Happy New
Year!
This coming
Tuesday, January 8th at 9:00am, Toy Wonders will be upgrading
our web site. This upgrade necessitates that we close the store
for several hours –perhaps even an entire day. If you have
orders to place, please be sure that you complete your order before
then.
A few shipments
arrived this week. If you log
into your account at www.toywonders.com, before clicking on
any of the links below, you will see wholesale pricing -as well
as a picture.
Forgot
your password?
Having
trouble viewing this page?
Missed
a previous week's newsletter?
DIECAST
Collectible Model Cars And More
| Item# |
Description |
Stock
Status |
| 51105WBK |
RC2
Johnny Lightning - Plymouth Superbird Hard Top (1970, 1:24 scale diecast model,
Black) 51105WBK |
New |
| 51105WBU |
RC2
Johnny Lightning - Plymouth Superbird Hard Top (1970, 1:24 scale diecast model,
Blue) 51105WBU |
New |
| 51105WSV |
RC2
Johnny Lightning - Plymouth Superbird Hard Top (1970, 1:24 scale diecast model,
Silver) 51105WSV |
New |
| 91503PW |
Jada
Toys Dub City - Chevy Camaro Concept Hard Top (2006, 1:24 scale diecast model,
Asstd.) 91503PW |
New |
| 91842LO |
Jada
Toys For Sale - Chevy Bel Air Hard Top (1957, 1:24) 91842LO |
Restock |
| 91672 |
Jada
Toys Road Rigz Got Milk - Peterbilt 387 Hualer Tractor Trailer
(1:64, White) 91672 |
New |
| 91774 |
Jada
Toys Road Rigz The Godfather - Peterbilt 387 Hualer Tractor
Trailer (1:64, Black) 91774 |
New |
| 2101D |
Mail
Truck (4.5") 2101D |
Restock |
| 9531/4 |
Construction
Trucks (4.5") 9531/4 |
Restock |
| 9669D |
Super
Lawn Tractor (4", Asstd.) 9669D |
Restock |
| 9808D |
Tour
Bus (5", Asstd.) 9808D |
Restock |
| 9907/8D |
Sport
ATV (4.25", Asstd.) 9907/8D |
Restock |
| 9912/3D |
Superior
- Super Transporter w/ Decal (5.5", Asstd.) 9912/3D |
Restock |
| 9985/4D |
Police
Series (5", Asstd.) 9985/4D |
Restock |
| 9990D |
Super
Sonic Fighter Assortment (7.5", Asstd.) 9990D |
Restock |
To remove
yourself from our mailing list, please log into your account at
Toy Wonders, modify personal information and uncheck the option
Keep me informed about new products and offerings. Or reply to
this email and say unsubscribe.
Thank you
Lu
Toy Wonders, Inc.
www.toywonders.com
201-229-1700
God
and The Art of Toy and Diecast Car Marketing
Aspects of Truth
By Lu Su
All important
questions pertaining to life almost always fall into one of four
categories: origin, meaning, morality, and destiny. Notice that
science, as advanced as we have taken it, stumbles here when attempting
to answer deep questions pertaining to life. Science today has
done a decent job in giving us answers to what, where, when, and
how; but science trips over the “Why?” question. “Why?”
is a question asked by those searching for meaning. So if science
cannot provide the answer to life’s deepest questions, it
appears that we need to stroll on over to the humanities department
and turn to something called philosophy. Now for science and philosophy
to be meaningful, their foundation must be built on Truth.
Last week,
I had asserted in a religious context that the belief, “All
paths are correct” is absurd and even wrong. Different religions
teach and prescribe very different things –many are in direct
opposition to each other. So in this light, it is a far more reasonable
to argue that all paths are wrong then to claim that all paths
are correct. I then alluded that Truth has something to do with
my explanation on why. Before delving deeper, I need to define
a term or I risk atheists (those who believe there is no God)
and agnostics (those who are not committed in believe in a God
or gods) thinking they are exempt from this discussion. Moreover,
the word “religion” means very different things to
different people.
A world view
is a person’s (or a group of persons’) philosophy
that helps them answers questions pertaining to life –specifically
questions on origin, meaning, morality and destiny. While all
religions address and provide answers to these questions in some
shape and form, the agnostic and atheist does not follow what
most people call a religion; however, they too have a philosophy
to answer life’s questions; it may not be that extensive,
but nevertheless they have a world view too. With that being said,
I can now narrow the scope of the original statement “Not
all paths are correct” to this thesis:
Not all world
views are correct.
I know the
above statement will seem like a no brainer to some people. Yet
at the same time, this same statement is unreasonable and even
offensive to others. I can see why. Especially today, with our
technology, our world has become smaller and more pluralistic.
In most societies you don’t have to travel far to hear,
see & smell different cultures, languages, customs, art and
foods. Pluralism is a great thing. I personally like eating different
type of foods and experiencing different cultures art and music.
My kids are cross cultural children and from my perspective, beautiful.
Furthermore, most world views assert that life is precious and
in the creator’s eye we are all equal in value. No disagreement
here. But then to assert that all world views are equal (thus
correct) is just plain wrong. All world views espouse different
ideas. All ideas are not equal in value. This leads me to my one
aspect of truth.
One attribute
of truth is its absoluteness. Whether I believe that something
is true or not has nothing to do with the Truth. This
is a very deep statement and worth reiterating a few times. Whether
you or I think something is True or not, our thinking does NOT
change the Truth of the matter (e.g. I believe that Elvis is still
alive). One’s belief does not alter Truth. Truth is unchanging.
One’s feeling does not alter Truth. Truth is unchanging.
I know in many cultures, people have confused their beliefs, feelings,
and knowledge with Truth. So in my attempt to weave science and
philosophy together let me ask a question here.
What does
2 + 2 equal? What if I was brought up in a culture or was taught
that the answer was 5? Could I then conclude that 2 + 2 = 5 is
true for me and 2 + 2 = 4 is true for you? Here I would assert
that if I delved deeper into the science of mathematics and went
on to form theorems and formulas in order to express ideas rooted
in reality, I would eventually run into contradictions –things
would not add up correctly (why does my building lean to the left?).
Then in order to explain/rectify this apparent contradiction,
I would either need to refute the original premise OR come up
with some sort of amendment to qualify the contradiction. As one
delves deeper into one’s own world view, apparent contradictions
would arise –thus requiring something refuted or qualified.
Back to the question of what is 2 + 2? Now if I claim that 4 is
the correct answer, am I not being prejudiced? After all, there
are an infinite number of other numbers to choose from. Why am
I being so narrow-minded here? Why am I being so judgmental and
even stating that some other answers are wrong? The answer is
because truth is exclusive.
Before elaborating,
let’s take a step back and address one assertion that I
just made –the absoluteness of truth. People that refute
such a statement tend to fall into one of two camps. One camp
will argue that Truth is unknowable –thereby giving them
an excuse to not even address the subject. I am going to leave
the question of whether Truth is knowable for some future part
of our journey. The other camp rejects such the premise that truth
is absolute and argues its opposite -truth is relative. They would
argue that Truth is a matter of personal preference (i.e. “I
like chocolate, you like cookies and cream”).
Way back in
the 20th century there was an interesting debate. The gathering
for this debate was actually to discuss a totally different subject.
But within this debate, the subject of truth came up. At this
particular forum, one speaker sporting a beard and tweed jacket
stood up and made the bold statement, “I want to assert
that all truth is relative and that we can both be right here.”
and then sat down. Usually in a debate, one side is attempting
to prove the other side is wrong or at least show that their ideas
are bankrupt. This statement offered up was actually an attempt
to make peace. Two camps were on opposite sides of a mutually
exclusive issue. With the beauty of truth being relative, both
groups can be correct and walk away undefeated.
A tall skinny man with glasses raised his hand and when called
upon stood up and when handed the microphone said, “I think
I must have misheard what you just said.” He stuck his finger
in his ear and wiggled it as if to clear up some ear wax. “Did
I hear you correctly? Did you just say that all truth is relative?”
“Yes……yes, I am postulating that all truth is
relative,” replied the man. He actually said, “yes”
twice; the first time he had forgotten to speak into the microphone.
“So if truth is relative, then is it safe to conclude that
there no absolutes when it comes to truth?” inquired the
lanky man.
“Yes, if truth is relative, then obviously truth cannot
be absolute at the same time,” answered the man. He stroked
the short hairs on his chin with his thumb and index finger –wondering
where he was being led.
“Are you sure that there are no absolutes and that truth
is relative?” asked the skinny man again.
“Yes,” replied the man in the jacket.
“You’re sure?” asked the lanky man again.
“I’m sure,” replied the man again.
“Are you …absolutely… sure?”
asked the man in glasses again.
There was silence for a few seconds and then the crowd erupted
into laughter.
We need to be careful here. If truth is relative, then right and
wrong can be redefined. This could have disastrous consequences
when such a notion enters the mind of a violent or perverted individual.
If truth is relative, then right and wrong is simply a function
of preference. This then could give impetus for one leader to
advocate the extermination of another group of people –for
in his mind, he is simply doing what is right. And a 52 year old
man (just caught last week) may honestly think that there is absolutely
nothing wrong in using a chat room to entice a 14 year old girl
to meet and have sex –he too may believe that no wrong is
being done here and that he is actually doing something good and
right. So the basis of absolute Truth must exist outside of us.
One could say that that Truth transcends us. So if our feelings,
beliefs, and knowledge do not affect Truth, it does not appear
that we get to define Truth.
As mentioned
before, another aspect of truth is its exclusiveness. When you
say something is correct or good, you automatically asserting
that there is something that is incorrect or bad. In the same
token, if 2 + 2 = 4 is correct, then there must be other answers
that are incorrect. This is an either or type of logic. The fancy
term for this type of logic is called the law on non-contradiction.
When dealing with mutually exclusive ideas, both ideas cannot
be correct at the same time. You do not have to be well read or
studied to realize that different world views teach and prescribe
mutually exclusive ideas. Let’s just take one of them.
There is only
one God. There are many Gods. Both statements cannot be true at
the same time. On the subject of how many gods there are, both
the monotheistic world view and the polytheistic world view cannot
be both correct at the same time. The law of non-contradiction
which applies to our reality dictates this.
I remember
posing this very same question one evening to one who was well
studied and practiced in Hinduism; he had just asserted that one
could be a Christian, Jew, or a Muslim AND be a Hindu at the same
time. I then asked him if he was able to reconcile this apparent
contradiction. The former world views all share the belief that
there is only one God, whereas most Hindus believe that there
are many gods. The answer provided to me had something to do with
what “level of enlightenment” that I had obtained.
Then my question was dismissed by some sort of reply that the
answer to this question did not really matter.
Hum…..
I thought. I think I would have rather received the reply, “I
do not know” than the one I had received. There is a definitive
answer to this question on the actual number of gods. Reality
dictates that there is a correct answer -regardless of what level
of enlightenment I had reached. But I understand, when truth is
made relative to the individual (in this particular case relative
the level of enlightenment I had reached), you can then more easily
conclude that everyone is correct and questions pertaining to
life do not really matter.
I see I have
rambled on a bit too long here. At the same time I feel that I
have just scratched the surface on this pertinent topic of Truth.
So let me quickly recap some points.
1. Truth
is necessary in the search for meaning.
2. Truth is absolute.
3. Truth transcends us.
4. Truth is knowable.
5. Truth is exclusive.
Given that
the five statements are true, I thereby conclude that not all
world views are correct.
If you made
it this far in the reading, I can safely conclude that inside
of you there is some existential hunger for something. I think
this longing is for Truth. It continues to draw us. It is my hope
that as we continue with our journeys, neither of us are lead
onto a path with dead ends, loops, or in the wrong direction.
Since not all world views and the paths they prescribe can be
correct, it seems vital that we find the right one.
