A Beautiful Argument about the existence of God.

Does God exist? This argument in a college classroom happened long ago, but is one of the best.  And an Indian we know and love won the argument...  

An atheist professor of philosophy speaks to his class on the problem science has with God, The Almighty. He asks one of his new students to stand and....

Prof:   So you believe in God?
Student:   Absolutely, sir. 
Prof:  Is God good?
Student:  Sure. 
Prof:  Is God all-powerful?
Student:  Yes... 
Prof:  My brother died of cancer even though he prayed to God to heal him.  Most of us would attempt to help others who are ill.  But God didn't.  How is this God good then?  Hmm?    
(Student is silent.) 
Prof:  You can't answer, can you? Let's start again, young fella.  Is God good?
Student:  Yes. 
Prof:  Is Satan good? 
Student:  No. 
Prof:  Where does Satan come from? 
Student:  From...God... 
Prof:  That's right. Tell me son, is there evil in this world? 
Student:  Yes. 
Prof:  Evil is everywhere, isn't it?  And God did make everything.  Correct?
Student:  Yes. 
Prof:  So who created evil? 
(Student does not answer.) 
Prof:  Is there sickness?  Immorality?  Hatred?  Ugliness?  All these terrible things exist in the world, don't they?
Student:  Yes, sir. 
Prof:  So, who created them? 
(Student has no answer.) 
Prof:  Science says you have five senses you use to identify and observe the world around you...  Tell me, son...  Have you ever seen God? 
Student:  No, sir. 
Prof:   Tell us if you have ever heard your God? 
Student:  No, sir. 
Prof:  Have you ever felt your God, tasted your God, smelt your God?  Have you ever had any sensory perception of God for that matter? 
Student:  No, sir.  I'm afraid I haven't. 
Prof:  Yet you still believe in Him? 
Student:  Yes. 
Prof:  According to empirical, testable, demonstrable protocol, science says your 
GOD DOESN'T EXIST...  What do you say to that, son? 
Student:  Nothing.  I ONLY HAVE MY FAITH.  
Prof:  Yes.  Faith.  And that is the problem science has.... 

Student:  Professor, is there such a thing as heat? 
Prof: Yes. 
Student:  And is there such a thing as cold? 
Prof:  Yes. 
Student:  No sir. There isn't. 
(The lecture theatre becomes very quiet with this turn of events.)

Student: Sir, you can have lots of heat, even more heat, superheat, mega heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat...  But we don't have anything called cold.  We can hit 458 degrees below zero which is no heat, but we can't go any further after that. There is no such thing as cold. Cold is only a word we use to describe the absence of heat.  We cannot measure cold.  Heat is energy.  Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir,  just the absence of it. 
(There is pin-drop silence in the lecture theatre.) 

Student:  What about darkness, Professor?  Is there such a thing as darkness? 
Prof:  Yes. What is night if there isn't darkness?
Student :  You're wrong again, sir.  Darkness is the absence of something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashing light....But if you have no light constantly, you have nothing and it's called darkness, isn't it?  In reality, darkness isn't.  If it were, you would be able to make darkness darker, wouldn't you? 
Prof:  So what is the point you are making, young man? 
Student:  Sir, my point is your philosophical premise is flawed. 
Prof:  Flawed?  Can you explain how?
Student:  Sir, you are working on the premise of duality.  You argue there is life and then there is death, a good God and a bad God.  You are viewing the concept of God as something finite, something we can measure.  Sir, science can't even explain a thought.  It uses electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one. To view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing.  Death is not the opposite of life, just the absence of it... 
Now tell me, Professor.  Do you teach your students that they evolved from a 
monkey? 
Prof:  If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, yes, of course, I do.
Student:  Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir? 
(The Professor shakes his head with a smile, beginning to realize where the 
argument is going.) 
Student:  Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and 
cannot even prove that this process is an ongoing endeavor, are you not teaching 
your opinion, sir?  Are you not a scientist but a preacher? 
(The class is in uproar.)

Student:  Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the Professor's brain? 
(The class breaks out into laughter.) 

Student:  Is there anyone here who has ever heard the Professor's brain, felt it, touched it or smelt it?  No one appears to have done so.  So, according to the established rules of empirical, stable, demonstrable protocol, science says that you have no brain, sir...  With all due respect, sir, how do we then trust your lectures, sir?
(The room is silent. The professor stares at the student, his face unfathomable.) 
Prof:I guess you'll have to take them on faith, son.
Student:  That is it, sir... THE LINK BETWEEN MAN AND GOD IS FAITH.  THAT IS ALL THAT KEEPS THINGS MOVING AND ALIVE.
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The student was our own  Dr. Abdul Kalam, former President.  

Change is the rule of Murder - a Detective story (Click to enlarge)

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Kalyana Kanavugal - a Tamil Short Story

The following story was written by me in Tamil, was published in  "The Nilgiri News" - a local monthly magazine in Nilgiris Tamilnadu on 13-1-1995.  I am happy to present the same for my blog readers.

Please click on the image to enlarge

Unknwon Use of Mobile phones

FIRST

 

Emergency

 

The Emergency Number worldwide for  Mobile is 112.

 If you find yourself out of the coverage area of

 your mobile; network and there is an emergency,

 dial 112 and the mobile will search any existing

 network to establish the emergency number for you,

 and interestingly this number 112 can be dialled

 even if the keypad is locked. Try it out.

 

SECOND

 

Have you locked your keys in the car?

 

Does your car have remote keyless entry?

 This may come in handy someday.

 Good reason to own a cell phone: If you lock your

 keys in the car and the spare keys are at home,

 call someone at home on their mobile phone

 from your cell phone.

 Hold your cell phone about a foot from

 your car door and have the person

 at your home press the unlock button,

 holding it near the mobile phone on their end.

 Your car will unlock.

 Saves someone from having to

 drive your keys to you.

 Distance is no object.

 You could be hundreds of miles away,

 and if you can reach someone who has

 the other 'remote' for your car, you can

 unlock the doors.

 

 

 

 

THIRD

 

Hidden  Battery   Power

 

Imagine your mobile battery is very low.

 To activate, press the keys *3370#

 Your mobile will restart with this reserve and the

 instrument will show a 50% increase in battery.

 This reserve will get charged when

 you charge your mobile next time.

 

FOURTH

 

 How to disable a STOLEN mobile phone?

 

To check your Mobile phone's serial number,

 key in the following digits on your phone: * # 0 6 #

 A 15 digit code will appear on the screen.

 This number is unique to your handset.

 Write it down and keep it somewhere safe.

 When your phone get stolen, you can phone

 your service provider and give them this code.

 They will then be able to block your handset

 so even if the thief changes the SIM card,

 your phone will be totally useless.

 You probably won't get your phone back,

 but at least you know that whoever stole it

 can't use/sell it either.

 If everybody does this, there would be

 no point in people stealing mobile phones.

 

ATM - PIN Number Reversal

Good to Know

 

If you should ever be forced by a robber to

 withdraw money from an ATM machine, you can

 notify the police by entering your PIN # in reverse.

 For example, if your pin number is 1234,

 then you would put in 4321.

 The ATM system recognizes that your PIN number is

 backwards from the ATM card you placed in the machine.

 The machine will still give you the money you requested,

 but unknown to the robber, the police will be

 immediately dispatched to the location.

 This information was recently broadcast on CTV by Crime Stoppers

 however it is seldom used because people just don't know about it.

Enrich your life

An Angel says, 'Never borrow from the future. If you worry about what may happen tomorrow and it doesn't happen, you have worried in vain. Even if it does happen, you have to worry twice.'

1. Pray
2. Go to bed on time.
3. Get up on time so you can start the day unrushed.
4. Say No to projects that won't fit into your time schedule, or that will compromise your mental health. 
5. Delegate tasks to capable others.
6. Simplify and un-clutter your life.
7. Less is more. (Although one is often not enough, two are often too many.)

8. Allow extra time to do things and to get to places.

9. Pace yourself. Spread out big changes and difficult projects over time; don't lump the hard things all together.
10. Take one day at a time.
11. Separate worries from concerns. If a situation is a concern, find out what God would have you do and let go of the anxiety. If you can't do anything about a situation, forget it.
12 Live within your budget; don't use credit cards for ordinary purchases.
13.. Have backups; an extra car key in your wallet, an extra house key buried in the garden, extra stamps, etc.
14. K.M.S (Keep Mouth Shut). This single piece of advice can prevent an enormous amount of trouble.
15. Do something for the Kid in You everyday.
16. Carry a spiritually enlightening book with you to read while waiting in line.
17. Get enough rest.
18. Eat right.
19. Get organized so everything has its place.
20. Listen to a tape while driving that can help improve your quality of life..
21. Write down thoughts and inspirations.
22. Every day, find time to be alone.
23. Having problems? Talk to God on the spot. Try to nip small problems in the bud. Don't wait until it's time to go to bed to try and pray.
24. Make friends with Godly people.
25. Keep a folder of favorite scriptures on hand.
26. Remember that the shortest bridge between despair and hope is often a good 'Thank you Jesus.'
27. Laugh.
28. Laugh some more!
29. Take your work seriously, but not yourself at all.
30. Develop a forgiving attitude (most people are doing the best they can.)
31. Be kind to unkind people (they probably need it the most).
32. Sit on your ego.
33. Talk less; listen more.
34. Slow down.
35. Remind yourself that you are not the general manager of the universe.
36. Every night before bed, think of one thing you're grateful for that you've never been grateful for before.

GOD HAS A WAY OF TURNING THINGS AROUND FOR YOU.

'If God is for us, who can be against us?'

(Romans  8:31)

Bloody Triangle - A short suspense thriller

Dear Friends, I have written many stories in Tamil.  But for the first time I have written a Short Story "Bloody Triangle" - a suspense thriller for E-Magazine "Mind Tree" - March 2011 edition.  Editor of this Magazine is Shri Vijayan Balakrishnan.  You can have a copy of Mind Tree by writing to email ID : vijayanbee@gmail.com which is free and you will love it.

Now over to

Bloody triangle

I could not believe my own eyes when I saw him after many years. He looked weary and had a beard which may be few months old. His eyes looked pale and his face resembled a dead man’s……… expressionless.

Observing him closely, I sat in my chair still wondering what made him look like this.

He looked at me as if he has never seen me in the past.

I started the conversation  “How are you ?!!!”

Without answering my question, he handed me an envelope. His face was still expressionless.

I took the envelope and opened it to find “a two page letter”…. no…  “a complaint”  or …. “a self confession ?!!!”.

Even after more than ten years of service in Police department, my hands were trembling while reading the letter.  A chill went through my spine.

I could scarcely believe that he has cold bloodedly murdered his Wife.

 *****

Dolly was in a jubilant mood. She was waiting for Johny, her husband.  It was her birthday and he had promised her  a big surprise. 

She looked through the window.  It was raining heavily outside.  She cursed the rain. Though she knew her birthday falls in August, and hence, generally there will be rain during the whole month. 

She could not guess what surprise he was going to unveil. She had known her husband very well - a very hard man to predict.  He always does what others will not even think and imagine.  Different.  Always different.  Hence, she dropped the idea of guessing what he was going to do.

Suddenly a thunder exploded in the sky.  She felt a shiver.  She, then, decided to call him and ask him where he was.  She went near the telephone.  The moment she touched the phone, it started ringing. She jerked again and took back her hand from the telephone and looked at it again doubtfully.  She thought it must be her husband.

She took the telephone

“Hullo”

………………………..

She could not believe what was told to her.

“Are you sure ?”

……………………..

Her voice trembled, she felt dropping down.  She held the receiver tightly. At last she screamed,

“Noooooooooooooooooooooo…..”

Her scream surpassed even the loud thunder exploded in the sky again.

*****

It was the first day of the New year.

“Will you marry me ? ” he  asked her looking into her eyes.

She definitely did not expect that. Her expression told it all.

“I…. I…., ”  she was searching for words.  

He said,  “Don’t bother.  Take your own time.  I will wait”

She heaved a sigh of  relief .

“That’s fine,”  she said.

They talked for about ten minutes.  If you possibly ask them what they were taking those ten minutes, well, they really might not know.

*****

She took her dairy and started scribbling.

“The 30 days we spent together were awesome”  It is bit a long honeymoon she thought. 

She prayed looking towards the sky as if the happiness she experienced in those thirty days should never end. 

She turned the first page of her honey moon episode.  She read it again…. and again….  Her face became red.  She thought… “It is too elaborate”.

*****

He did not understand what to do.  It was a horrible shock of his life.  He did not expect this to happen in his life. He could not tolerate what was seen by him. 

“No…. I will not accept this….. I won’t tolerate this.  I will take revenge…. Definitely I will take  revenge….” he said to himself.

“What to do….. what to do…..” he was scratching his head.  “Some thing needs to be done…..”

A horribly terrible idea came into his mind. He thought,  “That would be befitting”.

He smiled cruelly.

*****

It was difficult for him to hide his delight.  He had known that she loved him.  He was expecting positive news from her.

“Thank you very much….” he said.

“No. I should thank you,” she said. “I too was  in love with you, but I was hesitant to tell you”

“Whatever….,”  he said… “Let us celebrate this day”.

*****

He was very glad to receive the Invitation Card from him.  He said  “at last you are marrying buddy”.

He said “Yes”

He said “she must be the luckiest girl in the world… because marrying a man like you with clean habits..”

“Thanks, ” he said shook his hands and went out of his cabin.

When he opened and looked into the Invitation Card he felt a shock of his life.

*****

When he entered the surroundings of the house it was mid night. The liquor he had an hour before gave him an unusual sense of strength.  He carefully went behind the house and observed everything. 

“Cool” he thought.  He heard a faint barking sound of a dog in the distance.  

He climbed the window  and reached the terrace with the precision of a thief.  He had a small bag behind his back.

It took only few minutes to unlock the door.  Without making even a small sound he entered in to the room.

He fished something out of that bag again which …. he thought should be sufficient…. more than sufficient…..

He looked at the bed where she was sleeping peacefully.

He slowly went near her.

He heard the faint barking sound of a dog again.  But she did not wake up

*****

She thought about the past two years.  She thought that the first year was good which she enjoyed every moment of it.  She even thought she will not be able to live without him.  Soon after she noticed few changes in him  which made her to think a lot.  She could not believe whether he can be like that ?  He made lot of money.  He lied a lot.  When she asked about it, he simply ignored her.

“Is he a good or a bad person ?”  she thought. She could not come to a conclusion.  She thought, it is difficult to predict him.  Sometimes he is so good. Some times he behaves just opposite.  At times she thought he is the cruelest man she has ever met.  The incidents which she heard about him made her think so.

She thought…. “It is his profession…..but…. not…..this much cruelty”.

After much thinking she came to that conclusion… which …..she at that time did not know will cost her life.

*****

When she got up in the morning she felt the shock of her life.  She felt still there was some heaviness in her head.  Her body pained like hell. She could not understand what happened to her.  She tried hard to remember what happened last night.  All she could gather was his smell all over her.  She experienced this smell for at least two years in her life. 

At last she thought… “He is the cruelest man she ever met”.

She started crying….and she hated him….she thought she would never meet him in her life again.

*****

“Please do not read my Diary”  This was the phrase written in the first page of her dairy which made him  read the whole dairy.

No sooner he finished reading than he became violent. 

He could not believe that his wife could do this to him.  “She should have told me”.  he thought. 

He could not hide his anger.  “She loved his friend and made romance with him for two years and cheated him and married me”  he was restless.

*****

When she returned home she was shocked to see him reading her dairy.  She felt a shiver.  She wondered as to how he had got it ?...

Looking at his anger, she knew this would be the time to disclose everything to him.

She went near him but did not notice the heavy iron rod he had in his hand.

*****

Visibly shocked, I looked at his face which was expressionless. 

I told him “No buddy.  That wasn’t my fault.  Whatever you have written in the letter is not true.  Your wife misguided you or you have mistaken”

He gave me an old Diary.

I took the dairy.  I tried my level best to hide my shivering.. but failed.  I opened the dairy…. looked into it.  I could recognize her beautiful handwriting. Her face came before me.  After going through few sentences.. I could understand… she has written everything…. even a small thing….. crap….what a bad habit…”

For the first time, he opened his mouth,

“Johny… you should not have done this to my wife.  She loved you very much but you cheated her.  She took the right decision of not marrying you.  You are the cruelest man.  You had many encounters in your life, you killed many….you did not bother to find out weather they are good or bad. You did all for money…. Even last week there was a Lockup death in your station.  This may be a part of your profession.  But you should not have done this to her….my wife….”

“No… listen…. listen…she only cheated me.  I too loved her but she refused marry me after two years”

“Sorry…. You have to pay for this…you are a liability for this earth.  If I leave you now…you will repeat the same things you were doing…..”

  

Having said this he got up slowly took out a sharp knife, before I could act or  my Police Constable who was watching us curiously could act …. he inserted the knife into my heart. That dagger knew exactly where my heart was.  I felt…..the pain…..anger…..anguish…..felt losing consciousness….my wife came to my mind….. today….her birthday….I promised …..her…. something…..different…..  but….

I…. I…… looked at him…….for the last time…… his face was still expressionless.

The end.

Yours truly Sebastian with Dr.Awasarammal renowned Preacher, Pune

Bananaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!

After Reading THIS, you'll NEVER look at a banana in the same way again! 

Bananas Containing three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber, a banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy. Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes. But energy isn't the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet. 

Depression: 
According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.

PMS: 
Forget the pills -- eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.

Anemia: 
High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.

Blood Pressure: 
This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it the perfect way to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

Brain Power: 
200 students at a Twickenham school were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.

Constipation: 
High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.

Hangovers: 
One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.

Heartburn: 
Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.

Morning Sickness: 
Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.

Mosquito bites: 
Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.


Nerves: 
Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.


Overweight and at work? 
Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and chips. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady.


Ulcers: 
The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.

Temperature control: 
Many other cultures see bananas as a "cooling" fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand , for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.


Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): 
Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer tryptophan.

Smoking: 
Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

Stress: 
Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body's water balance. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels. These can be rebalanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack.

Strokes: 
According to research in "The New England Journal of Medicine," eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%!

So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrates, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around. So maybe its time to change that well-known phrase so that we say, "A banana a day keeps the doctor away!" 

ENTHIRAN : BOX OFFICE COLLECTION (Courtesy: Wikipedia)

THE FINAL BOX OFFICE COLLECTION OF ENTHIRAN IS GIVEN BELOW:

Enthiran grossed 62 crore from all versions in the first weekend,^[78][79] and 117 crore in the first week, thus becoming the first Indian film to cross this mark in a week.^[80][80] The film netted 60 crore in Tamil Nadu, 30 crore in Andhra Pradesh, 8 crore in Kerala^[81] and 4 crore inKarnataka.^[80] In Chennai alone, Enthiran grossed a record 6.3 crore in ten days.^[82][83] During the first week, the film's Tamil and Telugu versions fared exceptionally well, while the business of the Hindi version (Robot) remained ordinary,^[84] and did not make much impact as Enthiran with around 11.3 crore nett business in the first week^[85] and 5.9 crore in the second week.^[86] The film did a bit better at select single screens in Maharashtra but overall poor, especially in the regions of Delhi and Punjab.^[87][88] In the first week, Robot netted 2.4 crore in Mumbai and Thanefrom 107 screens, 96 lakh in Delhi from 27 screens, and 56 lakh in Ahmedabad from 28 screens. In the second weekend, Robot netted 3.2 crore.^[89] The Telugu version Robo grossed 3.7 crore as share in Nizam in three days^[90][91][92]

In Malaysia, Enthiran grossed $1 million in the first weekend from 80 screens^[93][94] and $2.9 million in two weeks.^[95] In the United Arab Emirates, Enthiran grossed $301,000 in the first weekend while Robot grossed $86,000.^[96] In the United Kingdom, Enthiran was released by Ayngaran International while Robot was released by B4U Network.^[97] In the first weekend, Endhiran opened at 11th position in the UK collecting £295,148 from 30 screens whileRobot opened at 21st position collecting £62,134 from 41 screens.^[98] Enthiran had accumulated $785,837 by the second weekend from 34 screens in the UK.^[99] Enthiran opened at 12th position in the US in its opening weekend collecting $1,520,108 from 64 screens, while Robodebuted at 17th position in its opening weekend collecting $481,680 from 36 screens and Robot at 34th position in its opening weekend collecting $164,390 from 39 screens.^{[100][101][102]} In Sri Lanka, the film lost its sheen at the box office as the audience found it "outlandish".^[103][104] According to Eros International, Enthiran had grossed 61 crore overseas—including 20 crore in the United States, 8 crore across Europe, 7 crore in the Middle East, and 21 crore in South East Asia.^[105] The film is likely to be amongst the top five grossing Indian films in overseas markets.^[106] In Singapore, the film grossed S$2.5 million from 22 screens.^[107] In february first week Sun Pictures said that the budget of the movie was Rs.132 Crore but its worldwide gross amount was Rs.375 Crore and it has beaten 3 Idiots record of Rs.339.48 Crore. Endhiran is now the bigest hit in Indian cinema.