Holy Mary, Mother of God, Pray for Us Sinners.

-----"Do you worship Mary, like the Catholics?" 

+++They don't worship Mary, they honour Mary.  

-----"Well, Whats the difference?"

+++Well let me explain, you see when Christ accepted the call from his father to become a Man, He accepted the responsibility to obey the Law, the moral Law which is summarized in the ten commandments. And There is a commandment which reads honor your father and mother, and see the original hebrew that word honour means "caf-bet-dalet "and in english translates to "to glorify, to bestow whatever glory you have upon your father and mother." Christ fulfill that law MORE PERFECTLY THAN ANY HUMAN BEING  by bestowing his glory upon his heavenly father and by taking his own divine Glory and honouring his mother with it. All WE, catholics, do in the Rosary, is to imitate Christ, who honours his mother with his own Glory, we honour her with Christ's Glory.

-----Where does it say that in the Bible? 

+++Well which part are you having trouble believing? the fact that Christ honoured his mother and Father , or the fact that He perfectly obeyed the 10 commandments and never sinned . 

-----If it's not in the Bible then I dont believe it!!!

+++(Spoken like a true follower of Sola Scriptura-God Bless M. Luther's Soul). Well show me in the bible where THE BIBLE TEACHES YOU TO ONLY BELIEVE WHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES. As a matter of fact 2 Thessalonians 2:15 BEGS TO DIFFER. 

You see by praying the Rosary, I become truly a Child of God. Not Only God becomes my Father and  Christ, my brother, I get His mother to be mine too!  Truly taking part in the covenant established by Jesus Christ,  based on a COMPLETE familial relationship with our Lord. This is the "WHOLE" truth.

This was inspired from a talk i recently heard by Scott Hahn, one of the most prominet anti-catholic ministers who converted to catholicism. 

He Quoted Fulton Sheen, when he opened by saying: 

"There are about 100 people who really hate the Catholic Church, but there are Millions who hate the misconceptions about the Catholic Church."

Seek the TRUTH. 

"ROBOT"

Chukwudi is a senior student in mechanical Engineering and for his senior design project proposed to build from scratch a robotic prototype able to walk and say few programmed words (yes, thank you, Good Bye). Day and night, Chuks, as his friends nicknamed him, worked hard at it, in order to fulfill this goal not only because it was a graduation requirement, but it was dear to his heart. 

Evidently his dedication paid off and his robot received the first prize of the 209 Competition. Chuks was very ecstatic, so happy that he named his robot Obinna, took it everywhere he went, protected it with all his heart. As Chucks was displaying couple tricks the robot could do: "Come here Obinna" said chucks and just as it was programmed to do, it would step by step get closer to the voice he heard. "Are you happy?" asked chucks, and the robot, jiggling his head, bobbled "yes". That day he received standing ovation by the spectators.  

The senior design projects were to be displayed at the school of Engineering banquet at the end of the year in front of the largest crowd and Chuks' work was the prime event. On that day, for whatever the reason something very strange happenned. The robot wasn't.......ummmmmm........ HOLD UP.!!!  

See, you have to realize that if the Robot did not do what he was programmed to do, there is a serious cause for concern for Chucks.  

NOW, understandably Chuks has a maker as well. Chuks' maker however is "waaaaaay beyond skillful", Now you can imagine for yourself, if He can make chuks talk, walk, run, sing, think, read, understand and even give him the ability to make robots. Chuks' maker's skills are wayyyyyy beyond imaginable. He is so powerful that he made billions and i mean billions of "robots" just like ChuckS with all different programs, but one manual!!! Talk about computer scientist at its bestest!!!. .... HOLD UP !!!!!  

See, here again you have to realize that as Chucks doesnt do what he is programmed to do, THEN THERE IS ALSO A SERIOUS CASE FOR CONCERN.  

In both situations, the created, by obeying, and following what he was "programmed to do" makes the creator happy, i.e. In "functionning", it gives the glory to its creator. Just as Chucks will be deprived of his own glory should the robot fail to behave as programmed, we also do deprive, our creator and our Lord from HIS glory, should we decide to " not function." Amongst all, it includes denying him, but also swearing, stealing, lying and so forth.

PEOPLE OF GOD, WAKE UP. Pick up your manual, and read what you are programmed to do!!! 

Faith is belief without seeing, NOT Belief without understanding. The secular nature of this world has succesfully convinced Man that following blindly, is following unintelligently!!! But its not! Sadly, it has been so successful at it, that now even "believers" fail to understand their faith, believers fail to understand what they are programmed to do. Pick up your manual, repent, and seek to understand your faith!

P.S- That manual is the Bible

AD MAIOREM DEI GLORIAM

Ad Maiorem Dei Gloriam

In coming up with the title of this blog, i refered to one of my spiritual advisors, Father Gerry and his affiliation to the Jesuits. As you may already know, Ad Maiorem Dei Gloriam is the "anthem" of the Jesuits society and in its completeness "Inque Hominum Salutem" I chose as the title and all it simply means: "For The Greater Glory of God - And the salvation of Humanity."

"Why are we to glorify God? Why does our Lauding result in human Salvation. Why?
It's paramount to understand the word Glory and so :

glory
Noun
pl -ries
1. fame, praise, or honour: tales of glory
2. splendour: the glory of the tropical day
3. something worthy of praise: the Lady Chapel is the great glory of Lichfield
4. adoration or worship: the greater glory of God
Verb
[-ries, -rying, -ried]
glory in to take great pleasure in: the workers were glorying in their new-found freedom [Latin gloria]

Collins Essential English Dictionary 2nd Edition 2006 © HarperCollins Publishers 2004, 2006

See, Everthing that God created he created it at his own glory, in his own splendour. No wonder the bible tells us "and He saw that it was good." Gn 1:4;10;12.. Along the same the train of thoughts, everytime the sun is bright and resplendissant, it's to God's Glory, everytime the Stars shine and glow, it is to God's glory. He specifically took pleasure in creating them. Now we know that a creator, is not only creative but rejoyces triumphantly in its piece.

With that in mind, The Bible tells us.
Genesis 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
Does image mean we physically resemble God? OR THAT GOD GAVE US THE ABILITY TO BE CREATIVE LIKE HIM?

Now here comes the two pronged dichotomy, or as i would rather call it "our two-front journey"

(i) Man doesn't just have the ability to create ( as Man was created in God's image)
(ii) But he also, in the same token that he is a creation of God, ought to give HIM (God ) the Glory, in other words, God has to be able to rejoyce in HIS WORK, HIS CREATION THAT IS MAN.

I explain:

Pablo Picasso STARES at his beautiful piece of GUERNICA with such great satisfaction, GUERNICA's splendor fulfills his inner artistic/creative being.

Johann Sebatian Bach listens to his Brandenburg Concerto and inwardly smiles saying "It is good" My work has done me proud!!!!

Thomas Edison paginates his patenting book, hold it to his heart, and feels the warmth: it is Good because his work has done him good.

Maupassant rereads his book and momentarily closes his eye lids saying: my work has done me good.

All these prominent creators/artists can claim all the glory because it is almost unlikely for your work to turn against you in its primary sense.

BUT THAT IS ONLYYYYYYYYYY HALF OF THE PICTURE, people, BECAUSE BY THEY THEMSELVES BEING "A" CREATION , gives their creator the same glory through their work. The problem comes when they reject the second aspect of that two-fronted journey in that they refuse to give authorship of "THEM" to God. Hence the greatest sin of being too prideful.

Now here is a very rhethorical question?
How would Picasso, Bach, Edison, and Maupassant feel, had their work denied them.....in other words.... "somone else" has claimed authorship of their work?


Ever heard of our God being a jealous God? Now wonder why?

(Buy one Glory... get one free) If we do it, why do we inhibit our creator to do it, He created us in his likeness, didnt he?

Science and Faith: "Contact"

Why? ...Such is that notorious question that is incessantly bothers great minds ( and also that of toddlers), in their attempt to decipher "a" puzzle, whatever its nature, which came to be baptized as SCIENCE! 
And just like The movie "Contact" illustrated, an attempt to describe faith, the belief in the unseen, would be venturing into finding the point at which two parallel lines cross each other.

Intelligent Design vs. Big Bang 
Resurrection vs. Post schock Ressuscitation 
Divine Intervention (Mary, Sarah..) vs. Artificial Insemination (Cloning, Stem Cells...)
Him vs them ......

Are "Believing" scientist then called to choose sides? Pick between which represents more accurately the true essence of their being? Do they then become hypocritical if they dont? For too long society has tried to characterize the discourse of these two notions as a duality, and intrisically a mutually exclusive concept. Then the question becomes Who is Society? which is another scientifically challenging topic, although ideological in nature. Venturing into that would spell out digressing. So here are we, believing scientists, victims of the Inquisitive monster, in search for the answer, why? who? and what? as they apply to all the "Versus" above. 
The discourse around this topic had made its ways into schools, governmental policies, clerical doctrines but even more so the human mind. 

Various theories have tried to prove the existence of God (Causality and so on). Atheistic views have also made their way to the top often times using scientific facts.

(Darlington What are you trying to say?)

May it be that the puzzle we are trying to solve, or recently unravelled was pre-existing. After all a puzzle, while it generates excitement and a sense of pride once solved, is created as a whole (in the factory). 
In other words, is the latest scientific discovery, an archive in God's Patent journal?

If so, is it safe to say that science can only take us so far, and that God takes it from there? Or Is it then that society's increasingly prideful nature refuses to credit the "Creator" and decides to reward the "discoverer", or rather attribute both terminologies to the "discoverer".

This pride has made us (society) call the greatest discoveries accidents, or luck. 

Hypocritically , this pride has associated the greatest acts of science (publications in elite journal, and nobels of distinguishable stature) with discoveries directly or somewhat indirectly related to life in its simplest form. (DNA, Bacteria, Plant species -refs-)

Its as if we know, yet we fail to recognize. 

Whichever the case, I know that there is a God, without whom nothing would be possible including scientific intellectual prowess. It is also absolutely absurd and prideful to insinuate that we, as human, understand "the method behind the madness". 

Ironically, thank God we dont get charged with Plagiarism! By who ? 

However, the process in which one seeks ,without shoving humility aside, to make a contribution by fetching a bucket of water in God's unending reservoir is called SCIENCE!, while knowing that there exist this imaginary reservoir leads to FAITH

So are they mutually exclusive? To the prideful mind, yes they are! But then again i maybe wrong.

Ohanaka?

1- Darlington is my REAL first name, Chidi is my middle name and Abanulo is my last name. Ohanaka would have been my last name had my dad followed traditional customs, Hence i use it as a "brand" name. no more nomenclature question from now on.....(fisty there Dee!) 

2-I have a relatively large amount of trouble identifying myself with any particular type of group (ethnic, racial, national)...heck, my sisters think i am white.

3-I am Catholic, YES seriously, and joining some form of order has recently been up for some serious consideration.

4- I love kids, very very much....what about them? probably "the false sense of ignorance" in their innocence......kids are precious, even the bible said so :) 

5-i am in love with analogies: My dad is my coach, my mom more like my trainer when it comes to the game of life, lol and you know this was coming, and Jesus is the owner of the franchise!!!

6-I strongly believe that Love is a choice.

7-If you don't agree with Number 6, then you'll feel right at home on number 7, because i love to debate and share ideas. I tend to call it, "my brain hits the gym". 

8- I truly enjoyed the competitivenes of school back home in CIV, i cruised through high school... it was a joke, and so was college. however Doctoral studies makes me feel like i dont know nor haven't learned anything...thanks Socrates!

9-I like to think i am caught between two worlds: Nerds and Cools.....The nerds think i am cool, and the cools think i am a nerd. 

10- My two baby sisters who have grown up before my own eyes, they are the only reason why the theory of evolution is somehow plausible. (lol, not to be funny )

11- I love to think i have a twin, he hates it! .......My older brother (overriding any confusion on number 10) is my best friend, since birth-(so... Creationism hands down!

12-Surprisingly....Doing science sucks.... being a scientist, i love! 

13-I always tought that i would marry a nurse. My favorite auntie was one, dont get ideas!!!! 

14-You know what's cool.... renting movies, popping lots of corn and get under the blanky ALLLLLLLLLLLLL day....That happens when i need time away from the lab. 

15- I love flying! the idea of being translated accross a map is still a mystery to me. 

16- I still can't fathom the idea of being a vegetarian, love meat, can't do without...I love leaves too, and flowers, lol lol lol lol.

17- Yes, I speak french no i won't teach you....get the rosetta stone or go to france. (That's my mean side, see its not that bad)

18- Humor is an important asset to have, lighten up, 

lol forexample If friendship was a house, Humor would be the bathroom #2, think before you use it, but it does feel a lot better once you do. lol I am corny!!! hahahaah

19- Football...or i guess soccer, is the only reason why I am not obese....I eat a lot, like a whole lot, and i play alot! lol its the Phelps ideology.

20- You're either black, white or Nigerian. jk. hahahahahahah i can hear Ghanaians banging at my door. but number 20 is the fact i have come to appreciate and even cherish the "rivalry" between Nigeria and Ghana...

21-I am fascinated with the way people think, so i love theology, my friends, politics , psychology (I dont really like that word though). Can't forget kids..Neverrrrr....

22-However, in contrast, I am still trying to understand the mystery behind "loving" animals (dogs, cats, and the whole nine yard) they freak me out. i am really afraid of dogs, and anything that can outlast me in a race. 

23- I do always smile, don't i? lol....DON'T BE FOOLED :) 

24- By now you must think i am crazy, but its not about you, LOL , i like to think i am realistic!!!

25-I hear "a calling", a very special calling. Is it You Lord?

Atom and Adam

These represent my views and opinions, they represent only mine, and not that of the Church (Referring to the Catholic Faith, although I would be very happy to direct you to readings of doctrines and dogmas of the Church)

Recent talks have surfaced on matters pertaining to the theory of evolution view the recent findings, And of course that has raised tremendous discourse within the faithful as to their belief in intelligent design and/or creationism and further on ..

Now as we all know when scientist come up with a new theory, they look to the Church to redefine its teachings and all it that entails  to coherently assert their views. Or the Church may feel to renew their statement as to what they have taught in the catechism. Why the Church? Maybe, as the single largest entity of Christian faith with a hierarchical authority. 

Nevertheless, the question is how do you comment on science when your expertise is theology, one is to ask? BINGO....The church, with some expectations as well i believe from its followers, has devoted ample amount of time, since the beginning of , effort, and manpower( yes, there are clergy scientists ) from the beginning of ages on this discourse, and had had a firm stand on God being the creator of All. However the notion of Evolution and Creationism, Pope Benedict recently issued the commentary "are NOT mutually exclusive, rather complementary" and further speaks of inner unity between faith and reason. 

Then there comes the "jenga-ists", fundamentalists often times Christians of other denominations would try to take a shot and pick at comments with lousy attacks such as i quote from Mr Ray Comfort "the Vatican has chosen to officially believe Darwin rather than Jesus.” and i believe for the sad purpose of fame and publicity which i won't judge because after all they are entitled to their opinion. 

Now Here is where the shortcoming sets in!

Who wrote the Bible? 

God IS the sole author, every christian (catholics and protestants alike) MUST believe it, not a choice, a DOGMA at that. It is a sacred book with deep meaning, very coherent at that, easily above and beyond Mankind intellect, and DEFINITELY NOT A COLLECTION OF VERSES WE CAN USE to defend and reject our point. 

THE MERE FACT THAT GOD IS THE SOLE AUTHOR OF THE BIBLE signals that NO MAN will fully and i say fully decipher its contents and if there exist such A MAN , let him be called GOD. We are therefore merely limited to OUR understanding of the Word.

Who created the Earth? 

God, all powerful, all mighty , and all knowing. In the Beginning was God!!!!!! DOGMA as well every christian must believe it, not a choice, HE is the Essences of existence

However ,SIMILARLY THE MERE FACT THAT GOD IS THE SOLE CREATOR OF LIFE Signals that NO SCIENTIST will fully decipher its contents, and understand all the dynamics and its complexities therein and if there exist such A BEING, let him be called GOD. 

Ladies and Gentlemen, OR rather Mr. Ray Comfort and Darwin, let's not pretend to be GOD either in proving or disproving theories, because journeying in such a task entail absolute certainty and not mere speculation, especially on MANKIND thinking, we can however rely on our faith. Faith is therefore not absolute certainty that one is right, its absolute humility and therefore trust and hope in God. 

P.S. And I, as a devout catholic respect the views of the pope, symbolic of humility and wisdom, to know that he is not all knowing! thereby affirming that they are not mutually exclusive.