From faith to faith

Before, I go on, I just want to let you know that many times I will quote examples from Christianity, or from the ancient Christian era simply because I happen to belong to that faith and also because literature abound with such examples. I am not trying to convert anybody but I want to let you know that I believe in a monotheistic God. I do not even quote from scriptures of any religion. I come from a Christian background where attending Sunday service, cell group support prayer meetings, family camps and worship singing and meditating on bible verses are all part of the routine of this church culture. I fully emphatise with people who stand outside this circle. However, this website is for people with emotional problems, whichever faith you belong to.

In the last posting, I mentioned that sometimes religion can function to fill a social need, i.e. to form a group identity. For example people with economic hardship in one locality may congregate to worship God. Such gatherings and networkings can also function as emotional support groups, just as individuals need support from family and friends to pull them through difficult times.

However, while this is good, we cannot turn our backs to philosophy and all its relevant rich history of ideas. Fundamental questions like what's the meaning of life, what's the destiny of mankind, how does this universe exist are of cosmological importance. Philosophy, in my humble opinion, can act as a compass but not as a sole guide to living. Skepticism about the wisdom of the ancient pagans like Plato and Aristotle, had already arisen during the early Christian era. This is because, if you read books like The Republic written by Plato or similar ones, you will find that in certain parts, they seem to promote a sectarian society, an upper class elitist society that many in the past find to run contrary to the life of faith, of devotion and the universal brotherhood of man. Therefore, we get an anti-intellectual climate where early Christians did not need the Greek philosophers to teach them how to live. In the extreme case, Martin Luther, though a man of broad learning himself, had ordered that every school should burn the books of every Greek pagan because he considered them as a danger to the mind. As the intellectual climate began to further erode, witchcraft, superstition and unhealthy rituals took place.

Before, I go on, you can post your comments on any postings anytime. Its okay if you want to criticise me in any aspect. You can poke me, stretch me or tear me into pieces, I don't mind. But please don't burn me at the stake, or this weblog will not exist anymore!

Some stress relieving technique

You may say to me, Hey, all these are irrelevant to me! I'm facing an emotional situation and here you are rambling about philosophy. Perhaps you have recurring negative thoughts that seem to pop out of your mind every now and then. You would like to put a stop to them but you don't know how. It is possible to try to do something that uses more of the right brain function. The left brain is more for reasoning and speaking. The right side, on the other hand, involves more of eye-hand coordination work like fixing your car, cooking, gardening, painting. Try to exercise,turn on the music and hum along with a song. All these activities will keep your mind away from the negative thinking tract. But let's be realistic. Those negative thoughts will not disappear overnight. However, if you keep working on the distractions, which I find to be very effective, your brain will come to accept that mode of thinking and those automatic unhealthy thoughts will start to fade away.