The Biography of Abraham Part 1 or 4

I love to read biographies. In my younger days, I read lots of biographies. I read about the lives of Stalin, Lenin, Mao Tze Dong, and of course Lee Kuan Yew and others.

But none of the biographies or autobiographies I have read can compete with the Biography of Abraham. Between Genesis 11 and Genesis 25, the story is fast-moving, detailed, full of surprises, and never a dull moment.

You should read it. This is one of the best biographies I have read.

In this and next 3 blog postings, I will talk about Abraham.

As you read the biography of Abraham, you will wonder why God is so 'friend' with him. God spoke to him as a friend. Friends some times play prank and hurt each other, but always forgiving and not take heart. Friends sometimes betray one another, but in the end always remain loyal.

In the other chapters of Genesis, we confirmed that the Jews and the Palestinians were all decendants of Jacob and hence decendants of Abraham. Perhaps all Jews and Palestinians can take a DNA test to confirm this. They all should have some traces of Abraham's DNA. Then, perhaps, Jews and Palestinians should stop fighting each other in view of the common heritage.

Look out for the next 3 blog postings.

What is 'Time'?

What is Time?

Our life spans 60 to 100 years. Do we have to plan meticulously to maximise all the time available?

I understand that some insects have a lifespan of less than 10 days. Do they rush through the 10 days to accomplish all they want in their 'short' lifetime?

Will Time Travel be a reality?

Is it true that a thousand years on Earth is but a day in Heaven?

The great Albert Einstein told us that 'Time is relative'. And that is true.

After God created the Heaven and the Earth, the Earth rotates around the Sun, giving us a measure of year, month, day, hour, minute and second.

However God is not subject to the dimension of Time! God created the stars and the planets and hence the concept of Time. But God is not part of what He created. God is above what He has created. God is above Time. God is 'outside' the Time dimension.

God said His name is "I AM WHO I AM". It is in the present tense. There is no past tense or future tense.

To God, there is no past and future. All events happen in the present tense. So the existence of Adam and Eve, of David and Solomon, of Jesus, and of your own self is not over a period of time.

When the Bible provides a perspective of Time and historical events, the writers were simply writing in human perspective, in human language. It is not in God's perspective.

Our Time is from God. So what if we die at 100 year old, or 10 days old? It's only relevant while we are human and finite. It's not relevant when we are no longer human.

But God is infinite.

Don't listen to Good News only

In recent years, more and more people are going for Lasik Treatment to correct their shortsightedness or other eye problems.

There are tons of advertisements and happy stories on Lasik Treatment. The cost is also getting lower, doctors are confident that the risk of complications is getting lower and, the impression is, more and more, and everybody is putting his trust on Lasik.

But Sunday Times, 7 Dec 08, is kind enough to provide the other side of the story -- samples of Bad News.

The article on page 34 "Lasik clinic's hard sell left her confused and fuming" is a good reminder that the risk is not that low.

An accompanying article by Catherine Lee on the same page:

"Is Lasik surgery really safe?
I once intended to go for such a procedure but changed my mind after talking to some friends and colleagues.
One colleague had a friend who went for Lasik surgery 10 years ago.
Everything was fine until about two to three years ago, when she developed problems -first in one eye, then the other. She could not regain her sight totally even after some operations, and ended up blind in one eye and partially blind in the other..."

Please note that when someone wants to earn your money by selling a product or service to you, his job is to tell you one side of the story only, the side that sells, not the side that don't sell.

Go and find out the other side of the story too.

Higher Risk does not mean Higher Return

I watched the program "Cents and Sensibilities" over TV ChannelNewsAsia yesterday, Wednesday 10 Dec 08. It's about investing your money.

It reminded me:

Higher Return must come with Higher Risk.

BUT, BUT, BUT:

Higher Risk does not mean Higher Return!!!

I hope my readers will remember what I have highlighted.

I asked a question, an interesting answer

I emailed to Dr KK Tan, a highly respected expert in meditation;.

Question:

Dear Dr. Tan
May I ask you :
1 whether rocks have souls?
2 whether trees have souls?
3 If yes, than if a tree is cut down and made into 10 chairs, will the tree-soul be 'split up' into 10 chair-souls?
4 Does insects like ants, mosquitoes and wasps have souls?
5 If yes, than since there are trillions of insects, there would be trillions and trillions of souls in the world ?
6 What DOES NOT have a soul then?
Thank you for your time and teaching.

Answer:

Dear Pat,
Almost everything that is natural occurring has a soul. Minerals includung rocks have souls. All
vegetation including all plants have souls. Then come animals and lastly humans. However if a human is killed, his soul leaves him. Similarly this appies to animals and trees. If you chopped a tree down, you kill it. Thence the piesces of wood do not contain any soul. Trillions of insects also possess souls. All natural occurring
things have souls, but when a man is killed or a tree is felled or an animal is killed, all these three will be deprived of souls. I assume when a large rock is pulverised into tiny pieces, it would have lost its soul as well. That means almost everything on earth does possess a soul until it is destroyed or killed.
K.K.Tan

Conclusion:

Haha. It's up to you whether or not to believe in the answer. But I just find it amusing.

Thanks to Dr KK Tan.

Signing the Advance Medical Directive?

I am considering whether or not I should sign the AMD.

2 weeks ago, I visited an aunty who was on wheelchair. Her husband passed away about 7 months ago.

That afternoon, my aunty told me that her late husband's sister had passed away 5 months ago too. Besides, another of her late husband's brother had passed away 2 months ago. Another brother was now in hospital, feeding through a tube and breathing through a hole through the neck. In all, 3 members in that family died within 7 months and another going going soon.

Hospitals are now quite good in prolonging life. A seriously ill person can be forced fed and forced to continue breathing. Life expectancy is getting longer, medical cost is getting higher, and quality of life during the disability period, is getting worse.

All of us want a 'rectangular life'. If we were to die, we hope die quickly, in dignity, not prolonged and die off so slowly that someone has to care for us for years and years. Having a helper to change your diapers, wipe your ass, bathe you and at most trying moments lose their temper on you is most un-dignifying.

I believe that the best way to die is through a massive heart attack. Life is gone within 3 minutes, without prolong suffering. It would be good if heart attach or pneumonia is the top killer disease and not cancer.

Well, how will the AMD help? Does it mean that I am refusing artificial respiratory aids after I sign up AMD? Does it help me to die quickly when there is 'no hope'? Who would decide that there is 'no hope', and give permission to disconnect the life-supporting apparatus?

I will like to know more. Do you know more?

A Lesson In Giving

Goh Sin Tub died 5 to 10 years ago. Before he died, he wrote this inspiring article for us:

SOME PEOPLE WILL ALWAYS BE RICH, NO MATTER HOW LITTLE THEY HAVE

In the early '80s, Brother Kevin Byrne, then principal of Singapore's St Joseph's Institution, and I started raising money from alumni and the other supporters for the school's new campus on Malcolm Road (near Toa Payoh). Our campaign was based on an optimistic premise that we could convince our supporters to give the school the biggest charity donation of their lives -- at least $1000, a generous sum in those days. Our target was to recruit 3000 such supporters, which would raise $3 million.

As the ambitious scheme gathered momentum, we had our low moments -- but we had our high ones too.

I remember when the first replies arrived. Brother Kevin and I were working on our newsletter, which would serve as a reminder of our appeal. We stopped to read the mail.

One of the first envelopes gave promise of good things. The backflap presented the sender's particulars in embossed letters, including a personal logo in color. I recognised the name: a successful and academically accomplished graduate of the school. The address was in the affluent District 10. Though still young, the sender was already a high-income earner, and we thought he was good for at least $10,000, most likely more.

I let Brother Kevin have the pleasure of opening the letter to receive the big donation. He was silent as he scrutinized the contents.

The man did not donate even one cent. "Still," the saintly Brother Kevin said, "at least he took the trouble to write to us - explain his situation and wish us well."

The man wrote that right now things were tight. He had just invested over $500,000 in a condo. He concluded sadly, "So it looks as if for the next few years, until I have paid off my mortgage, I won't be able to give anything to charity. Nevertheless, I shall pray for you. May God bless you."

"And we expected a bonanza from him," I said, expressing my disappointment.

One of the next letters we opened rewards us. But that initial donation to our cause filled me with both awe and misgivings.

"A thousand-dollar cheque!" said Brother Kevin, so delighted he did not at first notice who sent it. I did. It was from Joe Gomes - someone I knew well.

I did not recall including his name on our 'hit' list; someone else on our committee must have added it. Yes, Joe had always been well-disposed toward our school, but in my mind I had him classified as someone who help out in funfairs and charity shows rather than hefty direct donations - he was definitely not in the four-figure league that was our target.

Joe was not your average well-off alumnus (or your average academically successful Josephian, for that matter). Indeed, at the time he sent us his donation, he was working as caretaker of the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd, for which the church provided him a modest allowance and an equally modest behind-the-church accomodation. You could say he was as poor as the proverbial church mouse.

I expressed my concern to Brother Kevin. "Why, when Joe needed a heart-bypass a few years back, we passed the hat around to help him pay his bills. I'll have to speak with the man. We may have to discreetly hand him back his donation." Brother Kevin agreed.

The next morning, which happened to be Sunday, I caught Joe alone after the last church service.

"Joe, we want to thank you for your generous donation, but..." I began.

"Have to help, what! My duty, you know. You're all doing good work, helping to build our new school, helping so many students in future. How can I just stand by, not do my bit - as far as I can?"

I cleared my throat and lowered my voice. "Please don't be angry, but I have to ask you, Joe. A thousand dollars is a lot of money. Can you really afford to donate such a big sum?"

Joe did not reply at once. His eyes searched mine. Was he insulted by what I said? My question suddenly seemed so offending! I hope he did not think I was looking down on him. I looked back at him anxiously.

I was relieved to see a twinkle in his eyes - and to hear his light-hearted reply:

"Don't worry Mr Goh. I'm not kosong (empty), you know. I still have a few hundred dollars left in my savings account!"

Brother Kevin's eyes also glistened when I told him what happened.

Joe's reply became a spring of encouragement to all of us involved in the fund-raising. Now we knew for sure: our cause had strong support. With people like Joe on our side, we are invincible. In time the school was built.

We had learned much from our close encounters with the rich and poor. Brother Kevin summed it up for us: "Being rich isn't about having money, is it? Some of us will always be poor, some always rich - no matter how much or how little we have."

What I have been teaching in my workshops - T-shirt Printing

Physicist Stephen Hawking

In an interview with Reuters last year, Hawking, author of the best selling "A Brief History of Time", said:
1 "I believe the universe is governed by the laws of science,"
2. "The laws may have been decreed by God,"
3. "But God does not interviene to break the laws."

This is also what I believe, except that, in time past, God did intervened now and then to break the laws. But not anymore, in this Dispensation of Grace.

The drying of the Red Sea for Moses/Jews to cross on their way out of Egypt, and stopping the Earth's rotation for a day, were 2 examples given in the Bible.

God is capable of breaking the laws of science. He may do that again in His own time and own judgement. Yes, there can be MIRACLES.

The Most Difficult Religious Question

HOW CAN THERE BE AN ALL-LOVING AND ALL-POWERFUL GOD IF THERE IS SO MUCH SUFFERING IN THE WORLD?

There is a article on this in the Catholic News, 12 October 2008.

Since the day I believe in the existence of God, I have been asking this question. I have not found a satisfactory answer. But after several years, I have stopped asking this question.

During the Old Testament times, God responded to the pleas of His people to deliver them from disasters. For example, God, through Esther, delivered the Jews from Haman's plot to exterminate them (Esther 3). Another example, God answered the prayers of Moses when Joshua was fighting the Amalekites (Exodus 17:8-13).

With the birth and then the resurrection of Christ, the 'Age/Dispensation of Grace" had commenced. Before this new era, I noticed that God would deliver his chosen people (Jews) from disasters when they prayed for help. Now, in the Dispensation of Grace, God does not seem to respond to prayers to avert natural disasters and suffering anymore. Not that I know of. After the Auschwitz Holocaust during the second World War, someone asked how is it still possible for Jews to believe in God! But they do.

When Hurricane was expected to devastate the land in 2 days time, and Christians knelt down to pray, the hurricane still came and caused loss of lives and properties. When earthquake victims prayed for no more aftershocks, the aftershocks still continued to cause casualties and damages.

Many writers had given their views on God's seeming inaction in the face of suffering and evil. A few perspectives were also given in the Catholic News article.

But for sure, there is an All-loving and All-powerful God. He was here among His people. He even sent His Son to died on the cross for our sins. It was a mystery to my finite human mind why He allowed sufferings to persist. You can pray to Him for help, but He will not always help you the way you would expect. However, if you pray to Him for comfort and inner peace - these, the Holy Spirit will always grant you.

Praise the Lord. He is real.

Alzheimer's Disease - When a Person's Soul Hibernates

The Straits Times carried a report on Alz Disease Last Saturday, 27 Sep 08.

My mother suffers from Alz for over 10 years. This disease degenerates the mind, the soul and finally the physical body progressively. In fact, the mind and the soul is dead long before the physical death.

At the start of the illness, forgetfulness and absentmindedness set in. The mind fails, along with the nervous system fail gradually. The patient regresses to the mental state and the faculty of a 3 years old, then a 2 years old, then a 6 months old child. Finally, the patient does not know how to open her mouth to suck or swallow food, the stomach and intestines do not know how to digest food. And then, the body succumbs to malnutrition or failure to breathe...

Unlike other illnesses, the patient has to be cared for 24 hrs by 7 days a week. It takes one to two full-time caregivers to manage one patient at the ending stages.

Looking at the situation my mother is in, I could see the different entities of the human being -- the physical body, the mind, the soul and the spirit. My mother is a non-christian, so she may not have the spirit. With the mind 90% destroyed, she is only capable of basic involuntary functions like breathing, digestion, slow walking, and secretion of waste matters.

Since she is without a lucid mind, I would not detect her soul. There is no expression of joy or sadness, no thoughts of goodness or evil, no thoughts of love or hatred, no thoughts of earthly or spiritual things, no thoughts of right or wrong...

Without a mind capable of thoughts, I believe an alz person's soul is de-activated. One day, when the soul is liberated from this earthly body, it would recall or be aware of the eternity of life again.

Alz is a terrible disease. Honestly, it's a mystery why we are plagued by it.

Different levels of understanding

When we read the Bible, we can experience different levels of understanding.

We can understand it at the 'textual' level. We can understand at a deeper level after considering the setting and circumstances at the time the verses and stories were written. We can also understand at the intense level, guided by the Spirit.

Today, Numbers 21:4-9 were read in Church:

"The Israelites left Mount Hor...to go around the territory of Edom. But on the way the people lost their patience and spoke against God and Moses. They complained 'Why did you bring us out of Egypt to die in this desert, where there is no food or water? We can't stand any more of this miserable food!' Then the LORD sent poisonous snakes among the people and many Israelites were bitten and died. The people came to Moses and said, 'We sinned when we spoke against the LORD and against you. Now pray to the LORD to take these snakes away.' So Moses prayed for the people. Then the LORD told Moses to make a metal snake and put it on a pole, so that anyone who was bitten could look at it and be healed. So Moses made a bronze snake and put on a pole. Anyone who had been bitten would look at the bronze snake and be healed."

Well, reading the 'text', we understand a simple story and glean a simple lesson. Naturally the people got tired of eating the stale food that they brought out of Egypt months ago. And so they complained. The LORD found them ungrateful and so punished them with poisonous snakes. They realised that they had been whiny and ungrateful and so they regretted their actions and asked Moses for a solution. God is merciful and provided a solution to those who were willing and humble enough to accept God's cure.

It is enough to understand the Bible at the textual level. God's Word in the Bible is meant for people with 'normal intelligence' to read and understand. It's unnecessary to dig deeper and deeper just to understand the hidden meanings. No need to ask 'Why punish using poisonous snake and not aedes mosquitoes? Why cure using a bronze snake, and not a wooden snake? Why not cure by praying 3 times a day instead! Why not...'

There is no need to analyse God's Word on and on till the cows come home. God will speak to us and teach us even if we interpret the Bible at the superficial textual level.

But when there are contradictions and we do not understand those contradictions, it's all right to delve deeper and seek understanding. This is one of the purpose of this blog.

So read the Bible on your own. It's better than listening to any well-researched and well-delivered sermons.

Positive Thinking, Superstition or Faith?

There was this story about contrasting attitude:

At the changing room just before a game of golf, the American player was boasting: "Today I am going to hit the furthest I ever did man! I am going to hit a hole-in-one too. You can bet on it..." The Singapore player modestly said to his friends: "Let me do my best today. If I could go round the 18-holes without any problem, I will consider it a good day..."

Some people call the American's attitude as Positive Thinking. Modern management promotes Positive Thinking - "Think big, Think high, Think you can, Be Gung-ho."

Chinese has its own form of Positive Thinking - sometimes label as superstition. Some Chinese like the number 8, and like to be numbered 8 in everything. By oft repeating '8' or 'fatt' he aim to be rich all the time, or in time to come. Chinese like to think and repeat "Fu Lu Shou". By wishing each other FU and LU and SHOU during birthdays and Chinese Neww Year, they hope these will materialise in their lives.

The meta-physical dimensions works mysteriously. Some people do benefit from positive thinking, from superstition or whatever you call it. Others are neutral to these. Yet others even experience the opposite effects.

Now, what about prayers to the God and other spiritualities? Most of us have stopped believing the idea that "God answers all our prayers - but the answers could be yes, no, wait and maybe."

The reality is that 'sometimes God does not answer prayers'. (Like the time when my godly friend prayed for journey-mercy, and yet suffered a road accident.) We don't know why. But our believe in God is not based on how our prayers are answered, but on faith in Jesus Christ, and these faith must grow over time as we experience God.

Do not give up. Keep up your faith. And you will experience God more and more.

Interesting: Veneration of Dead Relatives

I wish to capture Mr Lionel De Souza's letter to the ST Forum printed on 15 Aug 2008:

I am Roman Catholic and write from this Christian perspective. I am sure that we are conversant with the Bible's fourth Commandment: "Honour your father and your mother."

The Liturgy Commission of the Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore felt it necessary to consider Chinese customary rites, because of the many queries Catholic priests have received on this matter. It is well known in Singapore's Catholic community that many "old" Catholics, as well as new converts, whose family members are mostly non-Catholics, are still confused about what they can do or should not do on the occasion of Chinese funerals and on the commemoration of ancestors.

That is why the Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore clarified that the veneration of ancestors refers to rituals performed to express honour or respect for the dead by the family members; and that in such rituals, filial piety is, and always has been, at least to some extent, the motivating factor.

In 1964, seven Chinese bishops in Taiwan met officially with a Vatican representative. They resolved the following regarding the practice of venerating one's ancestors:

a) Burning of joss papers for the dead is forbidden because of its superstitious nature.
b) Offering of fruit or other food in front of the ancestor tablet or at the grave is no longer forbidden;
c) In rememberance of the dead, the setting up of a tablet (bearing his name without the addition of superstitious inscriptions) by family members is no longer forbidden;
d) It is allowed to bow or prostrate oneself in front of the ancestor tablet, photograph or coffin.

These instructions combine Catholic tradition with ancestor veneration and were issued by a conference of Chinese bishops in Taipei, 10 years later.

They are practised by Chinese Catholics in Singapore. Lionel De Souza

Images - Dolphin

Heart Versus Mind

In my blog entry dated 5 Mar 08, I wrote about "slain in the spirit". I mentioned that these manifestations occur in churches of different denominations.

As christians and muslims are supposed to be worshipping the same God, I posed a question in an "Ask the Expert website" whether such manifestations occur in muslim communities as well. The "Expert Website" replied that muslims do not experience speaking in tongues or 'slain in the spirit'.

So why speaking in tongues, and 'slain in the spirit' take place in the different christian denominations? I believe it is a sign of God's acceptance, inspite of all the differences in teachings, precepts, practices and dogmas of the different christian denominations.

No denominations can claim that all their teachings and beliefs are accurate. And that the conflicting teachings of other denominations must be wrong.

There is only 1 condition to be a child of God and that is 'Whoever believes in Jesus Christ should not perish, but have eternal life" John 3:16. So fulfilling this one condition, and then not committing the Unpardonable Sin (see blog entry below), should be enough for us to be accepted into God's kingdom.

Apart from these 2 requirements, we may be misled by deviant teachings, we may advertently or inadvertently believe in cultist heresies, or even committed abominable sins. But we are still saved by the redeeming blood of Christ! How generous is God's grace!

So, in our relationship with God, the knowledge in our brain is secondary. Knowing the differences between right and wrong teachings, and differentiating what are heresies or wrong concepts, are not that important.

What lies in our heart is of primary importance. Faith and love is a matter of the heart. We seek God with our hearts. God looks in our heart for sincerity. We feel God's grace in our hearts.

Use our hearts more.

The Assumption of Mother Mary

Someone asked DEAR PADRE "What Does Mary's Assumption Means?" I read the answer by Dear Padre. But when I searched Wikipedia, it gave a more informative answer. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assumption_of_Mary

The Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and the Coptic Orthodox Churches believe in the Assumption of Mary. In short, it means that Mary was transported into Heaven with her body and soul united.

There are other interesting information related to this belief in Wikipedia. You can read about it.

There are volumes of answered prayers and petitions attributed to the intercessory prayers of Mother Mary. Just attend the Novena sessions at Novena Church, Thomson Road on Saturdays, or view the Novena Church website to be convinced.

It is up to you whether to believe in the Assumption of Mary. But I believe God answers the prayers and petitions of the faithful and the sincere-hearted , regardless of whether christians pray directly or through the intercession of Mother Mary or any of the Saints.

Isn't it comforting to know this?

A Mystery: What Happen When A Christian Commits That One Unpardonable Sin?

I remember that my Bible study group asked this awkward question about the "Unpardonable Sin" many years ago.

Once a person accepts Christ and invites the Holy Spirit into his life, he becomes a child of God and the Holy Spirit would dwell in him. So what would happen if he turns against God sometime later and commits the One Unpardonable Sin - Mark 3:29 "Truly I say to you, all sins shall be forgiven... but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin..."

My Bible study group did not find a scriptural answer to this question. The logical conclusion was that God will 'call this christian home' (i.e. take this christian away) . After all, the Holy Spirit already dwells in him. God is unlikely to let such as sinful child remain on Earth any longer.

Without a better answer, I still hold onto this logical conclusion today.

Remember, we must never commit this Unpardonable Sin.


God bless you.

Taking Risks. Living On The Edge.

We born to life. Life is a journey with an end. At the end we embark on another life, another journey again.

Today, 5 Aug 08, the newspapers announced that 11 mountaineers had perished in an avalanche just below the summit of K2, the second highest mountain in the world. Some climbers were still missing.

So far there were 284 ascents and 66 deaths on K2. These climbers know the dangers of climbing. But their attitude is "Hope for the best. But if I perish, so be it."

This Friday 8 Aug 08, TOTO is offering a Special Draw with price money of $8 Million. 3 quarters of Singapore are queueing at TOTO booths to place bets of tens or hundreds of dollars, hoping to win a million bucks. Their attitude is "Hope for the best. But if I lose, so be it."

Perhaps that is life. 1 Cor 13:13 says "But now abide faith, hope, love..." Humans need to exercise the element of hope. If there is no risk, no danger, no pain, no uncertainty, then hope is not needed.

I too have several hope. An urgent one is that my investments in the banking and SingTel shares will be profitable soon.

If you have nothing to hope for, then something is wrong with you. Better get out of your comfort zone and start living.

Ask Father John Part 3: Know God, and You Will Know The Answer !

It is disheartening and disturbing to read Father John's answer to the question on whether suicide bombers go to 'paradise'. (See blog entries below.)

If Father John had considered the God's "personality" and God's "character", he would not give such an ambivalent reply.

After living with our earthly parents or spouse for a number of years, we will know how they act and react with certainty. For example, if the shopping mall is just 50 metres away, I know for sure, with 99.99% certainty, that my wife will walk there. My wife will not ride a bicycle or take a cab there.

When you have a personal relationship with God for many years, and when the Holy Spirit dwells in you to guide your heart-mind-conscience; and when you have been diligent seeking to know God better by attending Sunday School, learning from sermons, reading God's Word, you will know God enough to answer the question regarding suicide bombers.

God is Holy - Ex 15:11, God is good - Ps 102:26-27, God is compassionate - 1 Kings 8:23, God is Upright - Ps 25:8, God is righteous - Ps 116:5.

God's grace will not lead to, or condone, a sinner who kills tens, hundreds or thousands of innocent people. If there is a Hell, what is Hell for ? Hell will be empty if flagrant sinners go to Heaven.

If we believe in the Bible and believe there is Hell, and if we have a personal relationship with God as Abba-Father, then surely we will know with certainty whether suicide bombers go to Heaven or Hell.

I must qualify that we cannot be absolutely 100% certain. But 99.99% certainty is good enough.

There is no need to ask your priest 'whether suicide bombers go to 'paradise'. Read the Bible, and the Holy Spirit will illuminate your heart and mind to the truth.

Read the Word of God for answers.

God Bless.

Ask Father John Part 2: How Can It Be ? Father John ?

See previous blog entry regarding suicide bombers. The same article goes on to question Father John's thinking (Catholic News 20 July 2008).

Writer:

I take exception to your answer about suicide bombers. The wording of the Catholic Catechism, which you quote, is carefully chosen. It says those who through no fault of their own do not know the Gospel or the church, but who seek God with a sincere heart and "moved by grace" try to do God's will as their conscience dictates can be saved.

Those words "moved by grace" are important. If we think God's grace would lead us to kill ourselves and slaughter innocent people, we make Christ's victory over evil meaningless. A person could do these things and not be eternally condemned only if he is mentally ill or cannot choose between good and evil. It is unthinkable that a same person could believe God is leading him to wipe out dozens or thousands of people. This is the core of our faith in God's power over evil.

Ask Father John Part 1: Do Suicide Bombers Go To Hell? - Depends on Conscience

This article appeared in the Catholic News, dated Sunday 20 July 2008.

Question:

How does God deal with suicide bombers who believe they will go to 'paradise' and be with Allah? How can they go to hell if they don't even believe in it? ...

Answer by Father John Dietzen:

Contrary to the assumptions of many, including even to this day a fair number of Catholics, the Catholic Church holds that all persons who sincerely attempt to follow the dictates of their conscience, what they believe to be right and good, are saved.

This concept is by now well entrenched in church teaching. The Catechism of the Catholic Church says it clearly:

Those who, through no fault of their own, do not know the Gospel of Christ or his church, but who nevertheless seek God with a sincere heart and, moved by grace, try in their actions to do his will as they know it through the dictates of their conscience - these too may achieve eternal salvation" (No. 847, quoting the Vatican Council II Constitution on the Church).

All this assumes, of course, for all human beings whatever their culture or background, a diligent and honest attempt to inform one's conscience with all the grace and wisdom possible, and then to live one's life in accord with what is seen a "religious duty," however the individual sees that duty.

Some will claim, of course, that no human being could honestly envision as morally good inhuman and appalling acts of cruelty - acts which are perpetrated in countless nations of our world to this hour by people other than Muslims.

Many people among them religious leaders, have publicly proclaimed that all the dead terrorists are burning in hell, and those still alive will do so. Arrogance like this is unworthy of any thoughtful human being, let alone any Christian.

Judgments like this about the condition and fate of other people's souls are wholly beyond our reach. The pretense of having sufficient knowledge and wisdom to make such judgements invades territory that belongs to God alone....(other text not included due to space constraint).

No Need To Consider Moral Issues in 'Organ Trading'

In my blog entry dated 19 May 08, I wrote on the morality of Lesbian Marriage.

I suggested that "In the end, when no harm is done, or when there's less harm than good, there is no need to consider the issue of morality. Morality will be a vague and obsolete concept in the coming decades. Perhaps in a hundred years time, this concept of morality will vanish from the face of the earth."

Today's newspaper brought up the issue of Sales of Kidney. Those who need kidney transplants ( in order to continue living) would like to buy a kidney (from the poor). The government has legislated against this, mainly on moral grounds. If 'kidney trading' is allowed, then the poor will ultimately be selling their kidneys to the rich. "It is dehumanising - life can be bought with money, at the expense of another life."

But there is another point of view. "It is also morally wrong to let a person suffer and die when something can be done to save his life. If a person X willingly sells one of his kidneys to person Y to save Y's life, why not?"

Our government is made up of humans too. They are pragmatic on moral issues. The garmen had legalised gambling, legalised abortion of foetal lives, semi-legalised prostitution, maybe legalising homosexual marriage in future.

The trend is to legalise 'Organ Trading' in future.

It supports the view that morality is becoming obsolete, in years to come.

They Died Young Due To Poisoning

While at the National Palace Museum of China, I learnt something very interesting. For very long, I was wondering why in olden times, the lifespan of Chinese were only 50 to 60 years. I found the answer.

6200 - 1600 BC - called the Neolithic period
1600 - 221 BC - called the Bronze Age
221 BC - 220 AD - Chin and Han dynasties
220 AD - 1906 AD - Yuan, Tang, Ming, Ching dynasties

Ceramics were not used during the Bronze Age. The utensils, including wine cups were made of bronze.

Olden Chinese loved to drink wine. When wine was poured into bronze cups, there was chemical reaction. Over time, wine drinkers poisoned themselves by drinking poisoned wine.

After the Bronze Age, utensils were made of ceramics. The lifespan of Chinese was increased.

I also read that, during the Han, Tang dynasties and after, there were 'Qigong adepts' who could cultivate and replenish their 'Qi', and perfected the way of longevity. These adepts could live for more than 200 years.

Well, like the olden Chinese, we have much to learn about what is poisoning our lives. Why does it take so long for human beings to find out what cause cancer and Alzheimer's disease?

National Museum in Peking became National Palace Museum in Taipei !!

I visited the National Palace Museum when I was in Taipei.

The National Palace Museum was originally founded in 1925 in the Forbidden City in Peking.

Apparently when General Chiang Kai-Shek moved to Taiwan during the years of civil war leading to communism, he crated about 600,000 of the treasured objects to Taiwan.

China was depleted of the priceless national treasures. Most of them are now in Taipei's National Palace Museum. Some must have been 'lost' or converted to wealth.

If not for what the General Chiang did, most treasures would have been lost or destroyed during the Chinese revolution.

I find this story very interesting. No wonder China is so adamant in claiming Taiwan as a province of China. China will never allow Taiwan to seek independent when all of China's treasures are there.

Looking at the artifacts in the Museum, I enjoyed the rare sight of what human beings consider as treasures. But they are just treasures of this lifetime only. Nobody can bring the treasures of this life to the afterlife - except one. That special one treasure is the Love of God. The Love of God is the only treasure that we can bring and experience to our next life.

Feng Shui or Geomancy

I was in Taipei earlier this week for a '4 days 3 night' tour. The package included a 1-day guided city tour. The tour guide took the opportunity to bring us to a Feng Shui Master, hoping to sell us some geomancy services.

The talk by the Feng Shui Master went against logical thinking. He sold the idea that, depending on when a person is born, he has a certain 'good-luck' colour, number, direction (i.e. North, South, East West), etc, etc.

While I have written about Qigong a few times in this blog, and I believe that we can improve our health by cultivating 'Qi', I do not find Geomancy believable. There is no end to these wishy washy ideas! Believe in Feng Shui, and you will end up choosing your life-partner based on compatibility of birthdates, or choosing friends based on the compatibility of the names.

There are only 4 forces to determine and direct our fate:
first is ourselves and our free will,
second is the forces of people around us,
third is the force of nature, and
fourth is the will of God.

We can choose to strive to work hard and choose what we want to do with our lives.

The people around us, our parents, our government, can influence what we do with our lives.

Nature can cause disasters, such as earthquakes, lightnings, floods and fires, and frustrate or hurt us.

God or gods can help us, guard us, and bless us.

But Feng Shui - Wind and Water - is not religion. It has no bases in controlling our lives.

Earthquakes & Nature Disasters - The Spiritual Dimension

The earthquake on 12 May 08 in China, and the Cyclone Nargis disaster in Myanmar may be viewed as 2 natural disasters.

But natural disasters always have a spiritual dimension in the Bible. There are 2 protagonists that 'control' natural disasters: God and Nature. (I spell both in Capital letters.)

Natural disasters may occur at the command of Nature. But God has the authority to stop Nature from launching a natural disaster.

Also, sometimes God initiates natural disasters by commanding Nature to show its fury. Nature simply obeys God.

Natural disasters always result in mass destruction. Sadly from our perspective, the ignorant and the innocent always perish and suffer with the sinful in natural disasters.

If we read the 'natural disasters' in the Bible, we will always see the spiritual dimension and the reasons behind natural disasters. It may be the great Flood during Noah's time, or it may be the collapse of the Tower of Babel, or it may be any of the 10 plaques Egypt suffered during the time of Moses. There are reasons for each of them.

One of the most vivid description of earthquakes is captured in Numbers 16: 28-33. "Then it came about as Moses finished speaking all these words, ...the ground that was under them split open; and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, and their households, and all the men who belonged to Korah, with their possessions. So they and all that belonged to them went down alive to Sheol..."

Now back to the natural disasters in Myanmar and China. In China, close to 100,000 lost their lives. For every one who died, another 10 were injured and another 20 suffered pain due to the lost of their loved ones. So as many as 3 million had suffered directly in the disaster.

What are the spiritual messages of the natural disasters in Myanmar and China? What is God trying to warn us? Unless we understand the messages, and heed the warnings, our people in Myanmar and China had died or suffered in vain.

Is it really so difficult to realise the spiritual dimensions of these 2 recent natural disasters?

A tribute to my grandfather

So far, I have avoided discussing personal matters about myself in my blog.

But tonight, while watching the TV programme "Chinese Restaurants' it struck me that I should tell the story of my grandfather's chinese restaurant too.

It was around the year 1940. China was in turmoil as communism swept across every nooks and villages. Unable to withstand the hardship, my grandfather, Choe Lan, left Guangdong province for 'Nanyang' translated as "the place in the Southern Ocean".

I do not know how many months he took to travel south. By and by, he settled in an area south of Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia. There, together with 2 or 3 partners, he started a chinese restaurant.

In those days, there was really not much a unskilled migrant could do to earn a living. Either you worked in the tin mines, became a farmer, became a hawker, set up a provision shop, or set up a restaurant. If not, you would need to join a street gang, or, for a female, worked as a maid or offered prostitution. There were no 'factories' to work in.

My father worked in my grandfather's restaurant.

After a few years, business did not do very well, the restaurant partners bickered against one another, and the restaurant was sold off.

My grandfather and father packed their bags and ventured further south - they came to Singapore. After they found a place to stay, my mother, my grandmother and all her children, took a train out of Ipoh and joined my father and grandfather in Singapore.

I was born in Singapore.

My grandfather died in 1966 after being paralyzed and bedridden for 2 years due to stroke.

This must be a typical poignant migrant's story. (Actually I left out the poignant parts.) As I pieced together the roots of my earlier 2 generations, I was deeply humbled that my grandfather, perhaps compelled by painful circumstances, had greater drive, took greater risk, and achieved much more than I. In that sense, I have failed to do better, to achieved more, in life than my grandfather. I do hope I have inherited more of his survival instinct, ability and courage.

Let this blog entry be a Tribute to my grandfather.

Ellen Degeneres to Marry Her Girlfriend

I heard that the 'Ellen Degeneres Show' is popular in USA.

In Singapore, Ellen's show is broadcast on Mediacorp Channel 5 too. Sometimes I tuned to Channel 5 and happened to glimpse at the show.

It was well known that Ellen is a lebian.

And just a few days ago, Straits Times reported that Ellen Degeneres is going to marry her longtime girlfriend in a few months time. It is something expected to happen.

It sets me thinking. In a few years time, several countries will accept same-sex marriages. Once the number of early adopters pass a certain 'critical number', most other countries will have no choice but to adopt the same practice. Then same-sex marriages will be a worldwide norm .

Then the next phase of moral degeneration will commence. 'Why can't I marry my pet monkey?' Human being is basically an animal too. So why can't I marry an animal? My animal companion (dog, Ah Meng-type gorilla, parrot) offers me love, shares my joy and sadness. My parrot even talks to me! I want to marry him!!!

And so it will happen! It's a matter of time!

Morality is always relative, never absolute. Morality is always coloured grey.
What is immoral about same-sex marriage?
Does it harm me? No.
Does it harm anybody? No.
Does it make me happy? Yes.
Then don't deny me. Let me do it. It's my free will!

In the end, when no harm is done, or when there's less harm than good, there is no need to consider the issue of morality.

Morality will be a vague and obsolete concept in the coming decades. Perhaps in a hundred years time, this concept will vanish from the face of the earth. Just some thoughts ...

How Much Do We Know God ? Progressive Revelation?

How much do you know about your best friend? 10% ? 20%?

How much do you know your spouse? 30%? 40%?

How much do you know God? 0.01%? 0.1%? 0.5%?

If God is infinite, then as finite beings, our knowledge of God must be very small.

So it is logical that God will reveal Himself to us, His created beings, more and more over time. God's revelation must be on-going and progressive. It cannot stop with the death of a certain prophet or even with the first resurrection of Jesus Christ.

So who are God's prophets after Christ? In the last 2000 years, perhaps there are a few. Perhaps there are none. But I am sure there are many false prophets in our midst.

I believe there are new things about God that we can learn or experience in our lifetime. We should be open to God's revelations through godly people. Surrender our heart to God, and let our heart guide us in discerning who are God's messengers and who are not.

May God guide us in knowing Him better.