I remember this one time when the elder of a church I was attending passed on and the memorial service brought out thousands of church members and visitors. His son, another pastor, had flown back from the US to give eulogy and tribute to his father.
Now I was not particularly close to the deceased elder or any of his family for that matter. Perhaps just mere acquaintances as it was one of the largest churches in the country with close to 10,000 attendees each Sunday. Neither was it a church that I had a close affinity or bond to as I can be quite a cynic when it comes to large churches, preferring for smaller settings.
However, what amazed me on the morning of the memorial service was that I had broken down with near uncontrollable sobs, and promptly hurried off to leave.
Some had wondered whether my distress was because it reminded me of my mother’s own death, some 15 years prior. Well, the answer is both yes and no.
While it did remind me of m mother’s passing, it was not so much the sadness that comes from knowing that I’ll never be able to see the person who meant the most to me at that time again. Rather, it was about the elder’s son who had to be “strong” to deliver his eulogy to everyone.
I know, I’ve been there before where for the sake of your Christian faith and the acknowledgement that there is life after in heaven that the weight of having to foster and reinforce that reality to everyone attending really hurts… yet, you could not allow yourself to breakdown, since we had a “duty” to uphold the very faith we believe in at all costs, yes even at our own mother’s funeral.
“Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.” - 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14
And so although the service was a tribute to the passing away of a man who gave much of his natural life to found and nurture a small band of Christians to becoming one of the largest churches in the country, it was more of the resilience of his son and the duty he had to continue the good work of his father that brought me to tears. Yes, it is true when it is said that it isn’t the dead that we need to worry for, rather, the living.
So ye, I remember having to contain my grief and tears (to the amazement of quite a number of relatives present) at my mother’s funeral, not because I loved her any less, but because I had to serve as a living reminder of the reality of the Christian faith and the life hereafter. I’m sure my mom would have been proud of me… and that’s what counts.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Surviving our objectives
Let’s take a look at objectives and circumstances.
At a gaming table, it’s been seven flips of the coin with each result producing “heads”. The eighth flip again produces another “head” as did the subsequent ninth. So, what’s your bet for the tenth toss? Or perhaps we can even go to the 19th flip, each producing “head”. What will the 20th flip be?
Many would tell you that statistically, it’ll be time for “tails” since it’s already due.
But is it, really?
No matter how many times you flip the coin, the chances of it being “head” or “tail” stands at 50% for every flip. In addition, the “history” of its result says little and have absolutely no bearing on subsequent tosses. See, unlike card games, the mathematical averages do not tilt in any way since there are no cards to “count off” on (Yes, hence the term card counting…).
The 100th flip of the coin can still yield “head” over “tail”.
So, what on earth am I driving at with all these?
It has to do very much with objectives and realizing them. See, many of us are given into our emotions, more vividly so especially at the gambling table where a winning streak or a losing streak produces instant theories and “mathematical” formulations as to how we would play the next hand to win. However, the intensity of the moment, the thrill and spill of the moment often than not produces very twisted and truly un-mathematical ideas, that when analyzed objectively shows huge flaws.
No, this is not a primer for gambling. Again, what I would like to draw our attention to, is that of setting our objectives and going about realizing them and not be detracted from seemingly increased or decreased odds that come our way. We have to be able to decipher odds that have a basis for “history” and those that don’t, just like coin flipping and card counting.
If our goal is to own a business, to buy a property, or even to run for public office, just remember that at each ground you start off on, it’s always level – yielding a 50% chance at each step of the way. We ought not to let things that look and feel like losing streaks be interpreted as such. The whole point is to keep our eyes focused on the objective and not the circumstances.
“But I’m a perpetual failure,” you may say? Well, have a chronological look at the life of a typical failure:
1831 - Lost his job Failed
1832 - Defeated in run for Illinois State Legislature Failed
1833 - Failed in business Failed
1834 - Elected to Illinois State Legislature Success
1835 - Sweetheart died Failed
1836 - Had nervous breakdown Failed
1838 - Defeated in run for Illinois House Speaker Failed
1843 - Defeated in run for nomination for U.S. Congress Failed
1846 - Elected to Congress Success
1848 - Lost re-nomination Failed
1849 - Rejected for land officer position Failed
1854 - Defeated in run for U.S. Senate Failed
1856 - Defeated in run for nomination for Vice President Failed
1858 - Again defeated in run for U.S. Senate Failed
1860 - Elected President Success
Yes, that’s none other than Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, and one of the most prolific ones to ever hold the Office. So, you’ve got to decide whether to go after your objectives on a 50% level playing field or start believing in weird math.
At a gaming table, it’s been seven flips of the coin with each result producing “heads”. The eighth flip again produces another “head” as did the subsequent ninth. So, what’s your bet for the tenth toss? Or perhaps we can even go to the 19th flip, each producing “head”. What will the 20th flip be?
Many would tell you that statistically, it’ll be time for “tails” since it’s already due.
But is it, really?
No matter how many times you flip the coin, the chances of it being “head” or “tail” stands at 50% for every flip. In addition, the “history” of its result says little and have absolutely no bearing on subsequent tosses. See, unlike card games, the mathematical averages do not tilt in any way since there are no cards to “count off” on (Yes, hence the term card counting…).
The 100th flip of the coin can still yield “head” over “tail”.
So, what on earth am I driving at with all these?
It has to do very much with objectives and realizing them. See, many of us are given into our emotions, more vividly so especially at the gambling table where a winning streak or a losing streak produces instant theories and “mathematical” formulations as to how we would play the next hand to win. However, the intensity of the moment, the thrill and spill of the moment often than not produces very twisted and truly un-mathematical ideas, that when analyzed objectively shows huge flaws.
No, this is not a primer for gambling. Again, what I would like to draw our attention to, is that of setting our objectives and going about realizing them and not be detracted from seemingly increased or decreased odds that come our way. We have to be able to decipher odds that have a basis for “history” and those that don’t, just like coin flipping and card counting.
If our goal is to own a business, to buy a property, or even to run for public office, just remember that at each ground you start off on, it’s always level – yielding a 50% chance at each step of the way. We ought not to let things that look and feel like losing streaks be interpreted as such. The whole point is to keep our eyes focused on the objective and not the circumstances.
“But I’m a perpetual failure,” you may say? Well, have a chronological look at the life of a typical failure:
1831 - Lost his job Failed
1832 - Defeated in run for Illinois State Legislature Failed
1833 - Failed in business Failed
1834 - Elected to Illinois State Legislature Success
1835 - Sweetheart died Failed
1836 - Had nervous breakdown Failed
1838 - Defeated in run for Illinois House Speaker Failed
1843 - Defeated in run for nomination for U.S. Congress Failed
1846 - Elected to Congress Success
1848 - Lost re-nomination Failed
1849 - Rejected for land officer position Failed
1854 - Defeated in run for U.S. Senate Failed
1856 - Defeated in run for nomination for Vice President Failed
1858 - Again defeated in run for U.S. Senate Failed
1860 - Elected President Success
Yes, that’s none other than Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, and one of the most prolific ones to ever hold the Office. So, you’ve got to decide whether to go after your objectives on a 50% level playing field or start believing in weird math.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Defining ourselves
Okay, here’s one for the younger set of folks, those in their teens and early adulthood. For others who area already in their mid-life, perhaps it’ll be more of a reminiscence of youth. Either way, I’m surprised how life continues pretty much unchanged even as we head towards the end of the first decade n the 21st century and technological advances is breaching new grounds each day.
This has to do very much with self-worth, and of course the influence of TV, movies, pop cultures and such – all that determines one’s social life.
What I’m talking about is the “need” that one has to carve out an image for himself/herself, many of whom would go to great lengths to do so. This image that one takes on is meant to define how that person “is”. And that image is often than not, taken from characters played by actors throughout silverscreens and TV.
The “bad boy” image, the “troubled suicidal youth” image, the “dumb blond” image or the “rebel rouser”… yes, we all recognize these images whom we try to define ourselves in. And the fear of not having such character images for ourselves can be quite scary, one that might leave us as society outcasts. Or scarier still, as conformists. For many, it is a way to encapsulate ourselves into a shell and harden our defenses to face the challenges of life such as broken families, hopeless futures and meaningless lives.
But underneath all that, whether it is a need to conform or challenge society’s norms, lies an even greater need of the individual that cannot be addressed by merely taking on such screen characters for oneself. That is, to be able to define ourselves by our own character and our own rules… what many would describe as “coming into one’s own”.
Granted, it isn’t likely that one can do and realize that without having to go through a fair bit of life’s hills and valleys. But it truly is sad to have to see our youths all too ready to take their own lives with suicidal pacts and reckless living. George Bernard Shaw’s words best describe it – “Youth is wasted on the young”.
Now, if only our youths can “come into their own” at a younger age. If only they can try instead to define themselves by their own rules and standards and not have the need to “prove” to others. If only… ah, then we’ll have more middle age folks around, wouldn’t we? (Err.., that’s both in chronological and mental age, I mean!)
This has to do very much with self-worth, and of course the influence of TV, movies, pop cultures and such – all that determines one’s social life.
What I’m talking about is the “need” that one has to carve out an image for himself/herself, many of whom would go to great lengths to do so. This image that one takes on is meant to define how that person “is”. And that image is often than not, taken from characters played by actors throughout silverscreens and TV.
The “bad boy” image, the “troubled suicidal youth” image, the “dumb blond” image or the “rebel rouser”… yes, we all recognize these images whom we try to define ourselves in. And the fear of not having such character images for ourselves can be quite scary, one that might leave us as society outcasts. Or scarier still, as conformists. For many, it is a way to encapsulate ourselves into a shell and harden our defenses to face the challenges of life such as broken families, hopeless futures and meaningless lives.
But underneath all that, whether it is a need to conform or challenge society’s norms, lies an even greater need of the individual that cannot be addressed by merely taking on such screen characters for oneself. That is, to be able to define ourselves by our own character and our own rules… what many would describe as “coming into one’s own”.
Granted, it isn’t likely that one can do and realize that without having to go through a fair bit of life’s hills and valleys. But it truly is sad to have to see our youths all too ready to take their own lives with suicidal pacts and reckless living. George Bernard Shaw’s words best describe it – “Youth is wasted on the young”.
Now, if only our youths can “come into their own” at a younger age. If only they can try instead to define themselves by their own rules and standards and not have the need to “prove” to others. If only… ah, then we’ll have more middle age folks around, wouldn’t we? (Err.., that’s both in chronological and mental age, I mean!)
Monday, June 23, 2008
Nobility
The truth is that there is nothing noble in being superior to somebody else. The only real nobility is in being superior to your former self.
Whitney Young (1921 - 1971)
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Dreams and honour
The way Hollywood’s scriptwriters come up with lines are sometimes just absolutely brilliant and cuts to the core of the heart with a mere sentence or two compared to a compendium of volumes.
The for example, the movie Spiderman 2.
Peter Parker (aka Spiderman), when at battle’s end with his arch-nemesis Dr. Octopus (Dr. Otto Octavius), pleaded with him with the words, “sometimes, we have to give up our dreams and do the right thing”.
Wow, that was just a masterpiece. Now, if only a mere fraction of our politicians, our captains-of-industries and ourselves would just pay heed to it… imagine what a truly nobler and more wonderful world we would bestow our children and their children’s children. If only we would stop ourselves from becoming ugly just to achieve our dreams of fame, fortune and power and look towards the things that really do matter in life (and thereafter, too!) like honour, dignity, charity and integrity… oh, there aren’t any words to describe what a heaven it would be.
Going back to the movie, the punch-line came when Dr. Octavius has a change of heart, remembering how he had once preached that everyone ought to have used technology for the betterment of mankind and not seek to dominate others sacrificed himself to disarm the fusion machine that he had created which by now, had spun out of control.
In sinking it and killing himself in the process, he cries out “I will not die a monster!”
Now if only everyone of us had that sense of nobleness to not be remembered in life as monsters. Yes, it is and will always still be possible to do that, even at the very last second of our natural lives. We can choose and determine our last course of action with our last breath to do the right thing… or not. We’ll need to be a bigger person than we already are to take on a feat that is truly at the heart of what it means to “be human” as opposed to being a beast.
The for example, the movie Spiderman 2.
Peter Parker (aka Spiderman), when at battle’s end with his arch-nemesis Dr. Octopus (Dr. Otto Octavius), pleaded with him with the words, “sometimes, we have to give up our dreams and do the right thing”.
Wow, that was just a masterpiece. Now, if only a mere fraction of our politicians, our captains-of-industries and ourselves would just pay heed to it… imagine what a truly nobler and more wonderful world we would bestow our children and their children’s children. If only we would stop ourselves from becoming ugly just to achieve our dreams of fame, fortune and power and look towards the things that really do matter in life (and thereafter, too!) like honour, dignity, charity and integrity… oh, there aren’t any words to describe what a heaven it would be.
Going back to the movie, the punch-line came when Dr. Octavius has a change of heart, remembering how he had once preached that everyone ought to have used technology for the betterment of mankind and not seek to dominate others sacrificed himself to disarm the fusion machine that he had created which by now, had spun out of control.
In sinking it and killing himself in the process, he cries out “I will not die a monster!”
Now if only everyone of us had that sense of nobleness to not be remembered in life as monsters. Yes, it is and will always still be possible to do that, even at the very last second of our natural lives. We can choose and determine our last course of action with our last breath to do the right thing… or not. We’ll need to be a bigger person than we already are to take on a feat that is truly at the heart of what it means to “be human” as opposed to being a beast.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Eli ,Eli Lama sabachthani?
This one has me stumped. For nights I’ve been wresting it out with myself, tossing and turning to what seems like endless sleepless nights. How is it that one can work so hard, only to have the carpet swept from under him. Projects that he has conceived, formulated and worked tirelessly for months, only to have that hijacked without so much as a thank you, only to be given to the likes of apple polishers that take hold of it as though it was theirs to begin with?
And that started me deeper into the depths of a feeling of despair that doesn’t seem to have a glimmer of hope, save for the words that I once had in the pages of my Bible that read “The will of God will not take you where the grace of God cannot keep you.”
In all honesty, though those words can offer a short while of hope, I cannot for the life of me give answers to those that are in deep despair based on those few words.
What does one say to the destitute mother who’s trying desperately to feed her children who are dying from starvation? Or the leper who’s shunned by all of society, including his/her own family and friends (that were once there)?
Yes, these are truly heart-breaking, gut wrenching. I cannot for the life see how hope remains when such things happen.
And to shield off from such “hideousness”, society, that’s you and I, have developed hearts of stones and eyes that don’t see any of these pain and suffering just so that we needn’t feel anguished for those that desperately need help.
We even have the cheek to look at our own troubles, compare them to others that are in worse state of affairs, and then comfort ourselves that “we’ve not reached bottom… yet”. Crude as it sounds, you know it’s all very true. Why? Because, like an episode of Alley McBeal once scripted, “What makes your troubles so much more bigger than anyone else’s?... Because they’re mine!”
But unfortunately (or fortunately), many of us still feel the pain and anguish through all that smokescreen. Whether we want to accept it or not, we are bound by hearts that are not made of stone, by consciences that well, give us endless sleepless nights of torment, especially so when we know we still have a God to answer to.
So, while we see no answer coming from God for all these suffering and despair, we are still duty bound to honour that part of us which makes us humans – the humanity that resides in our minds and emotions.
Yes, there were many times when I told God to go screw himself, that I don’t see him lending out a hand for all the pain going about. Of course, mine included… Yes, a lot of anger, a lot of unanswered questions and a whole lot of pain.
The words of Christ becomes all too real : “Eli, Eli Lama sabachthani?” – My God, My God, why have you abandoned me?
So, if you asked me why? I honestly don’t know. But at least this I am sure of. Mankind is the most cruel of all living things for hording food from his dying fellow human beings, enforcing debts that can never be repaid in one’s lifetime and exalting evil and cruelness that are beyond words because of nothing more than mere greed that goes beyond boundaries.
The unrestrained man is the most hideous of all living organisms.
At the end of it all, I doubt we can truly blame God for all the pain and suffering that we’ve caused. Neither can the devil be blamed, for in many, many ways, we’re more evil than evil itself. Hell, we even make satan look good.
So if there’s just one plea I can make, it is this: Humanity is not about greed. It is about the godliness that resides in us all. And we have a choice to either turn ourselves as gods or devils… just pray that we’ll be human enough to choose the former over the latter. God knows we need it.
And that started me deeper into the depths of a feeling of despair that doesn’t seem to have a glimmer of hope, save for the words that I once had in the pages of my Bible that read “The will of God will not take you where the grace of God cannot keep you.”
In all honesty, though those words can offer a short while of hope, I cannot for the life of me give answers to those that are in deep despair based on those few words.
What does one say to the destitute mother who’s trying desperately to feed her children who are dying from starvation? Or the leper who’s shunned by all of society, including his/her own family and friends (that were once there)?
Yes, these are truly heart-breaking, gut wrenching. I cannot for the life see how hope remains when such things happen.
And to shield off from such “hideousness”, society, that’s you and I, have developed hearts of stones and eyes that don’t see any of these pain and suffering just so that we needn’t feel anguished for those that desperately need help.
We even have the cheek to look at our own troubles, compare them to others that are in worse state of affairs, and then comfort ourselves that “we’ve not reached bottom… yet”. Crude as it sounds, you know it’s all very true. Why? Because, like an episode of Alley McBeal once scripted, “What makes your troubles so much more bigger than anyone else’s?... Because they’re mine!”
But unfortunately (or fortunately), many of us still feel the pain and anguish through all that smokescreen. Whether we want to accept it or not, we are bound by hearts that are not made of stone, by consciences that well, give us endless sleepless nights of torment, especially so when we know we still have a God to answer to.
So, while we see no answer coming from God for all these suffering and despair, we are still duty bound to honour that part of us which makes us humans – the humanity that resides in our minds and emotions.
Yes, there were many times when I told God to go screw himself, that I don’t see him lending out a hand for all the pain going about. Of course, mine included… Yes, a lot of anger, a lot of unanswered questions and a whole lot of pain.
The words of Christ becomes all too real : “Eli, Eli Lama sabachthani?” – My God, My God, why have you abandoned me?
So, if you asked me why? I honestly don’t know. But at least this I am sure of. Mankind is the most cruel of all living things for hording food from his dying fellow human beings, enforcing debts that can never be repaid in one’s lifetime and exalting evil and cruelness that are beyond words because of nothing more than mere greed that goes beyond boundaries.
The unrestrained man is the most hideous of all living organisms.
At the end of it all, I doubt we can truly blame God for all the pain and suffering that we’ve caused. Neither can the devil be blamed, for in many, many ways, we’re more evil than evil itself. Hell, we even make satan look good.
So if there’s just one plea I can make, it is this: Humanity is not about greed. It is about the godliness that resides in us all. And we have a choice to either turn ourselves as gods or devils… just pray that we’ll be human enough to choose the former over the latter. God knows we need it.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
The dumb blond syndrome
It’s amazing that the more progressive mankind gets, the more he makes himself out to be stupid. That is, he becomes a “dumb blond” (so sorry for the pun, but honestly, that’s the best description I could come up with that sums up what I mean).
Overnight, he’ll go from someone remotely trying to outdo his peers to a total dimwit, not knowing, not wanting to know nor even bothered that he might know. Just so long as the world believes that he’s well, quite dim. At least then, he wouldn’t have to answer or do anything that resembles real work
But honestly, we are not made just to show off our stupidity on our sleeves. Maybe it’s the pressures of modern society that keeps raining huge expectations and demands. Or maybe its the fear of not being as good enough as...
But really, to have to put on a mask to make the world think we’re actually stupid just so that we wouldn’t have to be responsible for any work, any responsibility or as an answer for our fears are just nothing more than cowardice. Whining becomes our trademark.
And this disease goes through all levels of society. We see how celebrities love to project themselves as really, really dim. Why, you would be able to count off the number of your fellow peers that do the same thing, especially so when it comes to shouldering the work that has to be done.
But see, when one does hide behind the mask of stupidity and well, hope to achieve obscurity by that, it really does nothing more than stun his/her own growth. Sure, he might learn the best methods for dodging and such, but the price that will be paid is too high. After all, one only gets one lifetime to spend and it’s truly a sorry state when that lifetime is spent on seeking out the best way not to work, not to improve and not to explore all of God’s wonderful world.
Yes, the daily grind can be very, very exhausting. Many times I too, have wanted to just give up, and live a dismal dim life where I can’t be blamed if I’m considered lacking in brain matter. But then again, I think again and hey, I’ve too many responsibilities, both to myself and others not to fight on. I realize that I can’t afford to give in to wishful thinking or tired muscles, tired emotions and tired mind. If I did, the person I’ll be hurting most of all is myself.
Besides, God didn’t create me to waste away a lifetime of what is possible. And to do that knowingly and willfully will be the saddest thing ever.
Overnight, he’ll go from someone remotely trying to outdo his peers to a total dimwit, not knowing, not wanting to know nor even bothered that he might know. Just so long as the world believes that he’s well, quite dim. At least then, he wouldn’t have to answer or do anything that resembles real work
But honestly, we are not made just to show off our stupidity on our sleeves. Maybe it’s the pressures of modern society that keeps raining huge expectations and demands. Or maybe its the fear of not being as good enough as...
But really, to have to put on a mask to make the world think we’re actually stupid just so that we wouldn’t have to be responsible for any work, any responsibility or as an answer for our fears are just nothing more than cowardice. Whining becomes our trademark.
And this disease goes through all levels of society. We see how celebrities love to project themselves as really, really dim. Why, you would be able to count off the number of your fellow peers that do the same thing, especially so when it comes to shouldering the work that has to be done.
But see, when one does hide behind the mask of stupidity and well, hope to achieve obscurity by that, it really does nothing more than stun his/her own growth. Sure, he might learn the best methods for dodging and such, but the price that will be paid is too high. After all, one only gets one lifetime to spend and it’s truly a sorry state when that lifetime is spent on seeking out the best way not to work, not to improve and not to explore all of God’s wonderful world.
Yes, the daily grind can be very, very exhausting. Many times I too, have wanted to just give up, and live a dismal dim life where I can’t be blamed if I’m considered lacking in brain matter. But then again, I think again and hey, I’ve too many responsibilities, both to myself and others not to fight on. I realize that I can’t afford to give in to wishful thinking or tired muscles, tired emotions and tired mind. If I did, the person I’ll be hurting most of all is myself.
Besides, God didn’t create me to waste away a lifetime of what is possible. And to do that knowingly and willfully will be the saddest thing ever.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Christianity 101
Now, here’s one blog that’s bound to piss some people off, especially Christians. Hey, not that I’ve anything against them. Heck I myself am one. So, what’s up my mind then? What? Giving into apostasy just to gain a little notoriety?
No, actually what I would like to share was about the time when I skipped Church on a Sunday morning to go on a walkabout in a village. Don’t remember why I did that, but I did that.
Anyway, I remember distinctively telling myself on that day that I’ve seen more of Christianity than all the time I’ve spent in Church. Here I was among nothing more than regular folks, many of whom were breaking their backs just carving out a living, even on a weekend. Somehow, there was a great deal of authenticity there, albeit in quite a rough form. Now, contrast that with the often irritatingly daintiness and goody-two-shoes attitudes (or rather pretenses) that most Church-going Christian will mask themselves so as tohave others believe that they are “good Christian brethens”.
Honestly, all that does sicken me to a great extend, especlally when those same folks “revert” to worse than regular human beings on weekdays, you know, the ones that makes one want to just give up being a Christian. Their attitudes leave much to be desired. Yet, somehow, they are the very same folks that still maintain a holy Sunday look even on weekdays, minus the most crucial differences – hearts.
Actually, no one makes me feel more disgusted to be a Christian, than Christians themselves.
See, abstaining from drinking, partying and such does not make a Christian a Christian. Why, even Jesus himself must be quite a party animal, considering that the very first miracle he performed was the turning of water into wine. So, how is it that his followers today can have an even “holier” attitude than their founder by denouncing drinking as evil and merry-making an almost satanic ritual?
Either they forget, or are blissfully ignorant that Jesus, in as much as he was divine, was also humanly a carpenter. And believe me, if you’ve dealt with carpenters, they aren’t exactly the most refined of people in the word. So, let’s have no misconception. Our lord and saviour was not without rough edges. Yet, what differentiated him was his heart. Heart for others, heart for those that society considers ungodly, undesirable, and well, un-Christian like. Above all, a heart for others regardless.
So, strip away all that “Church-likeness” and if you can still find the heart of that person, it would have truly defined what a Christian should be. No wonder, Gandhi once remarked that while he had great admiration for Jesus, he could not say the same for Christians. That, my dear friend, hurts. It hurts to the core of a Christian heart, not because they are words that go against our grains, but rather, those words are well... honestly true. Let’s not kid ourselves anymore. Jesus was indeed right when he said that it isn’t the things that goes into the mouths of men that make them sin, it’s what comes out of it.
No, actually what I would like to share was about the time when I skipped Church on a Sunday morning to go on a walkabout in a village. Don’t remember why I did that, but I did that.
Anyway, I remember distinctively telling myself on that day that I’ve seen more of Christianity than all the time I’ve spent in Church. Here I was among nothing more than regular folks, many of whom were breaking their backs just carving out a living, even on a weekend. Somehow, there was a great deal of authenticity there, albeit in quite a rough form. Now, contrast that with the often irritatingly daintiness and goody-two-shoes attitudes (or rather pretenses) that most Church-going Christian will mask themselves so as tohave others believe that they are “good Christian brethens”.
Honestly, all that does sicken me to a great extend, especlally when those same folks “revert” to worse than regular human beings on weekdays, you know, the ones that makes one want to just give up being a Christian. Their attitudes leave much to be desired. Yet, somehow, they are the very same folks that still maintain a holy Sunday look even on weekdays, minus the most crucial differences – hearts.
Actually, no one makes me feel more disgusted to be a Christian, than Christians themselves.
See, abstaining from drinking, partying and such does not make a Christian a Christian. Why, even Jesus himself must be quite a party animal, considering that the very first miracle he performed was the turning of water into wine. So, how is it that his followers today can have an even “holier” attitude than their founder by denouncing drinking as evil and merry-making an almost satanic ritual?
Either they forget, or are blissfully ignorant that Jesus, in as much as he was divine, was also humanly a carpenter. And believe me, if you’ve dealt with carpenters, they aren’t exactly the most refined of people in the word. So, let’s have no misconception. Our lord and saviour was not without rough edges. Yet, what differentiated him was his heart. Heart for others, heart for those that society considers ungodly, undesirable, and well, un-Christian like. Above all, a heart for others regardless.
So, strip away all that “Church-likeness” and if you can still find the heart of that person, it would have truly defined what a Christian should be. No wonder, Gandhi once remarked that while he had great admiration for Jesus, he could not say the same for Christians. That, my dear friend, hurts. It hurts to the core of a Christian heart, not because they are words that go against our grains, but rather, those words are well... honestly true. Let’s not kid ourselves anymore. Jesus was indeed right when he said that it isn’t the things that goes into the mouths of men that make them sin, it’s what comes out of it.
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