IVFs – right or wrong?

Hmmm… what do we all think of IVFs?

This is yet another topic of discussion that I can’t seem to only agree with the one side. Im finding that there are good points and bad points.

On the one hand, we have the disadvantaged couples who strive to have children but never suceed. This is like a god-sent procedure for them, allowing such couples to have as many babies as they wish (but of course that is if the IVF were to work). But what of those couples who are simply using our current society’s fantastic technology just so they can create their own custom-made child?

I’m sure we’ve all heard stories about people picking the colour of their baby’s eyes, and maybe their height and hair colour. Outragous you say? Well its something that can’t be stopped anymore.
There may be controversy with such actions – I mean, how could such a person do that? Pick how their child looks like! They might as well buy a Barbie Doll and raise it as their child.
But of course, like i was saying, there’s no way of stopping this preposterous act. Because IVFs have all become a business. There’s no way of stopping someone picking and choosing what their babies look like anymore. Because no matter how much debate revolves around this act, the idea has already leaked through our society like the plague. Everyone knows of its existence and within our economically driven world, everything is run by money.

Not sure why I’m bothering with asking whether IVFs are ethically right or wrong anymore. Because no matter how much I contest against the negative aspects of this procedure, unless it is made illegal within the whole WORLD (because we can always fly to another country to make our pretty babies); there’s no way of stopping it anymore. And of course, the UN won’t be too bothered with such a multinational agreement when there are other more pressing problems like … war.

So I guess this ends my thoughts on IVFs. Half the time they’re decent. The other half = bad bad bad practice.

But like I said. There’s no point in arguing anymore on something that won’t change.

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A.I.’s rights?

Artificial Intelligence. Do they have minds, consciousness, spirit?

Thinking into the future, I think we’d all assume that at some point there will be artificial intelligence swarming the streets of our cities. Presumably (though influenced by scifi movies), we’ll eventually be living side-by-side with robots and maybe even aliens.

But how about the ethics of dealing with artificial intelligence? Would we consider them worthy of the same rights and recognition humans receive? Will they be treated like ‘one of us’?

Personally, I believe that as long as any artificial intelligence has the capabilities of feeling and understanding like humans do… they’d be considered ‘alive’. And in this case, as long as this criteria is achieved, artificial intelligence should be no different to us. We should treat them the same, with respect and dignity.

But there are arguments against such views. For example, will you be murdering a robot if you were to ‘switch it off’ even though they feel and understand just as much as any of us? 
Or another argument: artificial intelligence is still artificial. Some believe that they will never be equal to humans because they’re man-made.

But if you think about it… artificial intelligence is engineered to do with man cannot. They are made to be more superior than the ‘naturally evolved’ humans that already exist. So if this is the case, then won’t the artificial intelligence be more worthy than any human?

 

This is of course presuming that artificial intelligence will be a permanent asset to society. 

 

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Miracles.

What do I personally think of miracles? Well I haven’t really thought of it much.

Being non-religious myself, miracles have never held spiritual connotations for me. It’s only ever been a word that i use to describe an unknown situation that has occurred in my favour.

So is miracles tied in with religion? I don’t think so. As someone proposed within my tutorial, there can be two ways of looking at the definition of a miracle.

On the one hand, you have the religion connotation regarding the intervention of God or a holy subject, causing something to be turned in your favour. This is a religion miracle.

But on the other hand, you have the word miracle simply referring to the idea of something unexplained occurring, that has some positive effect towards you as an individual.

I say, people are too inclined to believe that we have help from a higher being. Why is it that positive situations which occur around have to do with God and angels? I don’t think it’s likely that they have that much time on their hands to pay attention to each and every one of us, waiting for us to do a good deed and reward it with a miracle. Isn’t the uncertainty of the environment enough to keep their hands busy? Aren’t there other worldly problems that have occurred that need tending to?

I’m not denying the existance of a God or angels. But I’m denying the myths and legends that arise from religious texts written by man (but of course, supposably man is only the scribe to God’s words).

People… take a grip. Stop thinking that God is standing there watching over you 24/7. Because the more you think that, the more you rely on a spiritual entity who’s existence is still not proven. And the more this happens…. what if something did occur? Something negative? Will you simply wait around for it to be magically resolved?

Again I stress my concern. Human kind is too attached to an invisible deity that we may eventually find this reliance to be a burden.

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Realisation hits.

I’ve just realised. God supposably has created the world in a matter of 6 days and rested on the 7th. (please correct me if I’m wrong.)

Well… how is this possible if during the process of creating the world… the concept of days was not yet developed? Isn’t time a mere restriction that we humans have to put with up? Isn’t God exempt from these time and space restrictions since He was the one who created them?

Does that mean… the Bible is misleading? Wrong even? What does this say about the reliability of this holy book?

Hm… I’m sure there are many other ‘holes within the Bible’… So why is it that even though this religious text only gives answers and not answers questions, so praised?

It’s a bit.. dodgy to me.

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Prayers… What’s the point?

*sigh* I’ve chickened out. Again, I’ve begun to type something in the little response box of my online tutorials, but due to the worry of offending certain relgious individuals… I bailed.
In fact, that little window is still up and running waiting for me to continue to argue my case about why I think there’s no point to praying.

So here I am. Arguing my case to an invisible audience – maybe even no audience. I’m not sure whether anyone actually follows this blog… besides my tutor. Hey Pete =]

So anyway. Prayers. Yes.

I. Don’t. See. The. Point.

Honestly? Honestly. All that talk about having a closer connection to God through prayers. Why? Is there a need to take time, sit down (or kneel), just to be closer to an entity that supposably residing all around you? I mean, gods are supposed to be all knowing are they not? Does it not seem contradictory that we must make time in praying, to talk to the God that knows everything about you already? To me, it’s like telling someone something twice. No point.

And what of the idea of asking for things in prayers? Again pointless to my point of view. Why sit around waiting in hope that god has answered your prayers? Why not act yourself to improve any problems that may have arisen? Strive for the things you’re asking for. It feels as though people rely too much on spiritual intervention. Hey, if it makes you feel better. Go for it. If it makes you feel better to know that someone is watching over your every achievement and every mistake – go for it.
I’m not saying that we should shunt away the idea of appealing to an entity that’s “bigger than us”, that’s bigger than the four dimensional world we live in. But should we really rely on this entity, knowing that we won’t have any solid reply?

God shouldn’t require someone to ask for something before he acts. He should be all knowing and hence act upon making our lives work more smoothly. And if you think that God shouldn’t have his hand in the operations of humankind… well again that drags my point back to prayers. Why bother asking for anything if you think that God isn’t supposed to intervene??

How about seeing prayers as a sort of counsel. To the problems that you’re facing. God is someone you can talk to about your problems. Again pointless. If you have problems within your life, yes of course you have to talk about it to get it off your chest. But the point of sharing problems is to receive feedback to resolve the problem. And… God does NOT give feedback. I suggest a counsellor. A literal person to help you with your woes. And im not talking about those priests you can talk to in those little boxed rooms – unfortunately (I’m sorry if i do offend, I really am), the feedback you receive is influenced by the idea that it’s coming from a “higher place”. And in the end it will affect your judgement as whether to take on board this feedback and act upon it.

To cut the long story short (though I think it’s quite long already…), prayers? No point. This is my views though. Obviously, I’m not one for religion. I don’t think there isn’t a spiritual world – I’d like to think there’s more than just the physical world around us. I’d like to think that there’s a place in another dimension maybe, that is unseen by the normal human eye.
But in saying that, I don’t believe we should rely on these beings to run our lives for us. And to me, prayers are just simply a blackboard where you write all your whines and problems onto. You’re producing, but you get nothing in return. It’s simply a journal so to speak.

Pointless.

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Evolution of Man?

Hm, the evolution of man.

This is a topic I have not thought alot on.
I have though been fascinated about the way we’ve evolved throughout the years that have been documented in history.

The idea that we stem from the cave men who once lived, is purely fascinating. Whether we’ve evolved from any form of monkey species before that – I’m not sure. And it is not something I will take a side on as I don’t know enough to make an educated guess.

But all that is known to us, after that point, is great. How is it that man could adapt from what we were to what we are now? How it is that originally the skins of animals we killed which served as the only thing that was worn, evolve to a society of fashion and glamour?

Fascinating really. But when I look at the development we’ve made in the last few years, I can see how such an evolvement is possible. I mean, look at the latest technology for example! The ipod! What an additive to our technological society. Fantastic.
And laptops? Brilliant. They get smaller by the day.

Hm. Found a funny little clip on youtube. It explores the evolvement of man and weapon. Its so true its funny.

Enjoy.

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I question God.

God.
Real? Existent? I don’t quite think so.

Before I begin, I should reiternate my religious status – I am agnostic. I DO believe there may be a God. Sure, why not? Anything is possible. But is THE God real? That’s another matter altogether.

From discussions this week in my science and religion classes, other students have proposed the idea that God is all good and all knowing. He’s a saint. A dear at heart. He can’t created evil within our world. He has just allowed humans free will. And from that, we humans have condemned the fate of evil on ourselves. Absolutely not God’s fault.

But I say, how ISN’T it his fault? If God was all knowing, then he should’ve KNOWN that he was creating a kind of animal who could enforce such evil into the perfect world he made. Is this not contradictory then, that he has done this and yet still is considered all good? Does this make God not as fantastically pure and happy happy as we all thought he was to be?

Another thing. Jesus. If God was all good, and lovely, and a darl; why in the WORLD would he create a man – his own son for that matter, and send him to his death? Why mould a being to be killed by its kind? Yes, Jesus was born and sacrificed to clear others for their sins. But in doing so, God would’ve condemned a man to pain and suffering! How is God then considered the wondered being he is? How can he sit back and watch his son be nailed to a cross!

If I were God, I would’ve just discreetly forgiven everyone’s sins. Rather than bothering to put a man in pain just to prove my point that I’m here, watching their every move.

Yet another thing. If God was supposedly wanting to be discreet about his influences on our world – the butterfly effect, why would he allow religion to exist? Why be discreet on what he does, yet have people be educated about him and have us humans know of his existence?

I question God. I question his way of working his magic. I question his existence. I question all these contradictions that occur in regards to a being that’s supposed to be perfect!

Maybe this is why I can’t stand to believe in a single god. There is no way I cannot question their methods. I am a believer of the existence of Gods. But I’m not a believer of God’s existence.

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God is in the stars!

Anyone read the Telegraph today? Interesting story.

Is God gracing our stars? So far, the Hubble Telescope has found two very interesting forms of energy within our stars – one only just found recently!
The “hand of God” is a combination of lights emitting from the remains of a supernova, creating a whole image that resembles the a hand.

It’s calculated that this star phenomenon is approximately 17000 light years away – that means that this would’ve occurred 17000 years ago! The span of it is approximately 150 light years!

Does this suggest anything? Was this one of the first glimpses of God in our Universe? Did he make himself evident 17000 years ago?
To brush this wispy questions aside, would those of strong religious backgrounds use this to promote their religion? Try and use it to manipulate others who are more ignorant?

Guess we’ll wait and see.

This is another that was taken awhile ago – the eye of God.

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5 mins with God

I found this really interesting video!!

It shows God in a pretty bad light, but its a pretty interesting video. It’s an animated clip of a conversation between a Yak of a journalist and God – depicted Michaelangelo style (hope that’s how you spell his name).

It’s a pretty good watch…

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Was Jesus real?

I’ve always wondered…. was Jesus real?
Was there ever a man that stood out to sacrifice himself in the name of “cleansing” others of their wrongdoing? If so, that’s very brave.

But even so… was this man really the son of God?

I’ve always wondered whether there was really a man called Jesus or whether there was really a man that stood for Jesus and was just named that afterwards. It’s hard to think that there is a God truly intervening in our lives. Just the fact that many don’t SEE or have any personal contact is already getting me to be a bit iffy.

I relate this idea to another religion that I’m more familiar with and have come to a conclusion – my personal opinion on the existence of Jesus.

Like Buddha, I believe that Jesus was in fact a man that lived within the age told by the Bible. He was most of a very nice man – a man who sacrificed alot for his surrounding people. He was most probably one of the best, loving men you could ever find. He might have even sacrificed himself at the stake, for a reason which is similar to that stated in the Bible.

But all that stuff about him being the son of God? I don’t think I’ll believe unless there’s stark, solid evidence sitting right in front of me screaming “PICK ME UP AND BELIEVE YOU IGNORANT GIRL!”

It is the same for what I believe of Buddha himself. I do believe that there was a man who tried to make himself more enlightened by starving etc. But in thinking about a whole heaven built in the clouds above us, supporting a family of Gods and Goddesses…. I’m not quite ready to think that’s the truth – just yet.

Maybe I’ll be convinced later on in life. May I’ll meet them after I die & they’ll say something like “They told you so!”

But until then, Jesus and Buddha would be legends to me. But the whole intervention of spiritual life stuff? That will remain a myth.

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