Just read a quite a funny article today.........
The article was about a music album that is being sold with a free condom inside the CD case........
The funny thing is that this shouldn't have gotten any mileage at all in the press other than reason that the singer (Julia Perez) isn't that good (a bit like Paris Hilton, who I think is mostly only riding on her popularity more than her talent on her first album), at least for my taste...........
Guess what happened......... some religious organization, a provincial/ regional head of office and even a minister spoke out about banning it............
I do know that most Indonesian are smart...... especially........... those who hold official power like the ones I mentioned above............
Just because of those hot pistols shoot off their mouths the album sales actually shot up......
even some people are trying to download the music to hear if there are some promiscuous lyrics that they can make a story about.................
They should have calmed down about it and if they really need to get it off their chest they should have just played the sarcastic game for example by saying that the album will sink and even an air tight condom can't save it............... More ever how stupid do those people think Indonesian are??
There's no way people will buy an album just to get the condom and then sleep around.......
Helloooooo a pack of condom is definitely cheaper than a CD or cassette tape........
and they can be found in almost every convinience store in Indonesia now............
Also, why should anyone be surprise of the Julia Perez would do this when she was once chosen to be a part of the AIDS prevention programme......... which by the way as she said,..... her actual reason for doing so.
Although I'm not a fan of her, I applaud her efforts, because personally one of my ideas to prevent the spread of AIDS is to have a condom vending machine in every Restroom all over Indonesia and also to distribute condoms for free in High-Risk areas like Bali, Batam and Jakarta.
Give sex as well as reproductive system educations in Junior High (in Indonesia it's starts on the 7th grade after 6 year of Elementary school) or starting the age of 12 - 13 years old.
I say we shouldn't be banning her album in fact we should be doing the same thing if we want to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS............
If they say that by distributing condoms it promotes The Free Sex Lifestyle that is Morally wrong, well I say this;
"There is a bigger moral issue that is in play here and it is our God Given Moral duty to Prevent any loss of lives".
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Freedom of Speech & Expression
For a few days now Indonesia has been in turmoil over the freedom of speech & expression,
first of it was because of a stupid movie made by an ignorant man that is half way around the world away and the latest was of course the banning of a "dangdut" celebrity Ms. Dewi Persik who was allegedly dancing "too erotically" by the Mayor of Bandung.
First of all let's discuss about the freedom of speech and expression,
the idea of this of course came from our "big bro" the United States of America.
The idea was simple; every one has the right to speak about their opinions and express it so that they can be heard. This is done so that the minority opinion would have a standing in any matters that would alter the course of governance and way of life in the good old USA.
I thought that was genius, because in doing so a "Check and Balance" system was automatically in place, as basically pointed out today on The Jakarta Post Reader's Forum (17th April 2008 pg 7) by a man after my own heart Mr. Guile. The right of the people who makes porn sites to post their website is what guarantees that my right to post this blog of mine exists. That's how the check and balance works. In reverse the right for me to critize, protest and rebuke and warn people to take caution of a post is protected.
Now to Dewi Persik's problem, it is the same, the right for her to work the stage and dance "erotically" (in this case I utterly disagree that her dancing is erotic, to me its more like an amazement on her stamina to perform a song and still able to move like that) is the same right I enjoy to dance the Tango or Salsa or even to enjoy the Jaipong which is a traditional "sexy" dancing. The problem of banning her under the excuse of "making the men horny" is very much ambigous and may have further legal implications that is illogical. For example, If a woman went swimming even using a one piece suit and she got raped would you say that she brought upon against herself?? would you be comfortable in saying that it's not only the rapist fault but also the fault of the woman??. I'll bet that no one in his or her right mind would believe that. Not only that, would the mayor of Bandung ban paintings of Affandi and Basoeki that has a certain degree of nudity because it would invite "horny" reactions. Even in sports, in reverse would the same mayor ban men body building competitions because they only wear "under wears" and might incite housewives who watch the competition to commit adultery?.
Now the question begs, where do you draw the line?. My line is clear, it is the people who watch, see or looked that has to be responsible for their actions. If someone saw a so called erotic show and on the way home they raped someone, that someone is solely responsible and should be punished not the performer or the artist.
first of it was because of a stupid movie made by an ignorant man that is half way around the world away and the latest was of course the banning of a "dangdut" celebrity Ms. Dewi Persik who was allegedly dancing "too erotically" by the Mayor of Bandung.
First of all let's discuss about the freedom of speech and expression,
the idea of this of course came from our "big bro" the United States of America.
The idea was simple; every one has the right to speak about their opinions and express it so that they can be heard. This is done so that the minority opinion would have a standing in any matters that would alter the course of governance and way of life in the good old USA.
I thought that was genius, because in doing so a "Check and Balance" system was automatically in place, as basically pointed out today on The Jakarta Post Reader's Forum (17th April 2008 pg 7) by a man after my own heart Mr. Guile. The right of the people who makes porn sites to post their website is what guarantees that my right to post this blog of mine exists. That's how the check and balance works. In reverse the right for me to critize, protest and rebuke and warn people to take caution of a post is protected.
Now to Dewi Persik's problem, it is the same, the right for her to work the stage and dance "erotically" (in this case I utterly disagree that her dancing is erotic, to me its more like an amazement on her stamina to perform a song and still able to move like that) is the same right I enjoy to dance the Tango or Salsa or even to enjoy the Jaipong which is a traditional "sexy" dancing. The problem of banning her under the excuse of "making the men horny" is very much ambigous and may have further legal implications that is illogical. For example, If a woman went swimming even using a one piece suit and she got raped would you say that she brought upon against herself?? would you be comfortable in saying that it's not only the rapist fault but also the fault of the woman??. I'll bet that no one in his or her right mind would believe that. Not only that, would the mayor of Bandung ban paintings of Affandi and Basoeki that has a certain degree of nudity because it would invite "horny" reactions. Even in sports, in reverse would the same mayor ban men body building competitions because they only wear "under wears" and might incite housewives who watch the competition to commit adultery?.
Now the question begs, where do you draw the line?. My line is clear, it is the people who watch, see or looked that has to be responsible for their actions. If someone saw a so called erotic show and on the way home they raped someone, that someone is solely responsible and should be punished not the performer or the artist.
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Follow - up of Separation of Church and State
In Matthew 22:15-22 we read:
Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words. They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians. "Teacher," they said, "we know you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren't swayed by men, because you pay no attention to who they are. Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?"
But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, "You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? Show me the coin used for paying the tax." They brought him a denarius, and he asked them, "Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?"
"Caesar's," they replied.
Then he said to them, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's."
When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away.
The last time I was talking about this topic it was aimed at my native country.... Indonesia who is currently according to my opinion not truly separating between Religion and State.
But as read through newspapers specially during this election battles that even in the United States this issue is still an on going battle between the conservatives and the liberals.
Sorry to say but I am more incline to side with the Liberals here, mainly because of the above Verse.......
The Passage taken from the book of Matthew above clearly states that even Jesus Our Saviour honours the separation of Church and States. He acknowledges that we must separate our obligation to the Church apart from what our obligation is to the Government.
That is why I agree that our religious disposition should not be compiled into the way a country is run.
Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words. They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians. "Teacher," they said, "we know you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren't swayed by men, because you pay no attention to who they are. Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?"
But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, "You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? Show me the coin used for paying the tax." They brought him a denarius, and he asked them, "Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?"
"Caesar's," they replied.
Then he said to them, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's."
When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away.
The last time I was talking about this topic it was aimed at my native country.... Indonesia who is currently according to my opinion not truly separating between Religion and State.
But as read through newspapers specially during this election battles that even in the United States this issue is still an on going battle between the conservatives and the liberals.
Sorry to say but I am more incline to side with the Liberals here, mainly because of the above Verse.......
The Passage taken from the book of Matthew above clearly states that even Jesus Our Saviour honours the separation of Church and States. He acknowledges that we must separate our obligation to the Church apart from what our obligation is to the Government.
That is why I agree that our religious disposition should not be compiled into the way a country is run.
Friday, March 28, 2008
Separation of Church and State
This is a topic that I think the Indonesian Government should listen and implement in ............
The Idea of separation of church and state is born by the proclamators of the United States of America.......
Their Idea is simple knowing that there were religious unrest in europe and that their country will be and is a plural country as people from different religion and divine cultures would come and in order for the government to run and be able to function, their official religion should be no religion.
The reasoning was written down by Thomas Jefferson who said:
"Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between Man & his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, & not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should "make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof," thus building a wall of separation between Church & State."
Now to all conservatives this might not be ideal, however in order to foster democracy, all should be included and no matter what their beliefs they must be able to function as both citizens and government personnels.
That was why in the USA, state/public schools are not allowed to hold school prayers or the teaching of one particular or even any religion.
The answer of why they tought that in schools this should not be in the curriculum is that school is a place for scientific and logical learning and the teaching of religion is in the exact opposite. Religion teaches us that scientific prove and logic does not apply to faith whereas in science for every reaction there exist an action that provokes it. Although I do believe that in the beginning of all that begun something begin, not all share this belief. I believe it isn't the Christian way to enforce my beliefs to others hence I do not want anyone to enforce their beliefs unto me. At the beginning of this blog I said that the Indonesian Government should apply this philosophy into the governing and law making process. Separation of church and and state for our country should be endowed as separation of religion and state and one of the way to do this is to dismantle the KUA and the Ministry of Religion. Government should not be in the business of controlling anyone's beliefs more ever here in Indonesia it symbolizes a tendency of favouritism towards certain beliefs, which is the very opposite what our heroes that died for our independence want it to be.
I do believe once we instill this philosophy, Indonesia would be as great a nation that would even rival the United States of America in all aspects.
The Idea of separation of church and state is born by the proclamators of the United States of America.......
Their Idea is simple knowing that there were religious unrest in europe and that their country will be and is a plural country as people from different religion and divine cultures would come and in order for the government to run and be able to function, their official religion should be no religion.
The reasoning was written down by Thomas Jefferson who said:
"Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between Man & his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, & not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should "make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof," thus building a wall of separation between Church & State."
Now to all conservatives this might not be ideal, however in order to foster democracy, all should be included and no matter what their beliefs they must be able to function as both citizens and government personnels.
That was why in the USA, state/public schools are not allowed to hold school prayers or the teaching of one particular or even any religion.
The answer of why they tought that in schools this should not be in the curriculum is that school is a place for scientific and logical learning and the teaching of religion is in the exact opposite. Religion teaches us that scientific prove and logic does not apply to faith whereas in science for every reaction there exist an action that provokes it. Although I do believe that in the beginning of all that begun something begin, not all share this belief. I believe it isn't the Christian way to enforce my beliefs to others hence I do not want anyone to enforce their beliefs unto me. At the beginning of this blog I said that the Indonesian Government should apply this philosophy into the governing and law making process. Separation of church and and state for our country should be endowed as separation of religion and state and one of the way to do this is to dismantle the KUA and the Ministry of Religion. Government should not be in the business of controlling anyone's beliefs more ever here in Indonesia it symbolizes a tendency of favouritism towards certain beliefs, which is the very opposite what our heroes that died for our independence want it to be.
I do believe once we instill this philosophy, Indonesia would be as great a nation that would even rival the United States of America in all aspects.
Monday, March 24, 2008
The Great Debaters
I just saw a powerful movie about racial inequality in the land of United States........
This movie was about a team of african american debaters in 1935 and was based on a true story......
It showed one of the darker times of racial relations especially in the southern states during that time.............
At a time when african americans were presecuted with prejudice these group of people did what during that time was something next to impossible............
They were the first african american debate team to win against the reigning champion of debate at that time from Harvard............
The story was powerful..... however although Denzel was a powerful actor I do not think he's yet to prove himself as a great director yet......... to me it was reminiscent of another powerful movie about racial interaction called "Remember The Titans". It seems that Denzel Wahington is only carbon copying that movie into the plot of The Great Debaters especially the medley of wins the debators were streaking............
Acting wise though was as usual superb.... Denzel Washington had two great and memorable scenes... one was because of his interactions with another great actor Forrest Whitaker the other was when His Character explained where the word lynching (you can see the history on the link) was derived from...............
I had hoped that the younger casts especially one who had both two great actors namesake Denzel Whitaker to steal the limelight however I just Didn't get it till the end...... his acting was good but I just thought that if this story was directed by someone who had more experience especially with african american movies like Spike Lee, Denzel Whitaker would have blown away all of us and probably possible to win some kind of young actors award.........
The only thing that helped Denzel Washington and drive people to watch this movie is the power of the story........
For people who likes this kind of niche and stories of the "David beating Goliath" type like I am, I would recommend it but if you are one of those who looks for great acting and directing I wouldn't recommend you to go to the movies, buy the dvd or even rent it don't waste your money on it just borrow it from a friend who is either great fan of Denzel Washington or like me who likes this kind of movie
Acting and Directing wise it's a 2 and1/2 star out of 5 but story wise it was a 3 and 1/2
This movie was about a team of african american debaters in 1935 and was based on a true story......
It showed one of the darker times of racial relations especially in the southern states during that time.............
At a time when african americans were presecuted with prejudice these group of people did what during that time was something next to impossible............
They were the first african american debate team to win against the reigning champion of debate at that time from Harvard............
The story was powerful..... however although Denzel was a powerful actor I do not think he's yet to prove himself as a great director yet......... to me it was reminiscent of another powerful movie about racial interaction called "Remember The Titans". It seems that Denzel Wahington is only carbon copying that movie into the plot of The Great Debaters especially the medley of wins the debators were streaking............
Acting wise though was as usual superb.... Denzel Washington had two great and memorable scenes... one was because of his interactions with another great actor Forrest Whitaker the other was when His Character explained where the word lynching (you can see the history on the link) was derived from...............
I had hoped that the younger casts especially one who had both two great actors namesake Denzel Whitaker to steal the limelight however I just Didn't get it till the end...... his acting was good but I just thought that if this story was directed by someone who had more experience especially with african american movies like Spike Lee, Denzel Whitaker would have blown away all of us and probably possible to win some kind of young actors award.........
The only thing that helped Denzel Washington and drive people to watch this movie is the power of the story........
For people who likes this kind of niche and stories of the "David beating Goliath" type like I am, I would recommend it but if you are one of those who looks for great acting and directing I wouldn't recommend you to go to the movies, buy the dvd or even rent it don't waste your money on it just borrow it from a friend who is either great fan of Denzel Washington or like me who likes this kind of movie
Acting and Directing wise it's a 2 and1/2 star out of 5 but story wise it was a 3 and 1/2
Sunday, March 23, 2008
August Rush
Now That Easter is over ... I thinks it's time to think about a subject that is not so heavy.......
what better subject than a movie... well if some of you think that it's weird and you thought that this was a blog dedicated just to Christianity... you were wrong.... Coz this is a Think Tank..... so basically it is a summary of my thinking at the time when I was writing this stuff..... but if you have any thing you want to discuss more about give me your comments okay....anyway let's move on shall we....
The Movie August Rush....
This movie was about a kid who grew up in a child care home.... he found out at a young age that he can hears music within his surrounding....... he could feel the rythm of every sound that he hears....... and more ever he could feel that the sounds that he hears will lead him to his parents.....
Although the ending can be foreseen to most people this movie was still touching..... as it embodies a love and bond that is so strong between parents and child and that even separated can still be united.........
This move is for those who are real romantics... if you are an action junkie I do not recommend this movie... but if you are a fan of tear jerkers than this music is for you........ and if yor are a fan of music this movie is definitely for you........
One of the great thing about this movie is that it has wonderful soundtracks that has the mixture of Classical and Pop Rock back ground and even a little bit country.......
So I do recommend that you get the complete DVD version
Any Way I give this movie a 3 1/2 star out of five
what better subject than a movie... well if some of you think that it's weird and you thought that this was a blog dedicated just to Christianity... you were wrong.... Coz this is a Think Tank..... so basically it is a summary of my thinking at the time when I was writing this stuff..... but if you have any thing you want to discuss more about give me your comments okay....anyway let's move on shall we....
The Movie August Rush....
This movie was about a kid who grew up in a child care home.... he found out at a young age that he can hears music within his surrounding....... he could feel the rythm of every sound that he hears....... and more ever he could feel that the sounds that he hears will lead him to his parents.....
Although the ending can be foreseen to most people this movie was still touching..... as it embodies a love and bond that is so strong between parents and child and that even separated can still be united.........
This move is for those who are real romantics... if you are an action junkie I do not recommend this movie... but if you are a fan of tear jerkers than this music is for you........ and if yor are a fan of music this movie is definitely for you........
One of the great thing about this movie is that it has wonderful soundtracks that has the mixture of Classical and Pop Rock back ground and even a little bit country.......
So I do recommend that you get the complete DVD version
Any Way I give this movie a 3 1/2 star out of five
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Easter's Revelation
Last night when I was attending the Last supper mass in th eSt John the Baptist church in Blok A south Jakarta the bible reading of the Mass was Exodus 12 verse 1 - 8 & 11-14. It was telling the story of how how to celebrate Easter or at that time it was called the Passover and how God's tenth fury was about to be released upon the people of Egypt who was presecuting the people of Israel. The Tenth Fury was the God wil punish the Egyptian by killing all of their first born, and the Jewish will be saved from that fury by drawing their doors with the blood of sheep that they've eaten during passover.
It's been years since I've attended sunday school, but I've distinctly remember that no one told me why the Crucifiction of Jesus was setup on the eve of passover...... maybe some of you out there knows about this....... but I just had this revealed to me during the mass.
God chose this day to let Jesus endure His suffering to show that as much as God was furious He was also willing to share in the plight of His Followers whoever they maybe, and to seal the New Covenant so that God intended for His words to be followed by all not only the Jewish but all mankind. To do this He was willing to sacrifice His own First born to teach us that He is also merciful and that He shares the pain of all mankind not only the victory of how the Jewish escaped from Egypt. God is now saying that at that time He had to be furious but now to set all of mankind free He is willing to suffer His own fury and to show His Love for all mankind not only for the people of Israel. Jesus also put forth this fact by washing the feet of His disciples and saying that If He was willing to humble himself to wash their feet they should do the same to others (Book of John 13 verse 1 - 15). God was "washing our feet" when He sent His First Born to be slain like the sheeps during Passover, God was showing that He was willing to suffer as all of Mankind do.
Let me know what you think of this revelation of mine and give me your comments .......
May This Easter sets You Free and be Full of Blessing from God and His Son Jesus Christ
It's been years since I've attended sunday school, but I've distinctly remember that no one told me why the Crucifiction of Jesus was setup on the eve of passover...... maybe some of you out there knows about this....... but I just had this revealed to me during the mass.
God chose this day to let Jesus endure His suffering to show that as much as God was furious He was also willing to share in the plight of His Followers whoever they maybe, and to seal the New Covenant so that God intended for His words to be followed by all not only the Jewish but all mankind. To do this He was willing to sacrifice His own First born to teach us that He is also merciful and that He shares the pain of all mankind not only the victory of how the Jewish escaped from Egypt. God is now saying that at that time He had to be furious but now to set all of mankind free He is willing to suffer His own fury and to show His Love for all mankind not only for the people of Israel. Jesus also put forth this fact by washing the feet of His disciples and saying that If He was willing to humble himself to wash their feet they should do the same to others (Book of John 13 verse 1 - 15). God was "washing our feet" when He sent His First Born to be slain like the sheeps during Passover, God was showing that He was willing to suffer as all of Mankind do.
Let me know what you think of this revelation of mine and give me your comments .......
May This Easter sets You Free and be Full of Blessing from God and His Son Jesus Christ
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