problems and solutions (continuation)

sagdi lang:

In  giving an abstract  question, the  examiner (Philosophy professor ) expected  no  exact (read: right)  answers  to his  question. His  motive  is  to  test  your  intellectual capacity  in  giving justifiable (read: logical) answers.

Problem no.1:  The  professor  asked  his student  to  prove that  the  chair  he  placed in  front  of  them  isn't there. Of  course  he  expected  different  answers from  his  students. He also is  expecting  an   answer  which  is  a direct contrast to his question. Being a  philosophical person, he  knows  that questions  like  this need  a  contrast  philosophical statement  or  question  as an answer.

These  are  the  probable answers : (1)  denying the chair's existence through asking a question such as"Did  you  place  a  chair  sir?"  or questioning the position of the chair through asking questions such as " Did you not place the chair else where?" . The  professor  may consider their answers are quite acceptable  but what  if  he  ask  them, "  Are  you  blind? ". So those above mentioned possible answers are not justifiable enough for  they  all  saw  the  chair  he placed  in  front  of  them .  The  only  answer  that  he  considered  most logical and  gave a high score goes like this: What  chair  sir? Perhaps  this  answer  shows  that the  student admitted  that  the professor  really placed  the  chair but  that question was a challenge to the professor whether to deny or admit the chair's existence through answering. Anyway it  is  the  professor's  prerogative  to  choose the  best  answer.

A  case  in  point:

A  tipsy  man  goes  home  one  afternoon. He  took  an  empty  pitcher  threw it  to  his  son  and  told  him  to buy  tuba ( Philippines  coconut  wine) for  him. His  son  picked  up  the  pitcher from the  floor  and  asked   money  from his  father  to buy  tuba.  His  father  replied, " Bull shit,  use  your  initiative,  you  buy  tuba  without  money."  The  boy   walked  anxiously holding  a pitcher  and went  directly  to  Aling
 Solidad 's store. Having  an  empty  pitcher  in  his hand  he  whispered  his  problem  to  the  good  lady ; at  that  time  there were  several   people  drinking  tuba in  the store. After  knowing  his  problem the  good  lady  whispered  something  to  the  boy and the boy  went  home. When  he  reached home, he handed  the  empty  pitcher  to  his father and told  his  father  that it  is  full  of  tuba which he bought from Aling Solidad. Of course  what do  you expect? His father  stood  up quivering in anger but before he can do anything, his son started explaining. His son stated, " I  told  aling  Solidad  that I am going  to  buy tuba  without  money  for  that's  what  you  asked of me. She  said  that's  okay. I just have to give this  pitcher  to  you and explain that the tuba you bought is there and that it was from her store.  She  told me to warn you not to drink too much because her tuba is very strong and you might get drunk.  And  she  also  told  me  that  if  you  get  angry  she  will  prove  to you that  I  bought the tuba from  her." So  Aling  Solidad's  idea  is that if  you  want  to  drink  and  get drunk  without  money then  try  drinking  and  getting  drunk  without  wine. Then those  who  try  to  give  problems  to  others  are just  giving the  problems  back  to  themselves.

Priests  study Theology and Philosophy.  I  don't  know  if  pastors  and  ministers do. But  there  are  many  Catholics  who  have lost  their faith because  they  felt they were  misguided and misled and were given false teachings by dishonest teachers and so-called biblical scholars.

Problem 3: If  God  is  omniscient then why does he not  know  that Adam  hid  from  Him  (Gen.3;9)? Before I answer  this  question,  I  would  like  to  add few  passages from  the  bible which might make you ask similar  questions.  If  Jesus  is  God why does he not know when the earth will end when upon his second coming (Mark 13:32) ? Why does he not  know  who  touched  him (Mark 5:30) and miraculously got cured ? When a  teacher  will tell her  student  to  study  their  lesson cause  she  does not  know  when she's going to give an  examination, it does not  mean  that  she  does not really know  when  she  will give an  examination. She  just  wanted  her  student  to  study  their  lesson because  she  believed  that  margin preparation is  not  a guaranty to  pass her  examination.  Jesus  being God  and man is  also omniscient ( John 16:30).  He  knows  everything. " In whom are  hid  all  the treasures of  wisdom  and  knowledge (Col. 2:3b) .He (Christ) has  the  power of God and  the  wisdom of  God (1 Cor.1:24).  He knows  who  touched him (Mark 5:30) but he just  wanted  the  girl  to  appear  in  the  public and  proclaim  that  she  was cured because of her strong faith. With regards  the  coming  of Christ (Mark 13:32) perhaps it  is  a  hidden divine  plan  and  it is  not a part  of his (Christ)  responsibility to proclaim  being a  man. In  the  case  of  Adam (Gen.3 :9) God the Father really knew where Adam is. He  just  wanted Adam  to  confess what had transpired between them (Adam  and  Eve) and satan.

Expect more in my next posts.

problems and solutions

Sagdi Lang: Some people say that  if there is problem then there is always a solution. But why is it that there  were people  who  committed  suicide because of  their problem ? Does it mean that there were no  solutions to their problems or is suicide the only solution?

HERE  LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT  SOME  PROBLEMS AND THE CORRESPONDING SOLUTION.

Problem 1&2 : In  a Philosophy class  in  a certain university a  professor is  giving  a  final  exam  to  his students. He  took one  chair  in front  of  his students and  instructed  them  to prove  to  him  that  the  chair he  placed  in  front   of  them  is not existing. That was the first question. The second question goes this way :  Prove  to  me  that the mathematical equation  one plus one equals to three is correct  ( 1 + 1=3 ).

Problem 3: A Catholic was trying to prove God's existence to his friend.  He tried  to  apply  Aristotle's Transcendental Philosophy. He explained that  everything  in  this  world  is  in  order: the universe for example manifest this order with all the planets and heavenly bodies not colliding with each other.  That  if  something exists  someone  is  responsible  for  its  existence . That God  is omnipotent and nothing is  impossible to  God . But his  friend (atheist) smiled sarcastically and replied  that if it's true that  God  is omnipotent  and  omniscient , why did he not  saw Adam  when  he (Adam)  was trying to hide from him in the garden  of  Eden (Gen. 3:9). If  nothing  is impossible  to  Him  (God) then can  He  make  square  round ? If  it is  true then that every existence has a cause then who was the cause of God's existence? He then concluded that if you as a Christian do not fully understand your God then how can Christians possibly make him believe of that something which is incomprehensible even for Christians (believers of God).

Answer for problem no.2 :

If  the  mathematical equation one  minus one equals one (1-1=1) is  correct, then  the mathematical equation of  one plus one equals three (1+1 =3) is  right.

The answers and explanations for the other problems mentioned above will  be  discussed on  my  next  posts but my answers may not be necessarily right . Nevertheless here we just discuss  things and not  debate on issues.  Here we  provide for good arguments but we have to remember that  what  is  true for me may  not be for you. We have to abide by the the  philosophical  rule in sharing of ideas: what's mine is not  yours  and  what  is yours  is  not  mine.

NOTE : Iyong solusyon at  paliwanag  sa mga  paksang  napag-uusapan isusunod  ko na  lang.. Bukas  tayo sa  inyong  mga ideya ,komentaryo,at puna  at kahit anong  tanong .  tungkol  sa  katolikong  pananampalataya. Ito ay subukan   kong sagutin. . Dahil  sa  inyo  matoto tayo.

what is life and death ?

sagdi lang :
For me,  life  is God's examination ,  and  death  is  the time limit. We are given time to take God's exam. It's  easy , so easy  as answering true  or  false  in  our usual classroom exam. The  only  problem  is we have  to  study  our  lesson , so  that  we  can  distinguish  when and where to  answer  true  or  false  in God's every question. He  gives  us freedom when it comes to the method of taking the exam and  enough  time  to  study  our    lesson. Perhaps  all  answers  of  His  questions  are found  in  the  bible  as it is God's  given  reference  for  us  to be guided in knowing Him more. It's  quite  simple   but  a  little  bit   complicated.

A case in point would be one  of  my  friends (before he  is a Catholic but now he is claiming to be a Born Again Christian). He decided to leave his  job and perhaps become  a full  time  preacher of  their church. I really am not sure to what his position is. When his mother asked him with regards the reason why he left his job, his response was , "Don't  you  worry  mama God  will  provide", quoting (Matt 6: 26,33) when  God said : Behold the fowls of  the  air: for  they  sow  not, neither  do  they  reap, nor  gather  into barns; yet  your  heavenly  father  feed them. That  seek   first  the kingdom  of  God  and  His  righteousness and  everything shall  be added  unto  you .

But  later  on his  mother commented against his words saying,  "Sabi  mo Dong (his  nickname) God provides,  mama  provides  man  lagi" ( You were saying God will provide but it's actually me providing ).  Will I don't  know if  God  used  his  mother to fulfill His (God) promise ( i.e providing for His creations). You  know, we   need  to learn  the  hermeneutics of  the  bible  for  to properly understand every  passage in  the  bible. Matt .6:33 does not imply that  you don't have to  worry or  work. If  you  have  that  spirit you  will  know the  transcendence of God.You  will know that man need to  work honestly and righteously in  order  to  live (Gen.3:19) . That if a person will not  work then he shall not eat (read: live) 2 Thessalonians 3:10.  Even birds have to actively look  for worms ,cause worms  will never  jump   into their  nest.

Lord, let me know your Word

Test Message

There is a saying that goes: Only fools don't change their mind. Agree or disagree? To us here, there's seems to be a mistake in it. Because, isn't a fool sometimes laugh at one time and becomes mad at another? That's why we sometimes advise that we should avoid a fool because his mind is changeable. So the truth is, fools change their mind, right?

According to them, no man is perfect. But aren't we created by God? And God is perfect. And no one comes imperfect from something that isn't perfect. Will not God be angry when we say that his work remains imperfect? They say, the reason of it is because man sins and commit mistakes. To us here, that makes man perfect, because if you do not sin and do not commit mistakes, you aren't a human anymore. Sin and mistakes makes a man perfect. If we wipe perfection to God alone, so we must avoid the word perfect in any means unless it is attributed to God only. But sometimes, I perfected in my examination. If I am not perfect, how comes that I get perfect? Don't you know that there are "perfect" things that you use now that comes from man himself? Examples are: cellphones, laptops etc. If man is not perfect, then nothing can come out of man which is perfect. So I believe that there are two kinds of perfection: perfection in terms of finity and perfection in terms of infinity. And these two perfections are two different things.