Category: Personal Thoughts

Man Changed, God Hasnt


Some interesting thoughts from the Business Spectator offshoot, Technology Spectator website:

  1. The world is becoming more crowded, older and lonelier. The crowding will mainly be in sub-Saharan Africa (contributing 20% or population growth) and China and the Sub-Continent (contributing 50%).
  2. China has more than 20% of world population but less than 2% of world oil. Oil will continue to be more expensive as will most other stuff. The world will have to cope with living with less.
  3. Mobile technology and communication is the moving force for the world today. This changes traditional allocation of roles such as between producers and consumers and between the collective formal structure and individuals. Mobile communication machines such as smart phones will outsell PCs by next year.
  4. Technological and knowledge developments have been expansive and pervasive, and costs of manufacturing machines which connect technology, people and data in smarter and more sophisticated ways are facilitating a connection (connectedness) and exchange which make learning and adapting a rapid process.
  5. The world economy is being driven by a different engine now. China, India, Russia and Brazil have become the dominant and dynamic forces and the bulk of world money, trade, and production will move towards these countries.

On one level, this looks like a very ripe harvest where evangelism is concerned. This however is only from the perspective of demographics and infrastructure. The soft side – how and whether these developments and changes have any impact or effect on the human perception of his need for God – would probably not change very much.

I wonder if the unbelievable rate of change we have seen in recent years have taken man nearer or further from a sense of their need for God. I mean, the bulk of the stuff we use regularly today, was probably non-existent not too long ago. In my back pack to and from work every day, the umbrella, lunch box and security tag to my office building are probably stuff familiar to someone in say, the year 2000. Maybe my car keys as well.

But those are items I don’t use very much. The umbrella has been used more often this week but other than that it is seldom touched. The lunch box is opened and sandwich fished and that was it. The box is not even looked at till I got home. The security tag and car keys, ditto – only the start and end of the working day.

The remainder 2 items in my back pack used many times throughout the day are: the phone and the computer. 10 years ago, my Treo 280 was state of the art but it has probably just a fraction of the functions and capacity of the iPhone today. I now use my iPhone 20-30 times a day. Other than calls and text messages, I use it for web browsing (several times a day) emailing (every hour or so) book reading (15-20 minutes to and from work), weather checking (2-3 times a day), scheduling (2-3 times a day), listening to radio and music (15-20 minutes to and from work). I use the other item – an iPad – very much in the same way, except when I need to do some additional work such as make notes on my readings or write an email longer than a sentence or two or work on an essay or stuff like that. All of these activities are probably alien to someone (in the way they are carried out) commuting to and from work on the public transport system in the year 2000.

Back then, the external factors are different too. George W Bush was a first term President in a world contemplating energy challenges and peak oil was an emerging concern. Clinton had sealed some important victories in Eastern Europe and pushed middle-east peace process in a promising direction. China was an energetic adolescent fast becoming a virile young man and seeking to rule the roost. John Howard was also riding high and fast becoming quite a figure in world political leadership. With the dotcom bust dust settled, emerging technology entities like Google are promising a second nirvana. Exotic new financial instruments like ABSs and CDOs were starting to promise the rainbow’s end and were making home ownership every American’s dream come true.

I don’t know – can’t recall – what other external factors were there making and shaping thoughts and aspirations then but 10 or so years hence I’m not sure if any or all of these changes have made any difference in man’s perception of his need for God.  If anything, I get a sense that we are nearer than ever to a Babel incident and man seems to think we’re doing ok and we’ll plot our own route and end, without any regard for our Creator.

We ought to engage the world – especially the youth – at a level which is more intense and robust as it has ever been. In many ways, new channels and new methods have come up for the gospel to be communicated in new, refreshing and more effective ways than ever before. The platform to present a cogent, orthodox and biblically true gospel is there and we need to provide the content and widen the reach in these media.  The immutability of God – He is the same yesterday, today and forever – should mean the modern mobile man can come to know the God incarnate of first century Palestine and who remains the God who loves just as much today.  

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For Posterity


Griping about racism and inequality in Malaysia? It has been going on for so long… see: http://www.malaysia.net/lists/sangkancil/2000-03/msg00291.html

Malaysian Malaysia Remains a Dream


The writers who contribute to the blog known as Big Dog Dot Com and who were responsible for the piece concerning DAP and pastors of churches in Sarawak have a lot to answer for. Fortunately for cretins like them, they have their political masters’ skirts all too ready to be lifted up for them to hide under.

DAP was liberally labelled a chauvinistic Chinese party. I may have left Malaysia for a while now but the last time I looked, the major race based political parties in Malaysia are all in BN. DAP may have a disproportionate number of Chinese but to describe them as a chauvinistic Chinese party is like saying Hollywood is a chauvinistic Jewish establishment. To suggest that the proliferation of a certain race in a platform is proof of racism in that medium would tend to confirm that the constituents of Big Dog lack comparable grey matter. On the other hand, demanding that a particular race be given preferential treatment regardless of the circumstances is probably a tad closer to being a racist.

I don’t think anyone with half a brain in Malaysia would doubt that the likes of Utusan and Perkasa are the real racists and to the core. Remove racism and bigotry from these inbred cretins and they would spend all day chasing their own family jewels had their cowardice not been a result of total emasculation.

And yet I suspect hopeless stupidity isn’t the main worry, whatever the merits of my earlier assertions. It is the clear attempt to set up these twin straw men of race and religion as means to start a fight. The undertone of the piece is clearly one designed by someone spoiling for a fight. For that reason, the call for authorities to investigate and consider ISA charges, hopeless as it may have been, is fully warranted.

A recent football expert said that had Sir Alex Ferguson been managing any of the other top four clubs in England, that club would have won the league already. I tend to think that had this article in Big Dog been penned by anyone less related to its political masters, they would have long been charged under ISA already. In Malaysia, inequality and abuse continue to be the order of the day.

Regards,Ian

Sent from my iPhinity (and beyond)

Nice and balmy


It’s 1.6 degree now?

Merry Christmas Malaysia from Australia


Malaysia has been in Australian news recently. Australia under the Labor Government has been clutching at straws to formulate a credible policy in addressing asylum seekers who arrive on boats operated by people smugglers.

 Under the previous Liberal Government, John Howard’s Pacific Solution entailed escorting boats to Nauru, where they are processed for refugee status. This was a very clear signal to people smugglers that they could never deliver effective services to their clients as they would not land in Australia. The result was that the number of boats arriving plunged. When Labor abolished this and allowed illegal arrivals to land and be processed on shore, where different rules prevail, the number of boats shot up.

 For reasons which can only be political, Nauru and the Pacific Solution ala John Howard was cut adrift and Labor has been bobbing around for a safe harbour to berth a policy. Thanks to about $300million (1 billion Malaysian Ringgit) Malaysia has agreed to be Julia Gillard’s Nauru.

 The problem of course, was that not only would Australia fork out a lot of moolah (not that Malaysia is an un-greedy refugee processing centre of sorts who would be willing to accept less) but Australia also needed, under the deal with Malaysia, to take 5 refugees currently housed in Malaysia for every one asylum seeker Malaysia agrees to accept to be process for refugee status.

 We have agreed to take in 4,000 refugees for the 800 asylum seekers Malaysia agrees to process, and which we may take back anyway. This works out to be about $54,000 per person – Malaysia gets $165,00 (RM) for every refugee it has probably abused for years. What a deal huh? For Malaysia I mean.

 Congratulations Najib – you have struck yourself a winner, and all because (1) Australia is a generous benefactor with loads of compassion and (2) it is governed by a egotistical idiotic and profligate Labor Government. You are a very lucky beneficiary of this stupidity.  For Malaysia, Najib teruk but nasib baik.

 So it is really a win-win scenario for Malaysia. Malaysia has well over 90,000 refugees, who are subject to constant extortion and abuse by immigration and custom officers. After exacting callous release of their gratification from these victims, Malaysians stand to benefit by appearing to do Australia a favour, at a cool pay day worth RM1billion.

 So as Muslim countries beat each other up and cause their people to flee, yet more Muslim countries abuse them en route to some ex-Christian countries with lingering Christian values who for one reason or another, agree to provide salvation for these souls. If and when some of them eventually settle down they might then gripe about Christian values and say they should be given the freedom to rile and rant against western Christian civilisation.

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United’s Holy Grail


On most nights I’d work on my MST stuff till maybe10pm, have a glass of wine and go to bed around11pm. Last night I went to bed a little earlier –10.30pm – but woke up at 1am. The premier league season decider was not to be missed. Not when the one that counts (the 19th for perch knocking feat) is at stake.

I had barely settled down to a comfortable spot on the couch, as I tried to wedge my head near one end where the heater was – it was chilly, probably around 6 deg – and pulled a blanket up towards my neck, when I saw Giggsy slide a pass to Park Ji-Sung and I knew there was a chance. I couldn’t believe it however when Chicharito escaped any attention from David Luis and calmly shot past Cech. 1-0 up and it was how long on the clock – 36 seconds?

It was exhilarating stuff and I was really glad I was up in time before the start of the match. United were so much more pumped up and hungrier than the Arsenal game a week earlier and Park in particular was just fantastic. He was all over the pitch, chasing down every ball and not giving Lampard and Essien the slightest time on the ball. When United had the ball – which was a lot in the first half an hour – Park was either in the centre of every move because he was constantly running into position, or was creating room through his running to give Rooney, Chicharito and Valencia the opportunities. It was the sort of pace where before you knew it the first 45 minutes were done.

I caught Robbie Slater yawning in the first half chat with Bosnich and the ex SBS chick. He was barely stifling it and sleepy as I was when I went to bed the game was the sort where few would share in Slater’s apparent slack. The second half had Chelsea making a couple of changes with David Luiz out, replaced by Alex. Luiz had looked really out of sorts, just clueless against the energy and clever running of the United forward line. Even Terry was nowhere to be seen and he had no excuse with the ageing but every sly Giggsy still actively dictating play, plotting with the rejuvenated Carrick to encourage Rooney, Park and Co to keep foraging ahead.

Chelsea was a bit fortunate to haul one back through Lampard but United continued to look the more threatening side. The 4 minutes extra time looked a touch disconcerting but somehow you sensed the belief and hunger of United was always going to hold out. I turned everything off not too long after the final whistle – I had to contend a chilly Monday morning start to the week in a couple of hours or so – so I missed Sir Alex Ferguson’s animated celebration at the Stretford End.

I went to bed about 3.15am, woke up at about6.30am and here I am on the train to work, the title probably pretty much decided in United’s favour. Again.

It was just great to see United win – not a premature statement, I’m sure – in such attacking and energetic style. Throwing Liverpool off their effing perch has to be done in emphatic style and after the agony of last week in the Emirates, the long proclaimed holy grail is at long last within touching distance in the Theatre of Dreams. Against Blackpool in a couple of weeks, it would be a huge celebration. I will be celebrating together with the occasion of a mate’s 50th but it is the 19thwhich will have all the tradition, style, glamour and drama on the other side of the world.

Regards,Ian

Sent from my iPhinity (and beyond)

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Pakistan and Osama


It has emerged that US Navy Seal personnel flew in from Afghanistan into Pakistan (Abbotabad) to apprehend/kill bin Laden. they flew under the radar of Pakistan, obviously not trusting the Pakistanis to deal with Osama. Some senior Pakistani military guy was at the compound of the kill, as recent as 23 April but apparently had no intelligence of Osama’s presence there. One only has to wonder what has been Pakistan’s role in protecting Osama all these years.

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Osama reportedly dead


apparently he was killed in Pakistan and his body has been positively identified. Nearly 10 years since the 2001 attack in NYC, numerous wars and thousands dead, before the alleged chief perpetrator is finally killed.

Don’t like the menu? Next church please


United now has just a 3-point margin with the next home game against Chelsea, second on the table with plenty of steam and luck. There are just 3 games left to play. It’s good to be in a dog fight of this nature at this time of the year.

“This time of the year” – it’s May already. A third of the year is gone. LifeGate, the new church, has started to settle into some rhythm. The merger was first broached officially at board level, maybe October/November 2009. In September 2010, members of both ICC and Oakley Cornerstone voted for the merger. We have been working since to work at the joints and put things together, always mindful that we are simply laying the groundwork to be prepared for whatever God wants to use this church for. We know it is to fulfil the Great Commission and to bring glory to His name. But exactly what the strategies and activities are towards that end – we’re still working on those, putting together the numerous pieces.

I’m still on the church Board. It is only a temporary Board. Its tenure is for no longer than 1 year. I hadn’t wanted a role in this capacity. I was going to do my studies quietly and be an ordinary but active church member. It was incumbent on me however, not to make things harder than they already must be for the pastor and his new team. People of similar maturity and seniority were turning down roles or at least indicating their desire to “step down”, such has been the bristling effect of the last days of ICC leadership. I could not say no without feeling I will be but adding to the challenges already facing pastor, perhaps thus aiding the enemy. So I said yes, thinking I can become that ordinary member after the tenure of the current board.

But being in the Board entails hard work and shouldering responsibilities. The work of spending time with people, thinking through and communicating issues, praying and seeking the Lord for direction, reading the Scriptures to be certain the church is not departing from its teachings, identifying concerns and needs of members and doing whatever possible to address them, attending long late meetings – all these are hard work.

The hardest challenge is recognising that no matter how hard one works and no matter how well intentioned the leaders may be, the church cannot meet every single need of every single member. But the comfort is in knowing that the church doesn’t have to. All it has been asked to do is to build each other up and it can do no more than lay the path for members to seek the Lord themselves. Each must discover how he or she is to serve, and all the leaders want is for members to show a commitment towards the church.

In the context of Australia, I am discovering the truth of the consumer approach to church meaning Christians who look to church as outlets peddling services. If a church offers something I can consume then I’d be there. The catchphrase is “for a season” – ie at a particular phase of my life, this church meets my needs, so I attend this church. This church provides goods and services suited to my needs for now, so I am there. I attend its services, contribute my time and least mentioned but often pertinent, my money also goes to this church. It is a consumer approach – as long as the products and services are those which suit me, it has my custom. The phrase “for a season” is often used by Christians who want to adopt the consumer approach and move on – albeit temporarily – to the “next outlet”. I accept some Christians uproot for more fundamental doctrinal or similar reasons but I believe moves for these reasons are far outnumbered by moves motivated by a consumer mentality.

To be fair a consumer approach to church attendance is not entirely wrong. After all, the church is there to meet the needs of its members – to help build each other up. The ugliness lies instead, in the lie which is based on this half application of the truth of building each other up. Building each other up is what the church is there for, but church attendance is not based on just it meeting my needs. It is also based on me building up the church so that it can meet the needs of others. In that sense it is more a co-operative than a consumer model.

I believe commitment is what makes it more a co-operative styled model as opposed to a consumer approach. A consumer approach means I am there to “consume” what the church has to offer. If the menu for the day is not what I am looking for I move on to the next outlet – “for a season” – which offers that which I need or want. This model cannot be an ongoing, sustainable one for church life because the building up entails a mutual edification which must work both ways. A relationship is a two-way traffic. The two-way traffic involves both giving and receiving by every member. Everyone gives. Everyone receives. The timing may vary – ie I may be a contributor today, this week, month or year but I may then be a recipient in the next cycle or at some point in my church life. Or, at any one time, I give more than I receive, or vice versa. It cannot be a case where I am looking only to contribute or receive and if I can’t do either I move to the next church and so on. That is a model which is contrary to the very essence of church.

Hopefully more on this at a later entry. For now, it is time to ruminate United’s chances. For this season – 🙂 – I had sought at the start, only to give my support as a life-long supporter, with no expectation of anything in return. It has already given me much more than I had expected. I didn’t like the team make up – the menu – but I stayed, as I have for so many years, and will continue to even long after Sir Alex decides to call it a day.

Regards,Ian

Sent from my iPhinity (and beyond)

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This is it – the run in games


With the wedding of Will and Kate out of the way, it’s back to real life – the run in games for United, Chelsea and Arsenal look as follows:

Man Utd Run In
1-May Arsenal Away
8-May Chelsea Home
14-May Blackburn Away
22-May Blackpool Home
Chelsea Run In
30-Apr Spurs Home
8-May United Away
15-May Newcastle Home
22-May Everton Away
Arsenal Run In
1-May United Home
8-May Stoke Away
15-May Villa Home
22-May Fulham Away

It looks like anything can happen, although purely on paper Chelsea looks solid, on current form Arsenal looks most vulnerable and United has to do all the work to stay ahead. What a season finish this is shaping up to be.
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