A Philosophical Take on Things

Why do we think we have so much control over the future?
So, I'm in a Religion and Ethics class. Since I had missed my class on Monday, I stayed after to talk to my professor about what was talked about in class on Monday. The topic of discussion was about tale baring and gossip. This discussion was surrounded by a discussion on telling the truth during Friday's class and a discussion on forgiveness during today's class. During the discussion with my professor, I definitely brought up this class, Asian American History in Action. We've talked a lot about history. Are we really entitled to tell all of these stories? Have we forgiven the transgressors against our ancestors? Should we? Can we forgive them and still continue to tell the story? Is it really moving on if we are still upset by this history, these stories? Has justice been made? Will justice ever be made? Are we forgiving when we demand justice? It was Francis that said forgiving is giving up the right to be angry. Is that what forgiving really is? I think it is certainly a part of it. Is it a release? Some say forgiveness is not dwelling on the incident or transgression. I definitely don't think our study of history includes living in the past, which I equate with dwelling. We are ultimately looking for a positive to come out of the knowledge of the history we explore and learn about. My professor used the Holocaust as an example. I think we can all agree that the Holocaust was a bad thing that happened. Have we forgiven those who were behind the Holocaust? My professor also mentioned a memorial (shown below) at Dachu, the first concentration camp in Nazi Germany, that reads "never again." I think the political cartoon (shown above) makes quite the statement, that history can't always prevent things from happening again. Maybe the history hasn't been taught effectively. Maybe we just have to keep trying until we eventually can prevent the repeat of history. How do we even handle the incident in Minnesota where a Hmong man was killed? Or the difference in justice in Jena, Louisianna for people of different races? Can we forgive? Will we forgive? Should we forgive? Are these our stories to tell? What if we don't know all of the facts? It is so hard not to include our own biases. Is it okay to include biases, especially when it comes from the heart? Emotion behind a story makes it more enjoyable, more real, and more rememberable.




Why do you feel the need to give me a Bible?
Today I was offered a Bible a total of 3 times in my 12 minute walk back to my dorm from the Campus Center. This made me think of a topic I will be discussing in my Religion and Ethics class later on in the semester: is religion ethical? I am certainly of the opinion that there are instances where religion is not ethical. I am also one to be very upset by proselytizers and offerers of the Bible in public. I think religion is more personal. Well let me rephrase that. I think beliefs are extremely personal. Religion is communal by the way that it creates a community, so it can only be so personal. However, religion is still a personal choice and a personal preference. I am insulted that they imply their beliefs are better by trying to convince you to convert or by making sure you do believe the same things. Honestly, I just wanted to say, "No thanks, I worship Satan." However, I couldn't bring myself to do it. Instead I settled on, "No thanks" and, "No thanks. I have one." Obviously I have reached a point of ethical tension in myself. I have the desire to lash out at them, give them my opinion, and let them know that I disagree with what they are doing. On the other hand, the way I want to go about it I feel is wrong. One, it would really be a lie for me say that I worship Satan. Two, it would be intending to insult the bible givers. Three, I am all about free speech but to the extent that it should not intend to do harm. So, I have found ethical reasons behind my restraint from actually saying those words out loud. Still, is what they are doing ethical? If there is the concept of the other and your purpose and desire in life is to be in relation to the other and not do the other harm so that the relation is not broken, then isn't it wrong that they are offending me by offering me a Bible?

Conversion, missionaries, and proselytizing all have a bad connotation to me. Those who try to convert and proselytize come across as being better than others because if you do not believe what they believe then you are missing something; what you are and what you do and what you believe is sub par to this greater truth they want to lead you to. In a historical context, conversion stories are often accompanied by assimilation, control, and colonization. I mean I don't really know how to reconcile this. I wouldn't have been raised Catholic had the Spaniards not colonized and forced many natives to the Philippines to convert. I am glad that I was raised Catholic. I don't know what the alternative would have been like. I like to think it would have been just as good to follow that religion as to follow Catholicism. Now, I view Catholicism as part of my heritage. I feel that it is the closest link I have to my Filipino heritage. It is the biggest part of Filipino culture that I was raised with. Recently, I have gone away from the Church for a number of reasons. I am currently happy with my decision but I still feel in a way that I am losing even more of the culture I have gotten from my Grandmother. Ideally I would like to go back, but it is so hard to when so much more goes into it. Believing is just hard to do sometimes. Until then, I am trying to find other aspects of my heritage to focus on, instead of being left with nothing of my Filipino heritage.