I was talking to this sister that's waiting to get into NUS today, and man, is she well read. Me, I have no pretensions that I'm someone who read a lot of books, but I do like to think of myself as someone who has read more than his fair share. So when I heard she liked reading, I asked her what books she read.
She responded, "What kind?"
"Uh, modern day novels?"
She then rattled a list of authors that I've never heard of before, and for the life of me remember.
"Wow. How about something a little older?"
"Oh, you mean like.. " she proceeded to rattle off a second list of authors that I had heard of before, but never ever gotten to reading. Then we started comparing what we read and what we didn't.. and the only thing that I read that she actually didn't, was Les Misérables. Yay -_-
Then we started talking about philosophy, and my interest in it. Even took 3 modules on philo so far. She went "Oh ok.. I read a few philo books myself." And then she proceeded to list them..
You guessed it, practically every single philosopher I've heard of. As in, Plato Nietzche Kirkegaard Betrand Russell Descartes Wittgenstein Mill Hume etc etc etc.. The only notable exception was that she hadn't read Kant's Critique of Pure Reason, but uh, who was I to comment.
Overawed, I started a tentative discussion on Wittgenstein's Tractatus.. and went internally "Yep, she read it and she remembers all right". Not name dropping either. Sheesh.
And mind you, this is not a philo major, she's not even an undergrad. I officially hang my head in shame. I shall not call myself "interested in philo" until I've actually waded through half of the philo books that she read in passing. How does someone read so much without her brain exploding?
* *
Seriously, one notion in my mind that was very quickly disabused, was that Christians are all the same. After today's incident I took a stock count of the brothers and sisters I knew from NUS, we have...
Sporty people, quiet people, noisy people, a self trained computer expert, non self trained computer experts, a history major interested in comparatative religon, Deans list students, marathon and half marathon runners, pool shooters, a few dancers (ballet and modern), a few awesome guitar players, many good guitar players, a footballer who plays for his faculty, a varsity basketballer, one or two ex-school team basketballers, a combined schools team basketballer, a very lousy basketballer (me), a guy who has 11 patents in US (he did a student exchange program in Biovalley), a guy who runs his family business as well as being involved in start ups, , future teachers, a MAS scholar, people that are really good in art and craft, KTV goers, bookworms, a Young PAP party member, several good cooks, chinese speaking, english speaking, bilingual speaking, people who watch anime, people who play the piano, ex (insert high post of some secondary school CCA) etc etc..
* *
And there I was thinking that Army was the ultimate mixing pot. Church is even more astounding.. many different walks of life, one common faith, all rubbing shoulders together. And now I can add "one well read girl" to the list.
I am in some awesome company..
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
Dr Chee and his antics
General Elections are around the corner, want to give my 2 cents worth.
In general I do respect people who run as Opposition Party members. You feel that there should be some Oppositional voice in the government to act as a check and balance to the ruling party? I can understand that sentiment - many countries are run that way. You actually care enough to want to step up and run for elections as the Opposition? I sincerely tip my hat to you. Strength of your convictions and all that.
It takes guts to run as Opposition. I'm sure that in at least one point of time in their life, every prospective Opposition party member has carefully weighed the pros and cons of venturing into the political arena, and decided Yes, it matters enough to me. Yet, if you ask me to name one Opposition figure that I dislike, it definitely would be Mr Chee, the current Secretary General of SDP.
But I mean, seriously. Wassup with you, Mr Chee Suan Joon? Ok I understand you were fired from your professorial chair in NUS. I maybe can emphatise with your enmity against the PAP. But why do you insist on continuing all these antics that you do year in year out?
Hunger strike? Mmm... okay. Heckling (former) PM Goh a few years back? Uh, whatever you think of Mr Goh, at the very least give some respect to your own Prime Minister right? And now, once again, xiao-eh Chee writes inflammatry remarks in the SDP party paper and releases illegal podcasts. Once again, SDP as a party is in trouble because of Mr Chee's actions.
If you really want to serve the people of your country as a politician, for crying out loud stop all these nonsense lah! You know the government is gonna go through your newspaper with a fine comb, then don't write anything too rash! If the government makes podcasts illegal, then why do you still insist on releasing them? Machiam like it will cause a mad circulation of your message like that.
Not only you kicked poor Mr Chiam See Tong out of his Party, you're pulling down your party in flames. And, the worse crime of all, in my opinion, is that you're bringing down your other party members with you..
Like what Phua Chu Kang would say.. Use your blian, use your blian, use your blian lah! Being opposition is tough enough, why heap burning coals onto your own head, willfully? The WP and the SDA seem to be getting their act together, and I'm sure they'll get at least a decent amount of votes.
But for the SDP? Seriously, even if I had the vote, I wouldn't vote for you or your party.
In general I do respect people who run as Opposition Party members. You feel that there should be some Oppositional voice in the government to act as a check and balance to the ruling party? I can understand that sentiment - many countries are run that way. You actually care enough to want to step up and run for elections as the Opposition? I sincerely tip my hat to you. Strength of your convictions and all that.
It takes guts to run as Opposition. I'm sure that in at least one point of time in their life, every prospective Opposition party member has carefully weighed the pros and cons of venturing into the political arena, and decided Yes, it matters enough to me. Yet, if you ask me to name one Opposition figure that I dislike, it definitely would be Mr Chee, the current Secretary General of SDP.
But I mean, seriously. Wassup with you, Mr Chee Suan Joon? Ok I understand you were fired from your professorial chair in NUS. I maybe can emphatise with your enmity against the PAP. But why do you insist on continuing all these antics that you do year in year out?
Hunger strike? Mmm... okay. Heckling (former) PM Goh a few years back? Uh, whatever you think of Mr Goh, at the very least give some respect to your own Prime Minister right? And now, once again, xiao-eh Chee writes inflammatry remarks in the SDP party paper and releases illegal podcasts. Once again, SDP as a party is in trouble because of Mr Chee's actions.
If you really want to serve the people of your country as a politician, for crying out loud stop all these nonsense lah! You know the government is gonna go through your newspaper with a fine comb, then don't write anything too rash! If the government makes podcasts illegal, then why do you still insist on releasing them? Machiam like it will cause a mad circulation of your message like that.
Not only you kicked poor Mr Chiam See Tong out of his Party, you're pulling down your party in flames. And, the worse crime of all, in my opinion, is that you're bringing down your other party members with you..
Like what Phua Chu Kang would say.. Use your blian, use your blian, use your blian lah! Being opposition is tough enough, why heap burning coals onto your own head, willfully? The WP and the SDA seem to be getting their act together, and I'm sure they'll get at least a decent amount of votes.
But for the SDP? Seriously, even if I had the vote, I wouldn't vote for you or your party.
Saturday, April 22, 2006
Why I believe
Today, during Holy Communion, Claramae shared the passage in John 20:24-29 on Thomas's encounter with Jesus after this resurrection. Think it really spoke to me and reminded me of why I chose Thomas to be my baptismal name.. Thomas is commonly associated with doubt. Doubting Thomas.. haha.. but the reason I chose this name was because he struggled with his doubt, and emerged triumphant.
Walking the roads of faith is something that is not easy for an atheist. For me, all these thoughts and arguments in my mind has made my walk with God a tougher, and drier road. Where others tacitly agree and believe, I had to struggle with doubts and thoughts that spun in my mind. But praise the Lord, I've emerged triumphant from my struggles, and now I believe with all my heart and soul.
To those non-Christians reading this blog.. if we were to debate about the reality of Christ; just like any other debate, the one who wins is the one who goes in more prepared, who speaks better, who knows all the subtle tricks of argumentation (yes, it's true) , and the one who is able to command a greater presence in the discussion. The person who brought me to know Christ was a master at this.. and for the better part of a year I had to rely on these human arguments to prop up my faith.
Talk is one thing though. A person can leave the debating table defeated, but still unconvinced. I could win a debate with a "untrained" free-thinker, but what good does it do if I just focus on the arguments? Christianity is anything but sophistry. The more important thing that Christians can bring to the table, the biggest trump card, is the fact that God changes lives, and for the better. Various schools of moral philosophy, be it utilitarism, moral relativism or whatever you might mention - does not teach you how to live a rich and meaningful life. Christianity does. And that visible change is the thing that really draws people to God. All the arguments for God aren't worth a single penny compared to the power of a transformed life.
And the best part? You don't need to read philosophical tracts to be a Christian. You don't need an IQ of 140 to be a Christian. You don't need a net worth of a million dollars to be a Christian. Philosophy which requires an thinking mind, and induces headaches nonetheless. Christianity only requires that you believe, and you live it out. That's all.
In fact, God's existence is a fact that transcends other facts. I think if scientists say that "Oh, we've got it wrong all this while, actually Pi = 4" or "F actually is 0.9(ma)", or something along that lines.. well, it wouldn't really bother me. But God's existence is a fact that transcends all other facts, because not only it is a intellectual truth, but a emotional truth as well.
Christianity is not just about the visible outward signs - I dare say that church going, attending cell groups and all that is the lesser component of a Christian life. The far greater, and the far most precious part, is that fact the Christ changes lives, for the better.
God really has changed mine, hope you will experience it too one day..
(And despite what I said about philo, I still love philo. Especially moral philo, that's my pet favourite. Find it very interesting..haha. If you're so inclined do talk to me about it)
Walking the roads of faith is something that is not easy for an atheist. For me, all these thoughts and arguments in my mind has made my walk with God a tougher, and drier road. Where others tacitly agree and believe, I had to struggle with doubts and thoughts that spun in my mind. But praise the Lord, I've emerged triumphant from my struggles, and now I believe with all my heart and soul.
To those non-Christians reading this blog.. if we were to debate about the reality of Christ; just like any other debate, the one who wins is the one who goes in more prepared, who speaks better, who knows all the subtle tricks of argumentation (yes, it's true) , and the one who is able to command a greater presence in the discussion. The person who brought me to know Christ was a master at this.. and for the better part of a year I had to rely on these human arguments to prop up my faith.
Talk is one thing though. A person can leave the debating table defeated, but still unconvinced. I could win a debate with a "untrained" free-thinker, but what good does it do if I just focus on the arguments? Christianity is anything but sophistry. The more important thing that Christians can bring to the table, the biggest trump card, is the fact that God changes lives, and for the better. Various schools of moral philosophy, be it utilitarism, moral relativism or whatever you might mention - does not teach you how to live a rich and meaningful life. Christianity does. And that visible change is the thing that really draws people to God. All the arguments for God aren't worth a single penny compared to the power of a transformed life.
And the best part? You don't need to read philosophical tracts to be a Christian. You don't need an IQ of 140 to be a Christian. You don't need a net worth of a million dollars to be a Christian. Philosophy which requires an thinking mind, and induces headaches nonetheless. Christianity only requires that you believe, and you live it out. That's all.
In fact, God's existence is a fact that transcends other facts. I think if scientists say that "Oh, we've got it wrong all this while, actually Pi = 4" or "F actually is 0.9(ma)", or something along that lines.. well, it wouldn't really bother me. But God's existence is a fact that transcends all other facts, because not only it is a intellectual truth, but a emotional truth as well.
Christianity is not just about the visible outward signs - I dare say that church going, attending cell groups and all that is the lesser component of a Christian life. The far greater, and the far most precious part, is that fact the Christ changes lives, for the better.
God really has changed mine, hope you will experience it too one day..
(And despite what I said about philo, I still love philo. Especially moral philo, that's my pet favourite. Find it very interesting..haha. If you're so inclined do talk to me about it)
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
Just got the results for my Molecular biology CA that counts for 40% of the total grade... Wow. It is a slaughterhouse of dead bodies.. it's like 20% of them got Fs.. then a lot of them are like Cs, Ds and all that. Prof Loh Boh Chuan really showed no mercy man...! o_o
Haha normally would be very depressed and dun want to look further.. cos in such a situation I'd normally amongst the Cs (or Ds).. but I was enthusiastically searching for my matric number.. cos I really love this module a lot. Turns out I got a B+.. a very long time since I got that kind of result for a big test..
And a B+ in a field of Fs, Ds and Cs! Praise the Lord!!
This module's the first module in the Life science curriculum that I fell in love with so far.. Am really grateful that I did well for such a big test!
Need to fall in love with more life science modules next sem man... =)
Haha normally would be very depressed and dun want to look further.. cos in such a situation I'd normally amongst the Cs (or Ds).. but I was enthusiastically searching for my matric number.. cos I really love this module a lot. Turns out I got a B+.. a very long time since I got that kind of result for a big test..
And a B+ in a field of Fs, Ds and Cs! Praise the Lord!!
This module's the first module in the Life science curriculum that I fell in love with so far.. Am really grateful that I did well for such a big test!
Need to fall in love with more life science modules next sem man... =)
Been thinking about what Alan shared in D242 about the Uni district vision.. spoke quite a lot to me.. Today Yufen was sharing to the rest of the care group again about this.. think it is quite relevant to every single one of us.
Like what Matthew 5:13-16 says.. we are the salt and light of this world, and as Christians the onus is on us to become people that can make impact on our immediate sphere of influence. It's very true that after I've recieved Christ that a lot of the drive has gone out of me.. but that's not the way it should be yah?
Christianity is a life style that is supposed to maximise one's potential to the full - this is not just mere rhetoric, but it's a reality. God's love gives us the strength to become something more than we can normally be, to stretch our comfort zones and to live life to the fullest. It's quite sad that the leaders are the ones that are the salt and light, but the rest seem to be lagging behind.
As I was telling Sijia yesterday, can't afford to be slack as a Christian or as a person anymore.. in a few years time when I reach year 4, don't want the newbies who just come in to say "Oh, so that's what a year 4 Christian, a person who's been through the system, looks like."
Like what Jan said, for too long our vision has been only focused on God, the ministry and our immediate friends. It's time to look at the horizons and dream big dreams. The university ministry isn't supposed to produce weak willed flaccid followers - but mature adults, tried and tested, and poised to take on the working world..
It's time to let the past be bygones, and strain forward to what's ahead...
Like what Matthew 5:13-16 says.. we are the salt and light of this world, and as Christians the onus is on us to become people that can make impact on our immediate sphere of influence. It's very true that after I've recieved Christ that a lot of the drive has gone out of me.. but that's not the way it should be yah?
Christianity is a life style that is supposed to maximise one's potential to the full - this is not just mere rhetoric, but it's a reality. God's love gives us the strength to become something more than we can normally be, to stretch our comfort zones and to live life to the fullest. It's quite sad that the leaders are the ones that are the salt and light, but the rest seem to be lagging behind.
As I was telling Sijia yesterday, can't afford to be slack as a Christian or as a person anymore.. in a few years time when I reach year 4, don't want the newbies who just come in to say "Oh, so that's what a year 4 Christian, a person who's been through the system, looks like."
Like what Jan said, for too long our vision has been only focused on God, the ministry and our immediate friends. It's time to look at the horizons and dream big dreams. The university ministry isn't supposed to produce weak willed flaccid followers - but mature adults, tried and tested, and poised to take on the working world..
It's time to let the past be bygones, and strain forward to what's ahead...
Monday, April 10, 2006
Well, this is my new blog.. shifted over from livejournal. Decided to start a new one primarily because the old blog doesn't really reflect the person that I am now. Think God has really changed the way I view things, like what the Bible says - "The old has gone, the new has come".
Used to be much more introspective, and writing a blog was my voice, the part of me that wanted to say things that I had nobody else to talk to about. Things like "Oh, how beautiful sunrise is." or "Oh, something interesting happened to me today." Now, between God, my friends and the brothers and sisters in the Hope NUS community, pretty much of the trivial stuff have been covered. I've become much more outward looking, be it family, friends or strangers, something that I could not have imagined happening to me ever. God changes lives man, hell yeah..
Another reason why I didn't write so much for the good part of a year was because I was still a young Christian. Didn't want to act "holy" in my old blog, especially since all my readers were non-Christians, and to start talking about God would turn them off. (Livejournal has this thing called friend's list which compiles all the updates of the people you've friended. So they pretty much have to read what I write, or remove me from their list.) Wasn't stable as a Christian neither, and was considering leaving at a point of time, so pretty much avoided writing about the whole Christian thing in my blog. And being a Christian that does not write about Christian stuff makes your entries very asinine, which was pretty much what my LJ degenerated into.
Pretty much stopped writing seriously for almost a year now, let's hope I can pick up where I left off. Still fooling around with the settings.. not v used to blogger yet.. haha
Used to be much more introspective, and writing a blog was my voice, the part of me that wanted to say things that I had nobody else to talk to about. Things like "Oh, how beautiful sunrise is." or "Oh, something interesting happened to me today." Now, between God, my friends and the brothers and sisters in the Hope NUS community, pretty much of the trivial stuff have been covered. I've become much more outward looking, be it family, friends or strangers, something that I could not have imagined happening to me ever. God changes lives man, hell yeah..
Another reason why I didn't write so much for the good part of a year was because I was still a young Christian. Didn't want to act "holy" in my old blog, especially since all my readers were non-Christians, and to start talking about God would turn them off. (Livejournal has this thing called friend's list which compiles all the updates of the people you've friended. So they pretty much have to read what I write, or remove me from their list.) Wasn't stable as a Christian neither, and was considering leaving at a point of time, so pretty much avoided writing about the whole Christian thing in my blog. And being a Christian that does not write about Christian stuff makes your entries very asinine, which was pretty much what my LJ degenerated into.
Pretty much stopped writing seriously for almost a year now, let's hope I can pick up where I left off. Still fooling around with the settings.. not v used to blogger yet.. haha
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