Not of this world

What did Paul mean when he wrote Romans 12:2

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Or when Jesus said in John 17:16

They are not of the world, even as I am not of it.

I find that as we live in this world, conforming to the patterns of our society and culture is quite necessary.  Be too radically different, and people would think that you are mad, not trustworthy, somebody to shun away from rather than to befriend.  Christians need to conform to the degree that they show God's values in a way that the world would be attracted to God.  They need to be seen as righteous and honourable ... at least, to the extent that they can draw people to Christ.

However, conform too much and the world would not see any difference in us compared to themselves.  We do not show God's glory if we did this.  Instead, we shame our Lord.

Sometimes, it is hard to draw the line.

Especially when we need public favour.  Or to save our own lives.

NSW Premier, Mike Baird was once asked how he came up with the right words to comfort the public after the Sydney Siege.  Mike could have answered to say that God helped him, that God gave him the inspiration, or something to that effect.  He didn't, though.  He said that he worked on it and came up with the right thing to say.  We expect that this is to fit into a culture where one is expected  to be wise and strong as a leader.  Or where mentioning "God" in public draws too much criticism from the public.  But if he had mentioned Gd, God would have gotten more glory.

Would Christians today deny Christ if society would put them to death if they didn't?  Would Christians today be willing to be thrown to the lions, as they were in the first century?  Or, be beheaded by ISIS, in the modern context?

How would you stand out today, if you are a Christian?  Or do you think that Christians are just a bunch of mad, wimpy people who do not know that God isn't real?  How can Christians live lives that say otherwise?

What do you think?

Why does God bless you?

I was recently offered a new job.  When telling a friend about it, she told me that she knew I would get it.  Her reason was that she knew that God would bless me because of the things I have been doing diligently for God.

Really?  Is this why God blesses someone?  What do you think?

Is it because of our merit that we are blessed?  Is it because we have worked hard that we get the results we desire?  Or is it our service for God that lets us gain favour?

Perhaps I got the job because my friend gave me a good reference.  Perhaps it was something at the job interview.

Perhaps, God blessed me because He chose to - not because of anything I have done or did not do.

What do you think?  Why?

Time management

How do you manage your time when you have too much on your plate?  How do you prioritise?

Many of us wear different hats; eg. as a parent, a student, a business manager, and to handle numerous chores at home at the same time.  How does one cope with doing this?

Should one value leisure, health, work, or family above the other values?

We often say to put God first, others next, and ourselves last.  However, we need to include God in all aspects of life - home, work, studies, and leisure.  How do we put God first while doing these things?  What would God have us do?

What do you think?

Muslims turned Christian

What happens when a Muslim changes his mind and decides to follow Y'shua?  What do you think happens?

In some communities, people have the freedom to choose.  In other communities, the convert is treated as having committed a serious crime.  He might be excommunicated, imprisoned, or punished for this choice.

I recently met a family of refugees who left their home country because of their faith.

My recent reading, though, comes from a more spiritual angle.  The convert felt peace, blessed for having a relationship with God.  He said "the Gospel never ceases to overwhelm me".  He continues to fellowship with the Muslims.  He will fast with them this Ramaddan, but more with the hope of sharing love with them than to be seen as a Muslim because of what he is doing.

Can we then say that it is worth becoming a Christian in spite the difficulties and oppositions from one's family and peer group?  Does the peaceful relationship with God compensate for this difficulty?

What about the hereafter?  Is it worth giving it up for an eternity with God?

What do you believe?  Why?

Life Plan

Harleena Singh advises us to have goals to work towards as we plan our lives.  She says that "having a purpose in life is like knowing your destination, where you’ve to go".  She advises us to follow our dreams, fulfill our destiny, work towards what we think we should live for.  We must set short-term goals that lead us to long-term goals.

Does such advise seem familiar to you?  Is she "preaching to the choir"?  What are the goals, what is the purpose that you should live for?

Do you think you can plan your life the way she advises?  How?  Or, why not?

Does God have anything to do with your goals?  Is God your priority and your goal?  Or does He get in the way of what you think you should do?  If He gets in the way, then is He right to do so?

What do you believe?

Australian Federal Budget

How do you take bad news?  Reprimands?  Being told that you were bad and need to pull your socks up?

Many of us don't like this.  We like to think that everything is good.  That we'd get top marks in our exam.  That we are good at everything we try.  We do not make any mistakes.  Nobody experiences poverty.  We can spend and enjoy life as we wish.

So when we are told that we have been spending too much, that our lives are not in order, that we have to tighten our belts and cut costs, we feel bad.

I think this is what happened when the recent Australian budget was announced.  People did not feel happy about the cost-cutting that the Prime Minister and Treasurer announced.  People like their affluent lifestyle, even living beyond their means.  Borrowing more than what they can afford.

But people cannot live like that long term.  We don't like to improve, we like to think we are already all right.  We may not be good, but we like to think we are.

Does this sound true to you?  Do you think that our human nature is like this?  Please tell me what you think.

If this is true, then how should we cope with reality?

Is there anything we need to get right within ourselves so to be acceptable before God?  To ourselves?  Or are we already so good that we do not need God?  God need not exist in our thinking?

Law does not reflect culture

Apparently, there is some disparity between the Islamic restrictions, called "hudud", and some of the present values of today's society.

Some issues in current discussion in Malaysia are:

• Hudud punishes petty crime as theft severely, but does nothing about corporate corruption
• It allows polygamy and discrimination against women in contexts frowned upon by present culture;
• It disqualifies a good majority of people from being witnesses to crime;
• It does not leave room for repentance;
• They perceive temples to be idols and do not live peacefully with other religion;
• They go against the doctors' code of conduct with regards to amputations, etc.

 I wonder if the "hudud" is open subject to interpretation the way the "fatwa" is.

What do you understand?  Would "hudud" bring society back into the dark ages?  Would that be good for society, or bad?

Does value change over time?  Should it change?

Is there an absolute right and wrong?  Is that in the form of "hudud" or something else?

Which laws are in accordance with God's ideals, and not human abuse of power in the systems?  Is there one?

Read the Bible seriously

Some friends and I read Psalm 19:7-14 together tonight.

As we came to understand the passage together, the following points seemed relevant to us:

• We should take God's word seriously.  Think it through.  Understand it.  Don't question it as something to be trifled with or for making jokes out of, but to understand it as coming from somebody with power and authority.
• Sometimes, we do not know what is right and true, unless another points it out to us.  God's point of view is even more relevant than that of another person.
• We do not like to be corrected, but we will appreciate it when we see that it is beneficial.
• We may dread correction at first, but when can come to love it when we see how it changes us for good.
• We need to be kept from willful sin.  The way this works is through constantly seeing things God's way, and choosing His way instead of our own.

How unlike commercials and the way society works!  We would rather think of ourselves as right, and do things our own way!

But what do you think?  Is there any other book that guides us towards God's way other than the Bible?  Do other scriptures work also?  Is God's way really relevant?  Isn't our own way good enough?

What if we misunderstand God's way, and come up with many interpretations of it?

How do we get it right?  What benefit is it to get it right?  Is there really any right and wrong?

What do you believe?  Why?

Happiness, Gratitude

"Happiness does not make us grateful; Gratefulness makes us happy".  These profound words by Miya Goodrich are thought provoking.

She shares her insights from a life of alcohol, lack of sleep, depression and chaos.  She was later diagnosed to have breast cancer.  That realisation woke her up to appreciate her life more before she no longer had life.

She wrote "I think sometimes in life we walk around with the illusion we’re in control. To some degree we are, but when faced with an illness you can very quickly be brought to your knees."

I think she is right.  It does frustrate us to realise that we are not in control, but life is like that.  In my opinion, we need God because we don't have control over the situations and circumstances around us.  I do not know if Goodrich believes in God though.

She also said that "we have a tendency to take life for granted."

I agree with this point also.  This is why we feel inadequate when we are sick, or poor, or hit with calamities and disasters that we cannot handle.  This is another reason we need God.

When we cease to take things for granted, when we realise that we do not deserve anything in life, it is at these times that we feel grateful for the blessings and the life that we have been given.  And we can be grateful for it.  But when we take everything for granted and are happy because of it, then we feel sad when we lose it.

I have two friends who both got distinctions for a subject that we did together.  One was happy.  The distinction was above her expectations.  The other was sad.  He thought that he must have done badly in the final assessment component for him to not have had a better grade.  They both got distinctions!

I think it is a matter of perspective.  Don't you?

What do you believe?  Does your outlook on life give you much gratefulness and happiness?  What do you look for in life?  Do you take health and happiness for granted?  Is God in the picture for you?

The name Allah

Does the word "Allah" meant to be exclusively for Muslim use?  Or is it open for anybody in the world to use?  What do you think?

Apparently, this debate has resurrected in Malaysia.  I do not understand why Malaysian Muslims which to reserve that word for themselves instead of sharing it.

Apparently, it is only in Malaysia that this debate happens.  Muslims in Saudi Arabia, Indonesia and other countries are okay for the word "Allah" to be used by non-Muslims.  And the etymology of the word shows that the word has been used for centuries even before Mohammad was born.  Historically and linguistically, it is not a word that is exclusively Islamic.

However, there are also issues like "blasphemy" - misusing the name of God, and "confusion" - people thinking that another god is being referred to when the same name is used.  I don't see a problem with these issues.  I understand that the names of Hindu gods are used by the Nepali, the names of Greek gods are used by Italians, etc, among cultures that share the same mythology.  But I appreciate that other people might.

I see the calls of the Perkasa leader to ban the Alkitab in Malaysia, and calling the Christians as ungrateful to be quite extreme, even so.  If there is freedom of belief and respect for the fact that the word is not exclusively an Islamic one, then there is no abuse and no need for "retaliation".

I think that people should be better informed and more accepting of each other than what that speech says.

What do you think?  Is this a provocative issue?  Should it be?  What does the word "Allah" mean to you?

Positive parenting

A few of the tips on parenting that I learned are listed below:

• Say it positively, eg. encourage "indoor voice" instead of "do not shout".  Say "tidy your room" rather than "your room is messy".
• Encourage and reward good behaviour.
• Explain consequences of bad behaviour.  Implement those consequences.
• As much as possible, the consequences must be logically connected to the offence.
• A "stop" instruction must be obeyed immediately.  A "go" instruction may be repeated after 5 seconds, but no further follow up.
• No spanking.  Rather, send the child to "quiet time" where he can think about what he did wrong, or to "time out" - a safe isolated area.
• "Time out" is a more positive name than "naughty spot".

What do you think about such a parenting style?  Has it worked for you?

Did our parents do it wrongly?

Is the style of parenting related to culture?

What about the Bible?  Is positive parenting Biblical?  Why did the Bible command some "thou shalt not ..." instead of using these "positive parenting" techniques?  Did God get it wrong?

What has been your experience?  What do you think?

Spiritual awakening

Soulseeds reckons that there are 12 signs of spiritual awakening.  His blog lists these as

"

1. An increased tendency to let things happen rather than make them happen.

2. Frequent attacks of joy, unexplained smiling and random bursts of laughter.
3. Feelings of being closely connected with others and nature.
4. Frequent overwhelming, almost dizzying, episodes of appreciation.
5. A tendency to think and act spontaneously rather than from fears based on past experience
6. An unmistakable ability to enjoy each moment.
7. A loss of ability to worry.
8. A loss of desire for conflict.
9. A loss of interest in taking things personally.
10. A loss of appetite for drama and judgment.
11. A loss of interest in judging yourself.
12. Prone to give love without expecting anything in return.
"

Do you think so?  Have you experienced spiritual awakening yourself?  Do you think spiritual awakening is good or bad?  Why?

Does spiritual awakening come from self or from God or both?  How?

What do you think?  Please share.  Thanks.

Defecting from religion

Why do people give up their faith?  Why do they change from one faith to another?  From having a faith to not having one?  Or from not believing in God to believing in God?

Then, does one remain with one's convictions?  Or does one change one's mind after a matter of weeks, or months, or years later?

http://learnislam1.blogspot.com.au/2010/05/defecting-from-religion-new-trend.html carries some insights into this question.  It describes such changes as a "new trend".  It tells about people who have been dissatisfied with church.  Some of the reasons for feeling dissatisfied has been

• unequal treatment
• not agreeing with policy
• feeling confused about what to believe
• needs not met
• expectations not met
• did not feel God close to one
• not happy

How should church change so to address these issues?

Should church change to suit the people?  Or should people change to suit the church?  How about changing to be more like God, in spite of what the church thinks?

How about changing to fit in with what God expects, rather than what church or religion expects?

Does defecting from church to a religion address these issues?  Or will one still end up feeling dissatisfied after a while?

What do you think?

Real faith

Hement Mehta told us Rachael's story.

Rachael is the daughter of an apologist.  She was taught the Bible while she was young.  She knew the words to say to defend the Bible.  Her father was proud to show off what she knew.

Then one day, she asked herself a question she could not answer.  From that point on, she turned her back on the faith that her father had taught her.

Did she do the right thing?  What do you think?

Is she right to turn her back on what her father had taught her?  Should she stay believing in that if it had been wrong?

What if her father had taught her something else, and she left that for the God of the Bible?

What makes it right?  What makes it wrong?  Does Rachael have enough power to discern?  Does anybody?

Is truth relative to a person's perception?  Or is there only one truth, and that is God's; we only need to agree on what that truth is?

What do you believe?

Table 21

A game show was the vehicle used by the movie 'Table 21' to communicate its message.

Vivaan and Siya are the married couple in this story. Siya wins a competition and is awarded with a trip to Fiji.  There, the couple celebrates their fifth wedding anniversary.

Their package included a dinner hosted by a rich Mr Khan. Mr Khan also hosts a reality show that is telecasted on the web.  The couple is invited to be the contestants on this programme.

The contestants need to answer eight questions truthfully and perform a dare at the end of each question. They are given huge rewards if they are able to do this.  However, they need to play the game to its end. The penalty for lying is death.

At first the questions are easier ones about their relationship, and the dares, though difficult and humiliating, are more harmless.  Later, the questions become deeper, and the dares lie in the realm of being criminal.

Mr Khan reveals some of their deeper secrets, as Vivaan's fear of seeing blood and Siya's affair.  He also exposes their willingness to commit murder; either because of fear or for the sake of self preservation.

In the end the game turns out to be Mr Khan's retaliation for the way his son was 'ragged' during his school days. The movie carries a strong message against 'ragging' - or bullying, as how I would say it in my country.

However, to me, the movie reveals more than just that.  It also speaks loudly about our human nature. We have fears, and we have the ability to manipulate, cheat, lie, and maybe even murder to get over those fears.  We want to have a comfortable and easy life and to be seen as strong and popular, and we can prey on the weak to boost our morale.  Much to the detriment of those around us.  We possibly reap the consequence of our actions also.

Do you think so? Is this what human nature is like?  What can we do about it?

Have you seen the movie? Did you like it? Does it concern you the way Mr Khan personified God in the story?

How will you answer for your misdeeds when God calls you to judgement? How do you think the real world can be fixed?

Learning to live

What do you think it means to live?  What is life all about?  How are we to live our lives?

I am sure many, if not all of us, asks these questions as we live our lives.  Sometimes, we take for granted that we have life and the way we do what we do are the way we are supposed to.  But is that right?  What if our culture and what we have learnt is mistaken in what they have taught us?

Max said something that means got me thinking.  I don't remember his exact words, but what he said meant this: Deceiving hearts eventually harden.  Bad habits develop.  These things happen gradually, and we think it is okay.  But really, they are not.


Romans 1:18-2:16 says the same thing more strongly.  It says that people have substituted truth with unrighteousness; Godliness with other things that we think to be reasonable even if not exactly right.  We exchange the truth of God for a lie.  Then, as we ignore God, we live out greater and greater depravities until eventually, we heap serious judgement on ourselves.

We have become vile and inexcusable, and God will be our judge.

Ephesians 4:17-5:7 says that we need to live in the truth.  We need to live out the things we have learnt from Jesus.  We need to speak truthfully gracefully, be kind to our neighbours, live without sexual immorality, impurity or greed.

Are these the things you think of when you think about living?  Or do you think about acquiring wealth and prestige, empires and abundances for yourself when you read the opening paragraph?

How are you living your life?  How should you live it?  What do you need to do to make it right, if you don't already have it right?  What do you believe?

Greed and selfishness

Sheikh tweeted that ""humans biggest downfall is selfishness and greed"".  Would you agree?  Why or why not?

Sam disagreed.  He thought that "staying away from GOD is the biggest downfall.".  What do you think?

Is there a difference between what Sam said and what Sheikh said?

I think that selfishness and greed either leads us to stay away from God, or staying away from God leads us to selfishness and greed.  It is part of our human nature to want to think that we are good enough ... and our egoistic nature brings out the selfishness and greed that is a part of us.  Simply put, we have a sinful nature within us that causes us to want to do things that displease God even though deep down, we know better.  Or we should know better.

Rob769 ran a blog under the title "People are fools because of greed and selfishness".  He listed many examples of where selfishness and greed has let us down.

So why are we like this, even so?  Can we get out of our bad nature, and change our ways for the better?  Are some of us better than others?  Who is good enough for God?

What do you think?

Grace or Justice

Which is stronger for you?  Which should be stronger?  Grace or Justice?

Justice says we must punish sin.  Wrongs must be corrected.  One needs to face the consequences.  Always.

Grace says we can love and forgive.  Punishments may be withheld.  Consequences may be met by somebody else.

It seems that we like justice when we have been victimised.  We wish revenge on our oppresssors.  We wish that they be punished for their misdeeds, and that everything would be right.  We wish that everybody would behave kindly, and not take advantage of us.  Those who do, should be brought to justice.  Molesters, thieves, cheats and swindlers deserve justice and punishment.

However, there are times when we have wronged somebody and have then been found out.  We may have spoken a lie.  We may have broken a neighbour's window.  We may have been caught speeding.  We may have burnt our dinner.  In these situations, we wish for forgiveness and grace instead of punishment.

But, if the world were to run on a system of perfect fairness and equality, then we don't deserve any more grace than the people who we think should be brought to justice.  Don't you think so?  Why should we be pardoned for the offences that we have caused when other people are not?

If everybody were excused from doing what is right, then would people behave worse?  Would everybody be "a law to themselves" in a carefree, godless manner of wrongdoing?  Or, if everybody were to be brought to justice then who may be spared?  For all of us would have done something wrong or caused offences to other people at some stages.

The movie Les Miserables carry some concepts of this tension within it.  So does the book of Romans.  But what do you think?  If God were to hold the world fairly and harmoniously, then how should he dish out justice and grace to everyone?

What is gambling?

What do you think of when you hear the word "gamble"?  What do you think it really means?

My daughter asked me this question.  I had some difficulty answering her.

The first ideas that came to my mind were things like casinos, horse-races and lotteries.  Things that carry an element of risk.  A situation where one stands to lose if one does not win.  Do similar thoughts cross your mind when you think about this word?

Then how do you distinguish gambling from sports?  Business?  Saving people's lives in the case of bushfires?  These situations also carry risk, where one stands to lose if one does not win.

Furthermore is the concept of ethics; ie. where one associates gambling with an element of immorality.  Where would one draw the line between moral risks and immoral ones?  Why?  Should gambling be thought of as immoral?

The Cambridge Dictionary's definition of the word "gamble" is consistent with what I wrote above.  But it does not draw the line between what is moral and what isn't.

Then there is the issue of lucky dips, school competitions, charity sweepstakes and raffle tickets.  Is it to be considered gambling if one donates to charity when one loses?

What do you think?  How would you explain the ethics to a school girl?  What is acceptable before God?  Is the society's attitude to gambling consistent with what God expects of us?