Shanghai is a version of rummy which can be played between 2-10 players. There is a series of 7 rounds consisting of differing requirements of book/run combos in which players try to discard/lay down as many points as possible before the round ends. The player with the least points at the end of 7 rounds wins. Setup: You must use half the number of decks as the number of players (rounded down). Shuffle decks together an...
As long as I could remember and in all the stories I've been told, my grandmother (Nai Nai in Chinese) has been selfless. My Early Memories I have fond memories of my early years of childhood with Nai Nai. She would travel over to our hometown of Miri to take care of me while my parents worked. Sometimes, I was sent to her house in Sibu to be babysat. In one of these memories, she lamented the loss of her shoe...
These four main arguments form the basis of why I believe religion (and specifically Christianity) is man-made rather than a divine truth. I do not believe everyone should be an atheist. Many are not ready, and there are very good use cases for individuals and groups which are better off religious. I write this essay instead both to explain why I am not religious, as well as provide an alternative to those who are signific...
Religion serves as a convenient tool not just for the individual, but also those in power. It is easier to unify a population if there are shared values and interests. This is easily achieved through religion. Religion has been used throughout history as an excuse for war and harsh policies, by believers and non-believers alike. It has been used to establish kinship between unlikely individuals, and make peace j...
Another reason I doubt the truth behind every religion is that there is a personal convenience to it which makes believing beneficial. In a world where a mass majority of people are being dominated and oppressed- either by a king, lord, politician, organization, company, or system such as communism or capitalism- I see how it is convenient for religions to assert that these unfair and unjust power figures are on...
The second major reason for disbelief is the complete lack of hard evidence. The idea of the “god of the gaps” is a compelling one. What we see is that were science sheds knowledge and light on natural processes and the logic of the universe, god is often removed. Populations used religions to explain the biodiversity of life, origins of our universe, even things like why celestial bodies follow certain patterns. This ...
In a world full of evil and tragedy, even if I knew that any god exists- he/she must not be benevolent. Therefore, he is not worth worshiping and by principle nobody should bow down to a malicious god, even risking eternal damnation. Why are there flies which lay eggs in the eyes of innocent babies? Natural disasters which destroy entire communities? Why does he allow hatred in his name? In Christianity, orig...
I once read a joke that Christians and Atheists are not really that different. Out of over 6000 gods worshiped in human history, Christians don't believe in 5999 of them. Atheists don't believe in 6000. I don't believe in any god or gods, I don't believe in any being or beings within this universe or external to it which holds supernatural power and plays a significant role in shaping human life and experience. ...
College, I'm sure many would agree- is a very liberating and exciting time. Never in my life have I met so much diversity in thought and culture. It helped that I decided to live in a dorm called "International House" which housed 400+ residents at a time from more than 30 different countries. I remember fondly having nightly debates on life and the universe with my good friends who were Buddhist, Roman Catholic...
I think I chose Buddhism because my mother was one. She wasn't particularly religious at the time, opting to join our community gatherings at the church and indulging into the culture which was pervasive in Louisiana. I did not know much about it, except it didn't require weekly church attendance. That was good enough for me. I did still hang out with my friends, many of whom questioned me about my new allegianc...