Tag: God

End days – yet again.


The images of the quake and tsunami in Japan have been transfixing. Last night I returned from a church meeting to catch up with news on TV and the pictures were just shocking. True to form, there is already a seminar lined up to talk about the prophecies in places like Joel 3 and the end days. As surely as day follows night, end time seminars almost always follow a series of earthquakes. The close occurrences between the Christchurch and Sendai earthquakes almost guarantee a talk of end times to follow. Yet, no one ever address the issues of the sun and moon darkening or the stars stop twinkling (Joel 3:15). We really ought to just accept that no one will know whether the last days are upon us. All we need to do – and that is already a big task – is to be faithful to God and seek Him and obey Him. Better spend time reading and studying His word than chasing signs of the end days.

Gay Church in Malaysia? My Gay Thoughts Revisited


Gay Church? (Re-publishing in light of current interests in Malaysia…)

I have friends whom I think may be offended by what I’m about to write in this entry. It concerns homosexual practice. If you are one of these people, I hope you know by now that I believe God is real and He cares about us. He has great plans for us and I trust Him enough to know these plans are great ones. There is only one condition – that I must let Him be God and not try to play His role for Him. So, whatever my personal views may be about homosexual practice, they are secondary to what God has said in the Bible about the matter.

Personally, I don’t have any problems with homosexual practice. I am not one, have no such tendencies, and am prepared to accept that there are many with homosexual tendencies or preferences. To many, these tendencies and preferences are so strong they do not want to keep fighting them. They think perhaps life is to be lived, not fought against. They think a relationship is about commitment and sacrifice and building something together and there is nothing in a homosexual relationship which inherently precludes these virtues. I agree with these views. I would have subscribed wholly with them and would have supported same sex union as a logical consequence of these views. These however, are my personal views. As a Christian, I believe my personal views are not always the right ones. They can’t be. To insist that my personal views must prevail is to breach the condition set out above. His (perfect) plans wont work, and mine, which are no where near His (perfect ones) would kick in. My views really are a distant second to His, which is perfect.

I honestly do not know what to make of claims that homosexuality is a natural thing. It’s like someone who prefers one food to another, or has the natural tendency to use his left arm instead of his right. How can preference for one food over another or using one arm over another, be such a bad thing? Honestly, I don’t know. I dont know what harm there would be if say, half the world is gay. Maybe the world population would go down. The nucleus family would no longer be the norm. Is that a bad thing? I don’t know. If homosexuality becomes as common as a heterosexual union, it would be the first time since time immemorial, that the issue of parenthood becomes re-examined and the accepted convention of 2-sex parents is no longer. I don’t know what that does to the psyche of a child and how that affects his or her development and what sort of adult that child eventually becomes. It is such a vexed issue. It would certainly mean discarding what has worked for centuries, in favour of/exchange for acceptance of certain sexual preferences. Assuming the gays are right and it is perfectly “natural”. It is still only our way, not God’s. In fact, God wants us to subrogate our natural ways to His ways. The Bible speaks of dying to self in order to live. There are in any event, lots of things we naturally want to do but don’t, because they aren’t good for us. We wont go there for now however.

There is a Malaysian pastor who is now contemplating a gay church. This is just a bit whacky. Not that homosexual practice is whacky. It isn’t. It’s quite cool actually. It is however, against God’s ways. Jesus preached love and forgiveness and acceptance. That is true. He also however, preached obedience, repentance and judgment. These aren’t cool. They are however, core teachings of Jesus. To start a gay church would be like starting a church for any other perpetrators of any other practice which is against God’s ways.

We don’t for example, even think for a moment about say, a paedophile church. Before you scream murder, I’m not equating paedophilia with homosexuality. The obvious argument that one damages innocent young children while the other is between consenting adults is a familiar one with which I agree. However, again those are my views. They don’t matter. God’s views do. In fact they are the only ones that do. One doesn’t even have to proffer any arguments which a paedophile may put forward to justify the practice. You don’t need for example, to produce scientific evidence to show maybe some children aren’t damaged and may even acquire some life lessons. I know that is repulsive. I know society simply does not find paedophilia acceptable. My point is there will always be subjective views. Expert opinions change. Community rejection or acceptance of any matter is subjective. What is now unacceptable may be acceptable at different times, just as what was previously unacceptable may now be acceptable. The only objective standard is God’s. Okay, that is my belief. I know that to be true, because it is right there in the Bible (eg 1 Corinthians 6:9).

You know why the church today has credibility issues when they shout and thump their chests against homosexual practice? It is the issue of consistency. Homosexual practice is a sin, as is theft, lying, killing, jealousy, covetousness, and all the other practices listed in Exodus somewhere as well as in other parts of the Bible. In fact, remember Billy Graham’s 7 deadly sins? You hardly hear the church condemning these anymore. Why condemn homosexual practice but keep silent on theft for example? Why no word against murder? Why has the church not examined for example, the actions of people like George W and Robert M to see if they have perhaps committed murder? I know I know. George was defending his country, you may say. Really? From what? Terrorism? I thought that was in Egypt, Saudi Arabia and maybe Afghanistan? From oil drought? Ah…maybe he was then guilty of covetousness? Or did he not remember that and the other stuff in Exodus 20:15ff? If in lying and coveting Iraq’s oil he let his own view prevail over God’s that is as much a sin as homosexual practice is. Why didn’t the church condemn it but pretty much cover its head with ashes over homosexual practice?

So to the Malaysian pastors and churches crying out against that gay pastor, I say well done. However to sound a bit more credible, you should also take a stand against other practices which are against God’s ways. How many church goers in Malaysian churches today are guilty of sharp business practices (theft, lies, coveting)? How many have mistresses? How many overtly support regimes which condone murder (I have in mind the Malaysian police which the general public in Malaysia believes have committed murder in the summary execution of suspects in shootouts, pushing addicts off buildings, bashings in lock-ups and prisons leading to deaths)? Why does the church single out homosexual practice as a sin to condemn and leave the other iniquities alone?

So back to that gay church – no it wont work. I believe gay people in Malaysia aren’t Christians. If they turn up, it wont be because they are Christians – it would be because they are gay. It would be just another gay club. You cant for example preach on godliness because to be godly you need to well, subscribe to His ways. A homosexual practitioner has chosen to choose his own way over God’s. If however the intention of that church is to help practising gays get rid of that practice then that would be a great thing. That pastor could set an example and say homosexual practice is a sin in that it goes against God’s ways. It wont be a cool or popular thing to do, but godly.

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Err… How does that go again? (signs and wonders twists)


If I cant understand something and I ask questions, I am not being dogmatic. I am being inquisitive. I am searching. If no one provides an answer, I reject that something. Again, that is not being dogmatic. That is being reasonable. On the other hand if you cant explain what you are asserting, I’d say you are the dogmatic one. You are suggesting I am not being open to new things. Maybe. If however that “new thing” simply doesnt make sense and no one can plausibly explain it to me, maybe you are the one who is not being open. Maybe you are not open to the possibility that the reason you cant explain is that you are wrong.

If someone continues to claim he heals and that healing took place but I ask why the supposedly healed person continues to be sick, I am not being dogmatic. I am being sensible. If you claim a person has been healed in spite of his continued state of being sick, You are not being open. you are being dogmatic. You are being in fact and quite frankly, stupid. If you claim that supposedly healed person is sick now because he ceased believing and that it was a an issue with his faith, you are even being cruel. That person wants nothing more than to be healed. To say he has no faith is to cast an indictment on him (how dare you) which is cruel simply because you are being dogmatic about your claim that healing took place.

If you explain that to me I will cease questioning and I will cease, in your words, being dogmatic. I will start, in your lingo, to be open.

I dont think God meant for us to be blind and stupid. That to me sums up why I think the signs and wonders movement has a huge hole. Plug that hole and I’m all yours.

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Healed By His Stripes? Eh???


I still don’t understand Isaiah 53:5. Maybe it’s others’ reading of it that I don’t understand. Yet again, last Sunday, someone said all of our illnesses and diseases would be healed “by his stripes (or wounds)”. Someone mentioned it for a pre-communion message and the main speaker echoed this in his sermon. In fact the speaker went on to cite an example of a physical healing, to say “by His stripes we are healed”, in clear reference to Isaiah 53:5. In fact he referred to the pre-communion message and said he agreed with that.

Next time I hear this I will ask the person who makes that statement, to explain why he or she thought that verse meant physical healing. Everything in that verse suggests it refers to our spiritual healing.

“He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.” The whole context of that verse was on our spiritual healing. Our disease and illness was rejection of God which leaves us on the road to eternal separation from God, ie death. Jesus came to cure that – He came to bear our sins and die in our place. By His wounds, we are healed.

The problem with saying we are physically healed by His wounds is: the Scriptures doesn’t say that. Also, Jesus’ death and sacrifice is the perfect solution for its purpose, ie redemption of our soul and restoration of our relationship with God – that is  the “illness” it heals, not physical ailments. Very often we have unhealed diseases. Many suffer physical ailments for an extended period of time, without ever getting healed. Some go to their graves with their ailments. Does it mean Jesus’ stripes/wounds are inadequate in their case? Is Jesus’ death and suffering imperfect for our bodies? I sincerely believe this teaching is wrong. I am only a little a little guy – a puny one – when it comes to theology. This one however, is clearly problematic.

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Prophetic Word? Danger! Danger!


I have often doubted the modern day prophet, who whips up a sense of “wow” and excitement in a congregation, by their “prophetic word”. They’re often visiting speakers or just some de facto leaders of the wider church community who’d be visiting and given a cameo appearance during which some prophetic word would be dispensed to create a little excitement.
         Maybe they think the service has been a little dull, things have become all too predictable and regular so a prophetic word would be pulled out to add a bit of spice to proceedings.
         In our church, the pattern has taken this form. The “prophet” would call out individuals or small groups of individuals, and say individual 1 would go into some pastoral kind of ministry individual 2 would go into some prayer ministries, and so on. The opus moderandi works for groups too. Thankfully it hasn’t happened too often – I can remember no more than half a dozen occurrences over the past 3 years we’ve been in this church.
         With Nalliah’s spectacular miss, my doubt has been affirmed. Perhaps I can now change my name, unashamedly, to Thomas.
         Following my short and disrespectful previous entry, I received some “track backs” which lead me to some entries in some other blogs. These included the “Catch the Fire” blog.
         Maybe it is to lend credence, or maybe it is simply to maintain the momentum to Nalliah’s stab. Several others’ proclamations of similar “visions” were published. These included a Kenneth Copeland and a Karen Hetherington. They were called “confirmation” or “affirmation”. I’ve heard this principle before. Apparently when 2 or more independent persons heard or saw the same thing it was confirmation that the word was indeed prophetic, the flock can be at peace and be confident that the word would “come to pass”.
         Well, Danny, Kenneth and Karen all saw the same thing. Well they said they did. They said they saw John Howard and Peter Costello there, for the coalition’s 5th term. Rudd apparently came on strong in Karen’s vision but faded away, leaving John and Peter at the helm. Lo and behold – come to pass it spectacularly did not.
         John Howard has most probably lost his own seat and would retire from politics, never again to attract a crowd during his morning walks. Peter Costello looked dejected and demoralised when he gave a press conference yesterday, saying he would not be seeking to inherit leadership of the Liberal Party to lead the opposition. He seemed a little bitter, even. Maybe he genuinely believed the Nalliah mob and now regrets not being more aggressive in seeking to ask Howard to step aside to let him lead the election campaign. Therein lies my biggest reason for viewing these demonstrations of spiritual irresponsibility with anger and contempt.
         I don’t know if these self appointed prophets realise the sort of impact and potential destruction they wreak on the targets/subjects. When you tell someone you had a word from God that that person would undergo some experience or become something or undertake some tasks, how do you think that someone would behave subsequently? Does the behaviour not become affected at all?
         We all get ideas – sometimes they come in the form of visions in our minds. Depending on the company we have been keeping, the books we have been reading, the movies we have been watching, the news item which have been airing on the radio or television or simply on what we have been thinking about, these ideas and images linger and perhaps morph. Perhaps our consumption of stimulants also affects this.
         How can we be so presumptuous that these visions in our minds are necessarily messages from God to be dispensed to the recipients so readily? If I have been thinking about someone in church and I think perhaps that person should think about doing something, surely it is a huge jump – maybe even a whacky one – and highly presumptuous to say what I think is God’s message for that person? That surely is only my opinion. Several others may share that opinion. It is still only an opinion. It may be a commonly shared opinion. It doesn’t become a message from God – a “prophetic word” – just because we shared the opinion and we are all committed Christians.
         See what the Herald Sun newspaper got out of Danny Nalliah early November:
“If you have a party dominated by a secular Left-wing ideology, how could they then accomplish a morally sound agenda, which is Judeo-Christian-based?” Mr Nalliah said. (Herald Sun, 9 November 2007)
         Danny wanted a government which would deliver a “morally sound agenda”. I have no quarrel with that. I want the same thing. I don’t however, make presumptuous conclusions which equate what I want (which is a personal wish) to a prophetic word (which is God’s plan). Admittedly he is most probably a more godly man than me. That still doesn’t qualify his opinion for a prophecy.
         I think these gaffes are borne out a desire to entertain ourselves. Some of us think the gospel as presented in the Bible is perhaps too dull and unexciting we need to somehow spice it up to make it and the church more entertaining. Maybe they think that if you preach the same old message of God’s love and Jesus’ death and resurrection over a period of time it looses its attraction.
         Sprinkle some “prophetic words” however and things get a little more interesting. I mean it’s like the casino isn’t it? I say the little silver ball would fall on number 36 and it did, wow – that’s exciting! I say Joe Blog would have ministry “x” and he did – wow that’s exciting!
         The problem of course is that Joe may alter his life dramatically. And if the basis for this wasn’t God’s word but the opinion of ordinary men wrongly elevated to a “prophetic word” due to some delusions on the part of such ordinary men, it is a highly irresponsible and even reckless behaviour which should be censured. It harms that brother/sister and brings disrepute to the Kingdom of God.

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The Hunt Ends, Abortion and Malaysia at 50


Last weekend was a bit of a whirlwind one for us. It started however, in a pretty mundane manner. After the usual housekeeping matters we went to look at a couple of houses. These have been on the list and since technically we still haven’t got a binding deal for 87 Vicki Street, we went to see these properties. One in Forest Hill was already sold. It was however, a unit in a development of 6 and it looked pretty run down. We went to the other one in Blackburn, on Malabar Road. It was a smallish 2 bedroom weatherboard home. Inside, it was beautifully renovated with fantastic finishing and the kitchen in particular was nice. I must say however that the one in 87 Vicki Street is much better. This property on Malabar Road was for auction that same day so we hung around to see what sort of price it would fetch. It was sold for what can be considered an obscene price for a property of this nature, so our fears about current property market were further confirmed.

After that auction we dropped kiddo off for her class, after which we went to 87 Vicki Street to meet up with the agent. To our (pleasant) surprise, there was a stream of very interested parties inspecting the property and several were keen enough to want to make offers. It was listed as an auction property so these people were a little upset when told that the property is already under offer. We sympathised with them but we too have been in this situation before and I feel bad about this but we were a little elated to now be on the other side of things. We confirmed matters with the agent, collected some paperwork and left to pick kiddo up.

We drove straight to J & J’s housewarming in Wantirna South. News travelled fast and when we got there our friends were more excited than us, with our new acquisition! It was J & J’s afternoon so I tried hard not to steal that away from them but the fact that this was a party of Christians and our new house would be so close to Koorong, the well known Christian bookstore, meant that it was an instant talking point which continued till Sunday afternoon when we were at another church friend’s house for a thanksgiving lunch. Meanwhile, after we left J & J’s place, we had kiddo’s Saturday night church program to attend to, which started at 5pm. Theresa cooked some pasta for them – I had to have the leftovers for lunch yesterday!

Abortion – abort the idea

Recently the Victorian state government under new Premier John Brumby proposed to decriminalise abortion. It isn’t actually his proposal so much as it is his party’s plan which was sitting dormant for a while and has recently been brought to the front burner. As you can imagine, this long-festering all-time favourite election issue continues to stoke deep seated emotions. There will always be clever and progressive sounding arguments. It would seem perfectly normal, liberal and progressive to allow a woman to exercise her freedom of choice on issues affecting her most. Like I said in an earlier piece (see Gay Church piece below) all the considerations must be subject to what God has said on the matter. That has to take precedence. In this instance, the sanctity of life demands we do not consider aborting a child unless it is necessary to save the mother’s life. I appreciate the complexities arising from every point and every conceivable circumstance but we must not allow ourselves the danger of allowing those complexities to colour this very simple principle. I am not saying the decision involved is a simple matter. It never is. Having faith in God however means trusting Him to deliver the outcome whatever that may be. We have to trust that outcome is the best not because it is the one we like the most or because it works for us, but because it is one based on obedience. There is a lot in the phrase “trust and obey”. It takes so much faith to obey, especially in circumstances with so far-reaching repercussions. If we truly believe He is our loving heavenly Father, we have to trust that He would take care of things (such as the mother’s and the child’s welfare) in ways which would truly be best for the all concerned. To borrow the language of an anti-smoking ad campaign, it is hard to trust Him. It is even harder not to.

Malaysia turning 50

This Friday Malaysia celebrates its 50th anniversary as an independent nation. A few days ago, a regular of Malaysian news feeder emailed to say the mood around town does not reflect that of a golden jubilee year. Many have been distressed over recent happenings which illustrate the rapid deterioration of public institutions. Like me, many think this is a culmination of a trend which started so long ago. It guess the germinating events likely predate Mahathir but there would be compelling arguments for the view that Mahathir was a very effective catalyst which exacerbated the decline. He stifled dissenting voices, rigged rules to suit his agenda, castrated the judiciary, subjugated the cabinet, bossed the reserve bank, manipulated the police and generally ran the country with a free hand, more akin to acting as an all powerful president like a third world despot than as a prime minister. While he may have genuine interest of the country at heart, by destroying these institutions, he paved the way for incompetent administrators who are interested only in plundering, more than governing. So when you now have an ineffectual replacement for a prime minister, you have groups taking advantage to milk the country the best they can. Alright, I had promised to stop knocking Malaysia so I will not go on along this vein. My point is – the country has been primed for a subdued 50th anniversary celebration. Those who see its problems see little or no cause for celebrations. These are not my sentiments, but those who still live and work there. Sure there are a few who have not been affected and appear to still enjoy living and working there. They are however, mostly of the younger group, have no children and live their lives in either the city or big towns and usually have well to do parents. Those who own and run their business, have children, or have extensive interactions with business or government leaders tend to have a bleaker view of things. I’m told nonetheless, that traffic continues to be bad. It is in fact worse than normal days so a sense of celebrations still prevail. Perhaps traffic woes are all too easily engineered – just close off a few roads, position a few traffic cops to direct traffic is a certain pattern and voila you’d have massive traffic jams. I don’t know therefore if traffic jams are any indication of the scale of celebrations and therefore a reflection of the hunky dory state of affairs. I don’t know – I am just too remote to gauge if the doom and gloom quarters have any cause for their sentiments, or whether the merry makers do. Continue praying for Malaysia, I guess.

Three years on

We have now been living in Melbourne for almost 3 years. I recall this time 3 years ago, when I had submitted my resignation to my CEO. The company had been going through some turmoil in the form of numerous resignations from key personnel. The group CEO was every bit a raging bull with a temper so fiery and volatile it was liable to erupt at any moment and it often did. Many had resigned because they could no longer come into work each day wondering if they were to be the target for these bloodletting sessions. That place was being torn up by a single person. This was crazy because that person was the single largest individual shareholder and he was the CEO of the group. This group has now merged with a government owned investment banking group and this merger attracted a lot of heat. I’m just relieved I am no longer the general counsel there as I would have been hard pressed from all sides. Anyway, when I submitted my resignation, it was obviously for the reason that we had decided to move here. It wasn’t for the same reason the others resigned. It didn’t matter to me however, what the others thought was the reason. I have had enough of the situation in Malaysia. The main protagonist causing so much angst in Malaysia at the moment had just joined that company then as a director of corporate finance. Through a couple of exchanges I had with him, he made remarks which suggested nothing in Malaysia was going to change. Here was this supposedly highly educated (Oxbridge) and liberal young leader purportedly offering substance to the government. Yet he sounded every bit as disconnected with what plagued Malaysia, as his UMNO colleagues. His remarks set me off into acceleration mode to leave the country. We finally left in October 2004. Theresa and I arrived, she left after a week to take care of kiddo, and I stayed on to get things ready for when the family eventually got here. After 2-3 weeks, I found a school to register kiddo in, leased a house near that school and set about furnishing it. I got a car and when the house was equipped with the basic requirements, I returned to Malaysia to finish the packing there. We pushed ahead with efforts to sell our house in Klang, found home for our furniture and appliances and Roy our dog (he’s with my mother now) and mailed boxes of personal effects to our leased property in Melbourne (these arrived between 6-8 weeks later).

Our initial weeks were exciting but also very challenging. Kiddo went to school, Theresa found a job and I found one too, a couple of months later. The rest of my experiences, like the good book says, are in the annals. Don’t be smart. Annals. Except that in my case, that means this extremely dry journal.

Almost 3 years later, we have settled down so much more. I don’t know how we could have gotten where we have, except by God’s grace. He closed doors when He knew I wasn’t ready to step through them, and opened them only when He knew I was. He truly has been a loving heavenly Father.

What this means is that going forward from hereon in, the real work begins. The settling period is now behind us. The work to fulfil the purpose for which we were put here (both in the sense of being in this world and in Melbourne in particular) has to now begin. We have some ideas (not yet clear) as to what this work is. One thing we are determined to do is to assist anyone who wants to follow this path. Already, there are a couple of families we have been helping in a soft sense. We have extended our offer to provide tangible assistance. Having completed this first cycle of our new life, it is time to help others with theirs.

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Screwtape Revisited


One of the yellowest and most tattered books sitting on my shelf is CS Lewis‘ “Screwtape Letters“. I first came across this gem more than 20 years ago, gave away a couple of copies and the old fragile copy is one of the many CS Lewis books I brought with me from Malaysia 2 years ago.  

         

Letter Eight of this book has this:

“Humans are amphibians – half spirit and half animal… As spirits they belong to the eternal world, but as animals they inhabit time. This means that while their spirits can be directed toward an eternal object, their bodies, passions, and imaginations are in continual change – for to be in time means to change.

Therefore, their nearest approach to constancy is undulation – the repeated return to a level from which they repeatedly fall back. It is a series of valleys and peaks. Ifyou watched your patient carefully you would have seen this undulation in every area of his life: his interest in his work, his affection for his friends, physical appetites, all go up and down. As long as he lives on earth, periods of emotional and physical prosperity will alternate with periods of depression and poverty. The dryness and dullness through which your patient is now going are not, asyou fondly suppose, your workmanship. They are merely a natural phenomenon which will do us no good unless you make good use of it.

To decide how to best use this unstable condition, you must ask what use the Enemy wants to make of it and then do the opposite. Now it may surprise you to learn that in His efforts to get permanent possession of a soul, He relies on the valleys even more than on the mountain tops. Some of His special favourites have gone through the longer and deeper valleys than anyone else…

You must have often wondered why the Enemy does not make more use of His power to be physically present to human souls in any degree He chooses and at any moment. But you now see that the irresistable and the indisputable are the two weapons which th every nature of His scheme forbids Him to use. Merely to override a human will (as His felt presence in any but the slightest degree would certainly do) would be for Him useless. He cannot dominate them. He can only woo. For His idea is to eat the cake and have it; the creatures are to be one with Him, but yet themselves. To neutralize or assimilate them will not serve His purposes…

He leaves the reature to stand on its own feet – to carry out from the will alone duties which have lost their enjoyment. It is during the peak periods, that they are growing into the kind of creatures He wants them to be. It is the prayers offered in the state of dryness that please Him best.“

I dont know why I took that book out again. I have borrowed a book called “Daughters of Galilee” and have been toying with Alex Ferguson’s autobiography again so I certainly have entertaining stuff to read for now. CS Lewis’ work however, has always provided a solid intellectual basis for my beliefs and the above passage somehow struck a very rational chord in my mind. I wont try to articulate it for now (and would appreciate anyone assisting with that task) except to say it has centered me, at least for now.

“So, I commend the enjoyment of life.” (From the Bible – really. Eccl 8:15)

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Grandfather Story


Some 20 years ago, my late Grandfather wrote a short account of some parts of his life. He had this published and distributed to quite a few persons. I too was given a copy when it was first published. Sadly, he wrote it in Chinese and for all these years that I have had it, I could only appreciate the grainy black and white photographs. Until now. My uncle Stephen had it translated and earlier today he emailed the translated work to us. There were quite a few gems.

 

In the late 40’s he was sent to prison on suspicion (yes those detention without trial days started all those years ago) of being a collaborator for the Communists in Malaya. There were 2 reasons for this suspicion. He and someone else were going around canvassing investments in post-war China. Of course, the communists were on the ascendancy then so the tenuous link was there I suppose. The other reason was apparently, an Englishman had a few years before, wanted a gala trip to Pulau Ketam for some surreptitious moral dereliction. He approached the Hwee Ann (a branch of Hokkien) Association for assistance and grandfather who was a chief of sorts then, refused. This Englishman (named Hilbert or something) was unfortunately the District Officer of Klang and had a grudge to accompany his good memory. He was the one who falsely dobbed grandfather in. The result was that grandfather was wrongly imprisoned for almost 2 years with immense consequential sufferings on grandmother.

 

The other was less heroic and came as no surprise. It was his abject failure in reading business trends. He went into a diverse range of business ventures, almost all of which failed, resulting in gargantuan debts. I recall him complaining once, about an uncle of mine who buttered his bread and then had some jam on it as well. Grandfather thought it should be either, not both butter and jam. I guess such frugality always has its roots and in my grandfather’s case it was the serial failures of his business ventures. I recall citing the family’s poor track records in business ventures as a reason for getting out of practice as a partner in a wonderful law firm in KL. We just don’t have it in us to mint the dough.

 

I’m itching to put the whole account in a blog but I don’t know how grandfather would feel about that…

London Town


My wife and I have been pouring over information on schools and apartments in London. SW6 is now the centre of our attention. Not exactly my idea of fun. In fact I dont really want this scenario. I just want to continue on in KL, preferably in a different company/employment situation, and wait to move down under. This London thing is turning everything on its head. Yet if this is where God is leading, I can do little else. My dearest wife, who is ever so supportive, is my one comfort now.

“So, I commend the enjoyment of life.” (From the Bible – really. Eccl 8:15)