Me Answering Questions about Life

I read an interesting post on my favorite travel community, Matador Network. So, one of the writers, Ian MacKenzie made this post which deals with spiritual thingies. I guess I'm not a spiritual type. But I wish I was spiritual. And, Ian wrote some questions to be answered. I hope it can make me realize what life actually is.

The questions are in fact not that easy. I think they should be the questions for beauty pageant contests.

20 Questions For Every Spiritual Seeker

1. Why is there poverty and suffering in the world?
Poverty exists because of the European imperialism from 16th until 20th century. The imperialists fooled the people in the colonial lands. For centuries they took the resources and developed their own countries. Then, the colonies demanded an independence. And, the imperialists do not give a damn again at all on the land's economy, law, education, etc. Till today there are just few rich countries which were colonialized before. I can only mention the US, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. But what about the rests? They cannot survive from poverty.

2. What is the relationship between science and religion?
Religion contains science. For example according to Qur'an, God forbids the Muslims to drink alcohol because alcohol is not good for our health. I also heard in Bible there is written that men are not allowed to eat animals are dead due to illness but not being slaughtered. Well, animals which are dead due to illness might contain more bacterias in its flesh and blood. Religions also forbid homosexuality because gay sex has higher risk for STD like HIV/AIDS, etc.

3. Why are so many people depressed?
People are depressed because of having dreams. Everyone wants to achieve their dreams but it is not that easy. If you never have plans in your life and let your life flow, you won't be depressed.

4. What are we all so afraid of?
I think our biggest fear is basically being unhappy. Some are afraid being dead because they think they will go to hell and have an unhappy afterlife. Some are afraid of ghosts because after seeing ghosts you'll be haunted like forever. You won't forget its cold look. And, that makes no fun at all.

5. When is war justifiable?
If something makes you afraid. For example, terrorism makes me afraid frankly. I don't feel comfortable in Bali which is supposed to be really fun. And, I want people to declare war on terrorists. The Somalian pirates create fears to many cargo ships. So it is better to declare war on them.

6. How would God want us to respond to aggression and terrorism?
God would want us to educate children well so that there will be no more dumbie who wants to wear a vest full with bomb and explodes himself. Education is the key.

7. How does one obtain true peace?
By travelling. Travelling leaves you happiness no matter your destination really sucks. No matter your hotel doesn't provide good facilities, it still feels different and peaceful when you're not home.

8. What does it mean to live in the present moment?
It means that I have the chance to contribute to world's history. I need to be succesful and leave something important for the future generations before I die. And to achieve this goal, I study and work hard.

9. What is our greatest distraction?
Value on our society. We always try hard to be what society expects, eventhough we don't want to. People try to look good because everyone puts a high value on beauty. People hang out wearing T-shirt and jeans because people will stare at you weirdly if you just wear your boxer.

10. Is current religion serving its purpose?
Yes. I guess religion has the purpose to make its followers feel optimistic and confident. For example, I feel optimistic after putting a candle in front of a statue of Mother Mary. I always believe then my problems will be solved.

11. What happens to you after you die?
We will still live but we cannot communicate with those who are still alive. We have our own world and we're free from norms there. I can sleep in the palace of Versailles. I can enter Musee du Louvre without paying lots of money like alive tourists. So I guess it is not that bad.

12. Describe heaven and how to get there.
Heaven is a place that is very strange because you can feel all climates. You can easily be in a rainforest, in the middle of desert or on an iceberg. But they are very beautiful. The desert is not hot at all. The iceberg is not cold at all. There are mosquitos in the jungle but they can't bite you. They just sing and the voice is so beautiful. To get there you have to avoid the basic sin: Stealing. I get this from The Kite Runner. One of the character there believes there is only one sin and that is stealing. Other wrong actions are based on stealing. If you kill, you steal his life. If you cheat in a test, you steal answers.

13. What is the meaning of life?
We live to be happy. We live to have some memories after we die. We live so that we can still smile remembering days of our lives after we die.

14. Describe God.
God is man-made. Our forefathers made God. They made 'someone' to be scared of so that everyone cannot do all what they want. God exists.

15. What is the greatest quality humans possess?
Humans can adapt well and quickly. I moved from a tropical country to a four-seasoned country. And I don't have any problem at all. I can still stay alive. But imagine an adult komodo sent to Germany. It will die in 1 month.

16. What is it that prevents people from living to their full potential?
Same answer with #9. Values in our society.


17. Noverbally, by motion or gesture only, act out what you believe to be the current condition of the world.
Thumbs up! I am happy with the current condition of the world. People may say the world is now bad. Everywhere is war. But I guess the world today is still much better than before. The discrimination has reduced dramatically. Everyone from any religions and any ethnic groups have the same right now. It is not like 20 years ago, when there was still apartheid all over the world. Or it is not like the 1940s, when the Jews are massacred in Europe. Things like this exist today barely.

18. What is your one wish for the world?
No more wars. I wish the solution in the Middle East will be found soon. And then everyone can focus to save the environment.

19. What is wisdom and how do we gain it?
Wisdom is a knowledge to distinguish what is right and what is wrong. We can gain it from experiences. If we have a friend who raped a girl, then our friend gets to jail and suffers afterwards. Then, we can know raping is wrong.

20. Are we all one?
No. Everyone has their own personality, interest, hobby, etc. We are definitely not one. And we should never be one. We should always have difference between us so that we can be useful one another. If we were one, you would not find someone to ask when you're having a trouble. Your friends would not be able to help you because they are also the same. So, we are not one. We are different one another.