ShoutBox

As you can see, I have added a ShoutBox as part of this blog. Shout as much as you like... :)

Why So Serious about "The Dark Knight"?

Singapore -- If you think Batman stories are kiddy stuff, nothing could be further from the truth - especially so for "The Dark Knight", which is a gritty but compelling tale of moral ambiguity and the koan-like dilemmas it presents.
The leading criminals of Gotham have cowed further into the shadows - in fear of the swift and silent vigilante, while a more menacing criminal rises among them, calling for their unity to kill Batman (played by Christian Bale). But can there be true honour among thieves? Apparently not for the Joker - being a force of violent insanity.

While Batman is one of the most complex characters in comic book history, the Joker as presented poses a formidable match as an archenemy. Note that this is no superhero flick, since the protagonists have no special powers. Batman's altruistic endeavours are strongly driven by guilt of not being able to save his parents from crime when he was young. The Joker however, is nihilistically immoral and sadistic, seemingly void of conscience. One has too much guilt while the other lacks it! Karmically, both extreme attitudes can prove punishing.

The Joker creates a fix for Batman when he resolves to kill one person a day - till he discloses his masked identity. In this cunning move, he turns the tables around by making Batman look guilty. It's quite a fix indeed as Batman, being an outlaw (operating above the law), albeit to protect and serve, will be arrested should he surrender. His absence might render Gotham more criminally chaotic, but innocents are dying because of his refusal to surrender too. Of course, Batman does his best to save them and himself, and the Joker - from his madness!

The Joker devises a sick "social experiment" on morality by planting bombs on two ferries - one transporting criminals while the other lawful citizens. Each side is given the detonator of the bombs on the other ferry. He urges them to consider pressing the button before the other side does. His expectation of chaos goes "chaotic" though - when both sides decide not to press their buttons after much deliberation. Order is restored! Even the leader of the criminals threw away the detonator. The worst of situations often bring forth the best in us.

Though the Joker relishes in chaos, he is ironically not the personification of chaos. He desires order within his chaos too. Here lies what I call the Joker Paradox. He claims this - "I'm a dog chasing cars. I don't have plans. I just do things. I'm not a schemer." Despite this, we see his elaborately devious plans in action to wreck havoc. He wanted to prove "schemers", who control law and order, to be pathetic in their efforts. In the end, he proved himself to be the ultimately pathetic schemer when apprehended by Batman.

Batman's voluntary vocation is a largely thankless one - which makes it all the more truly altruistic. As the Joker put it, both of them are seen as freaks, even if one helps while the other harms. Batman chooses his serious and threatening style to strike fear in the guilty, while the Joker simply laughs away his "uptightness" and uprightness. Maybe even wrathful Bodhisattva manifestations might not work well for the severely deluded and unrepentant? If so, only self-awakening to their Buddha-nature can help. Arkham Asylum never really cured the criminally insane!

"Why so serious" about him, the Joker? Perhaps the brilliant actor (Heath Ledger) who played his role so seriously was the real personification of chaos - due to his heavily publicised sudden accidental death. Are matters of life and death tragically chaotic? The truth is, chaos can never be truly chaotic as it exists within the orderly. Within the apparent mess that is the universe, there must be the order of cause and effect - even if not readily discerned. If life, the universe and everything is pure chaos, life and death would be totally meaningless, pointless. We might as well become the Joker. Seriously! No joke!

Review of the Film's Interesting Dialogue:
Batman: Dark Dialogue - http://moonpointer.com/index.php?itemid=2393

(Source: The Buddhist Channel)

Residents accept Buddhist project

SHAH ALAM, Selangor (Malaysia) -- The soft, meandering chants of monks from different traditions enveloped the surrounding of a barren 1.7 acre piece land on July 20, 2008 at Section U12, Shah Alam. The monks were present to bless the spot where a new Buddhist centre will be built, to be called "Bodhi Park".

However, the ceremony was marred by demonstration of a small group of residents from the neighbouring vicinity. The Desa Alam Residents Association objected to the upcoming construction of the temple as they claimed that it was located too close to the residential area.

Its chairman, Ahmad Shakri Tarmuchi, handed a memorandum from the residents to Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Seri Ong Ka Chuan at the ground-breaking ceremony of Bodhi Park on the same day.

Ahmad Shakri told reporters the residents were not informed of the project by the City Council and there was no notice board at the site announcing the project from the time they had occupied the housing estate in December 2006.

However, when the protesting residents met the Member of Parliament (MP) for Shah Alam Khalid Abdul Samad at the Shah Alam Mayor's office on July 23, they were informed that the land for Bodhi Park was allocated years before any houses were built at the site and approvals were given by the local and state authorities.

Above all, all the houses buyers at at the point of purchase had been duly informed by the developer and was aware of the proposed site for the Bodhi Park.

After the briefing. the representative of the protesters from Residents Association, Ahmad Shakri and other residents who met Khalid Abdul Samad accepted the explanation by the MP and other officers from the Shah Alam City Council (MBSA).

Both the chairman of the Bodhi Park Building Committee, Goh Seng Chai and Ahmad Shakri later shook hands in front of the Shah Alam MP as a sign of mutual respect and harmonius co-existence.

Present during the meeting were representatives from the developer and also MBSA councillors responsible for the areas. The project will proceed as planned and construction expected to begin in September.

About the Bodhi Park project

The Bodhi Park is to be located on a 0.68-hectare site, and will comprise an auditorium, a centre for Buddhist research and studies, a multipurpose hall, and a main shrine for devotees. The project is undertaken by the Malaysian Buddhist Youth Foundation.

In the early 1990's, the foundation bought a 0.6-hectare piece of land in Section 24 for the project but the state government found it unsuitable for religious use and offered the alternative site in November 2002, he added. Goh said the development order for the project was approved on April 24 this year and construction was scheduled to commence in September.

Retreat Camp: Message from Organizer

Retreat Camp 2008 is consider to be the most relaxing camp that I have ever organized. One of the main idea of the retreat camp is to demonstrate to the new generation of youth camp committees menbers that it is okay for them to be flexible throughout the camp, changing the style/approach of the camp depending on the situation while helping them to create a stronger bond between them. Another unexpected outcome of the retreat camp was the cooperativeness displayed by the super-seniors thoughout the camp, which I believe, would act as an example to the New Generation.

As someone who prefer to do hand-on activities, most of the "workshop" have a message in it and those participate would somehow learn that message while enjoying the "workshop".

Here are a list of "workshops" that were being played by them in the retreat camp

Screamer
Listmaster
Nine Dots
The Great Egg Drop
Game of Tags
Bean Business
Building Bridges

In between activities, we also managed to find some time to test out some possible activities for the Youth Camp and never forgetting, the favourite game of Mafia.

All in all, I hope those that participate in the retreat camp would somehow learn something and if I managed to offend you during the camp, I am sorry.

With Metta,

Bro Wei Han

Some photos taken during the retreat camp.

I didnt know my picture was taken...

Trying out a activity beside the nearby pond...

New Generation Girls...

Dunno what they are doing...

Niro trying out barbecuing her marshmallow using a lighter...

Justin also join in...

July Birthday boys and girl: Song, Leonie and Leonard

Something fun that we manage to find some time to do... Thanks to Song...

Genie on my palm

Turtle Attack!
Help me!

Syiok!

Let's see who is better...

My two fighting genie... "what am I going to do??"

p.s.: in the process of creating these pictures, no one and nothing was being hurt in any way.
(All photos courtesy of Song and Pei Yun)

Retreat Camp 2008

Retreat Camp 2008 @ Dhammavijaya, Dengkil (the second time done outside KCBA) started on Saturday morning and end on Sunday afternoon.

A thousand thank you to all of those that joined the retreat camp, namely:

New Generation: Jessy, Shin Ling, Niro, Leonie, Leonard, Benjamin, Kuan Wei, Chia Wei and Justin

Super Senior: Pei Yun, Weng Phoon, Song, Kean Hua, Jonathan, Wei Loong and Ling Sze

I am very grateful to the super-seniors for taking some time from their busy schedule to come and help me "challenge" the New Generations. Hope that the New Generation would actually see how the super-seniors work together and learn from them.

Will try to write something more about the retreat soon.