Scientists, Artists, Heaven, and Hell

"The greatest joy in Heaven is in watching the torments of the damned in Hell--a spectacle far more pleasing than any upon earth."
-- Tertullian in De Spectaculis

Yahweh is pissed. Many scientists are atheists who reject His existence. On the other spectrum, many artists also rejected religion and some even blasphemed His name because of their free-spirit and "everything for art" mentality. He decided to send them all to hell.

After some time, He noticed that more and more people are eager to go to hell. Many who have the right to go to heaven even rejected it, and chose Hell. He decided to pay Satan a visit, and what He saw appalled Him.

Hell became a very beautiful place. Full with music, marbles, fountains, etc. People in hell partying all the time. All kind of parties in different palaces or outdoor settings. Discos, eating buffet, LAN-party, etc. Only very few were tortured in some dungeon, and ... they keep asking for more torture, not asking for mercy. Furious, He approached Satan, and this dialog started:

Yahweh: What the hell is this?

Satan: DUH, yes this is Hell, should I explain the obvious?

Yahweh: This doesn't look like Hell.

Satan: Oh, you don't like this "Workplace improvement"? This is all thanks to thou! 

Yahweh: Me?

Satan: Indeed, so let me say these words that I previously thought impossible for me to utter: thank you God for giving me such blessing!

Yahweh: What trickery did you do?!

Satan: No, no, not trickery. I never initiated it. It was you who created it, indirectly. Remember when you send all those nerds with thick glasses here? When they arrived they instantly spot it: this unquenchable fire is a source for infinite energy! After millions of experiments and thinkering, they figured how to isolate the heat and harness it. Yes, there are some mechanical failures here and there, but usually we are fine.  After those geeky nerds invented and maintains this technical wonder, those hippies started to do their magic. That's why we have all this beautiful fountains, musics, and so on! Thanks a lot dude! Without those nerds and hippies, I won't enjoy this job like now!

Yahweh: THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE! Now people are eager to go to Hell!!

Satan: Dude, do you remember our previous arrangement? You complained that so many assholes did good only because their fear of hell, and love of heaven. What a bunch of hypocrites you got there! Now that is no longer the case, from now on only your hardcore fans go to heaven! Hey, you got quality over quantity dude, why the complain? Think positive! Just embrace it and be grateful!

Yahweh: This is wrong on so many level! Hell is for infinite torture, heaven is for infinite reward! You and those nerds and hippies are acting way out of place!
Satan: Dude, chill down! Nobody here bothering you or your heaven when we enjoy our parties. Our world here is sound-proof! What's the big deal?
Yahweh: Are you kidding? The fact that they are neither tortured nor miserable bothered me and many pious followers of mine!
Satan: Woa, woa, so ... our misery is essential for the happiness of heaven?  Let me get this straight, you are against this because you want to torture people in billions infinitely and see them suffer?

Yahweh: That's the entire point of Hell! Do you think I create this to make a Disneyland? Everyone know that! How dare you NOT to torture those people!

Satan: Dude, I am a sadistic bastard who love to see people suffer, but I am also a selfish bastard. Look, if I still torture them after they provide such upgrade for my office, everything will falling down. I am sneaky as a snake, but not an omni-scient being who can maintain this wonder indefinitely. Those nerds ... they are nasty human, you know that right? They will figure it out how to screw my if I screw them first. 
That's why my selfishness trumped my sadism, that's why I let them enjoy their eternity here in good atmosphere, as long as I can enjoy it too. Relax, there are so many things to enjoy in this universe! Like ... torturing those masochist! You have to see them dude, they ASKED to be tortured! That's why you still see some were still tortured.
Yahweh: How dare you telling me what to do! I have ordered you, and millions, BILLIONS of people have to be tortured for eternity, not a fraction of it, not because they ask it, and that is final!
Satan: (Shaking his head.) Until today they still call you the good one? Hey, who is your P.R guy, I really want to meet him!

Yahweh: That's it, this has to stop! 

Satan: (Laughing his ass off.) What do you want to do? Sue me? Before the first scientist or artist was born, you already send every single lawyer here!

Yahweh: I'll see you in court.

In the court, every single lawyer were in Satan's side. When they called for "expert witnesses," they have infinite numbers of scientist who objectively prove Satan's point. On the other hand, all witnesses from Heaven are dismissed because they refuse to give any coherent testimony, they only start praising Yahweh. But those witnesses are not needed. The judge and jury have conscience. They don't think that infinite torture is a good think to be upheld  In the end, Satan can keep his Hell, and Yahweh got a court's order to stay away from Hell. Thus from that day, he and Hell's population are  free from infinite torture.

What? Do you expect me to say that they live happily ever after? Hey, don't denigrate escaping from infinite torture! That is at least as valuable as "live happily ever after"! Especially when He who wants to torture you infinitely has good PR, millions of fanatical followers, and omni-in so many ways.

As for Yahweh, Tertullian, and many heaven's population ... they lost their "live happily ever after" status, because they can't watch the misery of hell anymore. Founded upon the torment of others, such happiness crumble once the torment ends. That is what I call a good ending!

The West, Colonialism, and China

Many people hate "the West". Understandable. UK, USA, France, etc. are responsible for colonialism all over the world. Let me stress this, colonialism is NEVER pretty. It encapsulates racism, economic injustice, political injustice, slaughter, and so many other horrible things. It creates misery, resentments, and so many other "negative feelings."

Unfortunately, some people lost perspective. They confuse the cause and effect, the ends and means. They forget that it is colonialism that we must avoid at all cost, NOT THE WEST. 

What? You think only the West can practice colonialism? Do you think People's Republic of China is your savior?

Here, let me give you some example of Chinese colonialism:

1) The occupation of Vietnam. (111 BC - 39 AD, 43 - 544 AD, 602 -938 AD, 1407 - 1427 AD)

Yes, the Chinese repeatedly ruled Vietnam. Other than those 4 periods of domination, maybe you still remember how they invaded Vietnam after Vietnam stopped Pol Pot and his Cambodian slaughterfest. Wait, what? How come China tried to punish Vietnam for stopping the Killing Field? Sorry, my bad. Pol Pot is a friend of China. The Killing Field is worth defending.

There is an old Polish saying: "Under the German, we lost our freedom. Under the Russian, we lost our soul." I suspected Vietnam has the same view on France and China. It has been confirmed. My Vietnamese friends has said the same mentality exist in VIetnam. One of them even going further by saying that most Vietnamese won't admit that they were and are influenced by China culturally and politically, that Chinese occupation left many legacies that still important until today. They are just too ... careful not to be colonized by China again.

No, this is not paranoia because of history/the past alone. The Vietnamese have good actual reasons to be fearful and suspicious of its gigantic neighbor.

2) Spratly Islands (Late 20th century - today)

This islands is a hotpoint. Philippine, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Brunei contested that island. So does China. How does the gigantic China claim those islands? Does it has any merit? Not really. If you see the map on the right, Philippine is nearby, Vietnam is nearby, Malaysia is nearby, and Brunei is nearby. Not China. They only nearby if we count Paracel Islands which they wrested from the Vietnamese after the Vietnam war.

Check the map again. This is not only about Spratly. This is about total control of South China Sea. The border claimed by China will leave other countries with only a tiny strip of sea in front of their coast. Appalling. 

And how China assert its control? Simple: they send warships, marines, and fighter jets to attempt a de facto domination there! Who said the Chinese are ABOVE military action?

Oh, they also interested in Spratly because most likely there is oil deposit there. So ... if USA tried to conquer Iraq for oil it is colonialism, while China trying to conquer Spratly is only ... let me gues ... conflict of interest? HURRAA FOR DOUBLE STANDARD!

Oh yeah, similar case happens in Senkaku/Diaoyu. I already pointed out  that such conflict is utterly stupid. That, and an example of Chinese expansionism and attempt at colonialism. The Vietnamese indeed have good reason not to trust the Chinese. And that is not all.

3) Burma/Myanmar (Middle-late 20th century)

In the past, the Qing dynasty tried to conquer Burma. They sent 4 expeditions. Bad idea. VERY BAD IDEA! All of them were devastated by malaria and Burmese army. 

That was the past, how about today?

Well ... the military junta in Myanmar think that since the West refused to help them in any way, they can get helps from the Chinese. Bad idea. VERY BAD IDEA. The Chinese, hungry for natural resources, dictated every single contract. They pushed their luck with the Myitsone dam. Nobody in Myanmar wants that dam. Only the Chinese benefit from it. That is the last straw for the Myanmar people. Finally, the junta had enough and decided to open their country to democracy and western ideas. Heck, they even released most of their political prisoners!  

This is really a sobering experience. If you think US and Western domination is bad, Burma just show that Chinese domination is far from pretty or mutually beneficial. 

4) Rare earth mineral

Some year ago, some Chinese fishermen did illegal fishing in Japanese water. The Japanese coastguard apprehend those fishermen. So ... how does China reacted?

They used their monopoly on rare earth mineral to squeeze the Japanese to release those fishermen. It worked.

Ladies and gentlemen, that is economic colonialism in action!

EVERYONE learned the importance of rare earth mineral, so Australia and USA start re-open their rare-earth mineral mines again. Better late than never.



5) The Passport Controversy
China also used trickery to get what it wants. Sometimes, it is borderly juvenile. Like ... when they printed their territorial claim into their passport. Let me be clear: EACH PAGE of their passport displays China as the owner of Spratley, Senkaku, and many other contested regions. My guess is, they wanted to use any stamp on any page as prove of APPROVAL of Chinese territorial claim.

Nope, not working. India, Vietnam, etc. refuse to stamp those passports.

This is not a sign of good intention. It is a sign that the Chinese will use all means to grab new territories.

This sign was send not only to countries with territorial dispute with China: it was send to all countries. Unfortunately for them, once again they pushed their luck here. Now everyone know that China is willing to trick, to deceive, in order to got what they want. Smart people already know this, but this should enlighten all western haters to leave "China fans club".


You see, we have to be careful, watchful, and critical not only to West. The Chinese or ANY OTHER POWER also can be as ruthless, as exploitative, and as devious as the West and more! Time to ditch the mentality that only the West can practice colonialism. Time to ditch the mentality that the non-West are always the victim.

The Bible, Modern Morals, and Zeitgeist

I have argued that many Bible stories have despicable morals and should not be followed.

Many Christians argued back "You can't use modern moral to judge those stories"! Or in more fancy words: The Zeitgeist has changed. 

Err ... yes I can. And no, the Zeitgeist has nothing to do with it.

1) You start it by using ancient history as modern moral compass

The problem is they want to make the bible today's moral compass. For example, they ask repeatedly to put the bible in school, not only physically but also in the curriculum! They want to harass today's homosexuals based on the Bible. And now suddenly they are upset when I pointed out that many morals in it are despicable? That's the whole point! The Zeitgeist has changed,  that's why today we have no excuse to use ancient rules from different Zeitgeist. 

2) We can say that because we are imperfect, fallible, and mere mortals unlike the all-powerful God.

Of course we have to put the Zeitgeist into consideration, because Moses don't get the idea of human rights, equality, democracy, etc.

But WAIT!! We never speak about Moses or Abraham or any other mere mortal, we are speaking about God himself! Moses and pals were only "the hand." They are definitely NOT "the brain." An omni-benevolent and omniscient being doesn't have an excuse for such imperfection. What? That kind of standard is impossible to fulfill? That means your God is impossible to exist.


3) In fact, some other religions already set higher standards SINCE ANCIENT TIME
I am not a big fan of Islam, but one thing I can't deny: their holy scripture treated slaves far more humanely than the Bible.

The Quran is not the only one. The Zoroastrians' holy scripture even prohibit slavery totally.

If the writer of the Bible is the perfect God ... how come OTHER holy scriptures exceed its morality?


So, yes, the bible was written in ancient time, according to ancient Zeitgeist, proving that it was NEVER written by an omniscient and omni benevolent being. That is the reason why it is NOT an up-to-date moral standard that we can use today. Only some parts of it are usable in that way. Some. Not every part. Definitely not all parts.