Which question would you most like to find an answer to?

1. What is the meaning of life?
2. Is there a God?
3. Do blondes have more fun?
4. What is the best diet?
5. Is there anybody out there?
6. Who is the most famous person in the world?
7. What is love?
8. What is the secret to happiness?
9. Did Tony Soprano die?
10. How long will I live?

The BBC reports that the list is based on approximately 1.1 billion searches made since the site opened in 2000.

Were there any questions on the list that surprised you?

I was surprised to see that “Do blondes have more fun?” was number three on the list. I wasn’t aware that it was such a contentious issue! A brief search revealed a 2003 ABC News report on this momentous (*cough*) question. It mentions that “a user survey of both sexes late last year confirmed that 55 percent agree with the old adage that blondes have more fun.” Good to know …

Not all the questions are so trivial though. Many speak to our soul cravings, the innate desires that we all share. “What is love?” and “What is the secret to happiness?” fall into this category, as well as “What is the meaning of life?”. We all crave meaning in life, so it’s not surprising that meaning tops the list of supposed unanswerable questions.

But what makes a question truly unanswerable? When are answers unknowable? Is it when something cannot be proven with 100% certainty? Then most of what we believe is unknowable. Take number 5 for example: “Is there anybody out there?” Restated slightly, this question could be asked in this way: “Do other minds exist?” Now, everyone believes that other minds exist. In theory you could be “in the Matrix” but no one actually believes that or lives their life that way. Even though it’s ultimately unprovable, we are right to believe that other minds actually do exist and we are not alone.

Question number 2 is a contentious one for sure: “Is there a God?” Recent books like “The God Delusion” and “God is not Great” have brought the issue to the foreground in contemporary society, causing others to respond with works like “The Dawkins Delusion?” and “The Dawkins Letters“.

Do these disagreements mean the question of God is unanswerable? I don’t think so, because we all have an answer to the God question. Your answer may be “yes” or “no” or “I’m not sure” or “I don’t care” but everyone has an answer. The question is, which answer is correct? There are in fact reasons to believe God exists, what will your answer be?

Another question that is tough to answer is number 6: “Who is the most famous person in the world?” It may be contentious to say, but I think the answer is Jesus. The Bible which tells Jesus’ story has been translated into 5000 or more languages (more than any other book) and the Bible Society in the UK estimates six billion copies had been printed by 1992. He has arguably had more impact on world history than any other person.

What makes Jesus so compelling? Jesus was unique in many ways, but the easiest way to explain his compelling nature is his identity. He claimed something amazing: To be God in the flesh. But Jesus didn’t just make the claim to be God: He backed it up. He proved his claim with a flawless life, amazing miracles, and stunning preaching. The crowds who gathered to see him cried out “Nothing like this has ever been seen!” and even the guards who were told to seize him exclaimed “No one ever spoke the way this man does.”

One of his claims was to forgive other peoples’ sins. This would be the height of arrogance for most people, but if Jesus was who he said he was, it would not only be entirely appropriate, it would be very good news for us. If we are honest with ourselves, we know that we do things that are wrong. There is no amount of good works that can cancel these things out; we can’t pull ourselves out of the quicksand by our own power. We need someone with a rope to pull us out. Jesus did that and more: He also took the punishment that we deserve on the cross, so that we can be forgiven. The only thing that can prevent us starting a renewed relationship with God through Jesus is our refusal. (Explore more about who Jesus is here.)

You can begin a personal relationship with Jesus right now by faith through prayer.

Praying is simply talking to God. God knows your heart and is not so concerned with your words as He is with the attitude of your heart. Here’s a suggested prayer:

Lord Jesus, I want to know you personally. I want to make you the “most important thing” in my life. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life to you and ask you to come in as my Savior and Lord. Take control of my life. Thank you for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Make me the kind of person you want me to be.

Does this prayer express the desire of your heart? You can pray it right now, and Jesus Christ will come into your life, just as He promised.

Is this the life for you?

If you invited Christ into your life, thank God often that He is in your life, that He will never leave you and that you have eternal life. As you learn more about your relationship with God, and how much He loves you, you’ll experience life to the fullest.

Watch The Other Six Days video. Explore what this video means to you through “The Other Six Days” interactive online study.

1. Our economic downward spiral
2. America’s first black president, Barack Obama, is elected
3. Mumbai under siege
4. Pakistan blast at the Marriott Hotel
5. Pirates ruling the seas off of Africa
6. Georgia vs. Russia conflict
7. The “Made in China” scare
8. Fidel Castro’s reign came to an end
9. The rescue of Ingrid Betancourt in Colombia
10. Natural disasters: the cyclone in Burma and the earthquake in Sichuan, China

I’m always drawn to the Top 10 News Stories because they capture the raw reality of things that were felt around the globe. It’s incredible to look back on that list now and think, “Wow. That all happened just this year.” Things that shattered our ideals, revolutionized our politics, and painted a different landscape for what is to come.

If you have some time, take a few minutes to reflect. Ask yourself, what will I remember most about 2008? What stands out in your mind as the event that most affected you?

Image credit: IowaPolitics.com

How well would you cope if all of the data on your computer was suddenly inaccessible? Or what if your credit card numbers were stolen online?

Unfortunately these are ever-present dangers. But there is free software available that will allow you to safely protect your computer.

In the past, running anti-virus software was enough to keep you protected. But nowadays, there are at least three components you’ll need for proper PC security:

• Anti-virus
• Anti-spyware
• Firewall

None of these programs will guarantee that your computer is safe, but here are 10 free software applications you can use to help protect your personal data from harm. (Note also that many of these programs are intended for personal/home use only.)

Operating System Updates

If you are using Windows (like about 90% of web users) you need to make sure your copy of Windows is kept up-to-date using Windows Update. This protects you against any vulnerabilities or bugs that have been discovered in the operating system. The best solution is to make sure automatic updates are on, but if you choose to update manually, Microsoft recommends that you check for new updates once a week.

Spyware

Probably the largest threat to your computer is spyware. Spyware can add annoyances to your web browsing like extra popups or redirecting you to inappropriate websites. Most dangerously, it can allow unscrupulous individuals to steal your personal information including credit card numbers or banking data.

Windows Defender
Windows Defender from Microsoft won’t interfere with other spyware apps, so it’s a good idea to have it running even though it is not the most effective anti-spyware tool available. If you have Vista, make sure it’s turned on by going to Start > All Programs > Windows Defender, then Tools > Options, and under Administrator options, select or clear the Use Windows Defender checkbox. If you have XP, you can download Windows Defender for free from Microsoft’s website.

Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware
Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware is described by CNet as a “surprisingly effective freeware antimalware tool.” Its free version is fast and generally very effective at identifying and removing spywar, trojans, and other troublesome software. (Note that realtime protection is only available in the paid version.)

Spybot Search & Destroy
Spybot S&D is lightweight and frequently updated. It scans your computer quickly compared to many other anti-spyware applications, and includes optional real-time (constant) protection. However its interface can be confusing so you’ll have to take a little time to learn how to use it.

Anti-virus

Viruses used to be the most common computer threat. Today viruses are less common than spyware, but it is still necessary to run anti-virus software to keep your computer protected. Most anti-virus software continually scans your computer as you work so that you will immediately be alerted to potential threats.

Avast! Anti-Virus
Avast! is oddly named but it doesn’t take up a lot of system resources and includes “anti-rootkit” protection. (Rootkits are programs hackers use to access systems.) Free registration on the Avast! website is required to obtain a license key to use this software.

Avira AntiVir
A third option for virus protection is Avira AntiVir, which requires no registration to download and use. It does not scan incoming or outgoing email, but it is usually fast when doing full-computer scans and runs constantly to keep you protected.

AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition
AVG was one of the first free anti-virus applications and is a reliable standard. Its newest version includes some new features and a new interface but has been criticized for slowing down your computer a bit more than previous releases, so it’s best for reasonably fast/recent computers.

Firewall

A firewall moderates the data that is allowed in and out of your computer. Hardware firewalls (such as a router) prevents data (except the types that you choose) from entering or leaving your computer. Software firewalls can also monitor which programs are sending and receiving data and allow you to prevent individual applications from doing so.

Windows Firewall
Windows Firewall is included with Windows XP SP2 and Vista. Since you likely already have it, you might as well use it, even though it is less effective than other free solutions. To make sure it’s running, in XP go to Start > Control Panel > Windows Firewall … in Vista, go to Start > Control Panel > Security > Windows Firewall.

Comodo Firewall Pro
Comodo Firewall Pro is the highest rated free firewall program as judged by an independent security organization.^[1] It also includes some basic virus protection and spyware protection, but it should not be used as a replacement for those programs. Comodo is a good choice if you’re looking for a full featured free firewall solution.

Web Browser

The final software recommendation to keep you safe is using Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome as your web browser instead of Internet Explorer. Although IE9 presents many significant improvements over previous versions, Firefox and Chrome (or Opera, another free competitor) are web browsers which include built-in security features to try to keep you safe from “phishing” sites (fake sites that try to trick you into entering personal information) and are not vulnerable to certain types of attacks that Internet Explorer is.

Final advice

Of course the very best way to avoid spyware, viruses, and hacker attacks in the first place is to be cautious! Carefully choose which websites you visit, don’t click links in email or instant messages, and don’t install any software without researching it first. If you keep these guidelines in mind, you’ll be on the right track to keeping your personal computer and your data safe!

Related Readings:
Learn better email etiquette
Why do “good” people do bad things

[1] Matousec Transperent Security, “Firewall Challenge: Results & Comments” n.p. Cited 22 July 2008. Online: http://www.matousec.com/projects/firewall-challenge/results.php