The War!

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Lance Corporal Jason Mark, a young Australian soldier was killed in Afghanistan today (28th April 08).

Then a Habiz made a comment on Herald Sun on the story:
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well big deal millions people get kill in Iraq and Afghan! there are human too but no one has sympathy for them

Posted by: Habiz of Broadii 10:03am today
Comment 16 of 84
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Within hours the forum was filled with the following comments. It reminds me that human being, whether white or black (or brown), muslim or christian has a long way to go... to reach the perfection and peace.

Here are those comments.... (u can also see my comment at Comment 57 of 84). Have a look at the last one->dreadful!

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well big deal millions people get kill in Iraq and Afghan! there are human too but no one has sympathy for them

Posted by: Habiz of Broadii 10:03am today
Comment 16 of 84
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Habiz, i hope one day you suffer the loss of a close family member, so some weak dog can say "big deal" behind the safety of their computer screen. Have some respect for the people who risk their lives in an attempt to make this world a better place.. Only days ago im sure you enjoyed a Public Holiday... And from the sound of it, thats all it meant to you. To nearly every Australian, ANZAC day was a day to remember and honour the returned and fallen soldiers of war. Yet here you are tarnishing the death of a commited Australian solier, a father of two and a husband You, Habiz are a discrace.

Posted by: Daniel of frankson 10:26am today
Comment 20 of 84
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Have a little respect for a soldier of one of the best forces in the world. Remember these guys are sent overseas. Obviously Habiz we would not have have seen you at ANZAC day. Who says there is no sympathy for people who get killed in Iraq/Afgan, they are also killing there own there, remember that.

Posted by: Simon of Melbourne 10:31am today
Comment 22 of 84
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Habiz of Broadii: Do you stand erect or do you still walk on all fours get real mate evolve like the rest of us humans you goose

Posted by: stephen clark of st kilda 10:57am today
Comment 28 of 84
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Sincere condolences to the family of the late L/C Marks,may he he rest in peace. Habiz your comments are disrespectful and very foolish. I admit to not being an expert on the Iraq/Afghanistan war situations, perhaps some one can inform me why people are in uproar over our troops being in Iraq yet are mostly silent on them being in Afghanistan, in fact i believe more of our troops have lost their lives in Afghanistan than Iraq. Why does Rudd play up the withdrawal of troops from Iraq yet continues to leave 1000+ in Afghanistan. What is the difference?

Posted by: grumpy of north of gepps cross 11:04am today
Comment 30 of 84

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Habiz and Lyn have both made valid points. They have made rational statements that aren't driven by immediate emotion. Whilst you may not agree with their angles or views they have a right to speak their minds. Greatest sympathies to the family of the deceased soldier, but any society that can say they have only had 5 citizens die in the Afghan conflict is a lucky one. For this we can thank those soldiers and a government who seeks to protect our interests. I also doubt Habiz's name is actually that- if I wanted to stir the pot here I'd use a foreign name too.

Posted by: Wayne of Port Melb 11:43am today
Comment 39 of 84

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I am an European migrant of 55 years living in this wonderful and bountiful country (I came here with my mum when I was little) and its when I read comments like yours Habiz I know that I can be racist. For it is the likes of you and others like you that are not welcomed in this country. You come here and reap off the benefits, but you have no respect for our culture or its people. Go get lost BACK TO WHERE YOUR FROM PATHETIC MORON and let the true Australians mourn our brave serviceman, my sincerest condolences to Lance Corporal Jason Marks family may He Rest in Peace

Posted by: annie of st albans 1:23pm today
Comment 49 of 84

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Habiz you moron.....go home....what? too scared....that's right being protected by Australia.....how ironic....can't believe we protect and waste our time with low life's like you......RIP & thank you Jason Marks, my condolences to his family.....

Posted by: Love it or leave it of Australia 1:32pm today
Comment 53 of 84
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With due respect to the fallen soldier, let me say, "Habiz of Broadii", you made a very valid point. We don't want too may hypocrites in this country. We also feel for those innocent lives in the war-torn countries.

Posted by: Jaison of Canberra 1:49pm today
Comment 57 of 84
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Does anyone apart from Habiz know where Habiz was born? Why are people assuming that he wasn't born here? Is it because his opinions are offensive? Nobody has suggested that Lyn of Melbourne was born elsewhere, even though her comments are just as (stupid and) offensive. In fact at least Habiz (kind of) has a point: we do need to remember that this war has killed many people, from both sides, as well as those that don't have a side. And Amanda of Melbourne, yes you are a racist. Is that something to be proud of?

Posted by: Brendan of Melbourne 3:53pm today
Comment 64 of 84
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PEOPLE, leave habiz alone....hes from the illiterate and ignorant suburb of broadii, what do you expect???

Posted by: Jeff 4:06pm today
Comment 65 of 84
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I was at a suburban Anzac Service yesterday and was one of over 150 people who listened to a speech conducted by a young Sergeant who has recently returned from Afghanistan. What he said was spine-chilling, then to hear of the death of Lance Corporal Marks todays makes the Sergeant even more chilling. Many of those in attendance, including myself, had tears in their eyes listening to this young man talk of what dangers our soldiers are in while trying to help nearby communities to the same freedom we accept as our right. Maybe Lyn and Habiz need to seek out such returned servicemen as this Sergeant and hear their story. I send my Deepest Condolences to Lance Corporal Mark's family and friends. May he rest in peace and LEST WE FORGET.

Posted by: Elayne of Melbourne 4:24pm today
Comment 72 of 84

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WAR....what is it good for.........Absolutley everything, freedom, alliance, the almighty green back and fighting for your beleifs, and the most imprtant yours and our future

Posted by: Dwayne of Melbourne 4:21pm today
Comment 70 of 84

The Olympic Torch Relay at Canberra

I just witnessed the Olympic Torch relay at Canberra. (I just made it, after having a quick Thursday meeting with my supervisor - Peter Strazdins).

All were anticipating a pro-Tibetan protest during the relay. But what happened was a wave of pro-china supporters. Virtually, Canberra was in Red. Every were red Chinese flags - waved by the "Chinese students". That's what they said - students! But it appeared that there was a very systematic effort behind it - most probably orchestrated by Chinese authorities. I am a student for 3+ years in Australia. All the time with the majority of Chinese students. I never witnessed such a kind of nationalistic feeling among the Chinese students. Most of them do not know about the international politics or even their internal affairs. If they have to come in large numbers like this (nearly 5 - 6 thousands), there should be some magic!

Australia was really intimidated by the "soft-power" of China. When I was with the crowd I could feel it very clearly. They was not in favor, but felt the pressure to defy it.

When Dalai Lama comes to Australia, they flock around him in thousands. But when it matters to their "dollars" (China is their largest trade-partner), they simply keep quite - unlike many other Western countries. Reasons are quite evident: they are really small and geographically very near to China. They are the first one to be tamed by the Chinese. That's been done.

Tail piece: Australia under Mandarin speaking Kevin Rudd is keeping a great distance from India - may be under the influence of China (or India's previous adherence to Howard ministry). He is not in the good book of US too. We could even expect a rift within the Asia-Pacefic solution between Aus, US and Japan. It may depend upon how India closes in to US.

Support Tibet, but India and China should be Bhai-Bhai!

Proud to be an Indian which is the home of Tibetan Exile Government and Dalai Lama. Tibetans should be grateful for what India is doing to them (nearly a million of them in India). I dont think, they want to push India into any kind of trouble with China.

Commonsense suggest that we dont want to make China unhappy either. As neighbours and the emerging world powers, India and China should come closer and work together for the betterment of both civilizations. It will be the perfect Eastern block against the West. But China should have the wisdom to understand that. So also India.

Tibetans should continue to receive the hospitality from India but their issue has to be sorted out with China by themselves or with the help of other world powers (after all we are doing the best in the world to Tibetans by giving them asylum. The Tibetan Government in exile runs from Indian soil. We practice what others even fear to preach. So, let others do the rest)

JESUS’ CONSCIOUSLY CREATED DREAMS

This was the kind of dreams that Jesus fostered in his life. He was consciously thinking about himself, his Father and the world around him. His conscious reflection enabled him to discover himself as the Son of God at the age of twelve. So he replied his parents,“ Why more you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” (Luke 2:49)

The Dreams Jesus Dreamt

"We are such stuff as our dreams are made of"
Shakespeare.

The dreams, which produce great results in human life, are not those unconscious acts, which come to us as a matter of chance. Rather, they are the decisions or choices we make in the depth of our existence. They are the conscious acts of thinking big about new paradigms and about the future, which in turn becomes the part of one’s own conscious and subconscious levels of mind.

It is the conscious act of creating in one’s mind of the experiences one desire in the future as if it were there and now. According to David Copperfield, “ dreams aren’t a matter of chance but a matter of choice. When I dream I am refreshing my future.”

These explanations suggest two fundamental aspects of the act of dreaming.
1. Dreams are conscious acts
2. Dreams create a mental picture of the future.

Re-Orienting CMI Mission Thrusts

These are the excerpts from the paper, I have submitted to the CMI General Synaxis 2008:
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Re-Orienting Our Mission Thrusts
Position Paper Submitted to the CMI General Synaxis 2008

1. Introduction
When we put the General Synaxis 2008 in the perspective of the needs of the universal Church and the emerging importance of India in the new world order, we shall perceive an urgent need to re-orient our mission thrusts. This paper discusses the emerging need to shift our mission policy and proposes relevant suggestions to equip our selves to take up those challenges.

2. Background
• Changing World Order: Emergence of India as one of the economic super powers along with China has dramatically changed the image of India and Indians in the world scenario in the last few years. The acquisition of British and European Steel companies by Tatas and Mittal, the acquisition of luxury car brands - Land Rover and Jaguar - by Tatas and the success of Indian IT companies around the globe have triggered this movement. It is been taken up by booming Indian market index – sensex and success of Indian corporate firms and Indian CEOs around the globe. The world now believes that India and Indians can do something and no more they are considered to be ‘under-developed’.

The ripples of this booming effect are seen in the Catholic Church too. The appointment of Cardinal Ivan Dias as the prefect of Congregation for Evangelisation - for the first time by an Asian - is to be seen as a sign of growing confidence in Indians by the Catholic Church hierarchy. Very recently, a Syro-Malabar priest from Ernakulam diocese – Fr Francis Kolenchery is appointed as the Dean of the Cathedral at the capital city of Australia – Canberra.

The world is ready to accept Indian leadership in almost every realm.

• Re-evangelisation Needs of the West: Though the church was originated in Asia, it was the conversion of the West, especially Europe that gave its tremendous growth. The European Church took the needs of universal church on its shoulders for most of the time in the history. But the heavy responsibly is taking it’s own toll at the moment. The human mistakes made during this process – the failures in the Middle Ages till the recent sex scandals of Catholic priests in the West – have alienated Western Church from the main stream of the society. So, now there is great need for the re-evangelisation of those (Western) cultures. The local churches in those cultures are not able to take up leadership in this area for many reasons viz, lack of vocations, the disintegration of the institution of family in those cultures, etc. Without the re-evangelisation of the West, the future of Catholic – universal- church seems very gloomy.

• Mission Challenges in India: The mission in North India is also facing new challenges. With the apparent Hindu extremist revival, chances of direct evangelisation has hit an all time low. What we can do is to concentrate on the indirect means of evangelisation to prepare the culture till we get a breakthrough. There is a need to calm down and to go slow (It does not mean that we are giving up or retreating. It’s only a strategic reflective period).

3. Re-orientation Strategy
Church is missionary. It cannot stop preaching. The present context of the world order and the mission context in India urge us to redirect our zeal and resources to more productive and urgent areas. The re-evangelisation of the West emerges as the most impending and viable challenge for the Indian church for the time being.

This is because of the following reasons: firstly, the seeds of faith are already in Western culture and the field is getting fertile enough to re-embrace the religious and Christian values. The overheated Western culture (in terms of economy and social life) because of it consumerist and individualistic value system is looking for a break and they find it in their roots – the Christian foundations. What is challenging is the incapacity of the Western Church to take leadership in this changing time, because of its lack of vocations and the cultural baggage.

Indian church, with its 16 million Catholics, vast pool of personal and material resources and the new found acceptance in the new world order is in a very good position to take up this challenge. The Indian Church – especially Syro-Malabar Church is still youthful and does not carry a cultural baggage of inquisitions or crusades so that we can talk to the confused Western youngsters in a convincing manner. As the major religious congregation in the Syro-Malabar church, it becomes the duty and opportunity of CMI congregation to take the lead in this leadership quest.

Secondly, the re-Christianisation of the West will have the most far-reaching positive impacts for the Catholic Church. Whether it is the evangelisation of Africa or the Asian countries, a re-Christianised West will be the key to its future. A dying Western Catholic church will be an irreparable loss.

4. Practical Steps

1. Take up more meaningful mission tasks in the Western world, like forming CMI communities, Retreat/Spirituality centres, youth initiatives, investments in Western catholic resources, etc.
2. Start/Takeover educational institutions, especially in English speaking Western countries, with our expertise in educational field in India and out-side India (Most of our fathers working in those countries help running the Catholics schools along with the Parishes).
3. Increase the percentage of priests who can go and serve in Western countries.
   

5. Conclusion
What we are aiming at is the true globalisation of our mission works by which we shall serve the universal Church better. This will also provide reasonable challenges for the coming young generations to motivate them to take up CMI vocation in a dramatically changing world.

Jaison Paul Mulerikkal CMI
Email: jaisonmpaul@gmail.com
29th February 2008

World Food Crisis?

Is there a world food crisis looming?

I got a gut feeling that it is... (sadly).

We can see the resonances everywhere.. Here in Australia - the rivers are disappearing, Govt buying back water-rights (given to big farmers), Food production coming down and the food prices skyrocketing.

The same is the case at my home state - Kerala (India). They have abandoned agriculture decades back (Thanks to Commies.. for their cruel unionism). They were depending on the rice from the neighboring states - esp, Tamilnadu and Andra. But due to climate change effects - their food productiton gone down and they reduced supply to Kerala. Result: food prices (esp, rice price) are skyrocketing.

These are only examples. We can hear stories from around the world - Africa, Latin America and Asia. The Western and European countries are only complaining about the escalating food prices. They don't have a crisis yet, coz, they can afford it!

I think, things are going to be worse in the coming years. A cumulative effect of climate change, continued emission of green house gases in the developed nations (along with the emerging developing world), the scarcity of fossil fuels (A recent TV debate argued that the petrol prices are set to triple or at least double within 3 years and I think is only a reasonable guess), the developing food crisis (and may be of fresh water, in the near future) may create a far more difficult world for us to live in.

It may not be as pleasant as WE lived to-date, I fear. Let my fears never be a reality. I pray that all my observations go wrong!