Birthday thoughts

Is it just me?
Somehow the idea of a "special" treatment during birthday is just uncomfortable.
Why would someone want to be stripped, abused, tortured and humiliated just because it is his birthday??
Did a quick search on Google using terms like "Birthday abuse", "birthday torture", "birthday ragging", "birthday special treatment" etc.
But none came out with results that is relevant.
But I did found something similar, which is university ragging.
This is the link to the wikipedia entry

Somehow I just feel that birthday should be a day of blessings where the birthday boy or girl gets blessed by all his/her friends.
Besides, it is a great reason to invite friends and relatives to celebrate together, maybe even friends that have not keep in touch with for a long time.
It is a platform for blessing~
Somehow it had just evolved into a vicious culture where ppl who get tortured (humiliated) will bear the revenge and always waiting to torture the next birthday boy/girl.

It is made into such a common norm that people just feel indifferent about the whole humiliation act, in fact, some claim that it is the RIGHT way to bond friends together~

Why would something that causes hurt and grudge be the thing that bonds people together?
It should be the blessings and the support that people gave to one another, even through tough times, that really bonds people together.
I really wonder where does the bond lies, or should I put it, how deep will the bond be, if the bond is built on humiliation?

I shall ask the key question?
What’s the intention?
What’s the point?
Just to have fun?
Just to enjoy the scene where people get tortured?

Maybe it might be a slim chance, but how sure can people be that the special treatment that was given will not leave psychological trauma or certain phobias?

Just to mention, throwing people into the pond during beach trip or swimming pool trip is also pointless.
It doesn’t do any good to the person who got thrown and the people who throws.
It will only start a vicious cycle of revenge.

Could I boldly say that people who first started the vicious cycle might be those who wants to gain attention or just plainly like to see people suffer.
In either case, there are sure a lot of deep down psychological issue that has to be work out.

Maybe I am too good hearted,
I just can’t bear people being tortured.
Imagine what is the person thinking while being humiliated by his friends?
He might be thinking that all these are worthwhile because I get to do this when someone elses birthday is near.

Seriously, I don’t mind being humiliated on my birthday
IF the people who humiliates me is HAPPY doing so,
or they really want to vent out their frustration,
or if they will allow me to pray for them after the humiliation.
Seriously, I wouldn’t mind being ill treated if it will forever change the culture of this vicious cycle back to what it is originally intended, which is a day of blessings and fellowship.

I know this post is long, but I just couldn’t hold back anymore.
The same feeling of uneasiness is boiling inside me, just like before I was about to go to university and heard about a lot of ragging incidents.
Seriously, it does more harm than good.
I want to be the one who change the culture, should I be in one of the ragging sessions.
But God has His finest plan,
I came to NUS and joined UFO organised by MSL.
It is truly a time of blessing and joy.
I am so grateful that seniors just volunteered themselves to help us.
Instead all ragging or humiliating, we were blessed.
The AFFIRMATION session was still clear in my mind,
I almost teared when I see everybody is affirming somebody, thanking them for the help that have been received.
It is this kind of environment that should be cultivated in a society, not some silly humiliating or torturing ceremony that will do more harm than good.

It is a cycle of BLESSINGS!
Look at the amount of helpers in UFO2 this year!
Look at the helpers’ attitude.
The juniors (freshies) can really feel the sincerity of the seniors.
I didn’t join most of the activities in UFO2 but I went for the finale BBQ.
The scene where freshmen and seniors get together and cheer together is just AMAZING!
It is THIS, this kind of effect that blessings will bring about in a community.
The cycle of blessings will just continue and continue and continue.
Wouldn’t it be a better world to live in than some world where everybody is afraid and worried about what others will do unto him/her~!

Hahaha…. I’ve wrote alot.
If you’ve read thus far, congratulations~!
and of course thank you for reading my random thoughts.
Hope you will leave your comments so that I will be able to gather other people’s opinion on this matter.

Back to RAG!