Tuesday, November 22, 2016

11pm weird thoughts

Opposition political parties will be more effective if they stop playing the victim of The Establishment, and instead work to actually being a viable alternative to the government.

Wednesday, November 16, 2016

Brief reflection on Trump's election

“Were you expecting the result?” someone asked me.

I was, actually.

I was anticipating a closer fight, but I did have a gut feel that Trump would win.

Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t rooting for him to win. But recent global events like Brexit showed a swing towards protectionism and a preference for tough, no-nonsense, heavy-handed leaders, like Duterte.

I’m not saying that protectionism was the only reason that Trump won. From what I understand, there are those who, after a long and painful struggle, decided to vote for him because they could not bring themselves to put faith in Hillary. (A decision I would admittedly struggle with too, if I were in their position).

But I do think protectionism did play a role in Trump’s victory. People are scared. Fearful. Uncertain over the future.

Those fears and doubts may be justified: some people may genuinely be coming from hard places and undergoing difficult times. Some would have thought they had legitimate reasons to vote as they did. 
However, it could also be that their uncertainties have been stoked by the twin flames of the politicians and the media.

Either way, the inclination towards protectionism and Clint Eastwood-type leaders do indicate a yearning for security. Or rather, a yearning for someone who seems like he / she can offer that security. As humans, we naturally feel that protecting our own interests is better, easier, more practical than reaching out to others, rubbing shoulders with others, sharing our lives with others.

It is after all, a lot harder, a lot more painful to live alongside other people.




On a (not so) side note, hopefully those of us who have found security and refuge in Christ – are willing to love others, with a kind of reckless self-sacrifice. Not because we – on our own – are capable of loving, but because Christ first loved us and poured out that kind of reckless, self-sacrificial love. 

Thursday, November 3, 2016

Did Jesus preach the gospel?


I do sometimes wonder if evangelicals tend to read Scripture lopsidedly, if we have erred in using a "Pauline perspective" in our readings of the gospels and the Bible as a whole. Was justification by the cross really what Jesus taught?

This video teased out some of these questions. The discussion is a good introduction to the topic of what do we make of kingdom language in the synoptic gospels? (Mark, Matthew and Luke). Especially when the tone does not seem to fit (apparently) with other parts of Scripture, such as the gospel of John and Paul's epistles.

I would have loved for the panelists to delve more into what "kingdom" means in the synoptic gospels, Mark, Matthew, and Luke, and really tease out how kingdom is to be perceived and lived out in our current Christian context. Nonetheless, the speakers' point about taking Scripture as a whole rather than having a "canon within a canon" is an important on, especially Tim Keller and DA Carson's point about John's gospel.

That was the mistake of the disciples - the mistake of misconstruing Jesus' mission as establishing a political, bodily kingdom. And it was a mistake that was presented consistently in all four gospels. The desire to usher in God's future kingdom in the now can actually detract from the gospel. And what a shame that is, for it is such a beautiful gospel.


Winning line: (1:00:45)

I've seen a lot of people say 'Here's the gospel presentation: Jesus Christ came here and established his kingdom, it's not completely here but it's really a people of God who are carrying out His kingdom program to renew the world and to work for peace and justice, and you need to join it.' I have to say 'If that's the gospel, I don't know why you'd ever sing "My chains fell off, my heart was free, I rose, went forth and followed thee." Where's the release, where's the joy, where's the transformation?