The picture below was taken (by me) during a candlelight segment at a Christmas service of City Harvest Church on 24 December 2008.
If you observe carefully, the lights of the candles especially those at the back seem to resemble a horde of angels taking flight.
* Click over image for larger version
Divine or coincidence leh…? I also don’t know what to make of it.
Andrew: Inside & Insights 
Andrew,
Have you ever seen an angel? i have not.
Maybe it resembles little birds or butterflies or anything you want to imagine, due to the longer exposure time of the shot.
joe:
You’re funny… if you have not seen an angel, then how can you discount the possibility?
And about your explanation that it is due to longer exposure time of shot, I do not understand (technically)how it could distort a small flame, but not just one but many.
If you are an expert or know more on this, would be great that you could explain. Thanks.
Andrew,
Precisely because you have not seen, how can you mislead innocent readers by saying it “resembles angels taking flight”???
My goodness! As a blog owner, you have a responsibility in verifying the truth first!
It’s more like little fairies from pagan storybooks of children fairy tales.
And due to the dimmer atmosphere, and your camera probably auto adjusted for a longer exposure time, thus leading to the distortion of any moving bright lights ie candles . Isnt the candle light held by the chiobu beside you, distorted too?
Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God. Col2:18-19 (KJV)
joe:
Hmmmm… what if I told you I have encountered and seen angels on one or two occasions, would you believe me? =)
And on your comments, “My goodness! As a blog owner, you have a responsibility in verifying the truth first!”
Well, a reader has a right to choose and decide what he or she reads is the truth. Just has there are alot of ‘garbage’ sites out there, but no one forces us to visit them or even the Straits Times might be one-sided and communicating half-truths but no one forces us to read it and believe it.
Likewise, you do not have to believe me as I am not asking anyone to believe that these are angels. And I said ‘angels’ with close and open inverted commas.
In any case, angels do exist just as Jesus exists but has anyone of us seen Jesus today in real life. Yet so many people paint pictures of him in various versions. So how? Will you ‘stone’ all of these painters?
Lastly, I did ask readers to decide for themselves if you had read my entry clearly from the beginning.
Andrew,
If you have seen angels, then pls be a man & say so,
otherwise your blog will become a fantasy blog filled with
wild imaginations of the writer,like these painters,
and no different from the millions of blogs out there…
Why let gullible readers pass a rumour that they heard someone saw angels in XXX church when it did not happened due to a camera trick/light distortion?
Would a credible RC grassroots leader say or do such a thing?
See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ. Col2.8
joe:
If I may say so, I think you should have had exercised your responsibility to clarify first before you had accused right? =)
I also think and believe that others who have been reading your comments (and all your past comments as well) will agree with me that you need to seek some sort of help or support.
If I may be upfront, I believe you are carrying alot of bad baggage of hurts, bad experiences and disappoints from your past involvement in church.
If I’m right, I wish you well and will pray that you will release them to Him and let Him disperse them. So that you can begin the new year on a clean slate and not be spiritually bound by them.
If I’m wrong, I would like to kindly request that you don’t use this blog as an outlet to vent your frustration in life or to strongly impose your own set of doctrines/beliefs here.
Otherwise, I recommend that you choose another blog where it is fantasy-filled or heresy. That way, what you typically share would be put to better use.
Finally, if you like to talk more about what I mentioned about the bad baggage, I don’t mind taking this offline from this site. You have my contact right? Pls feel free to reach me any time brudder.
God bless… =)
ANdrew,
There is a proper way to promote your church like You Are Invited… and a improper way to promote your church.
We can agree to disagree but there is no need to say anyone need help or support. Since you cant be a man to admit whether you have seen angels, and you dont welcome me on your blog, then pls say so.
Why be an hypocrite by asking people to call you when you cant even accept criticism or admit when you have hidden motives in serving God?
Since you are trying to please everyone, you will end up pleasing nobody.
GOd is Good!
Rom9.15 For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
joe:
I hope by permitting your latest comment and openly sharing it with others will prove a point to you and discredit your claims.
Personally, there are far more greater and needy things to do than to engage in such petty exchanges. Theology won’t win people to Christ. Love that is rooted in godly truths will.
Jesus when on earth did not spend most of His time debunking the pharisees, He did what was practical by showing love and performing signs and wonders from town to town. Even then, the pharisees were blinded and discredited His fruits and ministry.
I think if you and I are serious on fulfilling His will, we should be majoring on the major and minoring on the minor like Jesus.
I have seen them (angels) but I do not wish to talk about them in this entry. Can’t I choose not to? Cos I see no point to disclose and this is another topic all together. If you really like to know more, let’s take it offline. We can meet and I will share with you encounters with my angel.
And I never say I don’t welcome you to my blog. How can I stop you? At most I can disable your comments (which I have never done so in spite of your past constant criticism), but I can’t stop you from viewing.
You say be a man. I say I’m a man cos I don’t just talk online, but more importantly I do it offline in the real world where it matters most.
Its okay if you think I am a hypocrite when I offer to take this offline. But I think you should know better since I have arranged to meet you (and we did meet) on more than one occasion.
Let our God be the judge. He will deal with me and my motives.
Lastly, I concur with you- God is Good! And I think I’m in a ‘crazy mood’ today, but I feel compelled to say this to you: God loves you and so do I… LOL =)
God love you & i love you too. Have a Blessed New Year!
Last bit of advice, something which we hear so often from our leaders. Politics & religion should not mix, in real life & also on internet.
SHalom…SawadeeKrap(also means goodbye till we meet again)
Jer10.23 O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.
joe:
That’s where we differ in our approach of our faith. Mine is progressive compared to the conservative stance.
To me they should mix and be blended cos our faith should not be kept in a “box”. Our faith has to be integrated into our practical daily living.
We are IN this world but not OF this world. IF we don’t take our places in politics or the internet (things you had mentioned), others will and may run it in unscrupulous ways cos we allow them to.
Peace brudder and see you some time soon =)
Hi bros,
Just want to speak up for Andrew. Maybe it’s not the wisest thing to do haha, but after reading this exchange of comments… gosh. Though I may not always agree with everything that Andrew believes, I think, as fellow Christians, we are called to behave in a more mature and godly manner, as befitting our status as a royal priesthood. (1 Peter) We are called to speak with gentleness and respectfulness, even those who we may disagree with.
Just want to say that personally, I agree with what Andrew has been saying. We were from the same church, and one thing for sure – God has transformed Andrew from a rash gangster into a gentle and patient man of God. I know. I’ve seen his life, talked with him, and he’s taken care of people and shepherded them.
If you really need to be convinced of Andrew’s character transformation, you can go read the testimonies of other brothers and sisters. “Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or more witnesses.” Do have the humility and grace to learn from his example as he follows the example of Christ. (1 Corinthians)
I’m not even saying this as one from the same church as him, for he’s in a different church now. I guess that may make my comment a bit more credible then, since I’m simply speaking up as a fellow bro in Christ and a friend…
Andrew’s dead right when he wrote, “Theology won’t win people to Christ. Love that is rooted in godly truths will.”
The Bible’s replete with examples about all this. I’m sure you know all these.
Bro, Scripture commands us not to judge others, or we too will be judged. Since you love to quote the Bible so much, I bet you would love it too when someone else throws back a Bible verse at you. (I must be out of my mind to write like this!)
Romans 14:4. “Who are you to judge someone else’ servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.” (NIV)
Really hope to start see more mature and edifying comments from you, Joe – if you are going to continue posting – as the Word of God instructs us to. “Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.” Let us speak the truth in love. We all make mistakes – I myself have done similar things before, but God corrected me… I’m still learning to be more edifying and encouraging. 🙂 Let’s learn to grow together towards love and good deeds, amen? =)
You can email me if you want to, to post your thoughts.
Andrew: Sorry ah bro, think this is degenerating into a flame-war, and not good actually… ‘cos you and I know what 2 Tim 2:14 says… Anyway, jiayou bro, continue to do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. Hee!
yeu@nn:
Sorry for the lapsed in replying… actually I was loss for words that’s why.
Firstly, thanks for being brave in speaking His truth here.
Second, thanks for testifying for me though you need not do that. And I’m also humbled and appreciative of your kind opinion of me.
Third and lastly, thanks for your encouragement.
Yup let’s Jia You for Him… 🙂