Bad Name?!

I noticed that non christians love to point out the fact that the existing churches are the ones that are the richest and stuff like this.

I wonder, why do they point out stuff like this when they just look at it in a superficial way?


I mean yes, thing is these are facts that there are churches like this, in fact a lot. But it is not like looking at the 1 and determine every churches are like this.

However, i think that to reach out to people, churches must be salt and light to these people and to the world, and this could only be done through the grace of God and our Lord Jesus Christ.

Christians in the news

I came across this in the online version of ST today:

http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_382751.html

Christians and Christianity have been put in a rather negative light lately, what with the AWARE saga, homosexuality and the S377A penal code, and now this. What do you make of all these? How can we Christians engage the public meaningfully and constructively without having either sides taking up arms at the slightest provocation, intended or not? (By this I also include the way we maintain this blog, as it is in the public domain.) Do you think it is ever possible to have peaceful, level-headed discussions about one's religious beliefs in society? If we are to influence our culture positively, how can we go about doing it?

George Carlin Quote

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways,but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time.

We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.

We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often. We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years.

We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We've done larger things, but not better things.

We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes.

These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stock room. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete...

Remember; spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.

Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.

Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent.

Remember, to say, "I love you" to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.

Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.

Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER: Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

If you don't pass this to at least 8 people....Who cares?


~George Carlin

The ironic thing is, George Carlin is a staunch athiest comedian who consistently insisted that "There is no God" and that "Thou shalt keep thy religion to thyself".

I was temporarily disoriented after reading this, because whilst the non-christian friend that showed this to me had felt enlightened, empowered and encouraged... my only reaction was "so what?".

Although inspiring, his words can at the most only evoke/arouse feelings (and i may stress that these are temporary) of happiness. It doesn't quite answer the questions that really matter (why do we exist so? and for what purpose? where is the meaning in everything we do, when it will all pass away?).

It's only when we see things from God's perspective that we can truly know peace, this peace that comes from knowing we were created by God to glorify Him. You see, it wouldn't matter if we rectified everything George Carlin pointed out above; if there were no God, if there was no predetermined purpose to all that exists, if everything we have came to be by chance, wouldn't everything be hopelessly meaningless?

So yup. This only reminded me yet again that everything we do, we do for the glory of God. It is something that I easily forget in the relentless bustling of mundane everyday life-- getting caught up in the competitiveness of academics, working hard towards my goal of becoming a doctor, indulging in YouTube and listening to radio in my free time-- so much so that I slip into living for myself instead of using time wisely to carry out God's purposes.

Pretty sure all of us have that terrible tendency. Pray that we'll diligently resist it.

Buddha?!

Today i stumbled upon a site where buddhism had this retreat too. I think u guys also heard that they too have service and stuff.

They had the idea of what is fellowship and everything And they do talk about the affairs of the world. But one thing that come into my mind, what distinguish Christians and Buddhists since they also do teach about joy, happiness, suicides and greed?

I think the whole idea is, Christ and a no Christ religion that distinguishes us.

Imagine a faith (i would say) without Christ. Then having all these deeds is meaningless. Because we do it for what we want in the future because buddhists do believe in karma.
But a faith with Christ in it, whatever we do, it is for God alone, isn't that more meaningful?

Yeah just a thought in my mind altho this is quite a common topic :)

Angels and Demons

In the midst of my busy schedule, I caught this movie.

So I would like to share a memorable quote from the movie:

'Religion is flawed only because Man is flawed.'

And that's the conclusive statement of the whole story basically, that we are sinners and we have fallen.

Teaching

Teaching requires dedication and effort. I have come to learn that through just 3 days into my internship. Every class is showtime. And God's grace and strength sustains me through the day. At the end of the day however, I would have just enough energy to do a my QT and then drag myself to sleep.

My recent QT involved one on gifts and teaching is one of the gifts that I thank God for. Jesus is my teacher, friend and role model who will guide me and understand what I am going through during my teaching internship.

Death

Death is so unpredictable.

Recently i heard of this guy who studied in RP and is in my school, SIT, he committed suicide due to the stress of FYP.

My heart sank, because it happened in my school and the reason was just FYP couldn't make it.
Who should be responsible for it? I wonder when i heard it from my friend, the advisor,the parents and the guy itself should be responsible for this.

I think when people often under stress, they would just think of the shortest way to solve their problems and that is not the point. It would drag other people down by doing all these things.

Here i pray that the parents would be comforted by God and hope that people around them would be sensitive to their needs.

PinkDot

Days ago, several artistes and many people gathered for the PinkDot event, calling for freedom of the LGBT (Lesbians, gay, bisexual, transgender) to love. Statements such as "love for all" are repeatedly emphasized.

Supernatural?

Many days ago, i interacted with my friend on the bus.

It goes like this...

I tried to take a picture of her and she told me don't, not because she is shy or what, it is.. it began all in the bus when she told me.

She told me the reason why she doesn't want a picture taken, it is because of a funeral that is just opposite the bus stop. She said it's better be safe not to take. I don't know whether in my stand, i should just follow what she said so as to avoid quarrels or just go ahead since i am not superstitious. But i did what she said and so called respect her.

She later shared with me her experience with an encounter in the HDB flat that this person approached her and cannot see the person face clearly and then the person dissapeared.

At that point of time, i just said that it might be all an illusion, but i cannot deny the fact that it might exist. The only thing was in my mind is that God controls everything and has a reason for it. That is why i shared experiences i heard to her, of course, christian experiences.

However, it is kind of a big question mark for me, why when people do not really want to meet such things in life actually met it. I just hope that it is just an illusion.

The only story i could refer to is 1Samuel 28:14-20. in bible.

This shows that God would allow a spirit in front of us if we want to seek it that much.
And the explanation i gave my friend was, most probably that's a demon or satan's doing.

Please enlighten me, Many a times i am lost for words for this kind of topic and a great opportunity lost to share to my friend

Between Two Worlds

For those who read blogs, I find Justin Taylor's (American pastor) blog "Between Two Worlds" a good read.

Occasionally cheem, but it gives many resources (sermons, videos etc) and talks about many topics (abortion, torture etc).

Conversation with a non-believer

I have just met this guy today who made a couple of statements about Christianity, including that Christians should "respect others' faith", moral values are "relative", and that he simply doesn't like "my God".

Instead of jumping straight into a tirade against him and his arguments (as often I'm tempted to do so, but by the grace of God to remind myself that the manner of testimony should be gentle instruction), I think there is much to learn from a non-believer point of view. Often in Christians' zealousness to share the truth, we have forsaken humility and gentleness. One ought to learn from Apostle Paul, who, under the slander of the false teachers, restrained himself with great maturity to appeal with "the meekness and gentleness of Christ" (2 Cor 10:1). The first thing in conversations is to remind ourselves the need for self-examination. One is unlikely to give regard to a heavenly message when the prophet's life is so contradictory to that glorious reality. It helps if one prays for humility, especially one who has great intellect to win arguments.

Yet at the same time, the phrase "respect others' faiths" itself has become a common catchphrase for anyone who wishes to avoid religious or value discussions, or for anyone who rejects the notion of an absolute truth. A lady in VCF (Varsity Christian Fellowship) recently wrote on the challenge of an Arts student with a Christian faith struggling to reconcile the "absoluteness" of her faith with the relativistic way her studies are carried out. Simply put, there is no correct answer, and the "correct answer" is the argument that is most cleverly argued (nevermind that it may be wrong!).

So it is with the way the same guy told me that values are relative. In response to my statement that murder is wrong, he retorted that murder is only wrong sometimes, such as in war, where murder is justified. I don't see how that makes values relative, so my reply to him is that even under special circumstances, there is no way to escape an absolute way of viewing values. "Murder" (which in war shouldn't and isn't called as such) as an act of self-defence is not wrong, while there is still such a thing as war crimes in war! Otherwise the just war theory is simply gibberish, and Hitler can never be labeled "evil" by anyone.

I suspect that many atheists and non-religious people are borrowing from the Judeo-Christian tradition when they judge and make truth claims that there is no such thing as God, or ironically, no such thing as the truth! As a matter of fact they are "absolutists" to some extent, though they deny it. I began to imagine what it feels like to be a complete relativist, which of course I have never seen one, or at least a completely consistent one.

How does one live when there are no fixed values and all things are measured by man? By a sinful creature like me? Like you? I think all hell will break loose. I look at the social institutions in our world and thank God for His common grace in restraining evil. But let's not look at the temporal peace we enjoy and think how great we are.

For the Christian of course, truth is not an argument, nor is it an intellectual exercise. It is not even something to discover by ourselves until we "finally got it". Truth is a person, and that person is Christ, God manifest in flesh. He is the Ruler to measure right and wrong. He is the Ruler that our sinful wills and minds must submit to. To the Pontius Pilates who ask "what is truth?"(John 18:38), He replies, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6)

Let's not pretend that we can live relativistically, without a Ruler to measure things, without any authority to submit to, without any consequences to face, without any purpose to live, without any meaning to believe. Such a life is unviable.