January 2010
2 posts
Manic
While Malaysia is in chaos, I am officially hooked to that Inuyasha Opening Song. Yea that one from Do As Infinity. I have not slept for an entire day. I mean how awesome is that! I am rereading Henri Nouwen’s Wounded Healer. Damn, what a good book. I must after all these years of lousy and uninteresting titles from Joyce Meyer or John Bevere. People don’t grow up sometimes and authors...
Sometimes
Headbanging to : Sometimes by Pillar
3.15 a.m. After hours Malaysia has a different face. A very complexed face. I like that face. It is a better relief to the busyness the day time Malaysia is forcefully making us to follow. Yea, I am an anarchist, a man whose ill-contempt lie in his hate for organizing and mainstreaming. However here’s some thoughts for the day.
I think I learnt...
December 2009
9 posts
Motif
Detectives say that motif is the possible reason behind the intentions of a murderer. Look for his motif and you might find that he is the perpetrator. 4.13 a.m. and I am beginning to ramble rubbish. I think it is the heatwave of tropical Kuala Lumpur. Sweat, trickling down to my spine; GREAT! I need to re-shower. It’s a sauna in here.
The New Year, and this blog has survived the...
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Ahmad
Ahmad looks good. Smartly dressed, he preps himself up to his chair, waiting for a customer to swing by pass him with a plastic bag that’s worth weighing. One customer comes along and places her bag on the weighing machine. He gets excited over the whole issue. Santa came early for him, as early as 11a.m, just minutes after he clocked in. He beckons forth slowly, and tries to key in the...
Passion...
Breathing passion nowadays. I have just reminded myself on passion and it’s just that. Like in a somewhat inward chant, that fuels my bones, soul and heart desires to do more for what I want to do. I guess it is time to do it. And do it I shall! I pray that all that I’ve planned for Christmas would fall into place. Even if they don’t it’s alright. Because it’s all...
Monday?!
It’s monday. The clock tells me that in a few minutes I’ve successfully crossed over into another day. Moody Monday. I can’t help but squirm and mubble over Monday. Why? It definitely is the most dreadful day of the week. Forget self-help and optimism. Monday is Monday. The canon by which all fun and laughter comes to a successful end and a reminder that the “real...
Update
I am still owing readers a penang post update. I guess it may take sometime but not too long. However I have posted up a summary of my research recently on the reliability of the New Testament. If you want something factual than read this at
http://www.scribd.com/doc/24178845/The-New-Testament-What-Not
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Connect
p.s: I still do know that I owe my blog my post on the sights and sounds of Penang. The pictures are still not available for now though. So just chill.
Interestingly Malaysians have gone bonkers over everyoneconnects.net. I am still in the dark of what or who is everyoneconnects.net. Commercial advertisement? song? music video? all-in-one? But I’ll leave it there.
I was just reminiscing...
Penang
The Island captivates me all the time. In a very melancholic way especially. I was down there during the weekend; hence the absence from the online world. My girl had to attend a wedding and I had to accompany her since it really meant that much to be there. I got some interesting pictures and thoughts to share on during the future posts. But it really feels good to be back.
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Condom
It is here, it is among us. I don’t think we could afford to deny it either. I remember asking on contraceptives, its use and how much does Christianity or Christian interpretations allow room for the use of such. Well, by far there are those that are extreme, there are those that would encourage it only when there is a health problem and of course those that encourage it whatever the...
November 2009
53 posts
Fresh
I’ve officially ushered in the month of December. Happy December day! And finally there is a sense of freshness to this particular month. And I think it’s time to do something really radical. I was really encouraged by a few friends who shared with me the excitement of doing something really new and weird at the same time and I am spurred to move and move I shall.
At this point in...
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Free Manga →
An awesome place for manga. AND! it’s totally free!
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Immanence
Came across this before? Immanence? Nope, it is not a perfume. It is the idea that God is present and active within nature, human nature and history. It is a very fragile belief. And understanding immanence means understanding transcendence; the belief that God is separate from and independent of nature and humanity.
Now these ideas are very important to us, especially Christians. With these we...
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Racism
There’s a lot of buzzing lately regarding the BTN (Biro Tatanegara); a government run program that instills a patriotic fervor into its attendees. Recently, it has come under scrutiny, with one state (Selangor) disallowing all its civil servants and university students from attending it. Their main concern is simply that it has a political agenda with a racist twist.
I remember sitting...
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“Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes.”
– Mahatma Gandhi
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Anti-Intellectual
Study the biggest churches in Malaysia and Singapore, or even those who’d have a satisfying youth population and notice how many are actually interested in what they believe in. Probably a decent ratio would be 1:10 or even 2:10. Actually that ratio would be overated. It may be even on a larger scale; 1:100 perhaps?
There are many factors to why churches succeed in drawing people to them....
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Intermarriage
I’ve finally compiled a little bit on the idea of intermarriage in the book of Ezra and Nehemiah. I am kind of embattled with two extremes. The basic idea presented in both books are a restriction towards exogamy. Israelite men were told to divorce their non-Jewish, pagan believing wives and children as it was seen as a sin and a compromise towards their religious identity. Those involved...
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Melodies
A good song would have a good melody and good harmony. OK. I guess that’s what I did actually learn when I had the privilege of attending music school. And good music sounds good to the wanting ear. Bad music on the other hand? Pure turn off. Telling a story is like that as well. Narratives are full on with melodic lines and chords that belting one out may just be beautiful or yucky.
I was...
Exams
This would be the final lap for exams. It is good to know some are already crossing that finish line by graduating. My mother just had her own convocation the other day; proudly receiving that diploma she wanted so badly.
I like the adrenaline now. Just a few more hours to a final exam. And I am yet to be in the groove. Thoughts on graduation however reminds me that I can’t have...
Lambert
It is again another week where I dutifully submit myself to the issues of research papers. I beginning to delight in certain aspects of Christian theology. Nevertheless, I am still seeing this beyond the paradigms of what is commonly held on to by the Evangelical/Pentecostal camp. So it might get me into trouble, but life is so awesome you’ve just got to rebel once in a while; or more like...
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Interracialicity
I like provocative authors such as Dina Zaman. She definitely did well in highlighting a common issue with a common story with a common end. I don’t think we would be appalled when we read through those lines in that very article. Interracial relationships have been something common to us; Chindians, Mamaks, Rojak?
However the nagging issue is still the need to proselytize the...
Hope
I think there is a lot to discover about hope. And definitely not from semantics either. There’s much talk about life after death. What happens to us? Nirvana? Going back to Brahman? Resurrection? Judgement? Is there even a life after death?
Plato mused on it in Pheado and the Christians sought it out through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. But that sense of fear is real, and sometimes it...
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Idiocracy
The Malaysian Indian community has thus far projected itself to be one of the most backward racial groups in the country. Hindraf’s attempt to be mavericks in winning the Indian community has proven to be a mere waste of time. MIC on the other hand are trying to regain their dominance within the minds of the Indians. Some from the Hindraf faction have moved on into an alliance with other...
Nice
After what seemed to be an unending marathon, I now can finally! get some rest, get my sleep back and get some good ol time management going. However, I noted that while some are enjoying life and others toiling for a stable income, there are those nut jobs who are also trying to make Malaysia a better place. What a paradox.
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Penan
In silence I remember the cries of the young Penan girls; as they are raped by school teachers and other people groups with a penchant for a Lolita fetish. Malaysia has been awfully silent about this. And only God knows where in the world did all our religious presuppositions go to. Possibly it met Satan on the way, exchanged ideas, and then had a beer at a pub.
I only wonder what our smart...
Finally
Finally! I’ve successfully tangoed with one paper and now I am left to dance with the others in line. I am down sick and this can’t get any better either. But! I just have to push a little. Just a little.
Thought for the day: Education vs Academics. Just because one gets through the academic system, doesn’t mean he is smarter or better. I think that kind of got me thinking. On...
Tiding
Tiding up my assignment now. And the silence here is apt. I could appreciate some since life in the city has always been hustling and bustling and jostling. I smile at a few of blogs; friends blogs to be precise. It is interesting how far they have come and the life-story they are carrying with them to this point. It is like they are on the precipice of something new, something exciting.
Today I...
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4
4 a.m and I am digging Level 42 at the moment. Those slap lines can really bring out the funk in you. I like the silence now. It is eerie but good. I guess I understand why mystics love the silence, especially the early morning mode of silence. It’s cold, refreshing, and energizing even for a stoner like me.
Now back to my assignments. I am hoping to complete this nostalgic journey through...
Promo
I think good causes deserve a little heralding. I am reserving this space for a friend of mine and his passion to promote the Malaysian music scene. It takes alot of guts to do what he does and Chee Seng all the best mate!
and of course! the link is:
http://actsmarksthespot.blogspot.com
Endless
Well, during these wee hours I have dedicated myself to the silent art of being inspired to finish up my research papers! But in the mean time, I was noting a few conversations, dialogues or discourses. And it is definitely interesting to observe thoughts flying in from one corner to the other. Some being premeditated, while others aren’t. Some are full of passion and zeal, the other a clear...
Update
Well class has ended. Finally, a tough course with exams periodically has stopped. Consistency had to stop and it did! Now more on research papers, which means writing and writing and writing. That’s alright.
First things first, got to update a section on the anime project i am working on with a friend.
Then do up my paperwork. Had some random thoughts coming along for Christmas and all,...
“He will die with dignity—- dignity to the point of defiance”
– J. Wyndal Gordon, D.C Sniper Yahoo Article
Sniper
The D.C sniper finally breathe his last when he was executed by a lethal injection today. However what captured my attention was the whole narrative of that particular scene. At at the end of it, you still can’t help but ask, who won?
Read here for more.
p.s: However I just wished he would have sniped Miley Cyrus though, before gettin caught at least.
Oil
Tonite, I will burn the midnight oil for a better Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Definitely! Assignments due next week Monday!!!
“But postmodern people feel that truth comes as a mystery, a story, and a work of...”
– Brian Mclaren, Leadership Journal Interview
Spirituality
I am awake. At 7 a.m, which is a miracle! However I am calling my thinking faculties for a daily digest and today I would be reflecting on spirituality. And basically there would be three tenets to reflect upon. They are:
1) Spiritual and Secular; the great divide or no divide? Should there be a distinction between the two?
2) Spirituality and civic duty.
3) Pluralistic spirituality;...
Berlin
As Germany celebrates the fall of the Berlin Wall, I am reminded of the walls I place that separates me and the community I find myself in. Prompting me to reexamine them regularly for prejudices or biases. Because tearing down a few of them can simply be liberating.
Provocations
Kierkegaard has been my weekly digest. And I must say, I’ve successfully tripped, stumbled and bruised myself while reading through Provocations.
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Worry
Click here and here for more on the subject below.
Religious freedom has been the contention of people groups for centuries. In every chapter of history, we read through imprints of people shedding blood, sweat and tears for the freedom of religion in tandem with their own freedom to believe and profess what seems true to them.
Today there are worries of dictatorship encroaching or seeping in...
Recharge
nothing beats a good Sunday with tons of sleep. I spent the whole week in a sleepless world meeting datelines or deadlines and having to get focused. All of them culminated to a good nights sleep yesterday and today. Now I am back online!
Exchange
As I am keeping track of Dr.Mohd Asri Zainul, I do think that it would definitely be an interesting development if non-muslims were allowed to enter a mosque and have constructive dialogues with fellow muslims on a variety of issues. But I also think that it would be even better if it was vice-versa. Muslims engaging their non-muslim counterparts at their very own places of worship and also having...