Wednesday, March 02, 2005

America

Our Founding Fathers knew that government must change as the time changes. Thomas Jefferson himself, in a mature reflection, declared: “Some men look at constitutions with sanctimonious reverence and deem them like the ark of covenant, too sacred to be touched. They ascribe to the men of the preceding age a wisdom more than human, and suppose what they did to be beyond amendment . . . I am certainly not an advocate for frequent and untried changes in laws and constitutions. . . But I also know that laws and institutions must go hand and hand with the progress of the human mind. . . As new discoveries are made, new truths disclosed, and manners and opinions change with the change of circumstances, institutions must advance also, and keep pace with the times.” As democracy has decayed in America, theocracy has gotten back on track. Poch Suzara

What's Wrong With America

A hairstylist must pass a licensing exam before he could practice his trade in America. But any low I.Q. superstitious Texan or Hollywood ham actor with the solid backing from religious freaks and rich corporations can qualify to become president of the USA. Indeed, anybody can become president of the USA and that is precisely the problem. Poch Suzara

Hope For Peace

The best hope for peace in the world is via the expansion of freedom. Not, however, by way of the freedom installed by the U.S. government which is only about the freedom to succeed in trade and commerce. The U.S. government is ready to liberate and to install freedom in countries that are rich in oil deposits and rich in other commercial opportunities. Indeed, if a typical American does not give a hoot to his next door neighbor right in American soil, why should he give a hoot to his foreign neighbors around the globe? Poch Suzara

Catholic Bishops

Even though our rapid population growth keeps the Filipino poor as a people, the Catholic Bishops welcome more babies. Millions of them, however, destined to a life of religious attitudes and behaviors that lead to widespread poverty. And to think these babies, many of them born unwanted, are produced yearly in vast quantities by unpaid and unskilled labor who enjoy their work. The Bishops could not care less about the coming of the Lord to assist the Filipino become healthy, wealthy, and wise as a nation. Instead, they say that, whilst the Lord has not yet returned, we can all enjoy God’s greatest gift of “free will” by choosing the good away from the evil. In this case, according to the Bishops, we must always choose good pregnancy over the evils of serious family planning and birth control contraceptives. In the meantime, it’s incredible to see how the child-bearers themselves, the women, virtually have no say on the matter. It’s the men, specially the bishops of the Church, - always deciding for women what not to do. I ask you women: Aside from your minds and hearts already surrendered to the Priesthood Industry, must you also surrender your reproductive system? In the meantime, where is the free will of the Bishops to choose human dignity for the Filipino as a people? Why choose only more of the same old religious insanity, poverty and misery? Why are the bishops keeping our free will not free at all? Look how we must obey the bishops calling for a continued production of unwanted babies for the Filipinos who are already quite famous as the Sick Man of Asia throughout the world? For my part, as I believe that a “good will” is much more sensible than a “free will.” I say to you Bishops: Shame on you for believing that the population growth of the Philippines is a matter of good sexual morality based upon divine authority. On the contrary, my dear Bishops, the population explosion in the Philippines is an issue of economic perversity, if not social insanity, as inspired by historical mediocrity. And to think that God Himself practiced family planning and birth control. He had begotten with a Virgin Mary only one Son, didn’t He? Poch Suzara

Sunday, February 27, 2005

Terrorism, Religion, and Superstition

Feb. 28, 2005 Dear Editor: Terrorism, Religion, and Superstition Think of it: terrorism against the Christians is committed in Allah’s name. Terrorism against the Muslims is committed in God’s name. But we have never heard of terrorism committed anywhere in the devil’s name. I ask: what can we expect of a world where half of its population believe in God, and the other half believe in Allah? Where people are willing to terrorize and kill each other based upon their beliefs as if they knew anything truthful at all about the existence of such extraterrestrial beings. Bertrand Russell, In his The Prospect of Industrial Civilization, wrote it quite clearly: “Governors of the world believe, and have always believed, that virtue can only be taught by teaching falsehood, and that any man who knew the truth would be wicked. I disbelieve this, absolutely and entirely. I believe that the love of the truth is the basis of all real virtue, and that virtues based upon lies can only do harm.” For so many centuries religion has done mankind so much harm. Religion has made people love supernatural beings, and at the same time, make them misunderstand and kill each other. I say: enough is enough. If we must enjoy peace on earth and goodwill to all men – we must first enjoy not the freedom of religion, but only the freedom from religion. Look at religion in America in cahoots with rich corporations. Religion has stolen the government away from millions of ordinary American citizens. The separation between Church and State in America is no longer a reality. It is now a fantasy. President George W Bush even admits that he talks to God for advice. The Founding Fathers of America must be turning over in their graves. Look at religion in the US government? It has wings. It can fly. It’s known as the US Air Force. And if the US government continues to insists to oil-rich countries to sing: "God Bless American Democracy," innocent blood, enough to float the US Navy, will continue to flow as it did in the rivers of Vietnam and now flowing in the rivers of Iraq. Look at religion in Israel today. It is the place where Christ was allegedly born. Yet Israel today is not a Christian country. It is Jewish State surrounded by hostile Arab countries that hate not only the Jews, but as Muslims, they also hate each other in Allah’s name. Look at the Catholics and the Protestants of the same Christian religion in Northern Ireland. They have not ceased hating and fighting each other confirming that Christian love and compassion does not exist there. And how about us Filipinos, look how we pray to God. We pray for the forgiveness of our sins and crimes. But we also pray to God to “lead us not into temptation.” It is surely time to understand prayer for what it simply is: Asking an imaginary being that apparently knows the future to change his mind. Couldn’t we pray to God to convert the devil back to the ways of the Lord? In this way, we will commit no more sins and no more crimes as the devil will no more make a mockery of our daily prayers to God. Some African tribes worship anthills for being the source of human life, Filipinos worship a biblical supernatural being that made the world in seven days. A visitor from another planet would find it hard to see either as anything other than primitive superstition. Tradition does not make fairy tales real. In fact, tradition practiced by a people says nothing about its veracity, viability, or even its common sensibility. Take, indeed, the tradition of daily prayer. It has yet to decrease insanity, not increase human stupidity that’s generating our sick society. For my part, I am happy to be an atheist. I do not care to go to heaven to please God; neither do I care to go to paradise to please Allah. I also do not care to go to hell to please the devil. I care only for the human race of which I am a member. If we must believe in anything precious – let us believe in our precious minds and precious hearts. In the meantime, if we must leave this world one day, let us leave it sober and not drunk with lies; let us leave it a much better place than we found it; or there will be no reason at all for neither of us to have lived. Yours Sincerely, Poch Suzara Bertrand Russell Society, Phil. San Lorenzo Village, makati, Philippines

Friday, February 18, 2005

I love Buddha of the Ancient world and I love Bertrand Russell of the Modern World

If you were a Christian and wish to know just how insane are the Muslims, please open the Holy Koran and read 3:169 “Never think that those who were slain in the cause of God are dead. They are alive and well provided for by the Lord.” If you were a Muslim and wish to know just how insane are the Christians, please open the Holy Bible and read Luke 14:26 “If any man come to me and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.” If you were neither a Christian nor a Muslim and wish to know too just how insane are the Jews, look at how they believe that they are the Chosen People of God. However, according to President George W. Bush, Americans are God’s real people as he believes that America is God’s only real country. For my part, as a non-believer of silly faith, I love Buddha. He was neither religious nor superstitious. He was not a lunatic. Buddha was atheistic as, in his way of thinking, he was rather scientific. Take heed and Listen: "Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many. Do not believe in anything because it is found written in your religious books. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders. Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations. But after observation and analysis, when you find anything that agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all then accept it and live up to it. "Siddharta Buddha But I love Philosopher Bertrand Russell even more. He summarized the entire religious mess neatly into one simple sentence: “Religion encourages stupidity and an insufficient sense of reality.” Poch Suzara Twitter# Facebook# Google#

Friday, February 11, 2005

Bruce Hall

Feb. 11 /2005
Dear Mr. Bruce Hall,

I should not hope to rain on your parade, but I should wish, however, to comment on your letter published in the Daily Inquirer today.

As soon as the American Indians are properly compensated for the precious land (worth trillions of dollars today) expropriated away from them by the white men, I will believe freedom exist in America.

As soon as the freethinkers or atheists, and not just the wealthy Jesus freaks, have equal opportunity to run for high government office in the US, I will believe democracy exist in America.

As soon as all the Black Americans are duly compensated for having their ancestors from Africa transported to America to work as slaves, I will believe that America is the land of the free and the home of the brave.

No doubt, America installed democracy in the Philippines. But thus far, such American style democracy in the Philippines has only been a farce, a fraud, and a ceremony. I am afraid, in the years to come, it will be more of the same in Iraq.

Freedom and democracy can exist only for the rich; not for the poor. The poor Americans in the USA do not enjoy freedom or democracy. In fact, poor Americans have no government; it has been stolen away from them by the rich in cahoots with the religious freaks in control of ignorance of which is quite unique in the world - American ignorance has wing. It can fly. It flies with the US Air force. And indeed, as long as ignorance remains in control of the US government, innocent blood, enough to float the US Navy, will continue to flow.

With all good wishes,
Poch Suzara
c.c. Philippine Daily Inquirer

Sunday, January 30, 2005

Self-Direction

“The capacity for consistent self-direction, “wrote Bertrand Russell, “is one of the most valuable that a human being can possess.” Fortunately, our system of education produces men and women who are consistent; unfortunately however, not for self-direction, but only for self-obliteration. This, for the sake of heavenly rewards in the next life with a God as promised by a bunch of Jewish authors who wrote about it in the silly bible some three thousand years ago. Poch Suzara

Jesus Promised

Jesus promised: “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” Matt. 7:7-8. Really, if Jesus could not deliver these promises to the Jews, God’s Chosen people, why should Jesus deliver them to the Filipinos – God’s Forsaken people? Poch Suzara

Pseudo Family

As it gradually dawned on me that I was habitually addressing a priest as “Father” and a nun as “Sister” and my teachers in La Salle as “Brother” I thought I’d better put to a stop to those self-appointed phoney family members who never gave a hoot at anytime or anywhere about the welfare of my real family life on this earth. Poch Suzara

Bob Garon

Bob Garon wrote: “We need to begin behaving like the Christian country that we are, not just in our religious rites. We need to stop being religious hypocrites and start the living the faith we profess.” For my part, I say it again: Blind faith is exactly that – blind. In the meantime, tens of millions of Filipinos pray daily to God to: “Give us this day our daily bread,” and to “lead us not into temptation.” After 500 years devoted to Christian values and beliefs, look at the results of our daily prayer: we are not only poorer with degradation as a people, but also poorer with corruption as a nation. Only because we Filipinos have not ceased living destructively due to the faith we profess. Poch Suzara

Serve Jesus

Bertrand Russell wrote: “The whole idea of throwing away your life blindly as an imagined service to Christ is a form of glorifying masochism and self-abasement before power.” In the Philippine, however, service to Christ as preachers of Catholicism, or as evangelists of El Shaddai, or as ministers of Jesus is Lord Movement, or as pastors of Iglesia Ni Cristo, etc. – means self-aggrandisement by way of tons and tons of money deposited weekly in local and foreign banks in the name of Jesus and for his glory. Poch Suzara

Atheism

Reason leads men to atheism because religion is absurd. The creator of the priesthood industry is a malicious and a ferocious God. Consider the 100 billion faulty humans that have already lived and died on this earth. The creator seems neither satisfied nor concerned as he is still creating more of the same faulty human beings on this earth. No attempts as yet have been tried by the creator to right the wrongs in the human design. Perhaps, the Creator is blind; or maybe he is just a sort of a spoiled supernatural brat who enjoys playing eternally capricious with toys. Poch Suzara

Pat Robertson

Pat Robertson, the famous American TV Evangelist, said: “Satan is a tool of God’s love in the sense that he forces us to see God’s loving patience.” For my part, I would not be surprised if it turned out that Pat Robertson is a direct descendant of the Talking Serpent
that caused the Fall of Man as written in Genesis. Poch Suzara

Peace On Earth - a possibility

The bow and arrow were once weapons of attack and defense with the aim to kill, but today the Art of Archery is a pure exercise in skill. Fencing and sword fighting were once a weapon of dueling. It has become a sport in the Olympic Games. Today weapons of wars like helicopters from an aircraft carrier were flown to help the poor victims who survived the Tsunami Disaster in South Asia last December 2004. It certainly makes one feel the idea of peace on earth and goodwill to all men can be a reality in our world of disasters. But for world peace and goodwill to all men, - here’s something even more profound. The late Scientist Carl Sagan wrote: “The Cosmos may be densely populated with intelligent beings. But the Darwinian lesson is clear. There will be no humans elsewhere. Only here. Only on this small planet. We are a rare as well as an endangered species. Every one of us is, in the cosmic perspective, precious. If a human disagrees with you, let him live. In a hundred billion galaxies, you will not find another.” Poch Suzara

Death In Terms of Eternity


In terms of eternity – human life is so short and in brief,  a wink of an eye, a flash in the pan, a split of a second long on this speck of dust called “earth.” Indeed, one million planets the size of earth can fit inside Jupiter - the biggest planet like earth orbiting round the sun. In the meantime, What meaning is there in life since the day we are born, is the day we begin to live in a dying body.

We may die this year or next year or ten or twenty or fifty years from now – what’s the difference? Our lives here on this earth is so short and brief in comparison to a billion years which in turn is just a fleeting spark in terms of eternity. Success in life or failure in life would really amount to nothing. But with courage, the best we can do in this this world is to try and leave it one day a better place than how we found it. No necessarily in the material, but in humanitarian sense. Otherwise there would be no reason for our having lived. Poch Suzara

American Convicts

In his book PERIL AND PROMISE, published in 1990, John Chancellor, one of America’s top TV newscasters, wrote: “America is losing its competitive edge in high technology, but it was the world’s leader in building prisons and filling them with convicts. In the last ten years, the United States overtook the Soviet Union and South Africa in what is called the incarceration race. Today, of every 100,000 Americans, 426 are behind bars. The rate in South Africa is 333; the Soviet Union, 268; Great Britain, 97. In the Netherlands, 40 out of every 100,000 Dutch citizens are in jail, a rate 90 per cent lower than that of the United States.” For my part, I have the greatest admiration for John Chancellor. Not only is he an intellectually courageous man, he is also one of those few admirable thinking American. A rarity, indeed, in the land of the free and the home of the brave. Poch Suzara

What Can Be Expected

What can be expected of a poor and backward Christian country where its men and women, blessed with college education, are on their knees praying daily to a silly God to save their silly souls in the next silly world? In the meantime, quite a lot of these so-called highly educated individuals have already migrated to live and work in foreign countries where its citizenry are already enjoying the impact of science and the benefits of technology. Oh yes, science may have brought troubles into our world, but as Bertrand Russell made clear: what is needed is not less, but more science to fix the troubles in our world. Poch Suzara

The Chinese People

I have the greatest respect and admiration for the Chinese people. They were a great people with a great past. Today, owing to science and technology, together with their sense of national pride for down-to-earth hard work, China is a great nation with a great present and indeed, with a great future. The only thing that worries me is that the Chinese people might soon be the new Americans of Asia: greedy, selfish, corrupt, and insane. Poch Suzara

A Precious Book

A book is a precious gift that you can open and read again and again. Not, however, among Filipinos. By any standard, the Philippines is not a nation of book readers. Only a nation of daily prayers, if not faithful believers. Poch Suzara

Inspired Bible Authors

"The bible is a record of man's complete in sin and God's remedy in Christ." Philippine Star, August 12, 2014 If the authors of God were inspired to write, why not inspire the readers to read too? Why should they not have same understanding of what was written? If it is claimed that they are so inspired, why is it then that they understand bible messages differently, if not conflictingly? Hell, for the love of God op there, bible readers are even willing to hate each other down here. Poch Suzara

It is Silly

Why should reading a book written by inspired authors of God leave the reader feeling clammy and shivering. The Multiplication Table was written not by inspired authors of God, and yet, nobody feels threatened or intimidated reading it. In fact, the Multiplication Table has been and still is the perfect model of truth - free from contradictions, absurdities, obscenities, inconsistencies, and indeed free from cruelties. The question is: Is it really inspiring that the Multiplication Table is not even mentioned in the Old or in the New Testament? Poch Suzara

Education more expensive

There is a saying among University professors: if you think education is expensive, try ignorance. But as the existence of universities have developed to be commercial rather than educational enterprises, education in the Philippines, just like in the United States, has turned out to be far more expensive than ignorance. Poch Suzara

Faith and Fear

Whether faith proves stronger than fear or fear proves stronger than faith matters not a pin. Whatever the case may be, faith and fear form a sort of a balance: - when one goes up, the other goes down. And the balancing board is called "ignorance." Poch Suzara

Christian Love and Compassion in the Philippines

I love the Philippines more than any other country in Asia, and for this reason, I cling to my right to often criticize her. In this connection, it pains me to see how we Filipinos have no sense of pride as a people and no sense of self-respect as a nation. After birth, we only look forward to a better life to come in the next world, if any. For God’s sake, we even kneel down and worship a Savior who was born in a foreign land called “Bethlehem” some 2,000 years ago. It is, in this way, that we look forward to a better life to come in the next world. No, for the sake of Christianity, we have neither love nor compassion for each other down here. We only love God and his Son Jesus up there. Poch Suzara Twitter# facebook# Google#

Old Age

Bertrand Russell said: “I consider old age a time to struggle for human decency – like any other.” Indeed, in his old age, he organized the Bertrand Russell Peace Foundation to explore the causes of war between nations; he led the fight in England against the proliferation of nuclear bombs; and, he campaigned against the American involvement in Vietnam. It is sad to notice, however, Russell admirers are just waiting for their old age. In this way, they too can, if at all, begin to struggle publicly for human decency as Bertrand Russell did globally throughout his entire career as a courageous and as a world famous philosopher. Poch Suzara

Sunday, January 16, 2005

The Work In Congress

The working Congressmen can best be described by visiting Philippine Congress at work: - Delivering useless, if not bombastic privilege speeches; and, busy at pointless investigation in “aid of legislation.” Not to mention how to rescue each other by covering up for each other’s crimes away from the public view. Poch Suzara

My Prayers

As a grade-school kid I used to pray often to the Lord with these words: “Lord, please straighten out the religious mess that is in cahoots with the superstitious mess that
is keeping the Filipino daily in a mess as a people and in a yearly mess as a nation.” This was decades ago. Today I am fully aware of the mess behind the power of prayer. Poch Suzara

Newspaper

A Newspaper is a public trust only if its publisher is never afraid to publish every side of the issue leading to the truth. If it only prints more of the same recycled lies – social lies, religious lies, economic lies, and political lies that keeps the reading public selfish, greedy, stupid, and insane, - then that newspaper is not a public trust, but a public distrust. Sadly however, to begin with, newspaper could not even exist without the revenues from ads which have nothing to do with the truth. Poch Suzara

God's Only Son

God’s only Son? What about God’s only Daughter? Or God’s only mother and father and grandmothers and grandfathers; or God’s only uncles and aunties, nephews and nieces and cousins? Indeed, what is so terrible about a God having his own family? Indeed, a divinity that is a great part of humanity just as much as humanity as a great part of divinity? Poch Suzara

Happy New What year

Man emerged on this planet more than a million years ago. The earth itself, according to science, is some 4.6 billion years old. The universe some 15 to 20 billion years old. The fact that we celebrate the New Year as something like it is only 2015 years old is sheer stupidity, if not a traditional sacred absurdity. Indeed, Christianity stole the whole calender mess based on nothing but older religious insanity in order to keep us frightened to support, maintain, and defend the wealth and power of Christianity. Poch Suzara

The Filipino as a Christian

The Filipino is famous for being faithful as a Christian. He is, however, more famous as one who follows the teachings of Christ only in so far as they are not inconsistent with the life of sin against divinity and not incompatible with the life of crime against his own country. Indeed, in the Philippines, we all love God up there by hating one another down here. Poch Suzara

Most People

Most people love to believe in the fantasy of life after death. These are the same people who hate the reality of life before death. In this Christian country in Asia, we do not only look forward to a better life to come after death in the next world, but right after birth, we also look forward to a better life to come by migrating to earn of living in the next country to come. Poch Suzara

Mother Nature

Each time a killer quake kills thousands of people, we do not blame God; instead, we blame Mother Nature. But if God were not that interested to remedy the mess from Mother Nature, the least that He could do is to inspire His Saints to take over to clean up the mess. But where are the saints? Why are they like God – hiding all the time away from the troubles of our world which is also their world? Maybe it’s true: this is not their world so why bother. Poch Suzara

Superstition

Superstition is notorious in its various forms. The most notorious form is called “Religion.” Fortunately, there are many religions; unfortunately, however, each religion is based upon revealed truths that are sacred as long as they remain unrevealed. Poch suzara

Why Something Rather Than Nothing

Why something rather than nothing? A better question to ask is: If God were a spirit, why is there only the material world which is something,and no spiritual world which is the nothing? Poch Suzara

The Atheistic God

God himself is an atheist. He does not believe in the existence of other Gods. Consider His first commandment: “Thou shall have no other Gods before me.” Really, where did those other Gods come from? Which God created those other Gods? Poch Suzara

The Limitation of Science

Science cannot give an answer to the question: “Why should we be good?” it is beyond the realm of science to deal with ethics. Only religion has the answer to that question. In fact, religion teaches man to be good; unfortunately, how to be good for nothing. Poch Suzara

Who or What Creator

Modern science, which is just about 400 years old, has examined and continues to examine the nature of creation. Science, however, cannot examine the creator and for a very simple reason: there isn’t any. Even religion, which is already thousands of years old – still has no clear idea as to who or what the creator is suppose to be. Is the creator a He? A She? Or just an It? Even the most brilliant of theologians do not know what an “All-Knowing” creator knows. Poch Suzara

Science is Honest

Science is honest enough to admit what it does not know. It proceeds with reason and observation. Religion is dishonest. It pretends to know what it does not know. Its mission has only to do with eternal salvation. For my part, I have no taste for rewards after my death. Instead, I love science. It has a much greater mission: to free mankind from superstition in all its forms, especially in the form of religion still stuck in the quagmire of its own concocted revelation. Poch Suzara

Nothing Versus Something

Science would never have understood the power of nature were it not for the power of reason and observation. Indeed, owing to the power of reason, science has been able to successfully observe the difference between what is natural, which is something, from what is supernatural, which is nothing. Poch Suzara

God Blames Man

God blames man for his fault; and in order to make the situation even more faulty, God decided to become a man. And to think that God had the bright idea of transforming himself into a Jew. The divine mission obviously failed in spite of the biblical declaration that the Jews are Chosen People of God. Poch Suzara

It's all a Game

Little boys and girls enjoy playing the game called “HIDE AND SEEK.” Mindless men and heartless women love to play the same game too. They call it “SEEK AND CAN FIND GOD.” Happily, most of these men and women now silently agree that God could no longer be found inside a Church or inside a Cathedral or inside a temple or even inside a synagogue. In fact, if God were already existing here, there, and everywhere, why waste seeking Him anywhere? Poch Suzara

The Infidel Jesus

The bible proves Jesus himself was an infidel. Tim 5:8 states clearly: “But if any of you provide not for his own, and especially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.” Well, in the same bible, Jesus admonished: “Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself.” Matt. 6:34. Poch Suzara

The Pope and God and World Peace

As a Catholic boy then I was most proud of the Pope who prayed daily to God for world peace. Today, an old man, I am not only ashamed of the Pope, I am even more ashamed of God. There is still no peace on earth or even goodwill to all men. Meantime, this week, civilized humanity from civilized countries have sent billions of dollars worth of food, clothing, and medicine to help the hundreds of thousands of poor victims who survived the Tsunami Disaster in South Asia recently. But the Pope offered only mass and prayer for the victims. No wonder even priests and nuns are walking out disgusted with the Catholic hierarchy. In the meantime, I ask: Is it possible that there is no peace on earth because so many billions of people embrace conflicting religious beliefs that have more to do with hate this world and to look forward only to a better life to come after death in the next worth? Poch Suzara

The Failure of prayer

“The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” James 5:16. The same bible, however, also admits: “There is none righteous, no, not one.” Rom. 3:10. And to think that we Filipinos have not ceased praying to God to “give us this day our daily bread and to lead us not into temptation.” Poch Suzara

Only God Can Make a Tree

“A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.” Matt. 7:18. And to think that only God can make a tree.

Disciples's Descendants

“And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness.” Matt 10:1. I pity, indeed, those disciples gifted with power to heal all manner of diseases failed miserably to cure the sick maniacs who, over nothing, crucified Christ on the cross? But where on earth today are the descendants of those disciples? How come they all disappeared? Perhaps, they are the “faith-healers” in the Philippines today claiming to heal all manner of diseases?
Poch Suzara

The Peacemakers

“Blessed are the peacemakers.” Matt. 5:9. Again, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you. John 14:27. A graceful message, indeed, from a Savior who also gracefully admitted: “I came not to send peace, but a sword, and to set families against themselves.” Matt. 10:34-37. And who also peacefully announced: “But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me.” Luke 19:27. And who also gracefully warned: “…he that hath no sword, let him sell his garments, and buy one.” Luke 22:36. Indeed, piss on you too! Poch Suzara

Every Child

Every child born in this world is an atheist, and, if he grows up with faith, his faith differs with the country in which he may happen to be born, or the people amongst whom he may happen to be indoctrinated. His faith therefore is the result of local teachings. Thus, throughout the world the religion of people is determined, by and large, by geographical accident of birth. In the Philippines, the Filipinos are Christians; in Japan, Shintoists; in China, Buddhists or Confucians; in Italy, Catholics; in India, Brahmans; in Indonesia, Muslims; in America, Baptists or Methodists or Lutherans, etc. What these people were taught during infancy they continue to believe up to senility; and they die in the faith in which they have lived. For my part, as I have learned to think for myself, I thank “the gods” I was born an atheist. I am not only free of religion; I am free from religion. Poch Suzara

Faith Versus Reason

To have faith in reason is a needless waste of energy. Reason can easily explain the nature of faith. Faith, however, can never explain the nature of reason. Meanwhile, Reason is not just one tool inside a Tool Box. Reason is the whole Tool Box itself. For my part, I am in love with reason. It has led me to atheism as religion is a malicious authority, and the God of the priesthood industry is a ferocious absurdity. Poch Suzara

Survivors

There are those who thank God for having survived a natural calamity. Those, however, who die from the flood and landslide have no one to thank except begin to enjoy immortality: – the condition of those already dead but who refuse to believe that they are already dead. Poch Suzara

See You in Heaven Hogwash

“My kingdom is not of this world.” John 18:36. Jesus could have been more honest. By simply revealing the exact whereabouts of his kingdom located in which galaxy. And by what mode of transportation to utilize to get there. There are billions of galaxies each comprising millions of planets and stars out there. In the meantime, more than a 100 billion people have already lived and died on this planet earth since God knows when. And yet, as frightened and dumbstruck religious morons, we all want to go to the kingdom of God in heaven, though none of us want to depart away from this kingdom of man on this earth. Poch Suzara

Dead Lazarus

Jesus raised the dead Lazarus back to life. Lazarus was so dumbstruck in that he bothered not any of the inspired authors of the bible to clearly relate to them his discovery of the reality of immortality. Indeed, what is it like to experience life after death; or, at least to convey if there were Americans in Heaven, Arabs in Hell, Jews in Limbo or Filipinos in Purgatory? Poch Suzara

Blessed are the Poor in Sprit

“Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matt. 5:3. I ask: how exactly do we love our mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, sons and daughters, and yes how do we even love our own life and love this world also if, indeed, we were not precisely rich in spirit? Poch Suzara

The Resourceful God

If God is the source of everything, where was God located to help those who survived after the Tsunami Disaster that killed hundreds of thousands of people and other living creatures, and destroyed billions of dollars worth of properties? Indeed, God is not a lively object, but a deadly subject: the ultimate mystery, not a lovable nor an embraceable entity. For my part, I have great admiration for the Fireman who saves a child inside a burning building considering the Fireman himself did not start the fire! Poch Suzara

The Perfect God

If a perfect God made man in His own image and likeness, how come man is not perfect? In fact, man is still unfinished, crude and incomplete, and still evolving, not to mention burdened with biblical lies and crippled with theological baggage? Poch Suzara

God's Existence

I am told that God has neither a beginning nor an end? Let's assume, for the sake of argument that God has been in existence for more than 750,000,000 (million) years? Now, if I live as long as 75 years on this earth, how much time, in ratio, do I have to end up as a saint of God; or, as the case may be, to end up as a sinner against God? Would you believe that, by a simple arithmetic, I have much much less than 7 and a half miliseconds long to carry out either of the silly infantile task! Poch Suzara

The American Way of Life

In the Protestant bible, it says: “Let no man seek his own, but every man another’s wealth.” 1 Cor. 10:24. In the Catholic bible, it says: “Let no man pursue his own interests, but the interest of the other.” 1 Cor. 10:24. In either case, the inspired author must have had in mind the American way of life when they wrote those sacred verses. Poch Suzara

Sunday, January 02, 2005

Wasted Prayers


Civilized humanity in civilized countries have, this week, already sent more than 2 billion dollars worth of food, clothing, shelter and medicine to help the hundreds of thousands of poor victims who survived the Tsunami Disaster in South Asia last week. For love of humanity, more substantial and financial assistance are coming.

During biblical days, Jesus could feed thousands of people on 5 loaves of bread and 2 fishes. He could walk on water, calm the seas, cure the sick, even raise the dead back to life. Jesus promised also that: “In all things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.” Today, for love of divinity, the Vicar of Christ, the Pope is only offering mass and prayer for the dead victims of the Tsunami Disaster. No offer of even crumbs from the Vatican bread for the survivors. Is it any wonder that in shame even priests and nuns are walking out of the Catholic Church each and every day?

As a little Catholic boy myself then, I was always proud of the Pope often praying to the Almighty for peace on earth. Today, as an old man, I am duly ashamed of the so-called “power of prayer.” No peace on earth as yet. Only more disasters from nature as designed by the Almighty. I think it’s time that we better find a substantial meaning for the word “Almighty.”

Those of you who are the heads of governments, of churches, of corporations and associations, of colleges and universities, take heed of what Bertrand Russell admonished for the powerless individuals, “Those who live nobly, even if in their day they live obscurely, need not fear that they will have lived in vain. Something radiates from their lives, some light that shows the way to their friends, their neighbors – perhaps to long future ages. I find many men nowadays oppressed with the sense of impotence, with the feeling that in the vastness of modern societies, there is nothing of importance that the individual can do. This is a mistake. The individual, if he is filled with the love of mankind, with breadth of vision, with courage and with endurance, can do a great deal… Much wisdom remains to be learned, and if it is to be learned through adversity, we must endeavor to endure adversity with what fortitude we can command. But if we can acquire wisdom soon enough, adversity may not be necessary and the future of man may be happier that any parts of his past.” Poch Suzara

Sunday, December 26, 2004

Divinity, US Marines, and Humanity

December 25, 2004

Dear Sir:

Mankind has suffered much and continues to suffer much from a disease called “divinity.” If we want a cure, we should only take the medicine called “humanity.”

Thanks for emailing me a photo of the U.S. Marines fervently praying to God in Iraq. Happily, the bible claims that: “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” James 5:6. Unhappily, however, the same bible also admits: “There is none righteous, no, not one.” Rom. 3:10.

Abraham was willing to kill his son out of obedience to God. Fighting armies too are willing to obey the word of command without question to their Commander in Chief. The soldier who kills, the bomber pilot that destroys thousands of lives and properties in a minute are indeed heroes due to, if not because of, the principle of unquestioning obedience.

In child sacrifice, the father kills the child for the sake of obedience. In war, however, parents on both sides have an arrangement to kill each other’s sons and daughters for the sake of obedience.

I ask: who benefits from such horrors? Obviously not humanity. Only the church or synagogue or mosque officials in search for more glory on the one hand; and, on the other hand, the homicidal maniacs as heads of government in search for more power. But let’s not exclude the corrupt businessmen in search for more freedom to make more profit. Whatever the case may be, what prevails is not love of humanity, but only more hate and violence and war to please divinity.

Now let’s take a good look at the fighting armies on both side fervently praying to God for victory. The army that is victorious thanks God for the victory. The army that is defeated, however, continues to pray to God for vengeance. Thus, as soon as war is over, we lay the foundation of another. Indeed, there has yet to be a war to end all wars - the war against poverty – especially poverty of the worst kind: - poverty of the human mind and the poverty of the human heart.

Here is Bertrand Russell and I urge you readers to deeply reflect on what this great man simply wrote: “Many a man will have the courage to die gallantly in battle, but will not have the courage to say, or even to think, that the cause for which he is asked to die is an unworthy one.” Meanwhile . . . “Few men seem to realize how many of the evils from which we suffer are wholly unnecessary, and that they could be abolished by a united effort within a few years. If the majority of every civilized country so desired, we could, within twenty years, abolish all abject poverty, quite half the illness in the world, the whole economic slavery which binds down nine tenths of our population; we could fill the world with beauty and joy, and secure the reign of universal peace. It is only because men are apathetic that this is not achieved, only because imagination is sluggish, and what always has been is regarded as what always must be. With good-will, generosity, intelligence, these things could be brought about.” Poch Suzara, Chairman, Bertrand Russell Society, Philippines

Sunday, December 19, 2004

Jesus was an Ignorant Fellow

Jesus said: “Love not this world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the father is not with him.” John 2:15. Poor Jesus. He was such an ignorant fellow. He obviously knew nothing of his own father’s creation. Jesus never knew that this world is but a speck of dust in the galaxies. Our Milky Way galaxy is comprised of some 400,000.000,000 stars and planets and according to the science of astronomy – there are more than 100 billion of other galaxies out there. Astronomer Carl Sagan put it quite informatively. In his book COSMOS, he writes: “A handful of sand contains about 10,000 grains, more than the number of stars we can see with the naked eye on a clear night. But the number of stars we can SEE is only the tiniest fraction of the number of stars that ARE. What we see at night is the merest smattering of the nearest stars. Meanwhile, the Cosmos is rich beyond measure: the total number of stars in the universe is greater than all the grains of sand on all the beaches of the planet earth.” Poor Jesus, What a silly waste to preach to parasites living on this insignificant grain of sand somewhere in just one galaxy alone - to love not this grain of sand neither the things that are on this silly grain of sand. Poch Suzara

The Burning Bush In the Catholic Bible

Moses asked the Burning Bush about its identity. In the Catholic bible, the bush replies: I AM WHO AM. Ex.3:4. This is the same Burning Bush whose first commandment says: "I am the Lord thy God. Thou shalt not have other Gods before me." Poch Suzara

Silly Immortality

As an atheist I do not believe in immortality consisting of a “hereafter” because there is no evidence of a “herebefore.” Immortality must connect hereafter and herebefore together or else there is no such thing as immortality. Poch Suzara

Everybody is an Agnostic

The Catholics are agnostic to the Protestant creed. The Protestants are agnostic to the Catholic creed. Christianity is agnostic to Islam as the Muslims are agnostic to the Jewish creed. In the meantime, the enemy of religion the power of reason under the power of knowledge. For my part, I am not an agnostic but an atheist: I have no respect for any of great religions of the world as all, each and every one of them, have been based on sacred traditional lies. Poch Suzara

The Fear of the Lord

The fear of the Lord is not the life of wisdom; on the contrary, it is the death of wisdom. Wisdom comes from doubt as it produced the modern world of science and technology. The ancient world was the child of fear, faith, and primitive beliefs and values. Science is the Savior of mankind; and if mankind is still in trouble, what is needed is not less, but more science. Poch Suzara

Freedom FROM Religion

To enjoy to the fullest the freedom of religion one must first and foremost enjoy the freedom from religion. Poch Suzara

Creationism

Creationism is not science. It is a religion because of its direct dependence on things supernatural, not naturaL. Science, when it has no explanation for anything at the moment, is quite honest enough to admit its limitation. Poch Suzara

The Most Meaningful

The most meaningful of all conflicts is between the scientists and the theologians because it is a serious dispute over the proper method are arriving at the truth by reasoning and observation. The theologians claim that factual knowledge can be attained by what is revealed in the bible. They use the bible to arrive at a vast array of claims which are unverifiable by the scientists. Science is simply the search for purely naturalistic description and explainable of everything in the natural world. Science claims to know nothing of the supernatural world as it cannot be verified or even falsified. Poch Suzara

Paul Contradicts Jesus

“And Jesus said, Verily, I say unto you, except ye be converted and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the Kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18:3 - 4. Now Paul says exactly the opposite: “When I was a child, I spake like a child, I understood like a child, I thought like a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.” 1 Cor. 13:11 Poch Suzara

Atheist Turning Back to God

There is no such thing as an atheist turning back to God. Which God? Of which religion? Indeed, we atheists respect ourselves always thinking while we are standing up to something. We have no sympathy for those always kneeling down while praying to nothing.
Poch Suzara

Be Like God

The bible tells us to be like God, then on page after page it describes God as Aristotle once put it: “A cold blooded perfection lost in self-admiration.” Isn’t it hard enough for man that God already made man in His own image and likeness?

Guilt Not Love

Christianity thrives not on love but on guilt. For all of its alleged concern for the “poor in spirit,” Christianity does its best to perpetuate spiritual poverty, social misery, and intellectual vacuity. Thus, “Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Poch Suzara

It is a Miracle

It is indeed a miracle that in every war, soldiers on both sides pray fervently for victory, but only one side wins. Yet those victorious believe their prayers have been answered, and those defeated do not cease to pray to kill the enemy in the future. God must be so proud of Himself. Poch Suzara

The Death of Christ

There are six descriptions of the death and burial of Jesus Christ and the discovery of his empty tomb and all six do not harmonize with either consistency or uniformity. See the 4 gospel writers; plus the speech of Paul in Acts 13:26-34; and Acts 5:30 where Jesus was not crucified on a cross, but hanged on a tree. Poch Suzara

The Price of Superstition

If you think education is expensive, consider not only the price of ignorance but more so the price of superstition always in friendly terms with ignorance. Poch Suzara

Bible Absurdities

“Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive.” Ex. 1:22 "But if she bear a maid child, then she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her separation: and she shall continue in the blood of her purifying threescore and six days." (Leviticus 12:5) “And now Moses said unto them, Have ye saved all the women alive? . . . Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that hath known man by lying with him. But the women chlldren, that have not known a man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves. Lev. 31: 15, 18,19. “Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father. . . And they made their drink wine that night also; and the daughter arose, and lay with him; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose. . . Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father.” Genesis 19: 32-36. “For this Melchisedec, King of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; . . . Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.” Heb. 7:1-3. Where in hell is Melchisedec? How come nobody has seen this fellow anywhere in the world? Obviously, he is still alive. Why Is he like God out there always hiding away from the problems and troubles of our world down here? “. . . Hath he not sent me to the men which sit on the wall, that they may eat their own dung, and drink their own piss with you?” ll Kings 18:27 Another author was equally inspired by God to write down exactly the same silly sacred words: “. . . Hath he not sent me to the mean which sit on the wall that they may eat their own dung, and drink their own piss with you?” Isaiah 36:12 Poch Suzara Twitter# Facebook# Google#

Jesus Was Not a Writer

Jesus never wrote a book or even an article or an essay or even a letter. He wrote, however, on the ground with his finger. See John 8:6. Imagine the Son of the Creator of the universe. He had neither paper nor pencil in the community where He lived. And this is the Savior of the world who could raise the dead back to life, but he could not write down the medical information to help raise the standard of the medical profession of his time and place. Poch Suzara

Free Will

If God gifted man with a free will it means that we have the free choice to choose which religion to embrace or to have faith in. In the meantime, in this world, hate and violence and war are rooted precisely due to, if not because of, none of us have the free will to choose which religion to accept to which to reject, or, for that matter to reject all of the great religions of the world. Poch Suzara

Logic

It seems clear enough that the logic of the theists is based upon the logic of Aristotle made obsolete with the power of Christian ethics. The logic of the atheists, however, is derived from the logic of Bertrand Russell made modern with
the power of mathematics. Poch Suzara

Designer of Nature

There are beauties and ugliness in nature. To believe that there exists a designer means that there is also a manufacturer of nature. Obviously, if there were a manufacturer, it is certainly bereft of taste or quality control. It just continues doing its job manufacturing recklessly, if not meaninglessly, not to mention aimlessly. I ask: where is nature heading? Neither its designer nor its manufacturer, if were there any, knows. Poch Suzara

At The Heart of Everything

At the heart of everything is not an answer, but a simple question leading to even more complex questions. That is how I try to look at everything. No, I am not a scientist or a philosopher or even a mathematician. I just enjoy playing, rightly or wrongly, with my mind – free as it is. Poch Suzara

Poor and Notorious

I have met Filipino women who dropped out of high school in order to support their parents, brothers and sisters. A few have even ended up to be rich and famous. For my part, I dropped out of high school because I wanted to learn and to embark on a lifetime adventure in learning. No, I did not become rich and famous. However, in the world of mediocrity supported by gullibility, I certainly got to be poor and notorious; specially,
as I got to be more studious. Poch Suzara

The idiot Box

Whenever I turn on the TV set I feel like I am really the Sick Man of Asia. After I turned it off watching the morons in action and saying nothing to each other, I feel like I am one of the healthiest man in Asia. Poch Suzara

Saturday, December 18, 2004

American Evil

The love of money is the root of all evil. If evil were spreading worldwide, we can only blame the Americans. They love not only making money but also love investing in order to make more money. Indeed, since a century ago, America ceased to be a nation. It has developed to be one gigantic corporation. In fact, Americans, especially via the US government will create real enemies for themselves just for the sake of driving the gears of its economy by going to war against other nations as war is big business. There is money to be made in the business of killing people, if not each other. It used to be known a century ago as the evils of Fascism, then the evils of Nazism, then evils of communism, now it is known as the evils of terrorism. Hidden behind the historical scene, however - is the big business of the same and usual evil of American capitalism. Poch Suzara Twitter# Facebook# Google

Talking to God

We are told that U.S. President George W. Bush of the United States and the Pope of the Catholic Church talks directly to God everyday. We are not told, however, what exactly God says to either of these world famous crackpots. Indeed, when people talk to God, it is called prayer. When God talks to people, it is called "psycho-ceramics." Poch Suzara

Sin

Sin is what we must do first before we can take advantage of the sacrament of forgiveness. Meantime, as Christ died for our sins, let us make His martyrdom more meaningful by the welcome of temptations to commit more sins. Poch Suzara

The Poor Filipino

No doubt, the poor Filipino needs all the break it deserves from the Church and from the
government. But the poor Filipino must also be told to stop fecundating seriously. Do it for fun. Stop producing 1.8 million babies every year for the glory of God in this already very poor only Christian country in Asia. Poch Suzara

Hate and Violence and War

Hate and violence and war are rooted in religion, not in science because in science questioning knowledge is always encouraged and indeed, welcomed. In religion there is only unquestionable revelation as inspired by superstition. If, however, religion would really like to contribute to world peace and goodwill to all men, it must begin to reveal precisely the Revealed Truths. Poch Suzara

Worthless Wisdom

There is no such thing as a worthless wisdom. Anything that’s worthless, to begin with, cannot be wisdom. Unless of course things that are worthless can serve as a horrible example of what wisdom ought not to be. Poch Suzara

Poverty

The worst kind of poverty is the poverty of the mind. A mind is richer not in its simplicity, but in its multiplicity. The Cosmos did not evolved from thought. Thought evolved from the Cosmos. Poch Suzara

Philospher and Priest

The priest has always wallowed in superstition. And thanks to this horror, priests have even managed to drag nations, like the Philippines, down after them enjoying deadly illusion, if not destructive delusions. In the meantime, I love philosophers as I hate the priest. To make his point, a philospher has never killed any priest, whereas the priest, for the glory of God, has killed a great many philosophers. Poch Suzara

The Ultimate Question

The ultimate question, the one that lurks behind all other question is: “Why is there something rather than nothing? It is, indeed, a thrill to know that the main business of science is to deal with that something. It is, however, a threat to know that the main business of religion is to handle the nothing part of that something. Poch Suzara

Science

Science is the only discipline that has reduced the mysteries of religion into nothing but trivialities. In the meantime, if God’s wisdom were beyond human understanding, it follows that there is no one, not even scientists who can claim to know anything about God’s wisdom. Happily, scientists make no such silly claims. In fact, in the scientific community, there is so much lively disagreement as the latest change needed to refine the scientiic enterprise. Poch Suzara

Nothing Is Impossible

Nothing is impossible? Perhaps it is more accurate to admit that the impossible, as far as it goes, is as yet a nothing. Poch Suzara

As a Little Boy

As a little boy at home and in school I prayed often to God to please destroy the devil once and for all. In this way, I will stop praying to God to lead me no more into temptation so that I will commit no more sins. Sadly, God never answered my prayers. Can any one blame me for being a happy and a proud atheist today? Poch Suzara

Our powerful God

Thanks to the powerful prayer to our powerful God during these past centuries the results have been powerful too. We are today the most powerful loser as a people and the most powerful failure as a nation in this only Christian country in Asia today. Golly, in this 21st century, we continue to pray daily to God to give us this day our daily bread and to lead us not into temptation. Poch Suzara

A natiion of Prayers

I ask: how can we become a nation of readers if, on the whole, we lack the basic necessities of life - food, clothing, and especially shelter? Such is the situation in the Philippines. In this the only Christian country in Asia, however, we have no cause for alarm. After all, we would rather be a nation of prayers. Poch Suzara

Non-Reading Filipino

There are, indeed, millions of Filipinos who are holders of college degrees. It is easy to tell who they are. They all have something in common. They hate to read books. In fact, ask any Filipino employed in the government or is in business for himself in the private sector, they will proudly admit that praying daily to God is much more beneficial, more reliable than reading books. Poch Suzara

Having Your Own Mind

Among the wealthiest individuals I have met are those who are in possession of most priceless treasure on this earth: a mind of their own. In this country, prove to the authority of both State and Church that you are willing to be mindless for the rest of your life and you are awarded a college diploma. Poch Suzara