穿越幻象

夏洛特烦恼，牛仔有两只。

我只去过两次泰国。 第一次是去普吉岛。在一个很网红海滩旁的7-11买东西，结账时店员告诉我他们的设备坏了，不能刷卡/不能WeChat，只能现金，我说没问题。 但她扫完商品报出的价格：折合人民币将近 400 元。我当下就觉得不对——我平时买东西都会大致看价格，那一趟买的东西不可能超过 200 元，差距太大了。 我就说：价格不对，你再扫一遍。 她明显有点不情愿，重新一件一件扫。结果还没扫到一半，就直接报了和刚才一样的总价。 那一刻真的挺无语的。我就很直接地说：我们一起一件一件算。 最后重新算下来，金额是大概人民币130+。她面不改色心不跳的告诉我价格、收款、找零，对这种诈骗行为一个借口一句抱歉都没有。 第二次是去的曼谷，去吃饭的路上过马路，绿灯走在斑马线正中的时候一辆转弯的车速度很快向我直冲过来，我都吓傻了，他丝毫不减速，我最后一刻往后躲了一步，那辆车就从我面前擦身过去，体会了一把“命悬一线”。 当然，这些都只是我个人短暂旅行中的个别经历，说明不了全部。我也完全相信泰国有它的美景、美食、热情和吸引力。 只是对我来说，每次一想到这些经历，就很难再产生想去的冲动——哪怕再漂亮的风景、再香的网约车和厕所，好像也没办法覆盖掉当时留下的那种不适感。

In 1986, the American Medical Association published an article titled "The Physical Death of Jesus Christ". It details the entire process of Jesus' trial to His death on the cross. In Luke 22, before Jesus is arrested, it is written that He was in great distress & sweating blood. Although rare, it is recognized as Hematidrosis, a condition caused by high levels of stress. At the time, the crucifixion was considered the worst death for the worst of criminals. But this is not all Jesus faced. He endured whipping so severe that it tore the flesh from His body. He was beaten so horribly that His face was torn & His beard ripped. A crown of thorns, 2-3 inches long cut deeply into His scalp. The leather whip used to flog Him had tiny iron balls & sharp bones. The balls caused internal injuries while the sharp bones ripped open His flesh. His skeletal muscles, veins, & bowels are exposed, causing major blood loss. Most men do not survive this kind of torture. After Jesus was severely flogged, He was forced to carry His cross while people mocked & spat on Him. Crucifixion was a process meant to instill excruciating pain, creating a slow & agonizing death. Nails as long as 8 inches were driven into Jesus' wrists & feet. The Roman soldiers knew the tendons in the wrists would tear & break, forcing Jesus to use His back muscles to support Himself to breathe. Imagine the struggle, the pain, the courage...Jesus endured this reality for 3 hours! The Gospel of John writes that after Jesus' death, a Roman soldier pierced His side with a spear & blood & water came out. Scientists explain that from hypovolemic shock, the rapid heart rate causes fluid to gather in the sack around the lungs & heart. The accumulation of fluid in the membrane around the heart is called a Pericardial effusion & the lungs is called a pleural effusion. To the world, Christianity is as foolish as it can get. They believe it's for the weak. But when you are confronted by the reality of the cross, it's clearly not a pretty sight. It is brutal & horrific. This is the weight Jesus carried. The weight of the sins of the world, all so that we can live. God's wrath is fully satisfied in Jesus. This is what it took. Repent & believe! Jesus is “God among us” in the flesh. Jesus is our Savior. Jesus loves you so much that He went through this spiritual and physical punishment for your sins and mine. Jesus is the LORD, Almighty God, Everlasting Father. Thank You, Jesus.

林毅夫：未富先老是中国健康奇迹的结果。