Atheism – The New Religion

If you are weak in whatever faith you profess, do not leave just yet. I know the word atheism is scary to you. We live in the information age and you would not be doing justice to yourself if you did not listen to views that are different to your own. If anything, you stand to strengthen your faith if you learn about other people’s belief systems in addition to your own.

Newly Registered in Kenya

In the last week, we have been treated to what most people consider bad news, of the registration of Atheists in Kenya Society (AIK). In the usual militant style of Kenyans, there are claims that the Devil himself is now firmly seated on the throne of our beloved country. Members of the newest society are however upbeat because they can now conduct their activities without fear. Probably the only thing dampening Kenyans’ resolve to fight the new group is the political landscape, this being the year before elections and everybody’s attention is elsewhere.

My Personal Brush with Atheism

Although I have never been atheist myself, I have worked closely with self-confessed atheists. I once worked under a Director and an Operations Manager both of whom were atheists. The Director, a Danish Lady, used to refer to herself as a ‘secular humanist’, which is another title that atheists use to imply that they only believe in themselves. The Operations manager was a Briton and this was the one who really campaigned for the atheists’ cause. He would be the equivalent of an Atheistic Evangelist (if at all that were possible).

In the spirit of evangelizing for the ideal free lifestyle, the Briton brought me a book. It was titled ‘The God Delusion’, written by renowned Atheist, Richard Dawkins. I read the book mainly out of curiosity. I really wanted to know what makes this group tick. A big part of the book explains Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution. It then goes ahead to show that there is no way God could exist since it provides evidence of how everything in nature came to be spontaneously.

I read the book in a very short time and I have to admit it is a very well written book (from a purely literary point of view). It is also a very convincing book and it was able to plant some seeds of doubt in my ‘innocent’ mind. Before you go, I need to assure you that I didn’t denounce my Christian faith. I however became a very apprehensive Christian who questions everything.

Atheism is a Religion like any other

One of the definitions of religion is that it is a pursuit or interest to which somebody ascribes supreme importance. Although the Atheists in Kenya would like to convince us that their association is not a religious one, I think it is a religion like any other. The only difference is their lack of believe in the existence of God. Atheist are usually quite zealous about their beliefs that they take every opportunity to convince any person who would care to listen about why they think all of the World’s (other) religions are preaching pure hogwash.

Atheism is not Satanism

While atheism is the belief that there is no God, Satanism or Devil Worship is the belief that Satan is God. I noted in the comments online when that Atheists Society was registered, many people said that Devil worship had now been legally allowed in Kenya. I think this is a misconception where people use the two terminologies interchangeably.

Intolerance in Most Religions

I have a bone to pick with almost all of the major religions – including my own. Each religion is convinced that it is the only true one and all others are false. In fact, most conflicts and wars in history are brought about by religious intolerance. This gives atheists a lot of mileage in forwarding their agenda as to the ‘uselessness’ of God in keeping his people safe from each other. On closer inspection however, it turns out that intolerance is not one of the teachings in any of those religions. If anything, people are taught to love their neighbours – whoever they are. Why they don’t do it, nobody knows!

Detachment from Morals and Ethics

Most Kenyans have an English name in addition to their indigenous names – thanks to a (usually) childhood indoctrination into the Christian faith. An English first name is therefore a sign of someone who did not just attend church, but was also baptised. These names however, do not mean much anymore. They do not reflect the morals and ethics that should have been instilled during the ‘indoctrination’. I once had a Pastor who used to tell us that if Christian names had any meaning, then we would not have all those called Peter, James, Joseph, and other such names, languishing in prison for some of the worst known crimes. So maybe there, the atheists have a point, but then, am just a Christian Layman!

 

 

A Country of Gamblers

We have always been taught that in the world, there is nothing for free; until now! The belief that is spreading says that to become rich, one has to either steal or win the lottery. Gambling is no longer a hobby carried out on the side with surplus time and money. It is a full time career with an actual budgetary allocation. Consultations on what to bet on are not carried out during break time. They are conducted in the hours between 9 and 5 using office phones and internet. The compulsive gambler is not an exception. He is at home among many others like him (or her!).

Sport Pesa

There is a new craze in town in the name of sport pesa. It is a gambling platform that allows people to bet on teams they expect to win in various sports. A lot of money is placed in bets but I have only heard of a few winning anything. Most of those who actually win consider the money to be free and hence they have usually wasted it on merrymaking or placing further bets. There is also a new platform which I think is called BetUs and functions in more or less the same way as Sport Pesa.

Endless Raffles

If you listen to any of the FM radio stations, you will most likely hear of some kind of raffle where you send a message (on premium payment) in order to get a chance to win. What many people don’t realise is that the money they win is their own (from all the participants pooled together).

Binary Options

I know I sound puritan and one who has never had a gambling problem. This is not the case. At one time, I found myself deep in gambling even without realising it. It happened at a time when I was in a financial fix. I decided to find something to supplement my income. The ‘solution’ came in the form of Binary Options. I know you are wondering what those are. They are advertised as a form of investment in the stock market; only they are not. They are actually a form of gambling where you pick a particular stock or currency and predict whether its price will go up or down within a predetermined time, either 1 minute, 1 hour, 1 month, or 6 months. You place money with your bet and if you are successful, you multiply it.

Needless to say, I didn’t get rich. I lost all the money I had put in the venture. Now am glad I didn’t win anything because by now I would have been struggling to kick the habit.

The Rules of Gambling

“Every gambler knows, that the secret to surviving; is knowing what to throw away, and knowing what to keep. ‘Coz every gambler knows, that every hand’s a winner, and every hand’s a loser……….” These words are extracted from Kenny Roger’s hit song, ‘Gambler’. This wisdom, coming from a ‘professional gambler’ does not give much hope to a career in gambling. In an ideal situation, the chances of winning and losing are equal at 50%. Industry insiders will however tell you that the house always wins because it is skewed to do so at 55%. So now you know that whatever you do, you will never break-even from gambling.

Gambling in All Areas of Life

Our gambling habits would be bearable if they were only restricted to casinos and TV shows. It is however obvious that we are gambling in all areas of life. We have left even the most critical decisions to chance. We are literary betting our lives away.

Abortion and HIV Prevalence

In an era when there is ready access to contraception, it is surprising to note that there is a high number of unwanted pregnancies. Educated and presumably well-informed adults are leaving everything to chance as they engage in sex. The high reported cases of abortions points to people who gamble with their reproductive health.

Parenting

Parenting is supposed to be the wholesome impartation of needs and wants on a child. Feeding, clothing, sheltering, and educating a child forms an important part of parenting. The other equally (if not more) important aspect of parenting is discipline. This is where a child is guided and rebuked to ensure that he or she grows up to be respectable and able to coexist well with other people. In a gambling era, parenting has been left to chance. People hope that their children will turn out well behaviour-wise even without their constant input. We are gambling with our children’s futures.

 

The Truth about Processed Food

Almost all of the food we access today is processed in one way or another. This may be bad news for those of you who want to take care of your health and have been encouraged to take food in as raw a form as is possible.

There have been rising concerns about increased occurrence of lifestyle diseases in demographic groups (particularly youth and children) that previously seemed immune. In an era of advocacy, information is readily available on what ails us. However we seem either unable or unwilling to make critical changes in our diets (or some components therein).

In his book, “Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal”, Eric Schlosser talks about how large fast food chains literally design food intended to addict the consumer. This involves processing to remove those components of food that make us feel full. Modern fast food is then intended to turn our stomachs into ‘bottomless pits’ that never get satisfied.

Common Foods and their Natural Constituent Components

Maize

In Kenya, you would not be talking about food if you didn’t mention maize (I hear that Americans call it corn). A grain of maize contains three major components namely Bran, Endosperm, and Germ. I know this is Greek to the average Layman so I will explain. Bran is the outer skin. It is in several distinct layers but let’s not delve deeper into that for now.

The endosperm is the starchy part of maize is forms the main part of what we adoringly refer to as ugali. Like the bran, it is also in several layers. The germ is in the centre of the grain and it would be the egg if maize was an animal (am sure you catch my drift).

Wheat

The wheat grain is formed in much the same way as a maize seed and so the components are similar. It is however a much smaller seed in size and even the plant it grows on is significantly different.

Rice

Rice is a common food on Kenyan tables and again, is formed a lot like maize and wheat above. Again, it has bran, endosperm, and germ.

Sugar

Most of our sugar comes from sugar cane. When you chew sugar cane and swallow the juice, you are ingesting mainly sucrose, but also molasses, which contains important mineral components.

What Processing Removes from Our Food

If I may first concentrate on the three grains above whose components are similar, two components are removed. These are the germ, and the bran. The two are used by millers to make other products, mainly animal feeds. You can confirm by visiting an animal feeds supplier and check out if he stocks maize germ and wheat bran. Bran, in addition to providing essential minerals, also plays the critical role of roughage in our diets.

The germ, particularly from maize, in addition to containing useful minerals and proteins, also contains oil. If you didn’t know, Elianto (that popular but expensive brand of cooking oil), is made with oil extracted from maize germ. This is the reason it is referred to as pure corn (maize) oil. Now you know.

When sugar is processed, molasses is removed from it. Molasses contains sodium, calcium, and iron. It is also molasses that contains the beautiful brown hue and so that goes away as well when processing is done.

What Remains after Processing

After food is processed, one thing remains; Calories. The starch from maize, wheat, and rice grains and the sucrose from sugarcane contains largely empty calories. They are referred to as ‘empty’ by nutritionists because they lack the accompanying minerals and roughage that enable the body to make optimum use of them in the body.

The Harm Caused by Processed Foods on the body

Unhealthy Weight Gain

Any calories taken into the body that are not immediately required as a source of energy, are converted into fat for storage. This explains why people who claim to eat ‘very little food’ are still growing fat (pardon my language, ladies). The secret is in ‘power-packed’ processed food.

Low Body Immunity

We are a malnourished generation in spite of having more than enough food to eat. The minerals and vitamins taken away during processing had their work cut out for them before they were given away to the farm animals. Now our bodies cannot defend themselves from even the most mundane of germs. Low immunity also acts as a harbinger for the onset of lifestyle diseases.

A New Form of Addict

Addiction used to be associated with drugs and alcohol. There is however a new form of addict in town. He (or she) is known as a food addict. The slang title is ‘Foodie’. This is the person who craves starchy foods (particularly wheat, but also ugali) to the extent that they feel dizzy and could collapse unless they get their kick.

Clarion Call: Purpose to only consume unprocessed food!

Why don’t we just Domesticate our Wild Animals?

It has been both refreshing and scary to see lions without having to pay park fees. I remember back in the day when I was a taxi driver. I often used to get clients to take to the National Park. It was however always stressful to get a tourist who could only be satisfied on seeing a lion. That was usually a tall order because lions were not that many in the park. On most days, we could drive around for hours and not see a single carnivore.

One day, I was with a French tourist who spoke English with a very heavy accent. He was really excited to finally get to see a lion (apparently he had never seen one). I prayed that he would be able to achieve his lifelong dream. It was distressing for me because most of the tourists I took to Nairobi National Park had been senior citizens who would be perfectly happy to see just butterflies. I needed not have worried because after more than four hours, we found a full pride of lions, some even on trees.

Escaping Lions
We have been treated to the rare spectacle of lions strolling in our neighbourhoods. Initially it appeared comical to meet with a lion walking in places you only meet dogs. The jokes died down and the harsh reality of what was happening culminated in the killing of “Mohawk” the lion. Mohawk acquired his fame in death. He was virtually unknown when he was living in the safety of the Nairobi national park.

I am a Layman on matters to do with wildlife but I, like other Kenyans, have my own theories on why lions all of a sudden feel uncomfortable in the park. One reason could be what a KWS official claimed that their prey have been wandering out of the park and the lions are just following them. Another might be that their numbers have increased resulting in congestion in the park. Thirdly, there could be foul play. Someone might intentionally be letting the Lions out for ulterior motives (to do with land). I don’t have the means or motivation to conclusively decide what the real reason is.

Domesticating the Wild Animals

I have never heard of Human-Animal conflict involving domestic animals such cats, dogs, cows, and sheep. It is for this reason that I think domesticating wild animals will permanently eradicate the human wildlife conflict. There must have been serious conflict involving cats and dogs during prehistoric times. I can imagine zinjanthropus or one of those other ancient dudes mumbling in their primitive language on how to overcome killer dogs and cats. I can also imagine their jubilant guffaws when they came up with the solution that we benefit from even today.

Expected Benefits of Domesticating Wild Animals

Space

A park like Nairobi sits on prime land which can be freed up if all animals were domesticated and taken to people’s homes. Animals at home do not require extra space. They can make do with minimal comforts. Dogs sleep on unused corners of rooms and compounds. Cats can spend their entire lives on sofa set back rests where nobody sits on anyway.

Every day will be a Holiday

People save up thousands of shillings and set aside many weeks’ worth of leave days just to go and see a lion. Imagine how much they can save if they have their very own lion in their backyard. The food fed to the lion would be worth every shilling in other savings.

Animal Populations would go up

Have you ever heard of endangered domestic animals? Since some of these animals were domesticated, there has never been a problem of shortage. If anything, their numbers go up so high that they have to be controlled. When I saw the KWS ranger shooting “Mohawk”, I thought to myself, “He should have been hired by the dog pound to shoot stray dogs”.

Travel Advisories would lose Meaning

We depend too much on tourism such that, a simple travel advisory wreaks havoc on our economy. Some of these advisories have political overtones and so by having no national parks, there would be no need for tourists and no room for arm twisting us.

P.S. The late Mutula Kilonzo was a visionary in keeping lions at his ranch. Imagine how well it would work out if each of us was allowed to adopt one or two of their favourite predators?

 

 

 

A Thin Line

We live in a time when everything we do is a choice between two or more options. Choosing the right thing is becoming more and more difficult owing to the closeness in the way open options appear. Choice is also the main tenet on which democracy is based. This often leads us to moan our choices of leaders or parties after the deed is done. We usually realise that different people are ideally saying the same thing and only the choice of their words differ. I have seen several instances where the line between options is so thin it is almost indiscernible.

Love and Lust

The dating and marriage field is littered with frustrated people who thought they were in love, only to realise it was lust. Perhaps the main reason this is confusing is because the words used by people in lust and in love are remarkably the same. The same gestures and body language are also engaged by people who are pursuing either love or lust. It is then true that there is a thin line between love and lust.

Respect and Fear

For those of us who have to work under a boss, it would be ideal to have an environment of mutual respect with the boss. This is however not always the case. When a new boss-subordinate relationship is being established, most bosses tend to instil fear instead of respect in their charges. While respect and fear appear to have the same immediate effects (obedience and allegiance), fear is counterproductive in the long run.

Humility and Timidity

We are encouraged to be humble in our dealings with other people. It is humility that endears us to others and makes them receptive to our needs. Humility therefore calls for us to keep a low profile and avoid praising ourselves. It also requires us to be tolerant of any discomfort that may arise from oppression by those whose favours we want. Humility taken too far however, becomes timidity. It allows for the unfair treatment by other people who do it just because they can get away with it. We should take care not to let our humility transform into timidity.

Assertiveness and Aggressiveness

It is good to speak out your mind. It is also good to whistle-blow when someone is doing something wrong. Assertiveness is what allows our voices to be heard in an unfriendly world. People who are not assertive are often overtaken by opportunities even when they are the most deserving. Assertiveness taken overboard becomes aggressiveness which hurts or otherwise negatively affects other people. Aggressiveness is assertiveness with the compassion component taken out.

Confidence and Arrogance

A confident person is good to be around. He knows what he wants and how to get it. His confidence is contagious and people want to be around him He is able to make go-getters of other people. When confidence goes unchecked, it can turn into arrogance. An arrogant person tends to think of only himself at the cost of other people’s interests. An arrogant person is also insecure and wants to validate his importance by bossing others.

Wisdom and Slyness

A wise person is able to use knowledge gained over a long time by himself and others to do good and fair things. When knowledge is used for evil or unfair gain, it becomes slyness. It is the stuff conmen are made of. We should strive to ensure that what we know is used for the good of mankind.

Ambition and Greed

It is through ambition that every worthy thing has been achieved in the history of mankind. Ambition makes us overcome challenges and shortcomings to get what we desire. It also keeps us busy and away from trouble. If we go beyond ambition, we become greedy. We want to acquire even that which we will not need in our lifetimes. We strive to amass as much as possible as if to ensure that nobody else can get it. Our world-famous corruption is built on a platform of ambition that turned into greed.

Jokes and Insults

I have a friend who, whenever I cracked a bad joke, would say, “Hiyo si mbali na matusi” (meaning, “That is not far from an insult”). In an environment where more carelessness is being incorporated into humour, it is possible to insult a person thinking they will take it as just a joke. Most jokes entail someone being put down so that the majority who are present can get a good laugh. The best joke is probably the one in which the joker ridicules himself. That way, no harm will be done.

Introversion and Rudeness

I am an introvert and I have often been accused of being rude. There is a misconception that introverts don’t care about other people. This is not the case. Introverts are just good people who are comfortable being by themselves in much the same way as they are comfortable being with others. It will be difficult in this forum to prove that I am not rude. You can have your take. I am just an introverted Layman.

Aphrodisiac Groundnuts and Other Old Wives’ Tales

In Search of the Perfect Aphrodisiac

A lot of people, especially young men, are nowadays obsessed with image. This obsession extends to libido where many of them can do anything to acquire a super human status. In come the opportunists. Everybody from witch doctors to multinational pharmaceutical companies claim to have the perfect solution to performance issues. The classified pages in the newspapers are filled with claims that range from the subtle to the out rightly ridiculous. Promises of lasting power and increase in size of items found in the nether regions are rife in these advertisements. Witch doctors’ signs nailed to electric poles in every estate cannot miss one item on their list of problems that they claim to be able to solve – “Nguvu za Kiume” (Libido).

The above solutions, although attractive to many “patients”, are not an option. This is because they don’t

come cheap. Secondly, they all involve a level of disclosure and indiscretion that most people are not comfortable with. The majority of people with a problem or those who just want to “up” their game, are left with what turns out to be one of the most widely believed solutions to libido problems – Ground Nuts!

I have never heard of any scientific study that was conducted to conclude that Ground Nuts (Peanuts) have aphrodisiac properties. That has however not stopped that innocent and highly nutritious nut from attaining a sacred status. When people see you eating ground nuts, they conclude that you are up to some mischievous activities later in the day (or night). I even heard that in Mombasa, some would start talking in the colourful Swahili parables they are known for, implying they know what you are up to. Don’t let me spoil your believes. I am just a Layman and am open to evidence that ground nuts are an aphrodisiac.

Mango Transmitted Malaria

I had a friend who advised me to avoid mangoes when there is a malaria outbreak. He claimed that eating mangoes during such a time was akin to attempting suicide because the strain of malaria you would get was the kind that has been known to dispatch people to their maker. Again on this one, I need proof otherwise it will remain to me an old wives’ tale.

Albino Body Parts Good Luck Charms

A few years ago, we were shocked to hear that albinos in Tanzania were in grave danger because witch doctors were paying a fortune for the body parts. They claimed that in the spiritual world, these parts were powerful. I think that is all hogwash.

Virgin Sex HIV Cure

The HIV/AIDS problem would be bad enough without some people resorting to barbaric methods of trying to deal with it. I don’t know which nit wit came up with the idea that if a HIV positive man had sex with a virgin, he would be cured. I hate to think of the innocent women and girls who have been raped by goons who end up infecting them with the deadly virus.

Surgical Procedures that Increase Intelligence in Men and Control Promiscuity in Women

Circumcision in men is an important rite of passage in many communities and also proven to have health benefits. It is however overrated by those who imply that it improves reasoning and behaviour. It has no bearing on IQ.

Female circumcision, or FGM as it is now commonly referred to, is such a deeply entrenched cultural practice. It is virtually impossible to hold an objective discussion about it with most people. Even those who talk against it will take their own daughters for the operation in secret. They believe it makes women less promiscuous.

‘Chama’ can make you Rich

The chama (merry go round) concept must have been invented in Kenya. I have never heard of it anywhere else. It entails a group of people coming together and deciding how much money to be contributing periodically (daily, weekly, fortnightly, or monthly). Each member contributes an equal amount and the money is given to one member following a numbered order, usually decided by casting lots.

Most people join chamas in order to uplift their financial status. I however hate to be the one to break it to them. A chama will not make you richer than you already are. What you receive is the same money you have been giving. Woe to you if some members quit before it’s your turn to receive the money. The usual thing people have gained from membership to chama is a new category of enemies (converted from former friends).

Roasted Onion is Delicious

When I eat, I want to be able to discern the tastes of the various ingredients. It is common practice when one is frying food to start with oil and onion. When the onion is cooked, tomatoes, spices, and the actual food is added; not necessarily in that order. I have eaten food made by people and it contains pieces of charcoal – remnants of what were once onions. I don’t like its taste and I think that if you have to burn your onions to black crisp, you would rather just skip it. But then this is just me and I am only a Layman!

There’s an App for that

Our generation has found itself smack in the centre of a technological revolution. Gadgets have become smaller and infinitely more powerful. These days, when you think you have seen it all, something comes up that tells you, this is just the beginning.

Perhaps the single most significant aspect of technological advancement is mobility. It is no longer just a question of what a gadget can do. It is about being able to go everywhere with it – such as, to the toilet (I, for instance, only access Instagram in the toilet – Don’t ask!).

Programmable Mobile Phones

My brother, who is a computer programmer, tells me that the real revolution in mobile telephony occurred when the manufacturers started using the java language. While phones previously ran on software pre-installed into the hardware, java based phones could be manufactured empty and then fed with whatever a particular user wants. This, I think, is what ushered in the era of what we now fondly refer to as Apps (I guess its short for Applications).

Useful Apps

A lot of apps available today are quite useful. One of the first apps that I ever downloaded when I first got a smart phone was the flashlight app. I needed something to get over having to give up my old phone. I used to have a mulika mwizi, so called because it has a built-in flashlight. I was therefore pleasantly surprised to know that I could actually transform my smart phone into an advanced sort of mulika mwizi.

When I was growing up, there used to be civil servants then known as agricultural extension officers. They would walk around agricultural areas advising farmers on various aspects of farming such as the right seed to plant and the ideal time to carry out various farming activities. I no longer see them and although am not a farmer, I can imagine how hard it is to farm without a good source of reliable advice. That period of uncertainty among farmers is now over. This is thanks to an app known as M-Farm. Through the app, farmers can now get all the information that used to be disseminated by extension officers and more.

I have talked about the evolution of social media before here http://thelaymanspoint.blogspot.co.za/2015/03/the-evolution-of-social-media.html . It is obvious that the old days were not so good as far as communication between people was concerned. It is now easier than ever to keep in touch with friends, relatives, and associates. This is made possible by efficient and user friendly social media apps. We are so dependent on Facebook, twitter, LinkedIn, WhatsApp, and many others, that it is impossible to imagine how we survived without them.

Now that am back to my driving job in a city that is ever expanding and growing more complicated, I need my maps more than ever. I however cannot depend on traditional maps as I did before as I once wrote about it here http://acabdriverstory.blogspot.co.za/2012/11/finding-way-of-not-getting-lost.html . This is because roads are changing every day and maps cannot be updated fast enough. The google maps app is so handy it even gives route suggestions and how long it will take to get to your destination.

Useless Apps

The good also comes with the bad and consequently, there are those Apps that appear to be quite useless to the typical Layman. I have seen Apps whose only possible advantage is that they keep the users out of trouble by engaging them for hours doing absolutely nothing.

Candy Crush

I have warned my friends on Facebook to desist from sending me invites to play candy crush. However, my stern warnings and even threats of unfriending them, has fallen on deaf years. The candy crush craze cuts across all statuses and classes. Even people who I respect profoundly have taken up candy crush as a way to kill valuable time. This is one App I would advocate to be banned by the Government.

Who’s your Best Friend?

There is an App that can apparently tell you who your best friend is. I have no idea who came up with the idea or even how the algorithm works. I don’t think the app works but that has not stopped thousands of idle people from using it. It also appears on the Layman’s list of Apps to be banned.

Where have you Pooped?

Yes, you heard that right! There is an App that allows users (mainly frequent travellers) to record all of the exotic places they have pooped across the world. I don’t know what the objectives of either the developers or users are. I however think they receive a lot of feedback judging from the kind of reviews they get online. So, if you are one of those people who poop just to obey nature, just know there are others for whom it is serious business.

What other Apps?

Can you think of any other App (useful or otherwise) that you may have come across? You can also share.