Stories & a debate
Friday, April 14, 2006
♥ Friday, April 14, 2006
For those who know how screwed up this wkend was, well, i aint gonna blog abt it. See, i dont intend to reveal much abt myself over a blog. I know i do, over little reflections and insights. Nevertheless, those are sorta 'encoded' right? Well, down to business.
i have this phenomenally fantastic book to recommend. It won some 2005 Best Read Award. My Sister's Keeper (200306) by Jodi Picoult is one of the most unique books i've ever read. See, its written in a first person narrative. But, the story progresses using the first person, in different characters of the story. Thus, there is a depth to many characters that you easily put yourself into. The story timeline goes back and forth, based on each individual's perspective, and ultimately, a beautiful plot results with a very fine twist. To put it in a nutshell, Anna was 'born' (test-tube baby, with traits made that to her leukaemic sister), so that she could be the donor for her sister; blood, tissue fluid, samples, whatever. Anna wants to stop the treatment. Parents refuse, resulting in a pro bono lawsuit... the plot further convulates when Anna's legal guardian happens to be her lawyer's ex boyfriend. I think the way the story is made is something like the movie Crash ( won an oscar for Best Picture this year by the way). There isnt exactly a main character, since all the characters occupy a relatively similar quantity of screen time and story line. My Sister's Keeper isnt literature. Its something like Tony Parson's Man and Boy- a bit less vulgar, just about as hilarious, and more touching, but similarity lies mainly in its contruct of sentences. A great, great read.
Mark Lee introduced me this book- Finishing Strong(310306) by Steve Farrer, is a book that teaches us that its not about how you start, its how you end with your faith. And that the citings of David, good King screwing up, Peter screwing up but coming back from his guilt; and furthermore practical examples on how we finish strong. I believe in time i will bring back vital lessons the book sought to bring, when circumstances require it. Erm, i dont think bloggin happens to be one of those circumstances, so.. cant exactly pen it down. However, what i realise about christian books is this. They nag. They tell you a point they are trying to make, they provide you a scriptural background to this point/ advice, and then they tell you real life examples to make it relevant, and then they quote some wise quote from a christian behemoth like Billy Graham to further punctuate it. i guess the style works la. Just well, feel so nagged at. Nevertheless, a fine book for faith-formation.
I bought this book with the honest intention of faith formation purposes. This turned out to be one of those new age spirituality books. Home with God (100406) by Neale Donald Walsh is actually pretty captivating. Yeah, its interesting. And its philosophy isnt too abstract, all made comprehensible. Perhaps, thats where its dubious. This book is basically about death. What happens after, the qn most pondered and fascinated upon. Apparently, the guy had many conversations with God, and this happened to be one of them. Its a little like Sophie's world, minus the humour and the varying philophical perspectives, and a storyline. It teaches reincarnation. The idea that there is no heaven or hell. And again, where its scary, it sounds perfectly logical; see when one talks about the soul, it sounds somewhat abstract right. Neale got the gift of not making it sound that way. Especially when almost everything is metaphoric and analogical. Its like Dan Brown, but philosophical, making sense, and has the backing of a sprouting religion. So..beware.
Ok, my story. I lost an argument about the death penalty and Christian laws of love and forgiveness & thus the resulting clash. Somewhat sore about it. :) But thats just intellectual pride la. So, Marcus, let it go. But whoever read this, i am intrigued to know. Why would one stand on the side of the death penalty? Or why wouldnt you.
The argument started cuz i mentioned, as cited from my GP teacher, that once murder is committed, the person has 'lost the right to live'. Rebutt: the life was never ours anyway. Opposing: Forgiveness is a virtue we as christians should strive towards. Rebutt: Forgiveness is and individual thing. Humanity as an ideal demands punishment. Thats remorse. Losing the right to live is seen that the person has lost his preciousness in this place in the world.
For: In my opinion, the severity of evil as murder, or atrocity as that in WW2, calls for punishment. How does one live with himself? In the Pianist there was the scene when a woman was crying, " how could i do it!?" She was suffering the remorse of her actions- killin her infant to avoid being caught. That remorse tells her, her life has lost its place and meaning. Forgiveness, perhaps, is eventual. But, in the light of actions and consequences, the seeming consequence is death.
Opposing: The ideals, made by culture, sociological platforms are that which is human. Thus flawed. We live to look for a christian platform. One that is pro-life. As Cardinal Ratzinger put so, How does one show the sanctity of life, by passin a law that takes away lives? Jesus teaches forgiveness..
Counter: There is a passage in acts of apostles that claims that a man fell to his death, when Peter rebuked him for withholding certain funds ( its not exact..but its definitely something like that.) And thhe man's wife also met the same fate for some kinda lying. So it seemed that apparently, death was in some way, a form of punishment?
i could go on and on. And i could eventually conclude that its a matter of perspective: after all there are certain states which dont practive the death penalty. ( Well, they better not be practisin abortion too then.:)) But i feel, its more. Its got to be a universal truth on whetehr one's place in the world, is rocked by the impact of his sins. If u like movies with this certain moral dilemma that invoke a form of pity, watch Monster. Charlize Theron won Best Actress last year for that. Tour de force, they call it. In the movie, she stars as a lesbian hooker. And in one of her 'pickups', this guy brutally, and i mean
brutally violated her. She found a handgun and killed him. After that, every person who picks her up, ends up getting shot. In the end, she's sentenced to death, being a serial killer. So, argument lies: is she pardon-able? And if she's given the death penalty, does it make the injustice she suffered invalid? Food for thought eh..
