Friday, January 23, 2009

a letter ..

this one is extracted from my mailing list, a fren fwd to me and well, its nice.. so, read on..


A letter from a Christian to Muslim women

March 7th, 2007

By Joanna Francis
Writer, Journalist - USA

Between the Israeli assault on Lebanon and the Zionist “war on terror,” the Muslim world is now center stage in every American home. I see the carnage, death and destruction that have befallen Lebanon, but I also see something else: I see you. I can’t help but notice that almost every woman I see is carrying a baby or has children around her. I see that though they are dressed modestly, their beauty still shines through. But it’s not just outer beauty that I notice. I also notice that I feel something strange inside me: I feel envy. I feel terrible for the horrible experiences and war crimes that the Lebanese people have suffered, being targeted by our common enemy. But I can’t help but admire your strength, your beauty, your modesty, and most of all, your happiness.

Yes, it’s strange, but it occurred to me that even under constant bombardment, you still seemed happier than we are, because you were still living the natural lives of women. The way women have always lived since the beginning of time. It used to be that way in the West until the 1960s, when we were bombarded by the same enemy. Only we were not bombarded with actual munitions, but with subtle trickery and moral corruption.

Through Temptation
They bombarded us Americans from Hollywood, instead of from fighter jets or with our own American-made tanks. They would like to bomb you in this way too, after they’ve finished bombing the infrastructure of your countries. I do not want this to happen to you. You will feel degraded, just like we do. You can avoid this kind of bombing if you will kindly listen to those of us who have already suffered serious casualties from their evil influence. Because everything you see coming out of Hollywood is a pack of lies, a distortion of reality, smoke and mirrors. They present casual sex as harmless recreation because they aim to destroy the moral fabric of the societies into which they beam their poisonous programming. I beg you not to drink their poison. There is no antidote for it once you have consumed it. You may recover partially, but you will never be the same. Better to avoid the poison altogether than to try to heal from the damage it causes.

They will try to tempt you with their titillating movies and music videos, falsely portraying us American women as happy and satisfied, proud of dressing like prostitutes, and content without families. Most of us are not happy, trust me. Millions of us are on anti-depressant medication, hate our jobs, and cry at night over the men who told us they loved us, then greedily used us and walked away. They would like to destroy your families and convince you to have fewer children. They do this by presenting marriage as a form of slavery, motherhood as a curse, and being modest and pure as old-fashioned. They want you to cheapen yourself and lose your faith. They are like the Serpent tempting Eve with the apple. Don’t bite.

Self-Value
I see you as precious gems, pure gold, or the “pearl of great value” spoken of in the Bible (Matthew 13: 45). All women are pearls of great value, but some of us have been deceived into doubting the value of our purity. Jesus said: “Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you” (Matthew 7: 6). Our pearls are priceless, but they convince us that they’re cheap. But trust me; there is no substitute for being able to look in the mirror and seeing purity, innocence and self-respect staring back at you. The fashions coming out of the Western sewer are designed to make you believe that your most valuable asset is your sexuality. But your beautiful dresses and veils are actually sexier than any Western fashion, because they cloak you in mystery and show
self-respect and confidence. A woman’s sexuality should be guarded from unworthy eyes, since it should be your gift to the man who loves and respects you enough to marry you. And since your men are still manly warriors, they deserve no less than your best. Our men don’t even want purity anymore. They don’t recognize the pearl of great value, opting for the flashy rhinestone instead. Only to leave her too! Your most valuable assets are your inner beauty, your innocence, and everything that makes you who you are. But I notice that some Muslim women push the limit and try to be as Western as possible, even while wearing a veil (with some of their hair showing). Why imitate women who already regret, or will soon regret, their lost virtue? There is no compensation for that loss. You are flawless diamonds. Don’t let them trick you into becoming rhinestones. Because everything you see in the fashion magazines and on Western television is a lie. It is Satan’s trap. It is fool’s gold.

A Woman’s Heart
I’ll let you in on a little secret, just in case you’re curious: pre-marital sex is not even that great. We gave our bodies to the men we were in love with, believing that that was the way to make them love us and want to marry us, just as we had seen on television growing up. But without the security of marriage and the sure knowledge that he will always stay with us, it’s not even enjoyable! That’s the irony. It was just a waste. It leaves you in tears.

Speaking as one woman to another, I believe that you understand that already. Because only a woman can truly understand what’s in another woman’s heart. We really are all alike. Our race, religion or nationalities do not matter. A woman’s heart is the same everywhere. We love. That’s what we do best. We nurture our families and give comfort and strength to the men we love. But we American women have been fooled into believing that we are happiest having careers, our own homes in which to live alone, and freedom to give our love away to whomever we choose.
That is not freedom. And that is not love. Only in the safe haven of marriage can a woman’s body and heart be safe to love. Don’t settle for anything less. It’s not worth it. You won’t even like it and you’ll like yourself even less afterwards. Then he’ll leave you.

Self-Denial
Sin never pays. It always cheats you. Even though I have reclaimed my honor, there’s still no substitute for having never been dishonored in the first place. We Western women have been brainwashed into thinking that you Muslim women are oppressed. But truly, we are the ones who are oppressed; slaves to fashions that degrade us, obsessed with our weight, begging for love from men who do not want to grow up. Deep down inside, we know that we have been cheated. We secretly admire and envy you, although some of us will not admit it. Please do not look down on us or think that we like things the way they are. It’s not our fault. Most of us did not have fathers to protect us when we were young because our families have been destroyed. You know who is behind this plot. Don’t be fooled, my sisters. Don’t let them get you too. Stay innocent and pure. We Christian women need to see what life is really supposed to be like for women. We need you to set the example for us, because we are lost. Hold onto your purity. Remember: you can’t put the toothpaste back in the tube. So guard your “toothpaste” carefully!

I hope you receive this advice in the spirit in which it is intended: the spirit of friendship, respect, and admiration. From your Christian sister – with love…


* This article is republished with the kind permission of the author. The original can
be found on Crescent and the Cross. Joanna Francis is a writer and journalist. She
manages her own blog.

Thursday, January 22, 2009

poetic ammo?

(click picture to enlarge)

GAZA ITU MEMANGGILMU

tangisan itu memanggilmu,

ratapan itu merayumu,

suara wanita yang tidak bermaya

jeritan si kecil yang tidak berdosa

ratapan si tua yang tidak terdaya

darah pemuda yang ditumpah

nyawa perwira yang dimamah

kau biarkan mereka dilapah

suara sayu memanggilmu

bumi Gaza yang diserbu

dek bangsat yang penuh muslihat

tentera khianat yang dilaknat

tergamaknya kau bersahaja

cuma menjadi penonton setia

sedangkan tanah Gaza dibunuh percuma

tanpa kau rasa duka airmata dosa

membiarkan mereka dihina derita

manakah janji bahwa kita bersaudara

darah Gaza akan menuntutmu di hari muka

kerna kau tinggalkannya dikorban tanpa bantuan

bangkitlah dengan keinsafan,hulurkan tangan pertolongan

demi Tuhan!

buat Palestin yang ditawan!

dr. mohd asri zainul abidin,lampeter, wales, uk.11.1.09

Monday, January 19, 2009

Tag: aku harap aku insaf la beli barangan boycott nih

here's what we should do. it's simple:
list down 5 of the products from the list below that you are boycotting,
and then list down 5 of the products that you will try your best to boycott,
and finally list another 5 of the products that you find it hard to boycott,
and tag 5 others.

this tag is to get everyone to read the list below carefully and identify which products affects your life and the lives of the Palestinians most! You can also compare your list with your friends and see: if they can boycott one product that you haven't been boycotting, why can't you start to boycott the product too?

5 products i'm boycotting
1. mcD
2. KFC
3. pizzaHut
4. coca-cola
5. -cis. the supposed menusuk Question is: what products have i not boycott..huhu- guilty as charged.

dulu alert & aware & jaga jugak, then after some time, the awareness fading away, i started makan sume di atas tuh! uuuu sungguh berdosa & jahat of me kan?! ok pasni insaf!
then after scheming thru the list of the products to boycott, cis, pizza hut tak masuk senarai? biar betik? KFC plak denga cite J-Corp dah buy over, siap tuka nama jd Kitchen Fried Chicken? wahh lagi bagus neh! so bole la makan kfc (uuu cheezy wedges here i come! -cet ni applies bile dpt gaji lor...musim skang ni kalu lapar, balik umah sudey~)

5 products i will start to boycott:
1. mcD (er..so long~ my lovely tasty mouth watering mcD breakfast!)
2. COKIA (ni brand henfon ni i sorang je ada..haha) - sebbaik hp cokia aku dah rosak. (few times ady) skang am a proud LG user. bunyi pun bes.. annyang seoh? ok, thats not how it spelled.
3. well, will try my best to abide not buying all the boycott products
4. mcm tade hal je nak boycott produk branded mahal2 tuh..haha benefit of having small pocket. or rather..big pocket with small2 change oni? haha
5.

5 products that i find hard to boycott
1. mcD -skali lg, gudbye my love
2. Carrefour - gudbye my love too (no puns intended) haha. cis hm, giant boycott tak? takpe, PTJ (pasaraya terus jaya) ade.. harge bes gak cume tak seindah..huhuh
3. Maggi - aishh.. pasni kalo teringin maggi goreng, suh mamak tu wat indomee goreng la ek? ke, tanye dulu mamak tu die gune maggi or noodles brand len? heh
4. starbucks. when alone n got work or hv sumthin to read, plus got duit lebih,, bleh a lepak situ sorang2. i hv this perasan cool feeling kalo duk sorang2 kat situ, minding my own bisnes, not caring bout other ppl . (tp kate perasan kool? cet contradicting own thots)
5. Kotex! (like the best, ever) and Kimberly clarks.. sbb product die byk,, kadang2 tak perasan.

I tag
1. imang
2. uswah
3. atikah
4. husna
5. iman




  • AOL Time Warner Time Life magazine, CNN, ICQ
  • Apax Partners Jonny Rockets, Sunglass Hut.
  • Arsenal Football Club
  • Coca-Cola Fruitopia, Fanta, Kia Orange, Lilt, Sprite, Sunkist..
  • Caterpillar
  • Danone HP foods, Evian, Volvic, Jacob
  • Delta Galil Hema, Barbie, Carrefour, Auchan, Tchibo, Victoria's Secret, GAP, Banana Republic, Structure, J-Crew, JC Penny, Pryca, Lindex, DIM, DKNY, Ralph Lauren, Playtex, cK, Hugo Boss, M&S
  • Disney
  • Emblaze
  • Estée Lauder Aramis, Clinique, DKNY, Prescriptives, Origins, MAC, La Mer, Bobbi Brown, Tommy Hilfiger, Jane, Donna Karan, Aveda, Stila, Jo Malone, Bumble & Bumble, Kate Spade
  • Home Depot Villager's Hardware, Georgia Lighting, Apex Supply, EXPO Design Centres
  • IBM
  • Intel
  • Johnson & Johnson
  • Kimberly-Clark Kleenex, Kotex, Huggies, Andrex
  • Lewis Trust Group River Island, Isrotel hotels, Britannia Pacific
  • The Limited Inc Express stores, Lerner New York, Structure, New York & Company, Mast Industries, Intimate Brands, Victoria's Secret, Bath & Body Works, White Barn Candle Company, Henri Bendel
  • L'Oreal Giorgio Armani, Redken 5th Avenue, Lancome Paris, Vichy, Cacharel, La Roche-Posay, Garnier, Biotherm, Helena Rubinstein, Maybelline, Ralph Lauren, Carson
  • Marks & Spencer M&S, St.Michaels
  • McDonald's
  • Motorola
  • Nestle Nescafé, Perrier, Vittel, Pure Life, Carnation, Libby's, Milkmaid, Nesquik, Maggi, Buitoni, Cross & Blackwell, KitKat, Milkybar, Quality Street, Smarties, After Eight, Aero, Polo, Lion, Felix cat food, L'Oréal
  • News Corporation TV: Fox, Sky, Star, Phoenix, Granada, CNBC. UK newspapers: Standard Newspaper, News of the World, The Sun, The Times. Australian Newspapers: The Telegraph , Gold Coast Bulletin, Herald Sun, Independent, Sunday Mail. US newspapers: New York Post. Publishers: Harper Collins Ragan, Zondervan, National Geographical. Nursery World, Rawkus, NDS, Mushroom Records, ChinaByte.com, Festival Records
  • Nokia
  • Revlon New World Entertainment, Forbes
  • Sara Lee Hanes, Playtex, Champion, Leggs, Douwe Egberts, Bryan, DIM, Ambi Pur, Bali, Superior Coffee, Just My Size, Kiwi, Maison Cafe, Nur die, Pilao, Lovable, Outer Banks, Wonderbra, Sanex, Pickwick, Gossard, Body Mist, Brylcreem, Aqua Velva, Radox
  • Siemens
  • Selfridges
  • Starbucks Seattle Coffee, Pasqua, Hear Music, TazoTimberland
at least we all have our paruh kecil di situ. oh wats with the paruh kecil? later~ work la weyy~

Friday, January 16, 2009

about a ship. is it really?



i ve moved my ship from this shore
and harbored to another..

isnt it nice to change the air sometimes..?

lets just keep on moving until i find the right shore with a nice beach to stay, ey? :)

****

yesterday was miserable. stupid virus .
this morning was quite a disaster. stupid virus, stupid clumsiness of myself. - i cant possibly find a way to appreciate myself with the clumsiness yg makin menajdi2. aduh.

stil there's one place we can always refer our hopeless situation to.
only one place we can count on to.
when the hopes seeming to blur
when the lucks seeming to fade
when the time has running out
tawakkaltu 'alaLLAH will be the best weapon
isnt it clear that,
wa man yattaqillaha yaj'al lahu makhraja
barangsiapa yg bertawakkal kepada Allah, Allah akan menunjukkannya jalan keluar
thats the simple truth.
i hope i can always keep that in mind ..

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

stil alive but not kicking

hello.
its the same old me. (i know i havent been updating this blog for quite a while, so i just did an introduction in case this blog thot i mightve changed after the idle)
haha, mengarut je, not funny, not even close.

so its 2.37am and here i am, up to finish my long unsettling business. well supposedly am not supposed to be blogging, but just to keep my intention straight (and fulfilled at last, hopefully), i just had to write the 2 most important (like super major) things i've to complete doing for tonite:
1) r.letter
2) m.letter

thing is, i just got myself obsessed with the whole twilight movie-novels thing. (note that when i said 'just' i truly mean n yes i do admit n know that am quite a late bloomer for this phase (is it a phase?) of evry other teenage girl (cet teenage my @$$! ade hati kah? haha)

so this 'phase' kinda get me getting tooo overly involved with yes, undoubtedly, edward's sweetness etc (am certain that if i were to write his other positive attributes, i am almost impossible to achieve my very first objective of staying up tonite ;p) that i cudnt bring myself to a stop when reading the novels. so in other words, those are the reason why i havent been able to get the m&r letters done over the weekend. cis. very. hence here i am.

o snap, im blabbing now. ok2, off to tasks. right away. be back when settled.
(well, kinda a motivation for me. ok enuff for now.)

few hours later...(iye, hours)
yeay alhamdulillah.. mission accomplished. but now its wat time ady.. tak cukup tidur la ni nanti :(.
'sokay.. i take it as a punishment for me for getting in too deep with the vampire's world :p (worth it! hahaha)

----------
yeap that was last nite. (or morning, to speak in the AM/PM)
there wasnt internet connection @ home last nite. mayb thats one of the reasons i managed to get things done. hehe. yeap im easily distracted like that.

now at office ady. managed to sneak peek kat midnight sun (nangis,.terharu sbb dpt bace juge walaupun tak complete lagi! tengkiu uswah! tengkiu amirah! altho u cud never read this, but im quite eternally grateful to u for this.gahaha)

--alrite vampires aside.

alhamdulillah i think i like it here. as in the office. nice ppl, nice distance (are u kidding?! n one cudn't ever be grateful enuff to get to the office within wat, 3mins? huhuh!). and evrything nice, i hope & pray :)

mari mengutuk the nazionis laknatullah yg berleluasa annihilating the palestine. mari memboikot barangan/ kedai/ apa2 badan2 yg had been supporting the zionisme of the israel. its quite sad that all we can do is this. but lets pray more, and be more alert to all this happenings that clearly insult us muslims as a whole..

--edited later
yesterday i forgot to wish my closest aunt birthday. felt terribly guilty, but not much as imang's. think she's compassionate like that. more than me. *shameonme* so i looked at today's date. something familiar about 13th january. i know 14th is takudin's bday. but 13th.. then i remembered. its my late bestfren's birthday.. should she managed to fight the leukimia last 3 (or is it 4?) years, she'd be 25 by today.. hm no wonder i dreamt bout her the nite before. i stil miss her though, stil feel like she's somewhere out there, doing her interior designing at best. stil remembered the last time we ym, she showed me some of her designs.. she's always the one with very generous heart. altho her cynicism top her other qualities ;) but she stil has the kindest heart and reminds me to be one. 2 days before shes taken away forever, she wished my birthday..on her deathbed, she texted me. as casual as she cudve sound. that, i will never ever forget. hmm, writing this already makes me feel weak. and tearry.. not at the office, pls. guess i should stop now. so any of u who happen to read this, please recite surah al fatihah to my beloved Nursyarfina bt Mohd Ali Akbar. May Allah bless her, semoga beliau ditempatkan di kalangan org2 soleh...
--

theres stil more to write here. but hey, keje KOT?!
so,, till latter then yeah?
(cey, keje ke edwardo? huhuhu *guilty as charged!*)