HUMANITY TRANSCENDS RELIGION

This morning, I awoken to wyi teck's sms. It reads:"All italian sports competitions will be suspended in respect for Pope John Paul II, who is on e brink of death". Slightly dazed from my slumber, I almost wanted to mass forward to my soccer kakis whom I'm meeting for soccer later, asking them to postpone our weekly soccer bonding session to next week. Then, it hit me... you can almost see 3 lines dropping down from the side of my face (-_-"") haha... Oh wait, this doesn't make any sense... what business has it got to do with me?! he die die lar! I still want to play my soccer what! Okok, jokes aside... on to more serious things...

We're looking at the passing on of a man whom despite being the head of the Catholicism faith, shows no form of discrimination against any form of religion and is devout to spreading the message of peace, all the time emphasizing the importance of interreligious dialogue to strengthen understanding and peace in the chaotic world we live in today. In one of the articles I've read, it is said that the Pope is forever remembered as a man who tried to establish reconciliation and harmony that transcends religions, races, and political ideologies. This is what I call Resspect! *thumps chest*

Tell me honestly, just how many religious leaders in the world are able to do that? These advocates of religion are always trying to push their respective faiths as the supreme, the one and only, and would resort to ways and means to achieve their goals. Yes, violence is legitimate if the means justifies the end. Brainwashing... Ahh, yes... tell me all about it... what makes people abandon the most basic regard for other human beings breathing the same air as we do and living in this world we all call ours?

Oh yeah, you guys must be thinking: here we go again... putting down the christian community again Mr Khoo? Before people launch into tirades of verbal assault on me, I shall reaffirm my stand again for the benefit of those doubtful and my other christian friends as well. Me no bite people, me is no anti-christian, me is just very pissed off when people think of their religion as everything there is to life cos' I believe there is also something called respect. Simple to understand?

Anyway, back to the issue on religious supremacy (sounds like some big evil plan to take over the world... but it ain't far from the truth). Look no further beyond the shores of Singapore. We find pastors and believers of devious nature trying to spread false messages about the meaning of religion. Religion is, I say again, not about Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, Catholicism nor Taoism... etc. It IS about H-U-M-A-N-I-T-Y and R-E-S-P-E-C-T for other people who are the SAME just like YOU AND ME... Religion should NEVER be about who is better and who is not. However, religion is about ONE BIG HAPPY FAMILY LIVING TOGETHER... read: RELIGIOUS HARMONY

Taken from a website, this Singaporean Catholic woman said this: "For me personally as a Catholic, I would say that he is a hero, somebody whose championing of all human beings, regardless of race and creed, has deepened my own faith in the goodness of man, in the potential we have as human beings." Finally, someone just made a whole lot of sense. How I wish there were more of such people around us and not think that someone is any less deserving just because he/she's not of the same faith as him/her.

Also quoted in the website, the Pope once said that his position was not about power and prestige; instead he wanted to be known as a friend and a servant of humanity. Oh yeah, try telling that to the misguided ones in the infamous churches around Singapore. I'm not naming any names, but its not hard to figure out either. One of these days, I just wanna step into one of these churches to have a look for myself. Maybe I won't get out alive, hard to say... haha... either way, it's gonna be an eye opener.