i just read something in the newspapers yesterday that sickened me to the core. it had nothing to do with the resurgent in animosity in sino-japanese ties. it had nothing to do with the latest on the pope's death. it had nothing to do with the implications of tony blair's call for parliamentary elections in may as he seeks an unprecedented third term in office. neither had it got to do with the latest guffaw in american foreign policy.
it was the news about how current acjc rugby captain, lee wei kong became paralysed on his way to church from his jurong east home one fine sunday morning -- 2 jan 05 to be precise. and how his parents are struggling to come to terms with a lifeless son they now have -- compared to the once active strapping person they were used to. imagine -- while most of us were comtemplating the new school year, his family had to come to terms with a whole new life.
these things happen. but when they do, it just hit me how uncertain things are. that even among all these things, God's goodness is still manifest.
today's Bible study in church carried on from last week's exposition about the concept of God. today it was about the inherent goodness of God. of how we can lose sight of it if we lose our sense of wonder. the sheer meaningless pursuit of better results, better this, better that. perfection is not to be. neither is the materialistic chase -- akin to chasing the wind.
it's high time we start to mean when we say that God is good -- all the time. and stop taking his goodness for weakness and for granted.
and before you do anything else, i beseech you to whisper a prayer for wei kong and his family. and for others in the same predicament.
Sunday, April 10, 2005
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
9 comments:
Someone: http://www.acjc.edu.sg/
your ultimate proof God doesn't exist - ex rugby capt hit by taxi on his way to church. paralysed now.
Me: Ah, my child, there you misunderstand the goodness of God
This incident shows us that we are nothing compared to his greatness. It also shows us his infinite mercy - the rugby captain could have been killed, yet God in his wisdom and mercy chose to spare him from death.
The ex rugby captain will hereafter be more devout and will dedicate his life to God, for his greater glory.
Someone: hahaha
to that i say fuck off
Me: to that I say: your god is a monster
Why do you think that just because someone gets hits by a taxi, God does not exist? Is it becuase the chap is an ACJC rugby captain? I hope not
On a more crucial point, God is not just about keeping us 'safe' (to mean that no harm comes to us). His ways are not our ways. Blessings by God may not be blesings by man.
hey gabriel, i remembered reading your blog off shawn ban's when i was writing a paper on blogs for writing class and wanting to meet you. didn't know u are in NUS right now, would love to meet up with you to hear what you have to say. but with all due regards, your comment is confusing just as it is so random. perhaps it's a mirror of your apparent state of mind?
finally maybe if you would just take a step back again and just chew on this thought and think about your "ex-religion" a bit. i mean if you do not accept God to be true, then what is your other viable alternative?
it takes more than mere intellectual conviction to convince you about God, because Christianity is fundamentally about a relationship, not some dogma we all adhere to.
try to look at it from the flip side. i am sure you are smart enough to know that for every argument, there has to be a counter. entertain that a bit for now. God bless!
I'm just showing that anything and everything can be rationalised to fit a prior and foregone conclusion. If there is no falsifier to a statement or assertion, then it becomes pretty much meaningless.
Writing class? Wah. Thank god it's almost over.
I made the comment because I was trying to find out the fella's religion, found this blog and thought a prior exchange I had with someone was very appropriate. Got conflicting information regarding that bit.
I shall save theological discussion for another time and place.
hmm. u found my blog? as in u goggled his name and my blog appeared?
anyway, yeah u're right about the time and place for a theological argument.
but while writing class was a pain to me last sem, i really appreciated having that. kind of enjoyable actually.
"Why do you think that just because someone gets hits by a taxi, God does not exist? Is it becuase the chap is an ACJC rugby captain? I hope not"
You hoped right.
Do you not see the irony that the poor boy was struck while on his way to God's house? Where was God then?
That was a rhetorical question. Your answer is for your own benefit and beliefs, and mine for my own =)
kLeM: I don't pray anymore, but I still hope for Wei Kong's recovery as much as you do =)
this whole argument about whether God exists or not can go on forever, but my intention to not engage in such a debate stems not from my cowardice, but because i reckon it is really not about convincing you intellectually about God.
as i said. the whole notion of christianity is based on a concept of grace that is against what we have come to know in life that nothing is ever free.
it is not my intention to antagonise, but if you would just take a moment to pause and consider for a moment what does it cost you to pray?
because you don't believe?
i mean, honestly, look at it this way, even if nothing happens from your prayer, you will lose nothing. But if your prayer does get answered, what holds?
i would appreciate it if you do not start rationalising the usual counter arguments with me.
i wish i could apologize for the wrongs that all the christians may have inflicted on you consciously or unconsciously to have caused you to think this way, but i really can't, because that job has been done by the man Jesus slightly over 2000 years ago.
wouldn't it easier for you to believe?
God Bless!
What would it take for Christians to take a moment to pause and consider for a moment what it costs them to pray to Allah, Zeus, Quetzalcoatl, Pele, Kim Jong Il or Cthulhu?
Because you believe your god is the true one?
What's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.
"Certum est, quia impossibile est" (The fact is certain because it is impossible) - Tertullian
"The fact that a believer is happier than a skeptic is no more to the point than the fact than a drunken man is happier than a sober one." - George Bernard Shaw
Ignorance may be bliss, but knowledge is power; it is far easier for one to believe than to think.
To think that christianity is not held in high esteem in certain quarters is solely due to the evils perpetuated by Christians is not quite correct; even if Hitler had not killed any Jews, we would find fascism distasteful, albeit less so.
And if you think people are not christian only because they don't try - well, some people cannot delude themselves. If your god has reached out to you, good for you, but do not shake your head for others for their alleged want of trying.
Post a Comment