigious professional school. Besides he's fininished the graduate course in Columbia University.

He was nominated at age 36. What lacks in him was experience.

Actor Governer

The governer of Tokyo won the election three times. His debut as a writer rose up to his last school days. He published his first novel 'The Season of the Sun' when still he was the student of the Unversity.

He is a politician, was a writer, he is not an actor, yet he is more actor than a writer, let alone a politician.

The Last Holiday

I was able to take a rest for two weeks long. I will be able to take a rest after ten years. Honestly speaking, I don't like to resume working any longer.

Vladimir Ashkenazy

Vladimir Ashkenazy
2007.04.08 22:20

As far as I know he is a pianist. I often enjoyed listening to his playing Chopin's. His way of playing the piano is in a word like a flow, yet he plays it with the most precise way as much as possible as a pianist.
I like his thought. He takes very liberal standpoint. He has been a conductor in charge of one Japan's orchestra these few years, that was what I was unable to think of. This is significant not only in that he's a well known pianist, but I think this is a result his thought was reflected. It is something that is unimaginable for us to be able to invite such a famous pianist in one Asian country.

The Last Supper

The Last Supper
2007.04.02 5:03

There are many festivals related to Christianity, but there's only one that Jesus himself commanded to celebrate. Jesus held Passover annually as usual around this time of the year too when he had to be crusified. In this Passover Jesus commanded to celebrate his last supper in commemoration of his sacrifice. Today falls on this very day.

Borderline

Borderline
2007.04.02 3:47

Hospital is a medium between this world and another world. I was in ward, so for me it came to be this world. Infected by germs I had nothing for it but to walking only inside the hospital while I was in custody. When I looked over the hospital office where healthy people were working I felt as if it belonged to another world.

The Electric Document System

The Electric Document System
2007.04.02 3:19

Medical doctors keep a document for their patients pathology in documents. 22 years ago in 1985, one-third of all doctors use English and the rest of two-thirds use German that directly resulted from the fact that the first medical education was held in German in Japan's all medical schools. By the year 1977, 10 years ago, I understood all medical documents had been written in English. Till that time all medical doctors were educated in English/American medicine.
What I wondered for the first time in 10 years when I went to hospital was they use electric medical documents in Japanese language. Japanese language can be written in computers of course much easier than handwriting so it might be unnecessary for the Japanese doctors to use other language that is unfamilar to themselves, but I feel it questionable with a view to universality in academics.

Muttering

Muttering
2007.04.01 22:52

Don't be selfish.
Give others first.

Match

Match
2007.04.01 22:09

She asked which do I like to eat, sunny side up, scramble egg, eggs in miso soup. I said I like misosoup with eggs and she said that's what she wanted saying we are compatible.
It might be true however, it can't be proved by nobody but herself.
This is an effective way to be in harmony with our partner.
Try it.

History Of Hairstyle

History Of Hairstyle
2007.04.01 21:37

Before 1868 men's common hairstyle here was centre razed cut. This practice began around 1100, along with the rise of warrior class, warrior then did so to wear helmet. They raized central zone of hair from their forehead to back to prevent head from moisturing too much.

Pen& Notebook

Pen& Notebook
2007.04.01 20:38

Those are among some items that my common-law wife prepared in my staying hospital. Great indeed is a writer's wife.

Aura

Aura
2007.04.01 20:20

In my high school days one of my best juniors told me that I've got an aura overwhelmingly than others when he entered the club of liberal arts.
5 years later in university days, he said I lost such aura and then he thought I was much less shining than before.
What does he react if he see me now?
-Written on the bed in hospital ward.

Day Of Judgement

Day Of Judgement
2007.04.01 20:05

If I kept silent but necessary word, I might be judged concise or obnoxious.
If I spoke a bit more, I might be judged friendly or shamless/overly familiar.
All depend on judge's impression. For my part I need to examine what the characteritic of the judge. Sometimes yes or no is decided without reason but by the temperament of the judge.
She is her 18 year old daughter, I need to be judged favourably.

Tanatos

Tanatos
2007.04.01 19:47

I think this people have a strong desire to death -tanatos.
'I die for the sake of you'
In an advertisement of some travel that bound for a place where many self-sacrifice people -that is kamikaze flew to one way trip.

The Season Of Cherry Blossoms

The Season Of Cherry Blossoms
2007.04.01 19:08

The colour of flower is as white as the complexion of a pretty young woman.
The colour of trunk is as black as the colour of hair.
Those are two reasons cherry blossoms attract many Japanese.

Verification

Verification
2007.04.01 18:18

Beta - haemolytic Streptococcus
Morganella morganii
Instead of tuberculosis & tetanus, those are the two germs that were found in my pus taken from my oedema in my right thumb.
Relieved.
It took five days to verify the kinds of bacteria.

Long Vacation

Long Vacation
2007.03.31 0:40

It occurred at age 3 when I was sufferred from measles. I had to stop playing with a guy who lived next to my house for three days. For me whose age was 3 it was a vacation long enough.
When I was sixteen I got a total nerve breakdown, probably. I had to take a rest for 3 months.
I had pnemonia at age 27 and I had to take a rest for full one month.
I had appendicitis at age 34 and I took a rest for 2 months.
At age 45 I was able to take a rest for 10 days thanks to the disease. It was strange though we are unable to take a rest or a vacation without having had some disease.

Global Heating

Global Heating
2007.03.31 0:09

Usually cherry blossoms flourished on 6th of April, here it is just the season of entrance ceremony in school, companies. This year it occurred one week earlier. Now unseasonally cherry blossoms flourished.
Several years ago the increase of infectious disease was predicted owing to the surge of temperature. Now the bacteria such as tuberculosis and tetanus were found in a backfin of some sea bream and the very person writing this journal was infected with such strong bacteria. Year by year the speed of global heating was accelarating.

Tuberculosis & Tetanus

Tuberculosis & Tetanus
2007.03.30 19:27

Those are what I had at the same time and I was in hospital in emergency cure unit for four consecutive nights from 25th of March to 28th March.
On 15th of March as usual I was trying to wash and cut a relatively big fish that is a kind of sea bream of about 30 cm long. I got a sting from some backfin in my right thumb. My thumb started swelling soon. My thumb kept on being imflammatory till 22nd of March when I found a part of my thumb sbruptly started making tubercules or small swellings - length 2 cm and width 1 cm. On the 23rd and 24th still I was waiting for my symptom's calming down itself but on 25th I found four other fingers of the right hand and part of muscles - brachioradialis in my right forearm started become stiffened. I went to hospital.
I got injected immuno globulin and intravenous drip infusion of antibiotics. Now I think I'm OK.

Ultimatum

Ultimatum
2007.03.22 4:34

I said I can't marry her, if it's OK for her to have love affair with me under this premise, I can continue.
She left my house.
It needs concession, whether she accepts my premise or I propose her. Her concession is difficult. Because it requires multiple standards for her. If she really loves me, she can't accept my offer.
I conceeded and our relation resumed.

Separation

Separation
2007.03.22 2:10

One day I said good-bye to her. She said good-bye to me and she left my house soon. After three days I said let's continue our relations and she agreed to do so. It's easy to separate, but it's easier not to separate.

Fornication & Adultery

Fornication & Adultery
2007.03.21 2:24

I encountered the strange word while I was reading a book, that is 'fornication'. Adultery is a familiar term, but what the hell fornication means? Several years ago our country had a 'fornication prohibition act', not a law but an act that only affects in some urban area. In this act, none can have sex with someone whose age is under 18 unless they were married. This act is somehow understandable in view of child protection, but how about in the case of unmarried couples whose age are over 18? This is very natural, and healthy.

Adultery means something if marriage regulates who has sex with someone, but in the first place does marriage regulate this? No, absolutely not. Marriage regulates economic relations of both genders (not 'parties'...yet). Sex is one of the most basic human activities for those who are over the period of adolescence. If ever fornication became guilty of some crime, that would be only the case that involves minors. When it comes to adultery, I stopped having physical relationship with my wife after we married.

Purple

Purple
2007.03.20 1:24

In ancient times to feudal age this colour was only allowed to be used among noble people. Therefore this colour was called forbidden colour. This colur made us feel awe.
This colour is made by mixing blue -male colur -reason and red -female colour -passion, so this colour connotes transvestism, inexplicable feeling, ambiguity, confusion, and neutrality.
The name of the river in my home town Kokura is the River Purple, because the surface of the river beautifully reflects a lot of plasma from the sunshine, but after a factory was constructed upper the river and flowed untransact water the colour of the river turned to the very purple, so people had long believed the river was named after the colour of the contaminated water.
In Auschwitz concentration camp this colour was used to show people differ neither from their national origin nor their sexual preference. Indeed they were constitued by various people but with the same faith. This sect was the only one that was severely persecuted under Nazis regime. For Nazis these people might have been as awesome as the colour they made worn.
The colour purple often makes us anxious, unstable, mystic, gnostic, anyway it is hard to grasp the atmosphere this colour gives off.

Sorry

Sorry
2007.03.19 2:42

I said sorry twice to her. She replied, 'why you say sorry?'
No one starts loving someone without seriously thinking about the possibility of marrying her in the future. I was so just like others. I realised I can't, yet I said sorry to her. It takes courage to say good-bye to her. I do it when I thought it inevitable to say so. But how easily I said sorry to her. Sorry is the word that means I was not serious. But in the past I was serious when my counterpart then said sorry to me. I didn't hear that word for the same reason above but it is also truth I felt some console.

Naming

Naming
2007.03.19 2:12

I've been always thinking John's Apocalyps is a strange naming since I read it at age 16. This book is poetically speaking undoubtedly one of the greatest book ever, but just a book is filled with a lot of symbolic expression. I think it scarecely revealed concretely. However the title of the book is Revelation. Probably for those who got a far-reaching insight can only see through those mystic expressions. Here is also the area where faith works.

The Meaning Of Marriage

The Meaning Of Marriage
2007.03.19 1:49

Any women hope marriage. Any women in love particulary strongly hope to get married to their lovers. Marriage is not a goal of their love but simply it regulates the economic relations between two opposite sexes. In marriage men have to share not only a time for their physical pleasure, mutual conversation but above all of things their fortune -economy, with women.

Answer

Answer
2007.03.19 1:27

There's an answer for a particular question.
I attend the Sunday service of church, in which a clergy man asked the attendants why our effort in preaching work is not in vain.
I knew the answer, the answer I thought it correct was 'because we have a hope in life at the kingdom of God' I heard several noticeable people were replying to the question. I was about to raise my hand, but I couldn't. I was attending the service, but of course I'm a secular person. I was unable to speak out the correct answer even though I knew it correct. One can't say anything that is unbelievable yet.