Saturday, August 20, 2005
Monday, August 15, 2005
Loving one another
Mahatma Gandhi said "I like their Christ, I don't like their Christians."
Friedrich Nietzhe said "I'll believe in the redeemer when the Christians look a little more redeemed."
Criticisms of Christians are often true. If truth is not undergired by love, it makes the possessor of that truth obnoxious and truth repulsive. Jesus said to "Love one another as ourselves". I figured that there is two sides to this. Its one thing to love another person but its another thing for the other person to feel loved. What people usually percieve as fulfilment of the commandment is that when the two sides harmonise. So what happenes if its being achieved partially? An omission of either side of the coin is highly possible. 1- If you love the another person but the other person doesn't feel loved, you are not being sensitive enough. 2- If you feel loved by the other party but he or she did nothing to make you feel loved, you being over sensitive. In other words you are dreaming.
So what if its being achieved partially? Issit still being considered as "loving one another" then? If things were measured by intention then I say it is still considered as "loving one another" for number 1 but not for number 2. BUT it is important to note that excluding either side doesn't gives one the excuse for staying that way for the commandment of loving one another is still best fulfilled when the two sides harmonise.
Its important to note that the "telling truth with love' thing does not only apply to Christians or Christianity but it applys across the board when anyone makes a truth claim. I used to wonder if it is correct to "sell" Christianity as life transforming since religion in general are all selling moral standards and that moral standard transforms people too. I later figured that moral standards transforms people outside-in and is habitual while the Holy Spirit transforms people inside-out thus rendering the transformation more effective and more evident. Probly this is the big difference.
I have no doubt that there is so much more to this world that the physical eye can see. And I even took the extra caution when approaching the "spiritual" because I want to make sure that a higher entity does exists and that its not just some man-made emotional atmosphere. So much for creating a conducive environment for services. I believe that we can still encounter God if the place is not conducive. It is not about God meeting us but rather about us meeting God. We are the ones that need to change and prepare ourselves to meet "the one who is always there". Hence, there's no such thing as comfortable worship. Ok I'm starting to write out of point, shall stop here.
Friday, August 12, 2005
Monday, August 08, 2005
Top and Bottom
It has been a hard two weeks for me ever since my last entry, as hard as it seems for me, God helped me realised quite a number of things. (call them revelation or whatever for all I care.)
In the past few years, I have been through alot. I have experienced what issit like to feel God's blessing and what issit like to be in perpetual dryness of inspiration. I have known what issit like to be feeling good and what issit like to be suicidal. I have understood the meaning of being forgiven and the pleasure of communion. I have tasted what it feels like to be at the top and I have also experienced what it is like to be a nobody and being pushed around by everybody.
Someone need to tell everyone that there is nothing at the top. Really. We try so hard to get what we thought was everything but when we got there we still find the same emptiness. It is at that point of meaninglessness that we are forced to acknowledge (or even assume the concept of) a God. For without the acknowledgement (or assumption) of the infinite, its impossible for Man to have an infinite purpose thus worthy and fulfilling.
Someone need to tell everyone that there is nothing unfair and wrong for being at the bottom. Being at the bottom is not the end. It is when we are in a pit hole where there seem to be no way out of, that we will be forced also to acknowledge (or even assume the concept of) a God. I wonder why we always try so hard to stay on top and shun the bottom and we blame ourselves if we fail to stay on top. We forget that it is only natural and that it is the will of God.
And now I tell you this that there is nothing special in either of them. In fact, I feel that its better to be at the bottom most of the time. It is when I'm cornered in a situation that I grow the most. It is at the bottom that my knowledge of God is being perpetually challenged. The only special experience that one can get from being at at either point is the opportunity to acknowledge (or even assume the concept of) a God. That no matter where or who you are born to and what situation anybody is in, we are all given the same opportunity to acknowledge God. So the question that everybody should is asking should not be "God, where are you?" but rather "God, who are You?".
It is when we ask the right questions that we realize that the answers has all along been staring at us in the face. It is when we ask the correct questions that our blindfolds are removed and that we will begin to discover the bigger picture and gain wisdom. That God is indeed the faithful one and that He is faithful because He loves. That He is indeed what He said Himself to be and worshiping Him would be the pleasure that surpasses all emotion.