My Doodling:
Senior Pastor Kong Hee of City Harvest Church was presented at the National Day Rally when PM Lee gave his speech. In his blog, he shares his opinions on some of the issues addressed in particularly about racial and religious harmony. Read his engaging entry here>>>
“People who think they are religious but say things they should not say are just fooling themselves. Their “religion” is worth nothing.
Religion that God the Father accepts as pure and without fault is this: caring for orphans or widows who need help, and keeping yourself free from the world’s evil influence.”
James 1:26-27 (New Century Version)
If you have not watched this compelling presentation- “The Charter for Compassion” by Karen Armstrong before, please do so now.
“I say that religion isn’t about believing things. It’s ethical alchemy. It’s about behaving in a way that changes you, that gives you intimations of holiness and sacredness.”
~ Karen Armstrong on Powells.com
Last Sunday, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong presented his National Day Rally speech.
Strangely, the topic of race and religion dominated his speech.
However, in view of the inevitable force that is changing our social, political and economic landscape in our global world, I reckoned that his speech was somewhat a timely reminder and a wake-up call to us Christians.
That force is that of globalisation which is pushing people together even closer than before. And religion or its fundalmentalists and dogmatists are becoming an opposing and dangerous force that divides and threatens our society’s progress.
“Catalysts” for further globalisation
Back in early June, US President Obama visited Cairo, Eygpt and delivered a groundbreaking message to urge an end to suspicion and discord between America and the Muslim world.
He highlighted that “the relationship between Islam and the West includes centuries of co-existence and cooperation, but also conflict and religious wars.”
In a gesture of reconciliation with the Islamic world, Obama further conceded that tension “has been fed by colonialism that denied rights and opportunities to many Muslims, and a Cold War in which Muslim-majority countries were often treated as proxies without regard to their own aspirations.”
Even Tony Blair, the Bristish ex-Prime Minister had launched his new inter-faith foundation called the Tony Blair Faith Foundation this April.
What makes the foundation’s work distinctive is its emphasis on uniting people of different religious traditions in practical action – with the eradication of malaria a key priority at this moment.
The Church’s divine appointment
With this backdrop, I strongly believe that if there is a such divine appointment for the Church to represent Christ in His fullness, it is NOW.
For too long Christianity that was founded upon a legacy of love has been tainted with the worst sort of intolerance and prejudice.
Most troubling of all is witnessing how the teachings of Christ has been hijacked by believers who hate in the name of love.
“When people worship Him today – or even speak his name – the object of their devotion is unlikely to be who they think he is,” said Deepak Chopra in his book titled- The Third Jesus, “it seems clearly that He has served to divide peoples and nations. He has led to destructive wars in the name of religious fantasies.”
Even in his rally speech, PM Lee cited the AWARE saga as an attempted takeover “by a religiously motivated group who shared a strong religious fervour to enter civil space”.
I submit to you that if we Christians truly desire to spread the message towards fulfilling the Great Commission, then we cannot afford to be known or driven by a religious motivation.
As a people, we need to be more concerned about what is right than about being right. We need to be love motived, simply because God is love; being the message is more important than us merely spreading the message.
Christ in this 21st century not only needs to be accurately represented, but also re-presented.
My Doodling:
Recently, a local taxi driver’s blog has created some buzz. This is no ordinary taxi driver but “probably the only taxi driver in this world with a PhD from Stanford and a proven track record of scientific accomplishments”. He blogs mainly on his quirky encounters with his passengers. Very interesting.
Thank you MINDEF for your well-wishes leh… KNS… -_-
Last week, I celebrated my 31st birthday.
Yes… I’m now officially over 30, and I’m proud of it… Yeah!
Personally, this year is a significant year for me in many ways.
A year of significance
With this being the first year after my 30th year, I am experiencing many new frontiers in various aspects of my life.
This year is the first birthday in a new church with a new group of friends and new ministry.
This year has ushered me towards a new phase of life and commmitment with someone whom I love and can comfortably call as my soul mate.
This year has led me to a new organisation with a new position and new portfolio.
This year has brought me and my family members to a new level of intimacy especially with our first road trip together as one big family.
This year has also provided me with a new level of reach with my network of friends.
Out of a sudden, I’m re-connecting with friends that I have lost touched for years and making new ones in the strangest circumstances as well.
Lavished with His goodness
Having used to living my life in the past that was full of chaos, instability, lack and self-centredness, I’m still learning to fully embrace His ever-increasing peace, stability, prosperity and love in my new life.
Frankly, I do not know how to begin to thank God. But I know I owe everything to Him.
He took me in when I was in my lowest. And not only that, He loved and nurtured me as if I was worthed the effort and time.
From where I was then with totally nothing, to where I am now with at least something. I know that He has been unreservingly good to me.
Looking back at an old entry that I published three years ago on my birthday, I’m grateful that most of what I had mentioned has made significant progress and that includes the expansion of my tummy. Ha ha…
God is good, and I’m looking forward to another 31 years (and beyond) of His goodness in my life!
“Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.”
Jeremiah 29:7 (NIV)
What I see of Singapore is that of a country that is nothing short of a miracle.
Who would have imagined that this tiny island would transformed into a metropolitan city state some 44 years ago?
The main strategy
It’s plain to see that our government’s main strategy for progress has been economic growth in delivering the “bread and butter” – to provide employment opportunities for that every Singaporean.
Though this pragmatic strategy has been highly criticised by many, but it has worked over the years so I believe that focus has remain unchanged.
Economic growth and increasing employment opportunities is a safe and sure-to-work approach in ensuring stability and peace in our nation.
With people gainfully employed with a steady stream of income, societal upheaval and crimes of sorts naturally will or should be minimised.
A place to live and achieve
Though I’m usually not an ardent fan (nor am I anti) of our government, but I have to admit that I’m grateful that they have provided Singaporeans (majority of us) like myself a place where we can fulfill our dreams and destinies (to a larger extend).
I speak for myself that if the “bread and butter” issues in accordance of the Maslow Hierarchy of needs are not met, I don’t think I would be in a privileged position to live out my beliefs and values.
Given the constraints of limited land and natural resources, I think some credit should be given to our government who have dictated harnessed well the strengths of its people in achieving overall progress.
My Singapore in the future
However, in the pursuit of economic progress that empahsises on high productivity and efficiency, as a nation we have paid a price by overlooking or compromising over virtues such as compassion and graciousness.
Now we can observe more caregivers taking over the role of parenting in families; more elderly folks being deported housed in nursing homes and are denied cheaper fares for public transport; and the introduction of new restrictions over the withdrawal of our CPF monies at retired age.
These are just a few of the tell-tale signs of the lack of compassion and graciousness in our society.
Personally, I believe that one should measure the greatness of a nation by its moral progress; by looking at how it treats the poor and needy.
Thus, what I do hope to see, is a Singapore that is more compassionate and gracious as a people in the years to come.
I’m confident this is achieveable when each one of us begin to genuinely look out for those who might have fallen into the “cracks” and provide them a leg up towards an inclusive society.
Here’s an old clip of Singapore’s Dick Lee giving his very own version of “Count on Me Singapore”.
Have a good laugh and enjoy the holiday! =P
Andrew: Inside & Insights 