An update and something about religion...

Ahhh... I shall start off from where i last left off. So, i did prepare and go into the moot. However, i came out defeated. I didn't go through to the next around. "A battle's lost but experience has been gained" is my comforting mantra. Mooting was a valuable experience. The preparation for it was indeed hell but when you're standing there, arguing your case... there's that sense of a rush. Our judges were great and gave feedback on our mooting skills. Feedback = chance for self improvement!!!

I was sleep-deprived when i reached my hall after the moot. Slept till 4 and went for dinner and went for ballroom dancing. On that day, we finished off the jive and the waltz. Ahh.. but don't get the wrong impression now!Err.. to the ladies reading this, I can safely say i won't take out any of your toes if I dance with you, but can't say that i'll remember all the steps! Lol.

**RELIGIOUS RANT AHEAD.. PROCEED WITH CAUTION*

Friday... Nothing much went on. A highlight of the day was that i tried to do something different. I went for this Christian Fellowship like thingy.. called SOLID ROCK. It's a christian group originating from Singapore if i'm not mistakened. I went there with a guarded stance and I disagreed with alot of things which went on there. There was the run of the mill praise and worship session... and then there was this screening of this Indian Preacher, KP something who preaches about missionaries and spreading the gospel to Asian countries. It was a typical fire and brimstone speech.

This brings me to a point I wholly DISAGREE with many non-catholic (i shalln't use the term protestant.. I have Mrs. Harding from Stella Maris to thank for that) christians that ALL THOSE WHO DON'T BELIEVE IN JESUS will go straight down and burn in hell.

Right... first off, what right do these people have to judge who goes to hell and who doesn't? Next, in the bible, yes, indeed the bible say that's Jesus is the way to heaven kinda thing (sorry.. i'm a typical catholic who doesn't know his bible verses..) BUT does it say.. "Those who don't will burn in hell"? I mean.. hey.. We're all the children of God now.. and He's in to mercy and all. There are interesting questions to pose about this idea about "WHO GOES TO HELL"(WGTH) coz.. what if i'm like born in some tribe where violence is the norm to solve conflicts and I don't learn to turn the other cheek and all.. and missionaries have hell of a time reaching my tribe coz of the mosquito infested forests and piranha laden lakes??! Do i reach the gates of Heaven and told to go straight down to hell for doing something which is wrong in the eyes of the bible but something which is perfectly normal in the society/tribe i was born in? Where's the logic in that? Blame is then put on those who know but don't spread the word.

I was feeling quite pissed and rolling at my eyes at how this guy KP whatever his name was talking. Yes, the work done by the missionaries is commendable.. leaving everything behind to spread the word of God. He was preaching extremism in the Christian sense.. making comparisons between Sri Lankan Tamil Tiger sucide bombers and how Christians should be.

Arghh. I don't know whether i'm being coherant here.. but it's just all so wrong. I'm a bad Catholic Christian. I sin. I do try to repent but i still sin. Hi, I'm Joachim and i'm a sinner. I don't have all the answers and i'm certainly not holier than thou..But i know converting everyone in the world to become a Christian doesn't make it a better place. You don't need to be a Christian to know faith, hope and love are important. I know non-christians who lead a better moralful lives than actual Christians. What right do we have to go up to them and say, " You're going to hell." (Anyway... hell isn't fire and brimstone.. some philosphers say it's a state of mind.. mm. )

Mm. I'm not read up on this area of religion well. The Catholic church believes that limbo and purgatory exists besides heaven and hell. Limbo is basically for infants/babies who die without sin and purgatory is for souls to pay off their temporary punishments. The idea of purgatory would be a more sensible one..

Anyway, i guess what i'm trying to say is that.. Faith is Him/Jesus.. just isn't all that cuts it. An emphasis of Christian Life should be made too. Ahh.. getting sleepy. I shall tackle this idea more in depth in the future...


* RELIGIOUS RANT OVER*