tapioca starch mixed with just enough water to make it liquid. It's pure carbohydrates so you might want to add protein or fats into the mix - maybe peanut butter - for really long runs. The good thing with starch is that it doesn't make you drink extra water, has a neutral taste (unlike the maltodextrin I bought from the beer brewing store), and is easy to swallow from an open soft flask (250 ml holds 600 calories worth of starch). The bad thing is it clogs any mouthpiece designed for drinking water and the starch settles into a solid mass within a few hours of not running.
maltodextrin (Now Sports Carbo Gain) and electrolytes
Tailwind -- runningwarehouse.com
TAILWIND ENDURANCE FUEL
Dextrose (Glucose), Sucrose, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Sea Salt, Organic Flavor, Potassium Chloride, Magnesium Citrate, Calcium Carbonate
Dextrose-32-oz
Hammer Perpetuem
GenerationUcan.
HEED and PB&Js. Gu gels
http://www.3fu3l.com/
Nutella/banana/chia sandies
Dry Sweet Potatos
maple syrup
Huma gels
GU is stomach's worst enemy.
Honey Stinger chews
VFuel.
cliff shots
As for gels I use Accel or 2nd Surge
SunRype fruit bars, or fruit in squeeze pouches
Mamma Chia Squeeze Pouches! Real food and delicious.
Accel Gel. Works for me. Same people that make accelerade
baby food pouches and some clif fruit pouches
Tailwind, Healthy Warrior Chia Bars, Picky Bars, Honey Stingers and Hammer Espresso Gel for caffeine.
Mule Bar
Picky bars
Powerbar has fruit pouches that are pretty much apple sauce with dextrose. I like those a lot!
TORQ gels
Choc blocs
Chia Squeezes and Baby Food
http://islandboost.com/shop/
Coconut Palm Sugar
Sucanat Sugar cane molasses
Sugar Alcohols
Agave: Nectar
Blackstrap Molasses
Yacon Syrup
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1937715000/govindasbookstor
https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheUltraRunners/permalink/1043625088984952/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheUltraRunners/permalink/1023649080982553/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheUltraRunners/permalink/1018225684858226/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheUltraRunners/permalink/1198998920114234/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/rawanddelicious/permalink/838434299527028/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/rawanddelicious/permalink/536964089674052/
Homemade Grape Energy Chew Recipe
https://youtu.be/u9_jieEJv74
Orange & Lemon Energy Chew
https://youtu.be/jwm7tGqL5UU
Vegan Kiwi Fruit Energy Chew
https://youtu.be/LdG1xALNbsI
How to make your own chew
https://youtu.be/GQpRCOq184E
Homemade Energy Gel Packets
https://youtu.be/xe97W0TkExw
5-Hour ENERGY DRINK for Pennies! How to make your own.
https://youtu.be/CdoBNGHzB2c
http://nutritionfacts.org/2013/09/24/raisins-vs-energy-gels-for-athletic-performance/
Guide to 10 Natural Sweeteners
http://goo.gl/rJwoQr
Jaggery and Sugar
http://easss.com/food/jaggery
500g $18-20 1000g $35
http://goo.gl/D4wucr
Glycemic Index for Sweeteners
http://goo.gl/VudTtN
Vedic Traditions in the Native American Customs
3/24/2016
A photo of Phalguni Radhika dasi during her wedding ceremony to Deva Madhava das.
By Sri Nandanandana dasa
Based on an
Interview with Felicity O’rourke
(Excerpt from “Mysteries of the Ancient Vedic Empire”)
If we do a comparative study, we can recognize numerous aspects of the Vedic culture, Krishna consciousness, in many of the Native American traditions. In order to show this, I conducted an interview with Felicity O’rourke who is a member of the Anishnaabi Native American tribe. She is now a practicing Vaishnava and disciple of Jayapataka Swami with the initiated name of Phalguni Radhika dasi. This describes many of the similarities she recognizes between Vedic culture and her native American traditions.
She explains: My family did not have a very strong Native American upbringing because my mother’s grandmother was the one who had a lot of the old ancient teachings and the knowledge, which she then taught to my grandfather or my Mom’s father. But she taught it to him in a way that was more of a lifestyle, not like a spiritual practice. And she wouldn’t let him or anyone else in the family know specifics of her native culture because she was ashamed. This was when so many Native Americans were going into boarding schools, or being taken away from their family members. So they, my particular family, hid from that. So there’s actually no physical documentation of my family at all in regards to them being native.
She would say, “You’re native and that’s all you need to know, and I won’t tell you anything else.” And that was it. That’s how my grandfather grew up and how my Mom grew up. So even when they had questions and wanted to ask about the culture, there was nothing, she would not share it. So it was just lost through the family line.
It was decades of my Mom’s searching for who she was, what was her tribe, what were the teachings, all of it she had to research on her own. She found it was most likely we are Anishnaabi. This is an umbrella term for a lot of native people or smaller tribes of natives, and we have not exactly pinpointed from which tribe we came. But it is primarily people who are woodland and lake natives, particularly along the great lakes of Michigan.
What my Mom learned, just from what her father taught her, is just to act as a human being with these traditional native practices. But she had no idea that it was a part of a Native American culture. She just thought is was what her Dad valued as a person, not necessarily in a cultural context.
SACRED FOOD
A lot of her spiritual practices have to do with food, which really struck me when I started to associate with Krishna devotees in Ann Arbor, when I was learning about the process of honoring prasadam, because I had already done most of these things growing up within the native practices. And it started first with every living entity as a spirit soul. This includes plants, which most spiritual practices do not overtly express. At least in most religious organizations, living souls being in plant bodies is not often stated. But this is something we very much value, so much so that we would take a plant and offer a prayer to the plant saying what is my intention, why I am using you, and “I am going to offer you to God first. Then I am going to take you for substance so I can live and continue praying and enlivening my experiences with others. So please accept that I have to take you so we can continue this.”
Then they would take a small shovel, or if they were going to clip the plant, they would tap the plant three times, or tap the shovel to the ground three times, to let the plant know this is it, so be ready. And then they would scoop it or cut it and take the plant or grain and prepare it, and then offer it on a spirit plate.
The spirit plate is the understanding of Wakantanka, a Lokota word. Wakan means all that is great, the highest being, and Tankashala is the spiritual entities. This also translates as Grandfather, or that which is never born and never dies. Wakan is the highest of the spiritual entities–the Great Spirit or God. It is also known as the Great Mystery because many natives no longer see God as an individual person. Although if you read any of the ancient stories, He often is recognized as a man. Some people say it is because of the influence of the black robes (Catholics), and others say it was before them, although it is hard to say due to our history.
Anyway, you take this plate of what you have offered as your food, and you first give it to Wakantanka, and you pray over it. Then you take this sweet grass, which smells very fragrant, and you burn some incense over it, so it is part of an offering. So you are specifically making an environment of spiritual potencies to say, “Please accept this.” Then you take that. And that happens for every meal. Sweet grass is also an invitation or offering to bring the elders. (Also there is the Vedic concept of making an offering to the elders.)
So when I had that experience [in the Native American tradition], I said, “Oh, this is like honoring prasadam. First you offer it to Krishna and then you take it.” I had already done that. So it was really easy for me to step into that place of being appreciative of offering to Krishna and accept Wakantanka as Krishna. This is really great. The whole understanding is that even a blade of grass is a living entity, and every living entity should be honored and respected.
REINCARNATION
Also understood is this cycle of repeated birth and death in my Native American tradition. Reincarnation is definitely there in Native American spirituality. This is why some may have a particular affiliation with certain animal spirit guides because they accept an ancestor became an animal, so now that animal is with you, or following you, or having some sort of relationship with that animal. So then they are helping you through your [life] process. You also, in this way, help other living entities through their process of getting out of this plane [of existence].
A key part of native spirituality is understanding that there are multiple realms. You are in one realm and you are on earth, so that means something, but this is not your permanent location. This is not it. This is why Native American burial grounds and things like that were so important because they understood they wanted to do their proper rituals and ceremonies so the soul could travel peacefully, instead of getting caught or stuck in the material world.
DEATH
Another element, especially for death rites, is that once a person has left their body, then you are not supposed to speak their name for a year. The reason is so they do not feel a desire to come back or stay as a ghost or a subtle living being still attached to their relationships to the people here, or to their own body. So you don’t speak their name for a year so they can make that process all the way through [to the next realm].
That is another understanding of reincarnation, leaving the body, and there are definitely opportunities for a living entity to stay and linger around in a subtle form, which you do not want them to do. You want them to move on to the next or higher position.
THE AGES
In Native American spirituality there is also this understanding of the ages being cyclical. There are similarities with Dvapara-yuga, Kali Yuga, and time keeps going back through a cycle. And there is a color that is designated for those ages. Colors, the symbolic understanding of them, was another big thing that was interesting to me. The ages reflect these moods: White–north, elder; Black–west, middle age; Red–south, youth; Yellow–east, child.
MEDICINE WHEEL
There is also the medicine circle whereas everything happens in a wheel or circle. So there are different ages that are represented by the different colors. So with Krishna appearing in a blackish form or in a reddish form, and these sorts of things are also very similar to Native American spirituality. A cyclical understanding is pretty basic through all the Native American tribes, not just the Anishnaabi or Lokota tribes, though there are some exceptions. But most understand reincarnation, and offering your food, having death rites, etc.
CREMATION
Cremation is also an important factor for most Native American people, to make sure the body is burnt so they [the deceased] can move on, and let the body go back to the land. Though there is a lot of Native American burial grounds, that happened not by the desire of the native people. So that is why there is a lot of curses that happened associated with burial grounds. Most often it was during when there was a lot of slaughter of the people and they were just laid where they dropped. So there were ceremonies performed over those areas. But that can differ depending on the tribe.
CREATION STORIES
Another interesting topic is the creation stories, which are many. But the one I’m most familiar with is where they speak of the different incarnations [of God]. For example, one of the main creation stories is about a turtle, which is like Kurma. I have spoken with my step-Dad, he is a Cherokee native, so he was really surprised by Kurma being an incarnation of Krishna, because that is part of our Native American creation story. There is a cyclical understanding of the earth going in the water and coming back out, and things will happen to the earth and start over again.
So with Kurma and the churning of the milk ocean, that corresponds to when the earth fell and was surrounded by water. So there is a whole story related to that with the significance being on this turtle who brought life back.
DEMIGOD WORSHIP
Almost all Native American practices are based on some sort of demigod worship, like worshiping the moon, and having an understanding that you are worshiping entities on the moon, and the moon is said to be a heavenly planet [Vedically speaking], so there is a similarity to that in Native American spirituality.
Also, different planets have different healing properties. So if you were praying to the sun, there are specific reasons why you pray to the sun in regards to healing. That is more like the Lakota tradition and why they do the Sun Dance ceremony. This is when they dance for four days around an outdoor arena, while taking no food or water. And they pray to the sun, and a tree which is in the center of the arena. Then there is a massive ceremony. But it is essentially prayers and sacrifice for healing of themselves and those they are representing. There is a lot to this.
There is also the women’s moon ceremony. Women are more inclined to worship the moon. So every month they will make prayer ties, or these little bundles, and they will tie it with yellow string and offer it with their hands to the moon, and they will pray to be rejuvenated or revitalized. And they’ll have these little pots of water to see the reflection of the moon.
MYSTIC PRACTICES
There is also a lot of mystic yoga sort of things that happen in Native American spirituality. A lot of it is this understanding of traveling to other planets. Around four or five in the morning, like first dawn, when you can see the north star, they will pray to it, around the same time as mangala arati [in the Vedic culture], and you chant these prayers in this song. By doing that you can travel to other realms or other planets. So they do that pretty regularly, depending on the spiritual practice. I know my Mom has done that on multiple occasions.
Sweat lodge ceremonies are also designed to do that sort of thing. The sweat lodge is considered to work like a space ship wherein you can travel to other realms using your subtle body. Then you can have different kinds of spiritual or physical experiences and bring them back to the people, like visions, etc.
So these are all similar to or part of the Vedic traditions in that they serve similar purposes. There is so much that is nearly identical to the Vedic teachings.
There are also different kinds of plants that are used for specific ceremonies, and there is a living entity who presides over that plant that you are dedicating time and attention to, or prayers for healing or for guidance. This is similar to the Vedic respect for, and our relationship with the tulasi plant. So there is this sort of understanding about plants in Native American spirituality, especially with tobacco, which most Native Americans do not use like an intoxicant, but as a way of offering prayers. In some cases they do smoke tobacco by holding it in their mouth and then releasing it. So they are not utilizing it to get high. There’s this understanding that tobacco is a sacred entity. So instead of using or manipulating it for their own benefit, through prayers they are asking tobacco to help them.
They do the same thing with red willow. Cedar is another plant that they use as very special, like in the fire, or in ceremonies, or for putting around holy places because cedar is a holy plant.
When something serious is happening to the tribe, like a famine or something, someone will go out and give a symbol of sacrifice, like an important possession and offer it into the sacrificial fire, which is huge in Native American spirituality. In a big ceremony, like a Vedic yajna, it is necessary to have a fire and offer things into the fire. Often they will offer valuable possessions into the fire, or maybe their only possessions, knowing it is for the benefit of everyone, or like a reciprocation that they will receive teachings in return. This is why there is a fire in every ceremony. If there is not a fire, then the ceremony cannot happen, or it is incomplete [such as if rainy weather puts out the fire].
So when my family came to my Vedic wedding ceremony, they loved the fire yajna because it is so familiar to them. That is what they do, they offer things into the fire, they have prayer, they have songs, and it is crucial to the ceremony. They loved it because it is not outside Native American culture.
I cannot think of a single thing that does not have some Vedic influence.
Once I was going to go on a vision quest out in the woods to fast for four days. And to do that you also make a string of ties, which are little bits of tobacco you pray into and wrap it in a little cloth and tie it with string, and then make 104 of them for every direction. Then you connect all of them with a string. You make it in a mood of meditation. It is the closest thing in Native American spirituality to a japa mala [meditation beads], but it is a string of prayers tied together. Then you surround yourself with them, or put them around you in a sacred space, or around your neck. Then when you are done, at the end of four days, you take all of them and offer them into the fire.
For the fire they dig out a little pit, and they have a mound on the other side of it. Then they cover the surrounding area [around the fire] with cedar [wood pieces]. Then they offer prayers and song, prayers to the wood and prayers of gratitude, songs of calling the elders or ancient ones from all four directions. It is calling the spirit guides, calling Wakantanka to come. So it is all through this fire, like a mouth of spiritual life. Then there is all kinds of rituals and ceremonies related to the fire itself. Then there are prayers to the rocks you put into the fire, prayers to the earth, prayers to every element in nature because it is understood they have a direct relationship to you and also to the fire. The fire is the start and end of the ceremony. And the fire has to continue throughout the whole ceremony. If the fire goes out, the ceremony must be finished, even if it is not fully completed because it is only through the fire that the ceremony is offered. So even if it is thunder storming they will do everything they can to keep the fire going since it is the life of the ceremony.
So most Native American practices we simply do not do anymore because we are so covered by the government, like we are just not allowed. Like the Ghost Dance, it is illegal to do that dance. So most Native Americans are very cautious in regards to what they share in their mystic yoga practice. A lot of this is written in step-by-step instructions, but a lot is just verbal, passed down to those who show sincerity.
Another mystic aspect of Native American spirituality is the Ghost Dance. When they do this ceremony they paint their faces white, they sing the song and kick up dirt, and it is terrifying. It is a very scary practice, but also very beautiful. What they are doing is a very yogic practice of honoring the dead, but also honoring life. So there is this connection in doing these songs and chants for perfection, and there is this tone of acquiring blessings.
They would also do this practice when they were being forced to move by the white people. The white people came in and they were moving [the Native American] people so much that many people died, and they would do the last rites of the people they had lost. This was something that was happening up until recent days. The American government was so petrified by this practice that they eventually forced the Native Americans to stop it entirely.
For example, when I was out doing Sun Dance, which is like another super scary practice if you do not know what it is. It is for healing but it is very intense. We had helicopters from the government circling us, making sure that we were kosher, because they are terrified of what Native Americans can do. These are like ancient, mystic yogic practices, if the Native Americans can remember them to actually do them properly. It has very tangible and physical results. It is definitely mystic yoga stuff, and the government hates it. So we are constantly being watched. They make it known that they are watching and they will stop you if you do anything they do not like, or that they are afraid of or do not understand.
ORIGINS
Most Native Americans say they are not from Earth, but are from other planets and that they came to Earth. There are almost none who say that we are from Earth, except the Hopis who say they came out of the Earth. Hopis say they were underground for thousands of years and then they came out of the ground. But most other Native Americans say they came from the Pleiades. They will say, “We are from these particular stars in the Pleiades, this is our planet and we had to come to Earth. But we are not from here, we are from the Pleiades.”
Some Native Americans say some people came from the Pleiades and taught others how to be spiritual, and how to pray, and how to worship and how to live their lives so every action is with spiritual consciousness and not a material one. How to always walk in spiritual consciousness to keep ourselves from being bound to this place. Most Native Americans do not feel they are from here, or that we are going to stay here. They feel like we are here for a little while, but we have to get out. This is not where we belong. And a lot of them feel that they belong in the spiritual plane or that they came from the heavenly planets, such as the Pleiades, definitely. And that is in a lot of Native American practices.
LANGUAGE
The spirituality in the Anishnaabi tradition is embedded in the language. So their language tells you how to be spiritual. Just by knowing the language, then you know how to be spiritual. So if you lose the language, you have lost all spirituality. So the language is the book. How that works is that the meaning of the words is telling you how to act in the word itself. So like the word “to teach” does not mean merely teaching, it means to look out at everything around you and learn from it because your surroundings are what is showing you how to live, and that is what it means “to teach.” So by observing your surroundings, which is the Earth and the teachings of the Earth, then you know how to get out and move beyond it. And that is what it means to teach.
Another one, to speak the truth literally means your words, like your breath, are coming from your mouth and down to your heart, and then coming back out. So if you are speaking from your heart, then it must be the truth. So it tells you how to do things in the words.
In this way, [similar to the use of Sanskrit] the word is a phrase that you connect to other phrases to build off of to form your spiritual consciousness. So you are looking at the world through spiritual eyes by having the proper consciousness by the words that you use. And if all of the words that you use are teaching you how to be spiritual, then you can only have spiritual vision. This is the understanding of the Anishnaabi, that language is the book in how to be spiritual because most things are taught verbally.
So the conclusion is that when I first came in touch with Vedic culture, Krishna consciousness, I was just seeing how it was so similar to Native American spirituality. I was only adding to what I already knew.
獻血是好事？這是西醫說的，是西洋醫生說的，是西洋醫生讓相關政府部門說的。因他們需要你的血，需要你的奉獻，需要你的血去做生意。獻血對人體本身並不好，對人體本身的健康並不好。
西醫的角度認為，牛肉羊肉豬肉狗肉都是肉，吃下去都是蛋白質，事實上並不如此，最起碼它們的售價並不相同，它們的遺傳基因也不相同，它們的父母更不相同。中醫認為：牛羊豬狗肉的寒熱性味並不相同，不同部份肉的歸經走向也不相同（如豬腳可以治腳病，豬胃可以治胃病，豬心可治心臟病）。一滴精十滴血，閣下可以看看一毫升里有幾滴血。牛吃草，但草的營養價值和牛奶的營養價值，以及牛的力氣是完全二回事，已經不是現有的科學理念可以解釋或涵蓋得了的，亦是說現代的科學理念是如此的不濟。
是的，血球的生命周期是120天，周而復始。這是指在體內而言，當抽走之後另當別論，問題是不僅僅抽走血球，同時還損失了其他的物質和重要的血液組成部份，還有很多是肉眼看不到，以及西洋醫學不理解的，如精氣神。
君可留意獻血前後的反應，一般來說無論多精壯的男子漢，獻三至四次血之後，人就垮了！學者也好運動員也好，會感到酸困乏力，體力下降，勞累或精神緊張之時異常軟弱，不能集中精神，思維能力下降，學術水準和體能水準都會下降。就算接受精良的中醫治療，此情形也往往可以持續多年，因為不容易治療，不接受治療者更糟糕，一輩子就完了！原因是“真氣”丟失，元氣大傷。而“氣、血、營、衛”是中醫的理論基礎。
要想檢驗此說很簡單，找幾位奧林匹克冠軍運動員來讓他們獻４次血即可，看看他們的運動生涯是否到此為止！高校的學生正是長身體求知識的時候，毀了他們，公平嗎？忍心嗎？心痛嗎？建議：以後獻血的時候，讓醫師和護士，以及單位的領導也一起獻血，以他們為榜樣，看看他們是否樂意即可，別自欺欺人。
這裡有一個邏輯學上偷換概念的問題，血球生命是120天，抽不抽都是死的了，但別忘了，它們有其存在的價值，有其功能，最重要的是人體需要這些功能（車間里有很多機器，反正機器也不能賣錢，可以隨便送人幾台？不行，拆卸幾粒螺絲也不行，否則整個工廠就不能運作）！人的扁桃腺和盲腸，西洋醫學也曾經認為是沒用的，是退化的器官，最近才發現原來還有用（這只有二種解釋，一是他們不懂得，二是他們需要這樣說）。
同時，人體因為損失了這些寶貴的血液，以及其中所含的我們知道和不知道的成份，打破了人體的平衡！失血的損失和破壞，還會引起其他的負反饋或正反饋，以及我們尚不知道的負反饋或正反饋，即所謂的牽一髮而動全身（比喻更動一小部分，即影響全局。如：這部機器
一旦停止，整個生產線就無法運作）。
在人的頸部，有一血液成份探測器（西洋醫學認為），以調節血液的含氧量，當血氧不足時就會發出警告，加速呼吸，動員相關的應急系統，直至血氧正常。這些緊急應變系統的動員，或者過多的動員，本身就會影響相關的後備系統，動搖了人體健康的根基（別說失血這麼嚴重的問題，就像睡眠，一晚睡不好，十晚也補不平）。
現在市面流行的桑拿浴，進去焗烘出了一身汗，出來就很容易入睡了。為什麼？傷神了，傷心了，當然容易睡（汗乃心之液）。所以從健康角度而言，桑拿浴是不值得提倡的。流行的東西不一定是好的，如抽煙酗酒，包括某些社會認可的東西。
西洋醫學認為，肝臟的代償能力可達70%，即70%的肝細胞功能破壞了，肝功能的生化指標仍然是正常的。可否這樣說：每個人都可以捐出他的半個肝臟，給西洋醫生們去搞肝移植（且不說移植本身的害處和學術上的低劣）。此乃挖東牆補西牆，挖肉補瘡，用有害的方法濟急，而不顧後果，得不償失。這種方式，與手術、毒藥、移植、獻血一樣，是中醫所不齒的。
誰可以保證只抽血球，別的細胞以及各式各樣的因子，抗體和成份，包括“氣、血、營、衛”不動分毫？即誰可以打開車窗放些氧氣進來，或低頭把衣服上的灰塵撿起來？
冠冕堂皇，這是一個社會責任？社會和醫院應該誤導市民承擔起這個責任？這是一個利己利人的好事？因輸血致死和感染疾病（包括惡性疾病）的又有多少？很多疾病的罪魁禍首就是輸血，如愛滋病。
紅十字血液中心呼籲市民獻血，強迫獻血？街頭無償自願獻血？獻血者需要提高覺悟，醫院打開門做生意需要收費，西洋醫生用這些大家捐贈的充滿愛心的血輸給病人，收取高額可觀的費用（雖然並不一定是直接收血的錢，但也是皮之不存，毛將焉附的道理），怪異！我開餐廳，鼓勵大家定時送柴米油鹽／或我開輛大卡車定時向大家收集豬肉牛肉，或者是閣下股上之肉，給我的就是覺悟高。或者給相關的管理部門或決策部門相當股份或利益，有關部門或法律就自然會向某一方面傾斜，這就是現實或遊戲規則。
2005年春節的說詞是：「點滴血液能燃點生命之火，為了身邊的同胞，勇敢地去承擔一份責任，奉獻一片愛心吧。只要您參加無償獻血，就能感受一番神聖而特殊的節日氣氛，體會助人的快樂，同時您還能得到一朵愛心玫瑰以及春節禮包，把這真摯動人、代表您愛心的玫瑰，作為情人節的禮物送給最愛的他（她），這樣是否更能表達您的心意呢？」我們不明白西洋醫院拿著這些血去賣什麼價錢，也不知道新春期間會不會加價，為什麼西洋醫院在病人沒錢的時候不「為了身邊的同胞，勇敢地去承擔一份責任，奉獻一片愛心」？閣下可以閉上眼
睛想像一下貧病交迫的病人，面對著西洋醫院有病無錢莫進來的嘴臉或模樣。
呼籲市民獻血的理據薄弱，西洋醫院究竟是營利性行業抑或是公益性行業？就中國目前老百姓看不起病，或一年的收入不足夠支付一次住院費的情形來看，很難看出其是非牟利性質的！
如此，市民獻血即是變相由市民津貼西洋醫院。這個要求完全不合理。
西洋醫院作為一間公司／有限公司／有限責任公司（因為治死了人還有錢收，雖然其名稱之後並未冠以有限責任公司，但事實上有此特許或特權），按道理說，要擴展業務，增加投資，應該循正常的渠道向市場集資，例如配股或者發債，即使西洋醫院認為這在財務上不可行，難以獲得市場人士支持，但無論如何也不能要求市民獻血。更不應以行政方式要求，因為如此對其他行業的從業者並不公平。
必須知道，西洋醫院要求市民獻血，是無償的，西洋醫院將來即使賺大錢，也毋須給還這些獻血的市民，即是說，市民白白將這筆錢送給一間有限責任公司，資助它擴展業務，壯大實力，這合理嗎？況且，西洋醫院一旦獲得這些寶貴的鮮血，日後釐定住院費或藥費時是否會遵守承諾只收回成本價，根本沒有人知道，更沒有人能夠作此保證。
西洋醫院過去在談到住院費或藥費問題時，總是以上市公司自居，將沒錢的病人拒絕於千里之外；如今，為了獲得這些寶貴的鮮血，卻搬出社會利益這個冠冕堂皇的理由，要求市民獻血，這種雙重標準很難令人信服。退一步說，即使市民獻血真的可以帶來社會利益，但也不足以作為西洋醫院要求政府注資的理據。畢竟，獲得這些鮮血，始終是西洋醫院這間有限公司的投資行為，市民根本沒有責任承擔這筆費用，更沒有此義務，政府切勿慷市民之慨。
香煙製造廠的存在亦是一斑，此時什麼煙民的肺病肺癌，只是個人健康，純屬個人的事，個人利益與幾十億上百億的利潤或稅收相比又何足掛齒！或者當年的大煙（鴉片）也是煙，雖然曾經有過鴉片戰爭，但現在這些因肺病或肺癌而奄奄一息的善良和無辜煙民們只是弱勢團體，就算他們知道，也沒人為他們伸冤，何況他們不知道，或被教育為不知道。同時也可以說他們吸煙是他們自己的選擇，是他們自己的決定，與人無關，但相關部門是否有教育的責任？慶幸的是煙民們也並非全部鴉雀無聲，也有不少過億的索償（牛津教授：吸煙減壽10年
，受尼古丁毒害魁煙民告三大煙草商）。
器官移植者的本性和性格會類似於捐贈者，輸血者和獻血者之間的關聯又如何？有人做過研究嗎？就像手提電話生產商也在測試手提電話對人體的損害，你能指望此測試公平麼。
美國科學家近日發現，吸血鬼吸血可能真有其理由——年輕人的血液能使老年人重返青春（看過吸血鬼系列影片的人肯定都對嗜血如命的德拉庫拉伯爵記憶尤深）。英國《自然》雜誌刊登美國斯坦福大學科學家的試驗報告說，為年老的實驗鼠注入年輕實驗鼠的血液，能使年老實驗鼠的肌肉組織快速恢復。相反，如果將年老試驗鼠的血液泵入
年輕實驗鼠的體內，肌肉恢復時間將會變長。實驗還發現，恢復肌肉
並不是“年輕血液”的唯一好處，年老實驗鼠的肝臟也會因此恢復活力。因此研究人員認為，這一實驗結果預示著動物的衰老過程並非因為器官的老化，而是由於血液變“老”了。
那麼獻血者本身又如何？公平嗎？
我們不妨異想天開，可否如此立法：“凡使用獻血的病人，任何人將不得再收取任何費用，以對獻血者表示崇高的尊敬”。我們有足夠理由相信此法律不可能成立，而且成立之後，西洋醫院也不再呼籲人們無私奉獻了，因為其已無利可圖。
據新華社電，如果處於“視窗期”的愛滋病毒感染者參加了無償獻血
，在當今世界現有的科技條件下，還無法檢測出來，因此，輸血存在著感染愛滋病毒的危險。近日在此間召開的“雲南省防治愛滋病宣傳教育系列活動專家訪談會”上，雲南愛滋病防治專家指出：在不必要的情況下，不要輕易輸血。專家稱：人體在感染愛滋病毒一段時間後，才能從血液中檢測出愛滋病病毒抗體，但在能測出抗體前已具有傳染性，從感染愛滋病病毒到機體產生抗體，為期3個月，這段時間稱為HIV檢測“視窗期”。處於“窗口期”的愛滋病毒感染者參加無償獻血，其檢測結果會是陰性。這已經成了一個世界性的問題，現在還沒有辦法完全解決。而在各種傳播途徑中，經過血液是最容易傳播愛
滋病毒的，輸血存在感染愛滋病的危險。專家們提醒，傳統觀念中認為輸血對搶救患者生命大有好處的觀念應該改變，在可輸血可不輸血的情況下，最好不要輸血。
閣下自重。
捐骨髓者，被教育成多麼偉大，但將此無私的奉獻移植入病人體內的西洋醫生，收５０萬加元的時候為什麼也不偉大一些呢？
器官移植，割取時間早了，被割取者尚未死亡；割取時間晚了，被割取者已經死亡，此器官也已死亡！如器官已死亡，則接受器官的人毫無得益！既然生命是平等的，又該如何判斷那個生命更有價值？由金錢來取捨？用腳趾思維的人也懂得應趁人剛斷氣的時候摘取器官，最好是未死之前！何況現在西醫對死亡的定義仍然未有定論，亦是說未能肯定什麼是死亡！因為這裡涉及死亡的定義問題和道德問題。天秤向那邊傾斜不能由西洋醫生的利益為前提。
大家需要注意的是：人體器官是人的一部分或組成，如果人死亡了，器官也應死亡，否則人就是未死亡，邏輯學本來如此！再退一步，何謂尸骨未寒？而且還有一個對死者敬重的問題，有那一位孝子為了自己“積下善福”而甘願如此？中國傳統上有停尸七日的習慣，以免假死的情形，這就是中華文化對生命的態度和尊重！古埃及人的木乃伊又如何解釋？就你西洋醫生偉大，別人都是未進化？不過是掩耳盜鈴的技倆而已。
器官移植在西洋醫生的鼓動下已成為一個市場，如外匯股市般，欲賣器官者多如牛毛，令人髮指！因為那都是貧窮人家或身不由己！
為了解決原材料問題，很多國家在西洋醫生的左右下都鼓吹捐獻器官，甚至有些國家叫囂“不反對即默許死後捐器官”，即如果病人生前沒有表示反對，默許死後可以捐出器官。問題是不表示反對不等於同意，一些如患有老人癡呆症、中風等病人，未能表達自己的意願，則不能認為他們是同意。加拿大從1994年起，等待器官捐出的人數增加一倍，但表明願意捐贈的人數差不多沒有改變。安省有1,920人在等候做器官移植手術。安省捐贈器官的比例是每100萬人中有12.4人同意捐贈，全國的比例是100萬分之13.1，魁省是100萬分之18。急於開拓市場是意料之事，只是太卑鄙了，令人髮指。
聖經誤譯誤信舉一反三
周兆祥 愛丁堡大學語言學博士
3/08/2011
可否舉些實例，說明聖經翻譯有甚麼嚴重的不足／缺陷？
對翻譯學稍有研究的人都知道：嚴格來說，翻譯是不可能的（或者精確一點：要求譯文100%傳達出原文的訊息，是永遠辦不到的事），所有翻譯都是（或多或少）誤譯，譯文無可避免背叛原文，通常總不免有添加意義、漏掉意義、歪曲意義等等，這個情況跟譯者的功力無關，因為它正是翻譯工作的「原罪」。
舉例1──（新聞報導）
“The U.S. President’s brother is gay.”
用中文來表達：
美國總統的哥哥是同性戀
美國總統的弟弟是同性戀
美國總統的兄弟是同性戀
都不是與原文的本意百分之百對等（equivalent）
舉例2──（法庭証人作供）
「我看到他拿著一包白粉。」
英文譯作
I saw him carring a pack of white powder.
I saw him carrying a pack of heroine.
兩個譯法都「對」（有道理），但是意思跟原文又不一致，因為原文有歧義性（多於一個解釋的可能性），譯文已經作了解釋的選擇，對庭上的控方或辯方有利或不公平。
在日常生活中，絕大多數的雙語對照文本在應用的層面都不會產生嚴重的意義差距問題，引起誤會或爭論，例如：
出路 —- EXIT
商業電台 —- Commercial Radio
大減價：5折 —- Sale: 50% off
可是宗教哲理的文獻，尤其是奉為神明啟示的經文，每包括每個詞語都可能牽涉到極端敏感、具信仰關鍵意義的爭論，譯文選用的詞彙和表達方式甚至可以導致教會團體分裂──例如
歷來中國各基督宗教的教會對於怎樣稱謂“God”就有不同的立場，到了今天，聖經的寫法都分為「天主」、「上帝」、「神」三派，沒有一派肯讓步隨眾。
又如
“to baptize”，不同的教會各自採用自己的譯法、「領洗」、「受洗」、「受浸」，從中演譯出不同的禮儀傳統，個個都認為自己的做法最正確。
聖經翻譯在「忠於原文」方面幾乎比任何一種翻譯工作都要複雜，主要是因為原文（originals）及源文（source texts）特別複雜：
解釋特別多爭譯（有了近二千年世界各地的神學、聖經學傳統）；
牽涉到的利益特別大、持份者特別「認真、肉緊」（包括宗教、經濟、文化等等）；
文化隔膜相當嚴重（經文中的意義牽涉到好幾千年猶太民族的傳統）。
以下介紹幾個突出的誤譯例子，說明它們如何誤導了中文的信眾。
1. 「我是道路真理生命」
“Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”
“耶穌對他說：“我就是道路、真理、生命，如果不是藉著我，沒有人能到父那裡去。” (約翰福音 14:6)
照「正常」、普遍英語用法：“I am the way”使用了“the”這個definite article，意思是只此一家，其餘都是假的、不會達到目的地的。中文「我是道路」卻完全沒有這個意思，如果有人說「耶穌是道路、毛澤東也是道路、 Hello Kitty也是道路」，邏輯上並無矛盾，而英文表達則不會容許。
於是，問題的關鍵在於：即使承認耶穌有講過這樣的話，即使他指的是自己（其實應該不然，見下文），這句話的意思有兩個不同（甚至相反）的理解：耶穌是唯一的道路、耶穌是其中一條可以走的道路。
這兩個解釋，只會搞出兩個完全不同的宗教：如果非「信」耶穌無法得救，那就是一個排他性、尊橫霸道的宗教；如果耶穌無非是其中一條道路，即是說不必信耶穌（例如老子孔子之輩）亦可救贖得道，教會以外亦有真理，那就是另外一個宗教（非常東方式的）。
許多人會以為：只要追查原文便可知哪一個意思是耶穌的本意，可惜的正是原文早已失傳，後世的各種源文限於語法等等亦未能有效指証。再者，即使失傳了的「原文」真正出土面世，誰能保証作者正確紀錄了耶穌的話？
解釋一句話、一個詞，往往應該由上下文的意義來入手，上下文是解釋原文本義其中一個可靠的証據。根據這段經文來看，耶穌確是指自己是唯一的道路。只不過，再從更大的範圍、更高的層面看，耶穌應該不可能講出這樣的意思（不靠我，就不會得到救贖）。連天主教會亦在1960年代梵蒂岡二次大公會議公開承認：在教會之外有救贖──這不是等於全盤否定聖經福音書裡耶穌上述的意思嗎！
再循翻譯的角度深入一點了解這句話的意思：按照目前中文傳道主流的宣傳，人人都收到訊息是：「耶穌是A+B+C」（A=道路、B=真理、C=生命），可是現存最可靠的源文的本義，應該是「耶穌是CA+CB」，正確的表達方式是：「耶穌是生活的道路、生活的真理」。
若此，箇中又牽涉到更複雜的神學問題了。
不過，更重要的還是：恐怕整句話的意思根本並非是這樣，因為那個“I am”（「我是」）所指的，其實不是耶穌。
原來所謂「我是」(“I am”) ，是希伯來傳統裡耶和華自稱的說法”I Am that I Am (希伯來文: אהיה אשר אהיהý)” ，族人用此詞尊稱他們的主（見出埃及記 3:14）。因此這裡的「我」不是指耶穌這個人，而是指耶和華。若要忠於原文，中文大概是「只有上主是有生命的道路、有生命的真理」—-這樣跟「耶穌是道路真理生命」風馬牛不相及嘛。
2. 納匝勒的耶穌
新約中提到那十多次”Jesus of Nazareth” ，中文一般習慣譯成”納匝勒來的耶穌”，當然「沒錯」，可是後世的教會偏偏有意無意略去最關鍵的意思，長期誤導大眾，搞出完全違反耶穌本意的教會（以至明白事理的人會說：基督宗教其實與耶穌無關，正如佛教與釋迦牟尼無關）。
原來按照當時文化的傳統，提到耶穌之時沒有稱呼他的性，反而提到他的背景──Jesus of Nazareth，箇中顯然饒有玄機，絕對不容忽視。
按照一般教會的解說，納匝勒是耶穌的家鄉（籍貫），正如我們墓碑會刻著「南海陳大文」一樣，其實並非如此呢。
當有人講：「廟街的芳姐」，大家的理解就不止於廟街這個地理指謂（位於九龍油麻地那條街）+ 一位名為阿芳的女子；說耶穌是「納匝勒的耶穌」（新約提到十多次）並非是「深水埗的周兆祥」（阿祥在九龍深水埗荔枝角出生）那麼簡單，雖然納匝勒這個當年的被人瞧不起的小鎮是耶穌少年時生活的地方，不過更重要的是，這個地方原來是一個靈修團體的基地。
納匝勒正是艾賽尼派的一個基地。
艾賽尼派（英文：Essenes；通用希臘語：Εσσηνοι），亦稱艾塞尼教派，自西元前2世紀至1世紀流行於巴勒斯坦的猶太其中一個苦俢派別，是小型修道院團體。希臘文為「虔誠者」之意。過隱世苦修生活。1947年在死海沿岸一些洞穴中發現的一批古代文獻《死海古卷》（Dead Sea Scrolls）推測即為艾賽尼派所寫成、複製和收集的。
這一派的成員主要為下層群眾，包括農牧民階層，他們的經濟地位低下，信仰虔誠。在起義勝利以後的年代裏，他們的經濟地位並沒有得到改善，反受到當權者的迫害。他們因而悲觀失望，成群避居於偏僻山村和死海沿岸，建立互助集體社團,過樸素的集體勞動生活、注重虔修祈禱，殷切盼望救世主“彌賽亞”的來臨，實行比法利賽派更嚴格的禁欲生活。法利賽人不離開社會，不離開聖殿，而艾賽尼派兩者都脫離了,他們認為聖殿崇拜已經形式化甚至腐化、完全世俗化了。艾賽尼派反對世俗的奢華安樂，主張過淡泊清貧的生活，安息日不做一點工作，全部時間用作禱告、默想與讀經。宗教虔誠與對政治社會的態度，決定了艾賽尼派對猶太宗教特權者和希臘、羅馬政權的統治者懷有強烈的反抗情緒。1947年在死海沿岸一些洞穴中發現一批古代文獻(即《死海古卷》)以及後來在鄰近的庫蘭(Qumran)地區發現古代社團聚居村落的遺址，可能就是艾賽尼派當年活動留下來的蹤跡。
艾賽尼派生活于僻村荒野,不與現實社會接觸,因此新約中對他們毫無記載。只是記載曠野之中出現了一個施洗約翰，他“身穿駱駝毛的衣服，腰束皮帶，吃的是蝗蟲野蜜……”(《馬太福音》3:4)。這個施洗約翰倒有點具備了艾賽尼派生活風度的特點。但沒有證據可以斷定施洗約翰就是一個艾賽尼派。
因此，指耶穌是納匝勒派一族（新約提到那十多次應該這樣中譯），就是指耶穌是這樣思想、這樣身體力行艾賽尼派的生活哲學：
· 在僻村荒野小社區聚居、與世隔絕。
· 會員恪守摩西律法，在耶路撒冷不採寺廟膜拜，嚴守安息日。
· 長期做靜坐祈禱讀經。
· 共產主義
· 獨身主義。
· 穿白衣。
· 過極端簡樸的生活。
· 自耕自足集體勞動。
· 吃全素，飲食極端清淡、簡單。
· 不斷做斷食。
那可不是跟歷來主流教會完全不同的一套嗎？今天全世界有幾多位牧師神父傳道人活出這種人生呢？如果你這樣學耶穌做人，怎樣在你的教會裡生存呢？
3. ” 信” 、” 望” 、” 愛”
中文聖經一般將所謂”faith” 的概念譯為” 信” ，實在差之毫厘，謬以千里—- 大致上，” 信” 是理性的決定，有根有據才接受的，例如你信不信正常的成年人有60萬條頭髮人？你信不信北京是中國的首都？
如果是這樣，耶穌要求的，當然沒有什麼了不起。阿祥此刻在40樓對你講「拖著我隻手同我一齊跳落去」，你想也不想就照做—- 那才是 “faith” 的本意：毫無理由地接受，而且付諸行動，即是不折不扣的”盲從”。
同樣道理，耶穌要求追隨者具備的”hope” 不只是” 望”( 理性的希望) ，例如希望股市會走出谷底，希望生育一索得男，而是坐開往落馬洲的東鐵，真心真意期望自己這班車會駛去羅湖然後送你安抵北京南站—- 那才是 “hope” 的本意毫無理由地寄於厚望，即是不折不扣的” 妄想”。
至於”Chairty” 譯成“愛”，簡直是離天萬丈，因為”love” 的概念，傳統希臘文化細分為好幾方面，”charity” 所指的，與男女之情、親情等無關，而是指對陌生人或不相干的對像的關懷、不忍，例如自己全家無錢開飯，收到政府派錢兩夫婦共得$12,000，開心全數捐去動物團體拯救流浪狗—- 那才是 “Charity” ，中文最接近的概念大概是” 布施” 。
總之，耶穌期許追隨者的情操，比一般教會講的” 信” 、” 望” 、” 愛” 境界與難度高出不少。
4. 五餅二魚
根據各種比較可信的歷史紀錄，耶穌明明是素食者（而且是非常嚴格的一族），早期追隨他的，亦奉行吃素，可是近代各主流基督宗教派別，吃素的極少，連目前流行的中外文聖經版本，也是有意無意歪曲誤譯有關的教訓和史實。
按照舊約聖經的教訓，人毫無疑問是應該吃素的：
主在創世紀1：29中所指出的：「神說，看哪！我將遍地上一切結種子的 菜蔬和一切樹上結有核的果子，全賜給你們作食物。」
在緊接著的詩節中，神進一步指出，這種食物是好的，而有肉的飲食，僅是滿足他們的貪慾。這解釋得已相 當清楚，但是我們還要全方位地研究一下《聖經》的內容。以色列的子民們吃夠了神所賜的食物，於是，神特意為他們擺下了鵪鶉宴的例子，是從《聖經》中節選下來的最典型的一個。而且，在民數記的11： 31、32詩節中，對鵪鶉和接下來的鵪鶉宴作了描述。在11；33詩節中，則突出說明了該章的中心內容：「肉在他們牙齒之間，尚未嚼爛。耶和華的怒氣就向他們發作，用最重的災難擊殺了他們。」他不喜歡他們吃肉。
聖經很多地方似乎贊成食肉一事，這些應當提一提。我們不該食用挪亞在特殊情況下（洪水泛亂， 所有的蔬菜都被沖走）使用的權宜食譜，而應當食用一種更為有價值，最初就有的食物，也就是主在創世紀1：29中所指出的：「神說，看哪！我將遍地上一切結種子的 菜蔬和一切樹上結有核的果子，全賜給你們作食物。」
在緊接著的詩節中，神進一步指出，這種食物是好的，而有肉的飲食，僅是滿足他們的貪慾。這解釋得已相當清楚，但是我們還要全方位地研究一下《聖經》的內容。以色列的子民們吃夠了神所賜的食物，於是，神特意為他們擺下了鵪鶉宴的例子，是從《聖經》中節選下 來的最典型的一個。而且，在民數記的11： 31、32詩節中，對鵪鶉和接下來的鵪鶉宴作了描述。在11；33詩節中，則突出說明了該章的中心內容：「肉在他們牙齒之間，尚未嚼爛。耶和華的怒氣就向 他們發作，用最重的災難擊殺了他們。」他不喜歡他們吃肉。
神說，看哪，我將遍地上一切結種子的菜蔬和一切樹上所結有核的果子，全賜給你們作食物。」（創世記1：29）指出人的正常飲食是素食。
「惟獨肉帶著血，那就是它的生命，你們不可吃。流你們的血，害你們命的，無論是獸是人，我必討他的罪，就是向各人的兄弟也是一樣。」（創世記9：4、5）說明神不允許人吃肉，但如果那樣做的話，他要用他自己的生命去補償。而且他會被他所殺的生命殺掉。這就叫做業報。
「你們所獻的許多祭物與我何益呢？供綿羊的幡祭和肥膏的油脂，我已經夠了。公牛的血，羔羊的血，公山羊的血，我都不喜悅。你們舉手禱告，我必遮眼不看；就是你們多多地祈禱，我也不聽，你們的手都沾滿了殺人的血。」（以賽亞書1：11、15）說明食肉者即使禱告，神也不接受。
「假冒為善的宰牛，好象殺人。」（以賽亞書66：3）說明宰牛和殺人，二者被視為無有差別。
「在你們一切的住處，脂油和血都不可以吃，這要成為你們世世代代永遠的定例。」（利末記3：17）這一技巧要求：你可以吃肉，卻不要吃到血，這是對猶太教食物（泣干血的肉）原初的構想。它就好比拉屎卻要不撒一滴尿。不可能！
「凡以色列家中的人，或是寄居在他們中間的外人，若吃什麼血，我必向那吃血的人變臉，把他從民中剪除。」（利末記17：10）注意「無論吃什麼血」一句。所有的肉源於血。
耶穌的偉大門徒保羅，在給羅馬人的一封信中說道：『最好不要吃肉，也不要喝酒。』
根據現存羅馬梵蒂岡圖書館被禁流傳的最古福音本《和平福音》記載，耶穌不但教人萬勿吃肉（「食肉者靈魂必死」）外，還教人要多多斷食、慢慢進食、食毋求飽、盡量生機飲食（不要煮熟「煮死」食物）、一餐只吃少種類的食物，完全符合最新的健康飲食原則呢！
受人敬仰的聖經學者Rev·V·A Holmes—Gore研究了在新約四福音書中使用頻率較多的「肉」一詞。他把肉一詞的意思追溯到希臘文原文。他的這一發現首次發表在1947年出版的《秋天的世界方場》一書中，他指出在四福音書中19個譯成「肉」的詞應當準確譯為這樣：
希臘文 談到次數 意思
================================
Broma———–4———-食物
Brosis———-4———-吃食物的行為
Phago———–3———-吃
Brosimos——–1———-可吃的東西
Trophe———-6———-營養
Prosphagon——1———-任何可吃的東西
因此，約翰福音21：5的權威譯文：「你們有肉嗎？」是不對的。它應當譯成：「你們有吃的嗎？」
「魚」是聖經中另一個經常被誤譯的單詞，它是早期的基督徒用來互相證明身份的標誌。魚一詞是一個神秘的標誌和交談中的暗號，它源於魚這個詞的希臘形式 “ichthus”，因此，它代表的是一個離合詩句，由“Iesous Christos Theou Vios Soter”這句希臘語的開頭幾個字母組成。而這句希臘語的意思是“耶穌．基督，神之子，救世之主”。經常出現的魚一詞只是代表耶穌的符號，跟吃魚一事一點兒關係都沒有。
「這約翰身穿駝毛的衣服，腰束皮帶，吃的是蝗蟲、野蜜。」（馬太福音3：4）注意“locust”一詞，它有兩個詞義，一是蝗蟲，另一個是刺槐，這裡指的是刺槐樹上的果兒，它是聖約翰的麵包。」
「她的靈魂便回來，她就立刻起來了。耶穌吩咐給她東西吃。」（路加福音8：55）英文版《聖經》中將“Phago”一詞譯為「肉」，而應該為「吃的東西」。
因此，主自己要給你們一個兆頭，必有童女懷孕生子，給他起名叫以馬內利。到他曉得棄惡揚善的時候，他必吃奶油和蜂蜜。」（以賽亞書7：14、15）基督徒喜歡引用這一詩節的前一部分，以證明耶穌是救世主，卻很少引用後一部分，而它卻預言了耶穌將是個素食者。
「他們正喜得不敢信，並且希奇，耶穌就說：『你們這裡有什麼吃的沒有？』他們便給他一片燒魚和一塊蜜房，他接了它過來，在他們面前吃了。」（路加福音 24：41-43）注意單詞「它是單數。給耶穌的是燒魚和蜜房，他只接受了其中的一樣。從以賽亞書7：15來看，我們可想而知他接受的是哪個了。
所以，食物若叫我弟兄跌倒，我就永遠不吃肉，免得叫我弟兄跌倒。」（林前8：13）「並且都吃了一樣的靈食。」（林前10：3）
這裡用的broma一詞，是食物的意思。
「不可因食物毀壞神的工程。凡物固然潔淨，但有人因食物叫人跌倒，就是他的罪了。無論是吃肉，是喝酒，是什麼別的事，叫弟兄跌倒，一概不做才好。」（羅馬書14：20、21）非常好的詩節。這裡用的詞是broma，即食物。因此，很清楚，吃肉是不好的。(資料來源：北京綠色餐桌網站 http://veg.50g.com/)
那麼耶穌講道後用五餅二魚吃飽了群眾，又如何解釋？原來希臘語中魚藻(fish weed，一種乾的海藻) 被誤翻成魚是其中原因。
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更多阿祥講聖經的錯誤翻譯：
http://www.lifeflowhk.org/?s=%E8%81%96%E7%B6%93
Water filters: green buying guide
Adapted from the 2/2012 Consumer Reports magazine.
http://easss.com/water/filters
A flood of new filters--everything from simple carafes to permanently mounted systems--can make removing impurities from your drinking water almost as easy as turning on the tap. Some models that connect to the plumbing are now easier to install. And more filters now feature electronic indicators that signal when it's time for replacement.
More than just water that tastes good might be at stake. Dangerous contaminants such as lead, chloroform, arsenic, nitrate, nitrite, radon, and E. coli bacteria are common in tap water.
Bottled water, often advertised as a "pure" and "natural" alternative to tap water, is generally safe. But it's actually less regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) than municipal water supplies. Bottled-water makers aren't required to disclose where their water comes from, how it was treated, or what contaminants it might contain. Disclosure is purely voluntary (except in California). And the bottled stuff is subject to a less stringent safety standard than tap water.
In fact, purified tap water is the source of 49 percent of bottled water produced in the U.S., according to industry data. Many consumers could cut out the middleman (and produce far less plastic waste) by investing in a water filter and reusable water bottle to tote when they're on the go. Fortunately, Consumer Reports tests on dozens of the latest water filters found quite a few models suitable for removing many such contaminants. Watch video: Getting the Right Water Filter.
First find out what's in your water
One way to find out what type of filter you need is to check your Consumer Confidence Report, or CCR. The EPA requires utilities to provide a CCR to their customers every year. You may also find the CCR printed in your newspaper or posted on your local government website.
Consumer Reports reviewed CCRs from the 13 largest U.S. cities and found that few claimed to have no federal water-quality violations. Though none of the other water systems were consistently unhealthful, all had some samples containing significant quantities of contaminants. In New York City, for example, some samples had lead levels several times the federal limit.
Note that a CCR might indicate safe levels of a contaminant when your water actually has experienced potentially harmful spikes. Also, a CCR tells you about the water in your municipality, but not necessarily about what's coming out of your particular tap. Only testing your home supply can do that.
Even if the water coming out of the treatment plant is clean, contaminants could get into water after it leaves the facility. That’s because millions of miles of distribution pipe are nearing their end of life. And household plumbing remains a main cause of lead contamination in homes built before 1986.
Homeowners with a well on their property face even greater uncertainty, because such water isn't surveyed or reported on in CCRs.
To find the names of state-certified testing labs, call the EPA's Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791), or go to the EPA hotline that is online. Or you can contact your local health authority, which might offer low-cost or free test kits, or check out www.epa.gov/safewater/labs. Ultimately, you might find that you don't need a water filter.
It's important to know what contaminants are in your water that so you can match the filter to the problem. Claims about contaminant removal vary from product to product, so read the fine print.
Also, consider how much water you consume vs. how much effort and disruption to your daily routine you're willing to tolerate. Generally, the more contaminants you need to remove, the more complicated the filter, though there are trade-offs.
Green recommendations
If you get one of the top-rated water filters recommended by Consumer Reports, you can get odor-free, clearer, better-tasting water, with fewer dangerous contaminants. Fortunately, there are a lot of good choices.
Not surprisingly, more water-filter manufacturers are touting their products' power to remove impurities, not just improve taste and appearance. In recent tests, Consumer Reports spiked water with lead and chloroform (a surrogate for organic compounds like atrazine and benzene, and for bad taste) to test five different types of filters: carafe, faucet-mounted, countertop, undersink, and reverse-osmosis models.
Many filters did the job, but some removed less of each contaminant than promised, and even the best can be overwhelmed by sudden surges in contaminants. Undersink and reverse-osmosis models outperformed faucet mounts and carafes, but required professional installation and can be quite expensive.
Be sure to consider the total cost when choosing a filter. Some have very expensive cartridge refills.
Also note: Many refrigerators now have water dispensers with built-in filtration. Though they're fine at improving taste, in past tests some systems were so-so at removing impurities. Plus replacement cartridges are costly. By installing a recommended undersink filter to the refrigerator's water supply line, you can bypass the appliance's filter and you may get cleaner, more economical results.
Carafes
Among the carafes tested, the top-rated Lotus Tersano LWT-100 at $229 and the Best Buy Clear20 CWS100A at $15 both removed lead and chloroform effectively without sacrificing cartridge life or flow rate.
Two ZeroWater models were also recommended although they scored lower and their chloroform removal scores were not available. They are: ZeroWater ZD-013 (8-cup) at $35 and the ZP- 010 (10-cup) at $38.
Remember that you must replace the filters on carafe models, which is an added cost. If you’re thinking of a carafe type filter, you should know that manufacturers of carafes don’t have to disclose whether their products contain Bisphenol A, which some studies have linked to reproductive abnormalities and a heightened risk of breast and prostate cancers, diabetes, and heart disease.
All the carafes in our tests are BPA-free, according to their manufacturers. But manufacturers should be required to list the type of plastic used in their carafes and should not use polycarbonate, which leaches BPA.
Faucet-mounted filters
The Culligan FM-15A at $15 and the Brita Base On Tap OPFF-100 at $19 both were judged Best Buys, but their flow rates were only fair, meaning it took longer for the water to flow through the filter.
The Culligan FM-25 at $20 and the Pur FM 3700B at $30 also did a good job and were recommended.
Countertop filters
The Shaklee BestWater MTS2000 #82300 at $260 was a Best Buy among countertop models, and the Amway eSpring 10-0188 also was high-rated, but it is priced at about $600. It treats the water with ultra-violet light technology.
Undersink filters
Four models were recommended among this type. They are: Multi-Pure MP750SB at $400 rated highest in the group; the Aqua-Pure by Cuno AP-DWS1000 at $565; the Ecowater EPS 1000 at $390; and the American Plumber WLCS-1000 at $251, which was judged only fair on flow rate.
Reverse osmosis
Three models were judged Best Buys among this type. They are: the Whirlpool WHER25 (Lowe’s) at $146; the Kenmore Elite 38556 at $255; and the similar Kenmore 38156 at $153. The Kenmore’s both were judged only fair on flow rate, however.
Other recommended models in this group were more expensive. They are: the Kinetico K5 Drinking Water Station at $1800, which, unlike most other filters, removes fluoride; the Coway P-07QL at $640; the Ecowater ERO-375 at $675; and the Culligan Aqua-Cleer at $1,000.
