Photography is the window into our soul. 

Blind Faith by Dave Miller, Ph.D.

Blind Faith

by Dave Miller, Ph.D.

A common misconception among atheists, humanists, and evolutionists is that those who reject evolution in order to hold to a fundamental, literal understanding of the biblical documents are guided by “blind faith.” Robinson articulated this position quite emphatically when he accused Christians of abandoning rationality and evidence in exchange for intellectual dishonesty and ignorance of the truth (1976, pp. 115-124). Many within the scientific community labor under the delusion that their “facts” and “evidence” are supportive of evolution and opposed to a normal, face-value understanding of the biblical text. They scoff at those who disagree with them, as if they alone have a corner on truth.

The fact of the matter is that while most of the religious world deserves the epithets hurled by the “informed” academicians, those who espouse pure, New Testament Christianity do not. New Testament Christians embrace the biblical definition of faith, in contrast to the commonly conceived understanding of faith that is promulgated by the vast majority of people in the denominational world.

The faith spoken of in the Bible is a faith that is preceded by knowledge. One cannot possess biblical faith in God until he or she comes to the knowledge of God. Thus, faith is not accepting what one cannot prove. Faith cannot outrun knowledge—for it is dependent upon knowledge (Romans 10:17). Abraham was said to have had faith only after he came to the knowledge of God’s promises and was fully persuaded (Romans 4:20-21). His faith, therefore, was seen in his trust and submission to what he knew to be the will of God. Biblical faith is attained only after an examination of the evidence, coupled with correct reasoning about the evidence.

The God of the Bible is a God of truth. Throughout biblical history, He has stressed the need for the acceptance of truth—in contrast with error and falsehood. Those who, in fact, fail to seek the truth are considered by God to be wicked (Jeremiah 5:1). The wise man urged: “Buy the truth, and sell it not” (Proverbs 23:23). Paul, himself an accomplished logician, exhorted people to love the truth (2 Thessalonians 2:10-12). He stated the necessity of giving diligence to the task of dealing with the truth properly (2 Timothy 2:15). Jesus declared that only by knowing the truth is one made free (John 8:32). Luke ascribed nobility to those who were willing to search for and examine the evidence, rather than being content to simply take someone’s word for the truth (Acts 17:11). Peter admonished Christians to be prepared to give a defense (1 Peter 3:15), which stands in stark contrast to those who, when questioned about proof of God, or the credibility and comprehensibility of the Bible, triumphantly reply, “I don’t know—I accept it by faith!”

Thus, the notion of “blind faith” is completely foreign to the Bible. People are called upon to have faith only after they receive adequate knowledge. In fact, the Bible demands that the thinker be rational in gathering information, examining the evidence, and reasoning properly about the evidence, thereby drawing only warranted conclusions. That, in fact, is the essentiality of what is known in philosophical circles as the basic law of rationality: one should draw only such conclusions as are justified by the evidence. Paul articulated exactly this concept when he wrote: “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21). John echoed the same thought when he said to “test the spirits” (1 John 4:1). These passages show that the New Testament Christian is one who stands ready to examine the issues. God expects every individual to put to the test various doctrines and beliefs, and then to reach only such conclusions as are warranted by adequate evidence. Man must not rely upon papal authorities, church traditions, or the claims of science. Rather, all people are obligated to rely upon the properly studied written directives of God (2 Timothy 2:15; John 12:48; 2 Peter 3:16). Biblical religion and modern science clash only because the majority of those within the scientific community have abandoned sound biblical hermeneutics and insist upon drawing unwarranted, erroneous conclusions from the relevant scientific evidence.

The Bible insists that evidence is abundantly available for those who will engage in unprejudiced, rational inquiry. The resurrection claim, for example, was substantiated by “many infallible proofs,” including verification through the observation of more than five hundred persons at once (Acts 1:3; 1 Corinthians 15:5-8). Many proofs were made available in order to pave the way for faith (John 20:30-31). Peter offered at least four lines of evidence to those gathered in Jerusalem before he concluded his argument with “therefore…” (Acts 2:14-36). The acquisition of knowledge through empirical evidence was undeniable, for Peter concluded, “as you yourselves also know” (Acts 2:22, emp. added). John referred to the auditory, visual, and tactile evidences that provided further empirical verification (1 John 1:1-2). Christ offered “works” to corroborate His claims, so that even His enemies did not have to rely merely on His words—if they would but honestly reason to the only logical conclusion (John 10:24-25,38). The proof was of such magnitude that one Pharisee, a ruler of the Jews, even admitted: “[W]e know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him” (John 3:2).

Nevertheless, there are always those who, for one reason or another, refuse to accept the law of rationality, and who avoid the warranted conclusions—just like those who side-stepped the proof that Christ presented, and attributed it to Satan (Matthew 12:24). Christ countered such an erroneous conclusion by pointing out their faulty reasoning and the false implications of their argument (Matthew 12:25-27). The proof that the apostles presented was equally conclusive, though unacceptable to many (Acts 4:16).

The proof in our day is no less conclusive, nor is it any less compelling. While it is not within the purview of this brief article to prove such (see Warren and Flew, 1977; Warren and Matson, 1978), the following tenets are provable: (1) we can know (not merely think, hope, or wish) that God exists (Romans 1:19-20); (2) we can know that the Bible is the verbally inspired Word of God, and intended to be comprehended in much the same way that any written human communication is to be understood; (3) we can know that one day we will stand before God in judgment and give account for whether we have studied the Bible, learned what to do to be saved, and obeyed those instructions; and (4) we can knowthat we know (1 John 2:3).

By abandoning the Bible as a literal, inerrant, infallible standard by which all human behavior is to be measured, the scientist has effectively rendered biblical religion, biblical faith, and New Testament Christianity sterile—at least as far as his or her own life is concerned. Once the Bible is dismissed as “figurative,” “confusing,” or “incomprehensible,” one has opened wide the doors of subjectivity, in which every man’s view is just as good as another’s. The more sophisticated viewpoint may be more appealing, but it remains just as subjective and self-stylized.

References

Robinson, Richard (1976), “Religion and Reason,” Critiques of God, ed. Peter A. Angeles (Buffalo, NY: Prometheus).

Warren, Thomas B. and Antony G.N. Flew (1977), The Warren-Flew Debate (Jonesboro, AR: National Christian Press).

Warren, Thomas B. and Wallace I. Matson (1978), The Warren-Matson Debate (Jonesboro, AR: National Christian Press).

Dwindling nature

jt photography 

Mavis' Kitchen

jt photography 

OneRepublic - Counting Stars

One by one. 

Who Packed Your Parachute?

Who Packed Your Parachute?

Charles Plumb was a US Navy jet pilot in Vietnam. After 75 combat missions, his plane was destroyed by a surface-to-air missile. Plumb ejected and parachuted into enemy hands. He was captured and spent 6 years in a communist Vietnamese prison. He survived the ordeal and now lectures on lessons learned from that experience!

One day, when Plumb and his wife were sitting in a restaurant, a man at another table came up and said, "You're Plumb! You flew jet fighters in Vietnam from the aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk. You were shot down!"

"How in the world did you know that?" asked Plumb.

"I packed your parachute," the man replied. Plumb gasped in surprise and gratitude. The man pumped his hand and said, "I guess it worked!" Plumb assured him, "It sure did. If your chute hadn't worked, I wouldn't be here today."

Plumb couldn't sleep that night, thinking about that man. Plumb says, "I kept wondering what he had looked like in a Navy uniform: a white hat; a bib in the back; and bell-bottom trousers. I wonder how many times I might have seen him and not even said 'Good morning, how are you?' or anything because, you see, I was a fighter pilot and he was just a sailor." Plumb thought of the many hours the sailor had spent at a long wooden table in the bowels of the ship, carefully weaving the shrouds and folding the silks of each chute, holding in his hands each time the fate of someone he didn't know.

Now, Plumb asks his audience, "Who's packing your parachute?" Everyone has someone who provides what they need to make it through the day. He also points out that he needed many kinds of parachutes when his plane was shot down over enemy territory - he needed his physical parachute, his mental parachute, his emotional parachute, and his spiritual parachute. He called on all these supports before reaching safety.

Sometimes in the daily challenges that life gives us, we miss what is really important. We may fail to say hello, please, or thank you, congratulate someone on something wonderful that has happened to them, give a compliment, or just do something nice for no reason. As you go through this week, this month, this year, recognize people who pack your parachutes.

Mysteries, Yes

Truly, we live with mysteries too marvelous to be understood. 

                           How grass can be nourishing in the
                                 mouth of the lambs.
                           How rivers and stones are forever 

                                 in allegiance with gravity
                                      while we ourselves dream of rising.
                           How two hands touch and the bonds will 

                                 never be broken.

                           How people come, from delight or the 

                                 scars of damage,
                           to the comfort of a poem. 

                           Let me keep my distance, always, from those

                                who think they have the answers. 

                           Let me keep company always with those who say,

                                “Look!" and laugh in astonishment, 

                           and bow their heads.

                                  — Mary Oliver

Alesso Vs. OneRepublic - If I Lose Myself (Remix)

Alesso Vs. OneRepublic - If I Lose Myself (Remix)

Global Leadership: Economic Relevance within a Globalized Mindset

With globalization still on the trend, global thinkers look towards the next global business powers within the world. Here are some valuable tips for the next future global leaders.

Global thinking, economic relevance and ethical values. 

I recently had the privilege of attending a global leaders seminar with guest speaker Mr. Rod Solomons, the trade & investment commissioner for South Asia and India for the Queensland State Government of Australia. Before taking up this role, Mr. Solomons was an executive in IBM, having worked in Australia, the US, China and in India where he was responsible for investment for all of IBM's Software businesses in the emerging markets of China and India. Prior to working in IB, Mr. Solomons held roles in Unilever in both Europe and Australia and was the Managing Director of ABN AMRO Lease Holdings in Australia and then the Asia Pacific representative to the Board in Netherlands.

Who would have known taking a step out of University life would have taken me straight into the corporate world. It's a totally different livelihood and lifestyle catered to the fast-paced thinkers and the 'street smart' business-minded individuals. It's a totally whole new world and it really opens up one's perspective and thinking in life. Sitting here in the Regus Business Lounge, 21-storeys up, overlooking the city and the story bridge, this is where I take the next step in life. With dreams to become a global leader, or at least a global minded individual, I took up the opportunity to attend this seminar in hope to expand my networks, gain valuable knowledge in global trade and investment and learn more about India as the next global power. If you want to go anywhere in life, have power to change and bring about good, you must establish yourself as a global thinker and leader. 

I thought of going down the academic route; studying a phD, conducting research projects all day long, maybe finding certain theoretical breakthroughs and becoming a university lecturer, professor and research fellow. But what's the use if you can't implement and bring into fruition your theoretical knowledge? I know this line of thinking is unusual for an INTP who likes to dwell on theory all day long, but as a global thinker, things need to be said and things need to be done. There's this political, social and economic barrier which many planners, and other professions must face before bringing their plans into practice. I looked towards some of my role models for guidance - they weren't timid thinkers locked inside their ivory tower. They were global leaders who took a step out in the world and inspired it with their ideas.

***

Global Mindset - The Concept 

Let's face it, globalization will be the next big thing. In fact it's already the next big thing and I still believe that it's within it's infant stages. Communities across the world are becoming increasingly diverse, with the challenges facing these communities becoming more complex and our global interdependence is more apparent than ever before.  Research shows that students who learn "about global issues" are more than twice likely to see the point of personally undertaking social action. 

How can we bring about change in the world? How can we solve problems around the world? How can we bring about good within the world? Now, as a Christian, it'll be easy for me to pray to God in hope of a miracle happening. No sir, no miracles aren't happening if we aren't going to bring ourselves to bring about this change. It's easy to sit on your lazy ass, living in your daily 'comfortable' life being a mediocre entity satisfied with mediocre pursuits in life. Let me rephrase that and bring context from another perspective; it's also easy to be preoccupied and ridiculously busy in your life making money, gaining honor and reputation but essentially catering to your own needs, and maybe a select few of those around you. Not I. This ever-ardent passion and consciousness in myself tells me that there's injustice in the world that I must take a step and fight for. I must fight for what I believe in. To shake and inspire the world with my ideas. To bring about good. I realized after the global leaders seminar in order to do so, one must consider the economic relevance and importance within a globalized mindset.

A global mindset is one that combines an openness to and awareness of diversity across cultures and markets with a propensity and ability to see common patterns across countries and markets. The twin forces of ideological change and technology revolution are making globalization one of the most important and crucial issues facing the world today. There's many definitions of a global-mindset, and a quick search on the web will find you more books than you probably care to read.

Definitions - Here are three of the many definitions that have been put forward. A global mindset...

"...helps leaders see the world from multiple perspectives, make decisions that work both locally and globally, and increase the ability of their company to compete in the global marketplace."1 -

"...is the ability in influence individuals, groups, organizations, and systems that are unlike the leader's."2 -

"...is a highly complex cognitive structure characterized by an openness to and articulation of multiple cultural and strategic realities on both global and local levels, and the cognitive ability to mediate and integrate across this multiplicity."3

Similar terms are...

"Transnational mentality" is another name that's been given to this constellation of competencies.4 

"Geocentric orientation" is said to be characteristic of managers who downplay the significance of nationality and cultural differences in determining who is competent or trustworthy."5

"Cosmopolitan" has a similar meaning. Cosmopolitans are defined by their "willingness to engage with the Other, openness toward divergent cultural experiences, [and a search] for contrasts rather than uniformity." They have learned the "ability to make one's way into other cultures through listening, looking, intuiting, and reflecting."6

 One authority notes that it is "not travel that defines cosmopolitans -- some widely traveled people remain hopelessly parochial -- it is a mindset."7

Global learning encourages awareness and critical thought about issues such as poverty, climate change, different religions and cultures as well as world trade and politics,” and students who are educated about global issues, from multiple perspectives, are more likely to exhibit tolerance and acceptance of religious, cultural, and ethnic diversity, and demonstrate increased empathy for individuals.

The social return on the investment in global education for society is exponential; students will be more likely as adults to engage in respectful dialogue with people from different viewpoints and backgrounds, more able to work collaboratively and cooperatively to understand global problems and identify innovative solutions. Perhaps most importantly, studies demonstrate that “people who learn about global issues feel more empowered to tackle them, rather than being overwhelmed by the extent of the problems.”

How many international Facebook friends do you have? How many countries have you travelled do? Do you read international newspapers and follow international news? These are the usual questions when trying to establish whether someone has a global mindset. But in a world of increasing global integration, a global mindset means much moreso than that. It involves conscious efforts to see our individual actions and behaviour in a bigger context, to recognize that how we act locally can have a impact globally. 

While the idea of the world being a "global village" is now a given. People - especially young people - still tend to be unaware of their bigger surroundings and trends. Often they adopt a rather passive, self-centred or even contrarian stance towards their role in the society they are living in. 

We individuals are now at the centre of a system that is far more influenced by international economic, political and societal happenings. These changes are driven by both the natural evolution of the human society as well as by dissatisfaction with the prevailing socio-economical system. 

We need to be able to cope with the changing dynamics of these new interactions. This requires, on the one hand, a sound understanding of social transformations brought about by technology and, on the other a complete shift of mindset so we may integrate with and respond to global societal forces.  

As a multicultural, multi-dimensional and economically diverse society, are we lagging behind in terms of our global mindedness? 

With further liberalisation of markets and deeper integration of national economies into international market economics, we can see the link between emerging opportunities for international business and global leadership. Being "global minded" is, in fact, a key facet of successful entrepreneurship. It starts with being aware of global trends: What is changing? Where and why is the change happening? And how can I capitalize on it? The ability to tap into these opportunities requires a brand new set of structures, infrastructures, skills  and competences. But, more importantly, it requires a new set of thoughts, behaviours and actions - in other words a, global mindset. We can become the global citizens that the world is demanding. The fastest way to do it through wise, smart use of tools that technology has given us: Twitter, Facebook and Blogs.

***

Ethics in a dark world

The development of one's ethics is a tricky road. How does one know what is ethical and what is not? It all comes down to one's willingness to expand their ethical intelligence. When one goes into the business world, it opens up a whole new level of complexity within maintaining strict ethical conduct. Should I say something if I feel it's wrong?  Should I object and report certain misconducts? Should I speak up in what I believe in? 

While I believe I have been developing a strong foundation in ethics, there is always new complexities and hoops that I might have to jump through. Hence I'm still learning and I'd like to share that knowledge with you. During the global leaders seminar, I thought to myself, 'Rod Solomon sir, I find your speech very interesting and intellectually stimulating, but as an investment and trade entrepreneur, do you conduct yourself in a ethical manner?'. Many businessman fall into the temptations to drift towards the 'dark side'. Money can essentially corrupt anyone, especially those who are greedy for it. It is the development of a strong ethical and moral foundation that one can learn of these temptations and avoid them. 

As a fellow philanthropist myself, it felt liberating hearing the philanthropic side of Rod Solomon. His 'philanthropic style' was not your 'everyday' philanthropy, but a precise and accurate investment in the most effective manner to bring out the most effective change in good for humanity. It was clearly an economist style of philanthropy. Our future is within our children, and this is where he has directed his philanthropic efforts towards. He personally helped setup and manage several orphanages across india. The provision of education and a home, will help set those much in need to step forth in life and become skilled and abled workers.

It was blatantly obvious. He highlighted the 'next big thing' as education in India. Money from the world bank, indian government and everywhere around the world is being poured into educating the enormous young and mobile population in India. In India today, 4% of children never start school. 58% don't complete primary schools. And 90% don't complete school. The fact that only 10% of our children go to college both saddens and angers me.

I have a deep belief that every child must attain an excellent education. We must prove that no child's demographics should determine their destiny. The end of educational inequity is the freedom for all children to have opportunity to reach their potential.

Everytime I see a teacher. I see a beaming beacon of light. My leg melts when I see a teacher, especially one that has a passion to teach, utilize different teaching methods and really understand the students they are teaching. Teaching itself is much like an art. It is both an art and science. Art is a "system of principles and methods employed in performance of a set of activities" while science is a "methodological activity, discipline or study". It is the creativity within the teacher to inspire children to learn. I believe that every children can be inspired in one way, form or another.

I believe a good teacher gives you something to take home to think besides homework. The dream begins with a teacher who believes in you, tugs, pushes and leads you to the next plateau, sometimes poking with a sharp stick called "truth". In teaching you cannot see the fruit of a day's work, It is invisible and remains so, maybe for twenty years. It could be one sentence you said, or one smile you gave which inspired your students. The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.

***

Inspiration 

I'd like to finish this blog post with some final questions and food for thought. After reading this, have you developed global awareness and the strong desire to have a global mindset? The moral of this blog post is not that we must be 'entrepreneurial-minded' but instead be open-minded to the possibilities within the world. What I have suggested subtly within my blog is the essential key to world peace and harmony. If we were to think as one, we can take a step to address many of the issues within our world. I'm not suggesting the notion the new world order conspiracy,  a secretive power elite with a globalist agenda conspiring to eventually rule the world through an authoritarian world government,  but rather a social mindset that we are in fact one in thinking and acceptance. 

This is my inspiration to you. 

Honesty

Lensalot Photography 

Minimalistic and Simplistic: Lifestyle for the Organized

Are you a person that prefers a minimalistic and simplistic lifestyle? 

Welcome to my world.

Living with less, but only with the best. 

So what's this whole minimalism thing all about? Why do I have a such strong desire and urge to live a minimalistic and simplistic lifestyle? Minimalism is a tool that can assist you in finding freedom. Freedom from fear. Freedom from worry. Freedom from overwhelm. Freedom from guilt. Freedom from depression. Freedom from the trappings of the consumer culture we've built our lives around. Real freedom.

Minimalism is becoming increasingly popular. Embracing a minimalistic lifestyle leads us to desire less, and allow us to focus our energy on things that are meaningful, valuable and important to us. The great thing about minimalism is that there is less stress. The less you have and do, the more you will feel free. Becoming a minimalist you will also become more productive in things that are important. You can focus your energy and thoughts on important matters.

Minimalism as a philosophy can be applied to anything, because it's essentially simplifying, prioritizing and organizing. Most people live their life trying to acquire more and more things. Living a minimalistic lifestyle is the complete opposite. It's about trying to live with less and less things. I'm a strong advocate in quality over quantity. In doing that, it frees up your life to pursue the things that you most value. Minimalism can help simplify and organize your life, career and physical surroundings.

The reason we seek a minimalistic and simplistic lifestyle is to allow our thoughts to be clear, precise and to unleash their full potential. People like me live with in an intense internal debate and discussion within our own heads. It is the philosophical state of mind, and hence we require a simplistic and minimalistic lifestyle to nurture that discussion. Minimalism allows us to make decisions more consciously and more deliberately.

Minimalism is a way of life

Ponyo the Rabbit 

The beautiful girl

Who is the girl of my dreams? 

A particular thing is what it is by virtue of the Idea informing it. Something is "beautiful " to the exact extent that the archetype of Beauty is present in it. When one falls in love, it is Beauty that one recognizes and surrenders to. Beauty is only an attribute of the particular, not its essence. The girl of my dreams is therefore an idea, an archetype that forms what I constitute as beautiful. I have only ever met one girl who I would describe as beautiful, one who has left footprints in my heart. My definition of beautiful is different to how many others see it, or at least in comparison to my friends and people I know. Beauty is not only embodied in physical appearances but within the soul. True beauty is embodied within the soul, a beauty that is supreme, pure and eternal. 

You will spot the girl of my dreams by her big eyes looking eagerly at the world, and you will see her stopping and staring at something beautiful, mouth wide open, lost to the world, in awe of something she just experienced. You will feel her thinking, how she could capture that image within a picture or phrased in words so everyone would be able to feel what she just felt. Sometimes silence is all it is needed to paint that image. 

She will always find beauty in things around her because she will always look for something that she can shape in the amazingness that is language. She knows that things are of greater truth when she can share them with her words and pictures. She knows that phrasing and capturing her encounters will add a depth to the experience. She know humility because she has met the boundaries of language and felt the silence that occurs when the world is too big for an expression. 

She will always further oneself intellectually and culturally. Being polite, kind and showing respect, are of course, the essence of being beautiful. That's not to say that she is one that does not stand up for herself. Quite the contrary, in fact: she will be an unmovable resistance where morals or justice are concerned. It is the difference in voices that eloquently creates a perfect storm, and supports the notion of how opposites attract in the realm of love. 

A speculative and philosophical kind of love, one that examines deeper into soul, excites the mind. While the ordinary life - friendship, games, dining - engages the rest of the self. It is finding the equilibrium between these types of love that we find the 'sweet spot' of my ideal kind of love. If we had one and not the other, it will degenerate into an empty form of verbalism. The speculative and philosophical kind of love is usually a silent and only seen between the two souls. It is as mysterious as the concept of philosophy, in which there is no direct answer, but rather a discussion between the souls. Just as how Socrates highlights how philosophy lives in dialogue, it exists in the very essence of love as it is usually a silent dialogue between two individuals. 

It is important to differentiate between falling in love with someone, with falling in love with 'being in a relationship'. The concept of beauty within a relationship is different to the embodiment of beauty within a person. Beauty of relationship, however, adds character to the person and is partially related to the beauty of the person. She will be yours. She will lay by your side and join you as you read a book in a scenic place. She will congratulate you after your game. She will hold your hands. She will cuddle on the couch and lay in bed with you. She will do cute things. She would be your queen. She will come to Paris with you. Be daring. She will follow you to see the northern lights and the stars. Go to the city with you and be carried whenever she wants. These are just some of traits which embody the love a relationship, but not necessarily the love of a person. 

I've found that being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage. The concept of love and one's dream girl is therefore an elusive one. I believe that belief, like fear or love, is a force to be understood as we understand the theory of relativity and the principles of uncertainty. It is this phenomena that determines the course of our lives. Yesterday, my life is headed in one direction. Today, it is headed in another. Yesterday, I believe I would never have done what I did today. These forces that often remake time and space that can shape and alter who we imagine ourselves to be, begin long before we are born and continue after we perish. Our lives and our choices, like quantum trajectories, are understood moment to moment. That each point of intersection, each encounter, suggests a new potential direction. It is within this theory that we believe the girl of our dreams, may one day, come into contact and create a new potential direction. I believe if you wait for the right moment, and make the right and wrong decisions, destiny will unfold itself. 

People are just as wonderful as sunsets if you let them be. When I look at a sunset, I don’t find myself saying, “Soften the orange a bit on the right hand corner.” I don’t try to control a sunset. I watch with awe as it unfolds.

— Carl R. Rogers

PIA Seminar - Building smart cities & digital communities

Today I attended a professional seminar organised by the Planning Institute of Australia (P.I.A), which is the national body representing planning and the planning profession. Through education, communication and professional development, it is the pivotal organisation serving and guiding thousands of planning professionals in their role of creating better communities. As part of my professional development, I have dedicated to write and reflect over the topics discussed today.

By 2033, how we live, work and play will have changed immeasurably. Our ability as planners to create cities and communities which embrace digital technology and its many imagined as well as unforeseen applications is one of the profession’s greatest challenges and opportunities.

Through a three part series of interactive sessions, leading thinkers, planners and technical specialists explored how emerging digital technologies will change the way we plan and develop our cities and the way the community within these cities will contribute to this change.

I experienced first hand, the latest in visual assesment, 3D modelling, surveying and scanning technology now used for local and development assessment. There was certainly a 'wow' factor in how far technology has gone. As a young professional, I thought I was up to date with the latest technology, but I guess after tonight I have much to catch up on.

Andrew Lamb from the Economic Development Queensland (EDQ) provided an overview of the technologies that have been utilised in the design, testing and assessment of new housing typologies. Andrew presented an example of the 'Augmented Reality' system which really took my breath away. Adopting the same technology as the Nintendo DS systems, he was able to project a 3D house from a card onto the screen. The card in his hand transformed into a live 3D model of a house right in front of us. The model also included animation. This technology will adopt a realism effect and allow interactivity between the client and the representative. 

Next we have Nick McKelvy from RPS who presented the latest in survey technology - laser scanning. Traditionally, survey technology utilises conventional single point survey methods, but now the industry has started using laser scanning. High-density, photorealistic, and accurate survey data is rapidly and safely capture through the laser scanning system, which can then be used for engineering and design application. 

These were the two outstanding speakers of the night who presented the latest technology in planning and surveying. The most important section of the night was discussion, but the audience was clearly awestruck with no questions to say. There was one inquiry which proved to be a difficult question for the panel members to answer. The question essentially asked, currently with the forefront of technology in our hands, how would private companies collaborate with the council if they aren't using the same technology? Essentially the panel of experts said that there would be a slow transition of information and pragmatic colleboration between the two parties, but there is really a need in the industry for a combined software that can be used by planners, architects and surveyors rather than different sets of software.

“Kindness is an inner desire that makes us want to do good things even if we do not get anything in return. It is the joy of our life to do them. When we do good things from this inner desire, there is kindness in everything we think, say, want, and do.”

― Emanuel Swedenborg

The Adoption of Inquisitive Agnosticism within our Educational Realm: A Crucial Mindset in Learning and Philosphical Thought

I'd like to discuss the idea and linkages between agnosticism and education. In this context, I am examining the nature of agnosticism and it's relationship with the values of education in a rather systematic view. I believe that the world will be a much better place if we live our life in excellence, and to analyse, manage and conduct ourselves in a meticulous and professional manner alongside with the adoption of an inquiring agnostic mindset. What I'm examining here is that the agnostic mindset, usually discussed in the discipline of religion, can also be applied to our values in education and throughout all our pursuits in life. Education is one of most important values that I hold within with my life, and I dream to become a teacher one day, hence I will examine the importance of learning.

Teaching brings significance and meaning in the sense that one does not become conceited and selfish in life, but to become humble in their knowledge and to pass on that knowledge to the next person. That knowledge will be discussed further upon in my blog, but what constitutes as knowledge in my view goes fars more deeper than the knowledge we are taught in textbooks in our modern day education. The provision of education in my view, is more than the provision of specialized knowledge and specialized skills, but to able to teach a person to utilize this knowledge, in a deeper kind of learning, one that aims at the whole development of a human being.

Education, if looked at beyond its conventional boundaries, forms the very essence of all our actions. What we do is what we know and have learned, either through instructions, or through observation and assimilation. When we are not making an effort to learn, our mind is always processing new information or trying to analyze the similarities as well as the tiny nuances within the context which makes the topic stand out or seem different. If that is the case then the mind definitely holds the potential to learn more, however, it us who stops ourselves from expanding the horizons for our knowledge with self-doubt, stubbornness, or other social, emotional or economic constraints.

The story of the free human spirit from its beginning has been largely the story of the endless struggle between dogma and doubt. We built our systems of thought, set up dogmas and creeds, and we then come to doubt them, finally outgrowing them as we go in search of new truth. Our questioning thus have been among the most powerful, effective allies of the free spirit. Without the persistent acid of the inquiring eating away at the iron chains of belief which have held human minds, spirits, and bodies in captivity, our beliefs would continue to seem eternal and unchangeable, our prejudices would go on masquerading as truth, and our proud dogmatic systems would forever persuade us that we possess the final unquestionable truth about man, life and God.

Agnosticism is often associated with beliefs, knowledge and religion. I'd like to take the context of agnosticism and prescribe in accordance of my philosophical view of what I like to call 'inquisitive agnosticism', which under my definition, is the stance in that philosophical thought dwells in the spheres of possibility, and is a realm that focuses more of a discussion which reaches a deeper level of comprehension, understanding and a philosophical state of mind. Rather than denying the existence and knowledge behind philosophical thought or prescribing to certain philosophical thoughts, an 'inquisitive agnostic' mindset is one that reflects an open-mind that adopts a curious and eager attitude towards learning and discussion in philosophy and pursuits in life.

The inquisitive agnostic is maintaining a humble mindset in that our claims are merely discussion points and not substantiated claims of bodies of knowledge. This philosophical viewpoint is quite similar to the agnostic mystic Zhuangzi who applies his agnosticism as a way of opening his heart to all possibilities, that includes both belief and disbelief. This freed within him the spontaneous arising of natural love for all beings and a non-contingent sense of well-being. Zhuangzi said "I depend on what I don't know", he was willing to go forward into the unknown.

Many mainstream agnostics suggests that philosophical points are possibly unknowable with our current level of understanding, which leads to many agnostics to 'avoid' and deem certain philosophical points as 'pointless' and 'irrelevant', such as within certain Buddhist ideologies. This agnostic view is rather ignorant in my viewpoint, so I'd like to focus on the idea that rather than avoiding philosophical points, an agnostic must adopt an inquisitive and curious mindset reminiscent of many great philosophers of our times. An 'inquisitive agnostic' must not also fall within the trap of following philosophical thought as knowledge, as this perpetuates the idea and notion of righteousness and creates philosophical discussion of a biased manner. Mind you, this philosophical claim itself is contradictory and hypocritical in the sense that if one were to treat it as knowledge, they will not be inquisitive. So answer lies within an 'inquisitive agnostic' to treat this 'claim' as a discussion point to consider, rather than a claim or body of knowledge to guide their lives with. There is a valuable lesson in the story of the agnostic: that when you take even the brightest idea and make a fixed system of it, you soon find yourself in the grip of just another dogmatism.

This philosophy, starting out with a healthy agnostic position as to whether the more dogmatic thinkers really knew what they were talking about, gradually developed into a very different position: not only that we do not know the truth, but that we cannot possibly know it (which the agnostic must reject as another dogma). Soon we find the Skeptic school saying “Nobody knows, and nobody can know anything.” This negative dogma was applied not only to philosophy and cosmology, but to matters of daily life and moral choice. We must not fall into the trap of such dogma, and remain an open-mind, curious and perpetuate meaningful engagement of discussion.

We can now draw upon the notion that an inquisitive agnostic follows the stance that an idea within philosophical thought is neither true or false, and we must also consider that we have limited  comprehension of the philosophical realm due to our humanness. The Universe is bound by matter, and it is within our humanness, that we are able to perceive and raise questions about this matter. Without humans, there will be no questions. What is the truth, in the end, will remain as a human perspective of the universe. Hence, this opens the possibility of an inquisitive agnostic to require a 'leap of faith' in the belief that 'God', or a supernatural being or force, has an ultimate comprehension of our universe outside the conventional human perspective, to provide us with the knowledge and truth behind philosophical thought. How can one avoid this 'leap of faith' into the belief of a God is a question I'd like to raise to Christians? How can we avoid including our 'humanness' perspective in comprehending what is the truth? Which religion can we deem as the truth if all of them prescribe the thought that their 'God' has provided them the absolute truth with his almighty and ultimate perception of the universe? Or are these beliefs merely social and traditional conventions of our society which draw us to religion?

This humanness is our limitation and boundary in which we are able to perceive in the world either through observation or science. It is this humanness which keeps us intact and have feelings. If we were not human, then what are we? Our world is held by the nature of social and moral conventions which we usually follow and this very nature is human in it's very essence. Why do we feel gratitude to those who care for us? Why are we respective of our parents? Why do we maintain a level of dignity and respect to those around us? It is our human nature drawn deep from our feelings and emotions, and we can find often similarities across different cultures in maintaining this moral and ethical sphere of influence.

We have now gained a comprehensive understanding of my version of an 'inquisitive agnostic' and we can now link the nature of agnosticism with professionalism and education. The way one conducts themselves, their aims, values and qualities in life characterizes who they are as a person. What we characterize as a person is totally subjective and relative just as Plato describes in the view towards forms and archetypes. I'd rather not drift into the discussion of forms and archetypes, but more into the ideology behind a persons attitude towards learning.

The adoption of a 'learning attitude' or an 'ignorant attitude' reflect one's innate desire towards the values of education, for the foundation behind education is maintaining an open mind and furthering one's understanding in life through learning. If we were to suggest an idea, one with a 'ignorant attitude' will justify their righteousness in their beliefs against that idea, while one with a 'learning attitude' reflects an open mind that will raise questions and query the validity of that idea. The lesson in the end is that one person will effectively 'learn' while the other will stubbornly, and ignorantly hold onto their view which they feel comfortable with. They will justify and defend, no matter what, in a righteous manner, that their belief is right and may even search only for biased evidence which backs up that claim, rather than taking an unbiased, open-minded view towards the idea or point of discussion.

I recently had this discussion and debate with my dad who highlights the importance of an open-mind yet justifies and defends no matter what, in a righteous manner that having an open-mind is appropriate in all circumstances. In this sense, his viewpoint of an open-mind is hypocritical in that his stubbornness and narrow-mindedness has held firmly on the belief of his own doctrine of what constitutes an open-mind, when in fact in reality, it was not really 'open' at all. My point of a view of an open-mind is within the name itself, to maintain a free-mind to allow discussion and allow one to continuously learn. Learning itself is a continual process and begins from the moment we are born to the moment we die. It is the evolution and shifting ideas of thought, and as we become more knowledgeable, our learning and discussion becomes more refined in the sense that we may provide our own discussion points just like I have in this blog. These discussion points are open to criticism and improvement. I have adopted this 'learning attitude' and it feels humble and liberating knowing that we may make mistakes, but it is an attitude that is progressive in the thought that we will learn and reflect, eventually at one point.

It is in this setting of eternal struggle between crusted belief and the fresh outreach of the mind that the inquisitive agnostic can appear to make a lasting contribution to the liberation of the human spirit. The agnostic has not been the only questioner of entrenched dogma - always more numerous and powerful have those like Luther and Calvin have attacked one stony system, during the protestant reformation, only to set up another equally rigid and monolithic. But the way of the agnostic has been along a different path. He has not destroyed one prison-house merely to build another, he has preferred digging away at the foundations of all prison-houses of faith because he has never believed that prison-houses are fit habituations for the human spirit. Belief is not knowledge but merely opinion strengthened by emotional conviction, and that one of our favourite human habits has been claiming to know what we really don't know but merely hope, believe and want to be true.

In the face of the most powerful religions and philosophies, the most and appealing creeds that have promised everything from peace of soul on earth to a golden harp in heaven, the agnostic has had the courage to ask that most uncomfortable of questions: Do we really know? He has gone further and affirmed that many of the things we have been most dogmatically certain of, we are actually in no position to know anything about. Should we honor this spirit as a liberating influence, or guard against it as a danger to our spiritual security and social cohesion? This is certainly as dogmatic an age as any, and what part does the agnostic have to play in it that may be of value?

What I'm identifying here is the sweet point between agnosticism, gnosticism, atheism and theism. There may be a name for this point which I do not know of, but I believe that the closest perspective to the truth, can be found with a mindset that is situated within this 'sweet spot'. I have labelled this spot 'inquisitive agnosticism', but it can be also be labelled as the 'inquisitive gnostic'. It becomes a question of whether the glass is half full or half empty, and your perception of how you see the cup. If we were to find a leap of faith into lets say, in my case back into the belief of Christianity, then I strongly believe that it's a belief that is much more insightful, well-grounded, reasonable, rational and faithful.

Inquisitive agnosticism is well suited to those who are curious of the world, and becomes second nature to them such as myself. Unfortunately I have a very curious mindset, in which I like to see new things, learn new things, touch new things and try new things. It's very uncanny in it's nature but it is who I am and sometimes I laugh as myself how ridiculous I may seem to others. I'd rather make mistakes than to avoid them altogether. It's much like riding a bike, if we never learn to fall, then we will never learn to ride a bike. I still remember reaching out with my index finger and touching a piece of fabric on a poker table in the casino to see what it felt like and then laugh at myself how funny that looked to the onlookers while they laughed as well. It is this nature of humanness and curiosity which I find amazingly beautiful, uncanny and an amusing phenomenon. We often forget this profound curiosity the older we get as our beliefs and thoughts become concreted within the doctrines of our social, cultural, religious and economical spheres of influence. The inquisitive agnostic is the very thing that keeps them open to love and compassion in the moments, to ever-new insights, to endless possibilities of seeing and being in the world. 

The Inquiring Christian

Faith, belief and the mysterious are disciplines which taps into our deeper state and level of consciousness. This is my spiritual journey, to seek the truth, meaning and significance within our lives. We look into the mind of an inquiring Christian, someone who used to be a Christian but now, developed with a  strong grounding of critical thinking and an analytical mind, has started questioning and doubting the existence of his own God. This is his, or my personal quest for a deeper understanding of the truth. 

I've always been a Christian. I have always believed in a God. But the truth is that I never lived as he existed. I was interested more in the aspect, of what if, there was another God or another explanation and I've looked towards there. I've always neglected the God I grew up with, and pushed him aside. I did go bible studies and learn his word, but then grew bored of it because it seemed to be endless stories with moralistic teachings behind them. There was no meaning or significance, I wasn't someone who wanted to go to heaven, I wasn't afraid of going to hell either, I actually preferred a balanced mixture of positives and negative in what we call life. I still believed in living a good, moral, ethical, progressive and meaningful life. This was when I became agnostic - someone who does not deny the possibility of the existence of a God but acknowledges and suggests the idea that we do not currently have the comprehension, knowledge and facts to out-righteously claim that there is a good.

I've been sitting on the fence. Attending Church every Sunday never really 'transformed' me and I never 'felt' God's presence. When I went through a tough time, that's when I really thought I 'felt' God, and I may possibly even had experienced what many would call a 'vision' from God.  Strangely a while after the 'vision', I became addicted to learning more about him. It was the strangest feeling. I attended Church every Sunday and bought many books, I even enjoyed reading the bible in my spare time. It seemed the bible was the greatest truth ever written. But my hope in God disappeared in one day. I really believed that some form of destiny, had made me meet someone, with whom would show me the path towards God. I thought there was a possibility, that God himself, has put forth a certain kind of test. There were dreams I had before, which made me decide whether this person was special. I listened to those dreams and then amazing moments followed. 

I was recently invited to a very interesting debate, in 'Has Science buried God' at the Brisbane City Hall in August. The event can be seen here. Want a taste of Life, The Universe and Nothing? Here we have two keynote speakers from opposing views, one of which is Professor Lawrence Krauss, a renowned cosmologist, and science popularizer, and is the Foundation Professor in the School of Earth and Space Exploration, and the director of the Origins Project at Arizona State University. 

On the other hand, we have Dr. William Lane Craig who is the Research Professor of Philosophy at Talbot school of Theology in La Mirada, California. At the age of sixteen as a junior in high school, he heard the message of the Christian gospel and yielded his life to Christ. He pursued his undergraduate studies, and graduate studies at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He taught Philosophy of Religion at Trinity.

If there was another career path I would go into, it would be Philosophy, Religion and Spirituality. Sadly, you can't realistically make a living, and as someone who likes travelling, nice things and big dreams to experience the diversity of opportunities in life, it's not a career well suited to reaching my goals in life and financial freedom. It does however, tap into the deeper consciousness of my being, it something I'm extremely passionate about more so than anything else. My meaning in the world is drawn towards philosophy. I don't know where it began. Maybe from the visions and unique experiences I had when I was young. So I've treated this interest as passion, something I do in my spare time, something I can also integrate with my work as a planner. Planning allows to examine and design the social sphere in which our cities, communities and lives are built upon. Integrating things learnt in philosophy, religion and spirituality into the design of the cities is an interesting concept that I will build upon in the future. Keep my name, and this in mind. 

At the moment, I've been reading several philosophical books and also 'The Reason for God by Timothy Keller'; which is my first book which brings insight of religion from a Christian Apologetic perspective. I'm still gaining and developing a stronger understanding in these disciplines, and as I find out the more I read, the more I'm drawn into the depth of myself in the journey towards the truth, spirituality, meaning and significance.

Slow roast pork belly w/ whole baked apple, red wine & juniper berry glaze
Alfred and Constance 

Gambling - Treading on the Territory of Moral Wrongs

Most Australians concern about the moral state of their nation, yet few consider whether not gambling - a wager of money, property or something of value based on chance - is part of the problem.



"It's just a game, entertainment," they say.

Albert Mohler, president of The Souther Baptist Theological Seminary and one of the brightest thinkers in Christianity today, says the national explosion of gambling "may well be the most underrated dimension of America's moral crisis."

"The Bible is clean on the issue," he writes in a recent online post. "The entire enterprise of gambling is opposed to the moral worldview revealed in God's Word. The basic impulse behind gambling is greed - a basic sin that is the father of many evils." Have a read of this website which goes into further detail in regards of a Christian context.

Although I am not a dedicated Christian anymore, and more of an inquiring Christian, I still believe  and follow certain moral teachings within the bible and follow similar stances identified within the bible.

My own judgment is that large commercial gambling outlets such as casinos and state-sponsored lotteries bring much more harm to a society than the benefits they generate such as tax revenue. First, it is socially harmful and fiscally regressive because the largest numbers of gamblers come from the poorest segments of the population. Second, it leads to an addiction to gambling … and this addiction destroys marriages, families … and increases societal breakdown. Third, studies have shown that where gambling businesses are established, crime rates increase.

The virtues of hard work, saving, being thrifty and investing carefully are all undermined by this vice. In place of these virtues come greed, idolatry, laziness, deception, exploitation and a humanistic live-for-the-moment mentality.

Yesterday I visited Brisbane's Treasury Casino with some friends, my thoughts about gambling was already set in stone. I went in as an observer and had no intentions of gambling. I informed them of my strong stances as a precautionary measure in case I felt so strongly against it I would have done something about it there and then. The next thing I saw made my stance against gambling even stronger.

Inside the casino was filled with many greedy-filled eyes, staring blankly at the poker machines or at the gambling table. The basic premise on everyone's mind was not entertainment, it was to win money.   The casino was feeding on people's simplistic desire to win money. People were drawn to the glitz and glamour of the casino, a hidden ugly truth in disguise. I have never felt so uncomfortable standing around people with such low values in life. It was treading on the territory of being morally wrong. Some have become mindless zombies, while others have become overnight millionaires. All I saw was lost men and women trapped within the greed of materialism and money.

People gamble because they want to win money. There is also a social and entertainment element in the form of gambling. There is a clear misunderstanding of lottery odds, susceptibility to gambler’s fallacy and cognitive entrapment, a belief in hot and cold numbers, unrealistic optimism, a belief in personal luck, superstitious thinking, and the illusion of control, the erroneous perception of near misses and the influence of social factors which fuels the destructive cycle of gambling.

Casino's are the product of greed and materialism. Casinos are feeding off the desperate. They are money making machines. There is so much corruption within the state of mind. When we institutionalize gambling we end up forming a destructive cycle and state of mind which feeds on our greed for money. We should not directly blame those who gamble, but the system and the government which allows gambling.

However, on a positive note I do like the design of the Treasury Casino. The early 19th century building with Edwardian-Baroque exterior designs and ornate colonnades, striking sandstone walls and six-story atrium is quite majestic in appearance. It's quite disappointing such an amazing building has become the feeding grounds for the morally wrong.

So what can I do about this? I'll expand my knowledge further on gambling and be knowledgeable enough to discuss the immorality behind gambling. My practice is not to gamble at all, including charity raffles and office pools, I'd rather donate the money directly to charity. I personally have taken a stance in that I will not support casino's in any manner, including dining the restaurants or staying at their hotels. It's something I can do, and I believe you can do as well.