Klik GAMBAR Dibawah Untuk Lebih Info

Sumber Asal Berita :-

Posted: 13 Nov 2012 06:46 AM PST

Hence the argument that Biblical records are evidence is a fallacy. The so-called records are 'modern' and were created centuries after the event. How, therefore, can we claim that they are accurate or authentic records when there exists a gap of so many centuries.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

The physical evidence in the real world shows that the earth is young, probably a few thousand years old as Biblical chronology shows. The so-called 'scientific' evidence that the earth is several billions of earth old is based on assumptions and has no hard physical evidence. -- upsidedown119

********************************************

'upsidedown119' has been flooding Malaysia Today with comments, in particular in his or her debates with 'Lord Jim'. I thought I would join the fray just for the heck of it and play the devil's advocate. 'upsidedown119' posted the comment above in response to my article Keeping the faith. Maybe I can respond to that response.

Religionists always use the argument that science cannot prove this or prove that. Hence claims by scientists cannot be accepted as fact or evidence. Religion, however, can prove all its claims because it has Biblical records to support these claims.

Most times science is based on observations, sometimes with experiments thrown in. From these observations, scientists make assumptions and come to conclusions. At the end of the day it is all just that -- observations and assumptions, and conclusions based on these observations and assumptions.

Hence science is still not really conclusive. It is what at that point of time they think it means. There have been occasions later on, it could even be centuries later, when scientists come out with new findings based on new observations and they deduce that earlier observations and assumptions, and the conclusions resulting from them, were wrong.

In other words, nothing is permanently conclusive. It is only conclusive at that point of time. That could change later when new findings emerge. Science is always searching and researching for new evidence to either prove earlier findings correct or to prove them wrong.

In the old days, say 2,000 years ago, there was no technology called carbon dating. Hence the only source of reference as to how old the earth is was Biblical records. Today there are many ways to date archaeological discoveries. And, through modern technology, archaeological discoveries of what appear to be human remains have shown that they are hundreds of millions or even billions of years old.

Let us assume that science and technology is wrong and wherever science is in conflict with Biblical records we reject science in favour of Biblical records. This is well and fine. But then we would have to question the accuracy and authenticity of Biblical records.

Biblical records of, say, 3,500 years ago, must be authenticated through the same process that science proves other things. In other words, can we carbon date these Biblical records and prove that they are 3,500 years old?

The oldest Hebrew manuscript (not complete text) is about 200 BCE -- that is 200 years before the birth of Jesus Christ. That means there is a 'gap' of roughly 1,000 years or more from the time of the event till the time of the records.

The oldest complete Greek text is dated more than 300 years after Christ. And Greek was not the language that Christ spoke. Hence there is no Aramaic record from the time of Christ. In other words, this is a 'translation', but a translation of what? There is no original text in Aramaic.

This means we must take everything at 'face value' based on accepting the word of the creator of the document, as the legal fraternity would say. And this would also mean at least 300 years have passed from the time of the event till the record of the event.

What happened in those 'missing' 300 years?

Between 1946 and 1956, the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered on the northwest shore of the Dead Sea. The Dead Sea Scrolls are written in Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek, and Nabataean, mostly on parchment, but some written on papyrus and bronze. These manuscripts have been dated between 408 BCE to 318 AD.

Around 40% of the Scrolls comprise of Biblical records but then they are in Hebrew, not Aramaic. Hence the evidence is still not conclusive. There are no Aramaic Biblical records from the time of Christ amongst the Dead Sea Scrolls. And there are certainly no Biblical records from 1,000-1,500 BCE, what we refer to as The Old Testament.

Human memory is fallible. What happened hundreds of years ago when all those people involved in the event have already died and when stories of the event were passed down by word of mouth over centuries will invariably be distorted and exaggerated. Even stories regarding Robin Hood are questionable even though that was supposed to have been less than 1,000 years ago.

The earliest official written records in England were created about 1,000 years ago during the reign of King William the Conqueror. Before that there were no official records other than those created by the church and even then mostly regarding the palace and the royal family.

King Arthur was supposed to have lived around the late 5th and early 6th centuries. However, till today, they still do not know the location of Camelot and whether Camelot and Arthur really did exist or is a mere myth.

We can trace the history of England to about 55 BCE. And this is only because the Romans came to England at that time and they maintained records. Before 55 BCE England more or less did not exist, so to speak, from the records point of view. Around 410 AD the Romans left England but by then Christianity had come to England -- around 100 years before that. So the church 'took over' when the Romans left.

So England's historical records can be accurately traced back to about the time of Christ. Nevertheless, while there are records from this era, there are no records of an Aramaic Bible. Many records from the time of Christ are available except records of an Aramaic Bible. The earliest Bible is in Greek and dated about 300 years after Christ.

Hence, in short, nothing is conclusive. Hence, also, we cannot argue that one type of evidence outweighs another. If we want to accept Christianity based on evidence then there are none. Christianity must be accepted based on faith, not based on evidence.

And faith is the word to describe lack of evidence.

Keeping the faith

Posted: 12 Nov 2012 08:11 PM PST

Yes, religionists need miracles. They need a sign from God. And these miracles and signs help strengthen our faith. And faith is what religion is all about. We see signs and miracles everywhere. We can even see them when they are not there. That is how strong faith can be.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

Malaysia church gets window with Virgin Mary image

(AP) - A Malaysian church is taking possession of a hospital window that has attracted hundreds of people who believe it bears an image of the Virgin Mary.

Prayerful crowds of Roman Catholics have gathered outside the Sime Darby Medical Center in a suburb near Kuala Lumpur since last weekend after an image believed to resemble the Virgin Mary was spotted on the hospital's seventh-floor window.

Rev. Simon Labrooy of the suburb's Church of St Thomas More says he met with hospital officials and agreed the crowd situation could affect medical emergency services.

He said in a statement late Monday that the hospital glass panel would be moved to a church and tested by theologians and religious authorities.

Christians comprise nearly 10 percent of Muslim-majority Malaysia's population.

*****************************************

First Map Produced of Universe 11 Billion Years Ago

(Reuter) - An international team of astronomers has produced the first map of the universe as it was 11 billion years ago, filling a gap between the Big Bang and the rapid expansion that followed.

The study, published in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics, shows the universe went through a phase roughly three billion years after the Big Bang when expansion actually started to slow, before the force of so-called 'dark energy' kicked in and sent galaxies accelerating away from each other.

Much is known about the immediate aftermath of the Big Bang from studies of its afterglow in the cosmic background radiation, and its accelerating expansion over several billion years can be seen with a look at the way distant galaxies are moving.

"Only now are we finally seeing its adolescence... just before it underwent a growth spurt," said Mat Pieri at the University of Portsmouth in Britain, one of the authors of the study.

Little is known about dark energy, and its counterpart dark matter, but astronomers argue the force must exist to account for the speed at which the universe is expanding. Together, dark energy and dark matter are believed to make up about 96 percent of the universe.

The new study supports the theory that dark energy was somehow created as the universe expanded, by detailing a period when gravity was winning the tussle and slowing the expansion.

"If we think of the universe as a roller coaster, then today we are rushing downhill, gaining speed as we go," said Pieri. "Our new measurement tells us about the time when the universe was climbing the hill – still being slowed by gravity."

The map, the work of 63 scientists from nine countries, was compiled using a novel technique for studying the intense light from 50,000 distant quasars as it passes through clouds of hydrogen in space on its way to Earth.

They produce a picture of the ancient universe in same way thousands of flashlight beams would light up a bank of fog.

"The quasars are back-lights," Pieri told Reuters, and the way the gas in front of them absorbs some of the light allows astronomers to get a detailed picture of these distant clouds of gas known as the intergalactic medium.

The study is the first fruit from a five-year project started in 2009. The team, from the third Sloan Digital Sky Survey, expect to expand the survey with light from about 160,000 quasars by the end of the project.

"We're essentially measuring the shadows cast by gas along a series of lines, each billions of light-years long," said Will Percival, a cosmology professor the University of Portsmouth.

"The tricky part is combining all those one-dimensional maps. The problem is like trying to recognize an object from a picture that's been painted on the quills of a porcupine," he said.

*****************************************

Religion works on the basis of faith. That is why religions are called 'faiths'. And, to keep the faith, we need miracles. Every prophet had his miracle(s). And the Muslims believe that Prophet Muhammad's miracle was/is the Qur'an.

To those not schooled in Islam, Prophet Muhammad was said to be illiterate. He could neither read nor write. Hence he could not have written the Qur'an himself. Hence, also, the Qur'an must have come from God, through, the Muslims believe, the Angel Gabriel.

That is the Muslim belief. And the faith that the Qur'an came from God, and hence Prophet Muhammad is a true Prophet of God (proven by the existence of the Qur'an), makes a Muslim a Muslim and keeps a Muslim a Muslim.

Without this miracle of Muhammad, meaning the Qur'an, Islam would not exist and in that same spirit Muslims would not exist.

The miracle of Muhammad ended with the revelation of the last verse of the Qur'an. However, from time to time, new miracles need to emerge to strengthen the Muslim faith. For example, in the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami, the entire Aceh disappeared except for just the mosque (see picture below).

Muslims hail that as a miracle. This, said the Muslims, is a sign from God. The fact that all other buildings were built from timber while only the mosque was built from concrete (and hence could resist the Tsunami) was not a consideration. The fact that only the mosque remained standing is what is considered the miracle and the sign from God.

Some Malaysian Muslims also said that the 2004 Tsunami that hit the island of Phuket in Thailand is also a sign from God. Phuket is a 'sin city', they say. Hence God punished Phuket because of the sins perpetuated in that town/island.

(You must visit the Banana disco in Phuket where all the delicious lady boys hang out).

But then only 8,000 or so people were killed in Thailand for their 'sins'. And almost 170,000 people were killed in Indonesia, 31,000 in Bandar Aceh alone. If God was punishing Phuket for its sins, why take 31,000 devout Muslims from Aceh and more than 100,000 others from other parts of Indonesia, many who were devout Muslims?

So what is God's message here when He punishes 8,000 'sinners' and then kills another quarter of a million non-sinners in the process, many of them innocent women and children?

The Holy Books guide us in our faith. The Holy Books say that humankind has existed for 6,500 years ever since earth was first created and Adam and Eve walked the face of this earth.

Now the stupid and ignorant scientists say that earth has existed for billions of years. They are wrong. Satan is deceiving them. They are trying to mislead us. How can they say something contrary to what the Holy Books say?

Why apostasy is good for Islam

Posted: 12 Nov 2012 07:03 PM PST

I suppose one way to solve the serious AIDS and drug problem amongst the Malays-Muslims would be to allow them to leave Islam. Once all these people have left Islam then the high incidence of AIDS and drugs amongst the Malays-Muslims would also end because these people would no longer be Muslims but would be ex-Muslims. (And, according to the Constitution, you must be Muslim to be Malay -- so ex-Muslims would also be ex-Malays).

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

"Call to reject Muslim leaders who do not uphold Islam," said The Borneo Post. Bernama, on the other hand, said, "At Islamic meet, Jakim hopes to slow Muslim AIDS spread". You can read both news reports below.

I remember Tan Sri Sanusi Junid, the one-time Menteri Besar of Kedah, saying that the highest incidence of AIDS is amongst the fishermen community. He also said that the state with the highest incidence of AIDS is Kelantan.

Sanusi was then the Minister of Agriculture when he said that (in a gathering at the MCOBA building) and what he really meant was that the highest incidence of AIDS is amongst the Malays-Muslims, and the poorer segment of society on top of that.

It was roughly 25 years ago when Sanusi said that. Apparently, after 25 years, Malaysia still faces the problem of Malays-Muslims having the highest incidence of AIDS.

According to the authorities, not only is AIDS the highest amongst Malays-Muslims (estimated at 70%), but it is highest amongst drug addicts (90%) as well. Hence it is drugs (the sharing of needles) and not sex that is the main cause of AIDS -- although in many cases it can be both because drug addicts also become 'sex workers' to earn money to finance their very expensive drug addiction.

Someone once told me (I don't know whether this is true or not) that the highest divorce rate is also amongst the Malays-Muslims. This could be true because it is easier for Muslims than non-Muslims to divorce. The husband just needs to utter the words "I divorce you" and the divorce is complete.

Of course, the wife can always go to the Shariah Court to lodge a complaint. But anyone who has ever dealt with the Shariah Courts will tell you that these courts are male-friendly and female-unfriendly. Hence expect the wife to not receive justice.

And I speak from personal experience because many of my lady friends who were divorced by just these three words were subjected to that injustice. (Yes, I do have many divorced lady friends). I must say I felt strongly for these women (but not in the way you think, though) who were manipulated by the system and mocked by their husbands who abandoned them without any income.

Back in the 1970s, I used to frequent the bars in Kuala Terengganu and Kota Bharu. (Well, I never said I am an angel, did I?). Of course, that was when I was in my 20s and before I became a Born Again Muslim.

Most of the bargirls I spoke to all had one story to tell. They got married in their teens. They now have children. And their husband had abandoned them and had 'disappeared'.

These girls (many in the 20s and even some in their late teens) have no education or qualification. Hence they need to work as bargirls to earn a living and feed their child/children.

By why do they need to live such immoral lives? What are the Shariah Courts doing about their plight? Nothing, of course, and many of these abandoned girls/women indicated that they would be happy to become my second, third or fourth wife (or even my mistress) for just a couple of hundreds of Ringgit a month 'allowance'.

Yes, for a mere RM1,000 a month, I could have supported three additional wives (at least back in the 1970s). However, when you are married to a Thai (like me), never try that. Thailand has the most number of 'Bobbitt' cases in the entire world. (And if you don't know what 'Bobbitt cases' mean, read here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_and_Lorena_Bobbitt. Charles…this part is meant for you, mate).

Anyway, this piece is not meant as a Malay-Muslim bashing exercise. What I wish to highlight is regarding the serious social problems faced by the Malays-Muslims, which the government has known about for more than three decades and which it can't seem to solve.

I used to joke that the way to solve the high divorce rate amongst Malays-Muslims would be to not force them to get married. Let them just live together, and then when they separate they just separate. If they are not married then their separation would not be called divorce. Hence the high divorce rate amongst the Malays-Muslims would end.

Anyway, jokes aside -- because this is certainly no joking matter -- we have a serious problem. Or rather, we have a serious problem amongst the Malays-Muslims whether it is divorce, AIDS, drugs, or whatever. And it is an old problem since the 1970s that looks like it can never be solved.

So why are these religious people and the religious authorities talking about this person or that person saying the wrong thing and getting all hot and bothered about it?

Okay, so someone said there is no compulsion in religion and Muslims are free to leave Islam if they wish to. Do you think by stopping people from saying there is no compulsion in religion and Muslims are free to leave Islam if they wish to this will make Muslims better Muslims?

Who cares about how many people become Muslims or how many leave Islam? This is not a numbers game. This is not a contest to see who can beat the other in number of 'followers'? Should not the focus be on the quality of Muslims rather than the quantity?

I am not so concerned about how many Muslims there are in Malaysia. I am more concerned about what type of Muslim these people are. Currently, when we talk about corruption, abuse of power, divorce, drugs, AIDS, or whatever other social ills you can think of, it appears that the majority of the transgressors are Malays-Muslims.

Aren't the Malays-Muslims ashamed of this? Then, when the non-Malays/non-Muslims point out that the Malays-Muslims are highly immoral, the Malays-Muslims get angry. They say you are insulting them. They say you are cabaring them. They threaten you with 'May 13'.

The mindset of the Islamists is becoming very ridiculous. They focus on form rather than function. They worry about whether the woman is too sexy or is indecently dressed. The fact that the woman keeps her tudong on but lifts up her baju kurung for a quickie in the pantry is of no concern to these Islamists.

So you want everyone to dress like Mother Teresa. Does that solve our social problems?

The Johor Wanita Umno head, Datuk Sharifah Azizah Syed Zain, wants us to reject Muslim leaders who do not uphold Islam. What does she mean by 'do not uphold Islam'? Not a single Muslim leader upholds Islam in the real sense of the word. So that would mean not a single Muslim leader should get our support and must be rejected, even those from the opposition.

Of course, what Sharifah Azizah meant is that we must reject Muslim leaders who propagate freedom of religion. This is the only act of not upholding Islam as far as Sharifah Azizah is concerned.

And this is why the Malays-Muslims can never progress. They have a very narrow worldview. Not upholding Islam just means freedom of religion. All other social ills, sins and crimes are not included. Those do not come under the ambit of 'not upholding Islam'.

Mampuslah Melayu kalau macam ni!

************************************************

Call to reject Muslim leaders who do not uphold Islam

(The Borneo Post) - The confusing statement made by Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar on religious freedom should be an eye-opener for the people to reject leaders who failed to protect the sanctity of Islam, said two Wanita Umno leaders.

Johor Wanita Umno head Datuk Sharifah Azizah Syed Zain said such a statement should not be made by a Muslim leader as it could be misinterpreted, especially by the young people.

She said stern action should be taken against the Lembah Pantai member of parliament to serve as a lesson to her not to attempt to misuse Islamic teachings for politics.

"She seems to be desperate to win (in the coming general election) to the extent of exploiting religion.

"I hope this will open the people's eyes to reject such a leader," she told Bernama.

On Nov 3, a pro-opposition news portal had quoted Nurul Izzah as saying that the people should not be compelled to adopt a particular religion, and that this should also apply to Malays.

"When you ask me, there is no compulsion in religion … how can anyone say sorry, this (religious freedom) only applies to non-Malays, it has to apply equally," she was quoted as saying when speaking at a forum on "Islamic State: Which version; Who's responsibility?" in Subang Jaya on the same day.

Sharifah Azizah said she did not believe that Nurul Izzah had unintentionally made the statement.

"She made the statement to show that she is not an Islamic fanatic, supports lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT), rights to religious freedom," she said.

She also questioned the action by Nurul Izzah in suing the mainstream media, instead of the pro-opposition news portal which posted her controversial statement.

Wanita Umno religious bureau chairman Datin Paduka Mesrah Selamat said a Muslim leader, regardless of the party he/she represented, who failed to uphold Islam was not qualified to lead and should be rejected by the people.

She said Nurul Izzah's statement could have an impact, especially on Muslim youths.

Meanwhile, an organisation called Pertubuhan-Pertubuhan Pembela Islam (Pembela) described Nurul Izzah's statement as irresponsible and disrespectful, and urged an investigation be conducted by the relevant authorities.

This controversy, if not stopped, can give a wrong perception of Islam, it said in a press statement issued here yesterday.

In a related development, Cheras Umno leader Datuk Wira Syed Ali Alhabshee said he did not rule out the possibility that the spread of liberalism and pluralism in Malaysia was supported by enemies of Islam from outside the country.

He said the enemies of Islam never ceased with their efforts to erode the faith of the Muslims and cause a split among them, and this situation was exploited by those with vested political interest in the country.

"Nurul Izzah's statement on religious freedom has made the enemies of Islam happy. It can give a bad implication to Muslims," he added.

Syed Ali said the relevant authorities, including the Selangor Religious Council and the National Fatwa Council, should investigate and address the issue

************************************************

At Islamic meet, Jakim hopes to slow Muslim AIDS spread

(Bernama) - It is hoped that the best guideline and resolution to tackle HIV/AIDS can be produced by the three-day 2012 International Islamic Conference and HIV/AIDS from Monday, here.

Malaysian Islamic Development Department (JAKIM) said, the conference would also explain efforts by Muslim leaders, Islamic social activists and numerous parties to tackle HIV/AIDS.

"The conference will enable Islamic scholars, scientists and researchers to discuss issues of HIV/AIDS among Muslims and share experiences and studies," according to Jakim in a statement today.

The conference was organised by Jakim in cooperation with the Health Ministry, Malaysian Aids Council, Ihtimam Foundation and Malaysian Aids Foundation.

It would be attended by 300 participants from government agencies, local and foreign non-government organisations and universities.

Jakim said, the conference would also promote the Islamic approach in tackling the HIV/AIDS problem, as found in the Islamic and HIV/AIDS Manual.

"Currently, Malaysia is the only country with a manual on Islam and HIV/AIDS resulting from close cooperation between Jakim and the Health Ministry".

Four topics of discussion would be tabled: 'Strategy To Prevent HIV/AIDS In Malaysia', 'Addressing HIV/AIDS Epidemic: Analysis of Best Practice', 'Role Played By Malaysian Government & NGO' and 'Social Research On HIV/AIDS'.

Among local presenters were Johor Islamic Religious Council Adviser Datuk Noh Gadut, Malaysian Islamic Doctors Association president Prof Dr Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman, Malaysian Aids Council president Dr Raj Karim and Malaysian Aids Foundation chairman Prof Dr Adeeba Kamarulzaman.

Meanwhile, the foreign presenters were from Uganda, Australia and Qatar.

Kredit: www.malaysia-today.net

Rabu, 14 November 2012

Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News

Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News

0 ulasan:

Catat Ulasan