The Chief Parable of Christ – A Parable of Reality and Hope
The parable of the sower or soils is the first parable that is recorded for us in the Gospels – this is consistently recorded for us in Matthew, Mark and Luke’s gospel. What makes it the “chief” or most important of them all is not just the chronological introduction of it but the fact that it is the first parable to be interpreted by the Lord Himself to the listeners. This parable is also important because of the context of its introduction – it is in the midst of Jesus’ ministry that seems to be at the apex (in terms of the crowd that followed Him). We see this in…
Re-watching the Much-Maligned Joss Whedon’s Justice League (2017) – Part 1: An Introduction Before Honest Dissection of the Film
An introduction to my post is needed to avoid any unnecessary “fire” that may come out of perceived bias against Snyder or Whedon. Sorry for the long, Puritanish-title (in other words, lengthy-worded title). The actual review is in the next article. Let me begin by stating that I am a firm supporter of Zack Snyder’s vision for the DCEU (DC Comics Expanded Universe) and his work (especially on Watchmen which I thought was a very good adaptation of the comic book). I totally supported the call for the Snyder Cut version of “Justice League” as I was initially quite disappointed with the theatrical release back in 2017. The hype and…
The Sin of Indifference
‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see.(Revelation 3:15-18) There are…
The Right to Question Christian Teachings and Practices
One of the joys of having regular bible studies as a family is the non-stop questions from my children. One topic or issue can easily bring up loads of questions that are sometimes relevant to the passage we were reading, or spin off into deep theological territory. This is pure joy – a wealth of opportunities for Christians to sharpen their own understanding of God and also to help articulate things that may have been taken for granted all this time. We (the Christian community) are sorely lacking the skills and the mindset to engage the world around us. Instead, many are taking the approach that so outlines the whole…
The Worst of Times…
2020 is going to go down as the most divisive and terrifying time in modern history. As high school students 20 plus years ago, we were told that 2020 was going to be filled with economic prosperity, first-world experiences, unity and tremendous leaps and bounds in all sectors. Alas, none of that appears to be the case – and we have only hit the middle of the year. With a pandemic that has nearly grind worldwide economy to a halt, we find ourselves with a surge of conflicting political ideologies sweeping through the nations. In the West, liberal ideologies that has gotten close to extreme socialism is winning the “hearts”…
American Gospel: Christ Alone (?)
This is an intriguing movie. Message is certainly not something that is foreign to me, but the tone of the movie is worth exploring. Is this something effective to be used in evangelism and in seeking to share the biblical Gospel in a post-modern world of hyper-connectivity? Will consider this at length in a future post. But have a watch. Carefully.
A Perspective of Cultish Upbringing (Christian Cult)
One of the most unpopular topics (taboo) in this part of the world (South East Asia) is talking about the way we were brought up. Very few have a pleasant and good upbringing – it is hard to be honest about something so personal. I had an excellent childhood and upbringing – not perfect, for there is really no perfect family – but there were so many positives compared to the negatives. The Youtuber in the video embedded has had a drama filled life – and as he was dealing with his fracturing dysfunctional family, he realised that it had a lot to do with his upbringing – he was…
Commentary on Philippians 1:18-20
It is hard to get people to have a civil, honest conversation that does not raise barriers and irritation. We have lost the ability to agree to disagree. From my personal experiences, some would even argue from out-of-context passages and even from personal opinions that it is more noble or righteous to make a stand for your beliefs (in other words, never agree to disagree). Such one-sided insistence which plays on our natural sinful propensities to self-worship makes a person master in his or her own echo chamber. Perhaps that is the reason why many are ignorant that their practical belief in the word “peace” is actually “being happy when…
The Current Political Scene in Malaysia Amidst Covid-19 Issues
As the country is fighting off the global pandemic (COVID-19), politicians have decided that one and a half months of ‘ceasefire’ is enough – the political news became active once more. There are just too many things to be said of Malaysia’s political scene. Accusations are thrown left, right and center. To top this off, just before the Movement Control Order was put into effect, mid-March, there were the infamous “Sheraton Move” where one of the parties that made up the ruling coalition decided to join forces with the old regime. This “move” sent panic among the political scene in Malaysia and the citizens who were in the know waited…
Verbal versus Written Conversations
Over the years I found myself writing a lot. From a cold start – that is without any preparation at all – I can type about 75 word per minute. That is alright. But I do know that I have averaged much higher over the years especially when I get into the “zone”. Writing takes skill, however. Anyone can write, but to write with clarity and with economy of words is truly something that takes experience and also talent. In this, my wife has the better skill in writing. I have to remind myself that everyone has their own style – some are more long-winded than others, while others are…
