Why Me?

So...next time, before we ask...'Why me?'...let's look at the bigger picture first...

Have a great and blessed weekend!

R

Beyond Love

Just wanna share this article by SKYE THOMAS...

quite a long read though...but i hope you get something out of it. enjoy!

R

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All you need is love. Love conquers all. Through love, all things are possible. We are taught these concepts about love. While it is true that love is an amazing and powerful thing capable of incredible healing, motivation, and miracles; a marriage needs more than that. If love were really the only thing needed to sustain a long-term relationship, then most marriages would never end in divorce. The ugly truth is that if we are not compatible with each other, than the road to ‘happily ever after’ will be long and difficult.

Compatibility is so much more than just agreeing that you are both morning people and that you both enjoy the same style of lattes. Compatibility is a deep and twisted dynamic involving a combination of belief systems, personality traits, hopes and dreams, psychological needs, cycles and patterns, and mutual magnetism. There are pieces of the compatibility puzzle that we can logically fix, alter, change, and manipulate, but there are other pieces that we cannot affect on a conscious level. For example, raw passion and physical attraction for each other, you can love a person’s mind and spirit but simply not be sexually attracted to them. It is like leading a horse to water - you cannot make him drink. Sometimes no matter how much we want to like someone on a more intimate level, it just is not there. Other things, like philosophies of parenting can be negotiated and worked on to find common ground that works for both of you.

There are many areas of compatibility to consider before committing yourself to a life together. Most people absolutely believe in their heart of hearts when they make those marriage vows that the love they feel for the other person will override the daily ups and downs of sharing a life together. Unfortunately, life can quite easily throw a wet blanket over the fires of your love and reduce it to quiet smoldering embers and even to die out completely. Here is a list of important compatibility factors to consider before getting married. It is not in any special order of importance, as everyone weights the various components and their importance differently. Some people really do not care about religion and spirituality while others feel that it of utmost importance. They all need to be looked at, contemplated, discussed, and evaluated openly and honestly before you make your vows rather than later in couple’s counseling.

Personality Types – It is often difficult to mix an extreme extrovert with an extreme introvert. A loud boisterous comedian won’t mix well with a quiet reserved intellectual. Opposites attracting can seem cool at first, but eventually what seemed charming and cute later ends up grating on your nerves. It is a sad fact, but at least one of you will end up feeling as if you have to be something that you are not in order to please the other. If the core of your basic personalities is not compatible, then you will have a really difficult time seeing eye to eye on a lot of other things.

Monetary Needs and Goals – If one of you has very simple needs and wants to live in a modest home without a lot of debt and the other wants to live a glamorous wealthy lifestyle and is willing to run up a lot of debt to do so, then you are likely to have some serious problems. Who will earn the money? How will you spend it? How much do you need? Money problems are historically the number one topic of argument between couples. Financial compatibility is one of those areas where you can both compromise and make a special effort to see the other person’s viewpoint. If your views are not too extremely different and rooted in some sort of psychologically driven need, it is possible to come to an agreement.

Communications Styles – There are many different forms of communication styles. Some people are verbal in their ability to express their love, others are more touch-oriented in how they communicate, and some like to show their love through actions and deeds. Incompatibility in this area will eventually cause you to feel alienated within the partnership. Quite often in couple’s counseling, it is the communication methods that end up being worked on. It is not too difficult to take the time to really study and understand your partner, get to know how they personally need to receive the love and appreciation message from you, and then make a special effort to deliver the information to them in that manner. So often, we give to others what we personally would like to receive and unless you both have the exact same types of communication needs, that is not going to work.

Extended Family – Annoying interfering relatives and close friends have destroyed many beautiful relationships. Romeo and Juliet is a classic story of just such an example. As much as they loved each other, their families refused to get along. Compatibility in this area is not about finding someone with a perfect family, but finding someone who shares a similar belief about how much outside friends and family will be allowed to influence your time together. If one of you enjoys being part of a large family with a lot of interaction and the other prefers to have limited contact with extended family, then you could have some serious problems. Neither of you should ever have to turn your backs on your family and close friends because your spouse just does not want them around, but also if you really dislike a lot of people coming and going all of the time, you should not have to be forced to live within a lot of commotion and interference either. This is a tough area to navigate, but it can be worked out if you are both really sensitive to the deeper needs of the other.

Lifestyle – For the sake of simplification, we will keep lifestyle down to just the day-to-day patterns of life. Some are morning people and some are not. Some are really into sports and outdoors activities and others would rather sit indoors and discuss philosophies of life. Some are very go-go-go action-oriented and others are quite laid back and relaxed. Some like to have lots of friends over and back yard barbeques while others prefer that their home be a quiet place of contemplation, an oasis away from the daily grind. If the two of you are not too different, then this is an area of compatibility that can be worked on and common ground can be found.

Romance – This is a mixed area. On the one hand you shared some level of romance during the courtship, but on the other hand how you continue the romance after you are married can change drastically. Some folks love cute little nicknames like Sweetie Pie and Sugar Dumpling, while others hate it and think that it’s annoyingly sappy. Some like lots of hugs and kisses while others prefer the words ‘I love you’ or ‘I appreciate all that you do for me’ instead. This is a lot like the communications area and you can definitely feel unloved and like the spark has gone out of your relationship when you are not compatible in this area. Again, we often give that which we would like to receive instead of learning what the other person needs to receive from us.

Children and Parenting – The desire to have children is extremely powerful in some people and completely missing in others. This is not an area of compatibility that can be compromised on. You either have children or you don’t. Plenty of couples have broken up over this issue. You cannot go into a marriage assuming that you will change the other person’s mind. It is rare that someone successfully changes someone else’s mind about having children. Even after agreeing to have children, couples disagree about how many they want to have and how they want to raise them. Most couples do not have compatible views about parenting. One may feel that the other is too strict, too controlling, or too demanding while the other feels that their partner is too accommodating, not involved enough, or too relaxed with the rules. However, unlike the initial decision as to whether or not to even have children at all, parenting styles is an area that can be negotiated and worked on.

Leisure Activities – All too often, first dates are dinner and a movie, going out dancing, or a romantic stroll on the beach. These are perfectly lovely first dates, but they often center around the courtship rituals instead of what the couple will really do together when they are married. While some love to camp, hike, and go beach combing others prefer wine tasting, coffee houses, and Broadway plays. With an open mind and a loving heart, this is definitely an area where compatibility can be created.

Sense of Humor – Laughter is the best medicine. Laughter is one of the best ways to end conflict and tension. A couple that laughs together and finds themselves easily smiling within each other’s company has a far greater chance of staying together ‘until death do us part.’ If one finds burping and farting to be extremely funny while the other thinks it is tacky and disgusting, then you are going to have problems. Some love a dry intellectual wit; others prefer practical jokes that involving a lot of humiliation and embarrassment. This is a difficult area to change because it is a lot like sexuality, it either works for you or it doesn’t. What one person finds funny is not necessarily something you can fix or manipulate into matching what another person enjoys. ‘A Good Sense of Humor’ is one of the top things on everyone’s list of ideal partners. Defining what that means to each of you is the key.

Work Ethic – This is an obvious one. If someone is lazy and someone else is a workaholic, then there will be compatibility issues. It is something that can be worked on together, but if one of you really wants to live the pampered life and the other disagrees, then there is not a lot you can do about it. It will eat at the relationship causing anger and resentment.

Ability to Compromise – You would be amazed at how many people find it sexy that someone always sticks to their guns. On the other hand, others really value the ability to work as a team member and to be able to make decisions from a joint perspective. It is going to depend on leadership skills, whether or not one or both of you believes in dominance and submission, self-esteem, and other dynamics. This is a hard area to change. If you are both really at peace with the idea that one of you will make all of the decisions and will control everything, then you are compatible in this area. However, if one of you wants to have that situation but the other seriously wants to be equals making joint decisions and no one person being more right or more wrong then the other, than you are not going to be very compatible in this aspect. If both of you agree that one should dominate the relationship, however you cannot agree as to who is in charge, then your inability to compromise will be a disaster. If you are not compatible in your ability to compromise, then you really cannot fix the other disagreements can you?

Sexuality and Fidelity – Most people agree that part of the marriage vows is a pledge of fidelity. This is an obvious area of importance that you must agree on. You will sleep with other people or you won’t. More importantly in this area is the general idea of sexual compatibility. There are a lot of deep psychological buttons that get pushed and triggers that go off when we are in a sexual relationship with someone. Some of them can be positive and some can be negative. Some can be consciously altered and others are buried deep within the subconscious and will be next to impossible to change. Without going into a huge discussion at this time, suffice it to say that you are either turned on by someone or you are not. Sexual compatibility is extremely important and very difficult to change. This is not the same as technique and style. That can be learned and mutually explored. There is only so much you can force yourself to do for your spouse’s sake before your own desires shut down. Natural frequency of sexual activity can also be a problem. It is not unusual for one partner to have a much higher sex drive then the other. One is typically made to feel cold and uncaring for not wanting it more often while the other is made to feel like some kind of a dirty sex addict for wanting it more often. This is an area that can be tough to negotiate, but it can be done if both partners agree to some ground rules that the first one is that there will be no guilt trips allowed.

Ability to Share – Some people are simply selfish and greedy. Others enjoy sharing everything. It does not take long to see that the ‘mine vs ours’ debate is extremely destructive to a long-term relationship. You need to agree on division of property or agree to share. The ability to share will actually hint at the core of the me/we dynamic in a relationship. Are you roommates who sleep together or are you two halves of a single unit? This is a weird area of compatibility that people often overlook but it will hint at things to come in your marriage. This is the area that causes such statements, like “I let you have children didn’t I? I care for your children don’t I? I let you have a new car didn’t I? Why do you have to keep attacking me for more money?” Incompatibility in this area will bleed into many other areas of your life and it is extremely difficult to change someone else’s views about such things.

Religion and Spirituality – You do not have to have the same beliefs and you do not have to practice the same religion. You do have to agree that you will or will not follow the same spiritual path. This is a mixed issue. For those who do not really care one way or the other, you can compromise. For someone who is extremely religious, they will need to find someone who pretty much agrees with them or they will be miserable. Love alone cannot heal spiritual incompatibility challenges. There is nothing worse than feeling like you have to choose between your lover and your god. It will eat at you until you resolve it within yourself.

Education and Intellect – Nobody likes to feel like they are stupid and nobody likes to feel that they are talking to a brick wall. Someone can be quite smart but not have a lot of formal education. Someone can have multiple college degrees but no common sense. Chances are that you are attracted to another person somewhat because they meet your minimum requirements for this area, but it does happen that people will get together for other reasons and completely overlook the importance of intellectual compatibility.

Cultural Beliefs – You need to agree that you will both be white supremacists, or you will both hate gays, or you will both be activists, or you will both be freedom fighters, or you will both be couch potatoes, or you will both be coaches and mentors to our youth, etc. It’s not that you have to work hand-in-hand, but you really can’t match a Vegan with a Butcher Shop Owner and expect them to be compatible. They might love each other, but their belief systems in this area will be difficult for both. If neither of you really cares what other people do with their lives as long as they don’t meddle in yours, then you are more compatible than couple who are passionately committed to opposing social causes or cultural belief systems.

Public Image – Some people don’t give a damn what others think of them. Some people care very much about their public image, especially if their career or their life purpose is somehow connected with the public at large. A politician and a stripper are going to have compatibility issues as a married couple thrown into the public eye every time the politician campaigns for office. That is an extreme example of course, but incompatibility in this area can make or break careers, destroy one’s ability to reach their personal goals, and can make the one who does not care what others think of them feel like their partner cares more about the public opinion than the marriage itself. For most people this is not a huge topic of concern, but if it will be for you, then you should make sure you have compatible views before you run for a high profile position.

Reliability – Nothing destroys trust faster than a series of broken promises. Without trust, love will disappear. Some people get distracted and forget to show up to meetings or forget to pick up the list of groceries on the way home from work. Will that make you crazy or will it be completely fine with you? Does it matter to you that they keep their word or do you let things slide? What about little white lies? You had better both agree on what level of trust and reliability you will have between each other or the marriage is doomed from the start.

Social Skills and Popularity – This is somewhat like the extended family and the basic personality portion of compatibility but there are a few differences. If you are the type of person who needs a lot of one-on-one time with your partner and need to feel that you are the number one center of their universe, then you may not want to marry someone who is a social butterfly with lots of friends and colleagues telephoning, dropping by, inviting them out to play, and dragging them off to group activities. On the other hand, if you are one who thrives on social activity and love your friends like they are all family, then you are going to feel tied down and caged by a lover who expects you to focus only on them day in and day out. This is an area where compromise can occur, but it is not an easy area to change.

Honesty and Integrity - How do you feel about someone cheating on their taxes? How do you feel about someone who does not give back the extra change they just received from a cashier? How do you feel about hidden pasts and skeletons in the closet? How do you feel about secrets and lies? This is another area of compatibility that people often do not bother to think about until after it is too late. It is not the same as fidelity and loyalty, but it does affect your overall respect and trust of someone. How would they conduct themselves when you are not around?

Depth of Connection Needed – Some folks are fine with a light superficial relationship and others need to be deeply connected soulmates. It is important that you and your partner are compatible in this area because if one of you wants a deeply connected relationship and the other wants to keep things light, then there will be hurt feelings. The person who wants more is going to feel the relationship is empty and without substance. The person who does not want to go that deep is going to feel like someone is trying to psychoanalyze their every thought, feeling, and action under a microscope.

Whether you are using an astrology compatibility report, a professional matchmaker, a book on compatibility, a matchmaking website with computer generated matches, your friends’ opinions and feedback, or just your gut instinct to help you find your best partner, you need to know that on most levels you and your lover are compatible as well as in love.

Yes, the relationship absolutely must be a love match because love motivates you to want to fix the problems that come between you, but you also really need to be compatible so that the road you travel together has the fewest possible potholes, roadblocks, and fallen debris in your way.

Falling in love is easy; staying in love is a whole other story.

A matter of choice?

Someone said this about being gay:

"They say its just a matter of choice... yes...we have a choice...but its not a choice whether to be gay or not...its the choice whether we want to be true to ourselves or to forever live a life that's full of lie..."

have you made yours?

R

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Gay Christian walks away from religious therapy

A young Christian tells Yau Chui-yan why he eventually accepted his homosexuality/ SCMP/May 18, 2008

Like many a Christian boy, David Cheung was told that one day he would grow up and marry a girl and live happily ever after. However, David became confused when he felt ashamed of his feelings while staring at other boys as a teenager. Growing up in a religious environment, he understood that some Christians considered homosexuality unacceptable, and he didn't want to worry his parents. During his secondary-school years, Mr Cheung fell in love with his best friend. He dared not disclose his feelings, "because he was a Christian and against homosexuality".

As a university student he did what his peers did and dated girls, but it just didn't feel right. Be a good Christian or follow his feelings? There seemed to be no ideal path, so he sought help.

"When I went to church, I was told that homosexuality was bad, but it could be changed.

"I was told that 70 per cent of gay people could change. At that time, I hoped God could change my sexual orientation, " says Mr Cheung, who is now 23 and studying for a master's degree.

Three years ago, he was referred to the New Creation Association, a group set up to help Christians and non-Christians deal with confusion over sexual orientation. He was told his sexual orientation could be changed through so-called conversion therapy.

Mr Cheung paid the fees and attended several counselling sessions. It was recommended that he attend group counselling on changing sexual orientation. He attended two of the group sessions, which cost him HK$1,200 each.

During the sessions, the talk was about God, self-reflection, self-discovery about gender identity and roles, how to rebuild male and female quality, controlling desires, how to get along with the opposite sex, and how to fall in love with the opposite sex.

"Instead of wanting to know the reason I wanted to change, they just sold the advantage of being heterosexual very hard. My counsellor became frustrated when I told him that I didn't want to change. He made a value judgment."

However, Mr Cheung felt some warmth during the sessions. "We could talk with each other inside the groups. There was support among us. But we were told not to communicate with each other outside the group session."

Mr Cheung tried for a year to follow the directions of the counsellors. He was told that the sessions would only be successful when he was not attracted to members of the same sex.

He says he suppressed his desires by every means possible, and the result was six months of depression. "I became depressed at the end of 2005. I could not concentrate. I felt ashamed even when I saw a guy on TV. I could not talk with others and I became very weak."

Counsellors referred him to psychiatrist Hon Kwai-wah, who is also the chairman of the New Creation Association.

"I had to pay over HK$1,000 per visit and I had to go once every two weeks. I spent over HK$100,000 for the psychiatry sessions. I had to take lots of drugs for depression. However, the side effects of these drugs made me tired," he recalls.

Mr Cheung says he was not told what it would mean for him to change orientation, what the success rate was, or even how long he could expect to need therapy.

Dr Hon could not be reached for comment last week. The Sunday Morning Post (SEHK: 0583, announcements, news) made repeated requests to the group to provide more information about its counselling and allow our reporter to interview people who had gone through the therapy. The Post also made repeated requests for the group to provide more information about its activities.

A representative of the New Creation Association, Chan Ka-leung, said the group was not able to talk in Dr Hon's absence.
In a previous interview with the Sunday Morning Post, Mr Chan said the group served "other voices" among sexual minorities.

The type of therapy Mr Cheung went through is often referred to as "reparative therapy" or "sexual orientation conversion therapy". A psychiatry professor at Columbia University in New York , Robert Spitzer, released the results of a study on homosexuality in 2001, which concluded there was evidence that change in sexual orientation after reparative therapy did occur in some gay men and lesbians.

But the study was controversial. Professional bodies questioned the findings, arguing that the study was not supported scientifically. Dr Spitzer later argued that his findings had been exaggerated by others, as the chance for change was small. Despite controversy over Dr Spitzer's study, groups like the New Creation Association still quote it to support their contention that sexual orientation can be changed.

Established in late 2002, the New Creation Association is one of several in Hong Kong offering so-called sexual conversions. According to its in-house magazine, it has contacts with Exodus International, an interdenominational Christian organisation that promotes "freedom from homosexuality through the power of Jesus Christ".

Petula Ho Sik-ying, associate professor of social work and social administration at the University of Hong Kong , says conversion therapy is outdated because it assumes homosexuality is something problematic that needs to be "corrected".

Dr Ho points out that the fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders no longer includes homosexuality. "It is not a sickness, so why have the treatment?"

Having practised cognitive therapy with gay people and their families, Dr Ho has decided that the chances of changing sexual orientation are slim.

"The forming of sexual orientation involves personal history and different life events," she says. "It is kind of difficult to change something which was accumulated bit by bit throughout someone's life."

Wong Ting-yim, a professional counsellor who has worked with the Mental Health Association of Hong Kong for 25 years, says it is inevitable that there would be a clash of values for a counsellor. "Of course, there are counselling institutions with religious backgrounds. As perspective matters, it is important to let the client know about other options, as most of the time the client has limited knowledge about what they are facing."

After about two years, Mr Cheung stopped the therapy with the help of a social worker, psychologist and family therapist. Instead of going back for more conversion therapy, he chose to accept his sexual orientation.

Although he suffered anxiety and depression during the therapy, he does not denounce it.

"It is a matter of personal choice. After a journey of personal exploration through trial and error, you will know your true self."

Hope & Love

MCC'S FOUNDER WINS CALIFORNIA SUPREME COURT MARRIAGE CASE!


Dear MCC Friends:


MCC Founder Rev. Troy Perry has spent a lifetime changing history
and making history -- and today, he did it again.
This morning, the Supreme Court of California ruled
in favor of the marriage lawsuit jointly brought by Troy and his spouse,
Phillip Ray De Blieck, along with MCC friend
and LGBT activist Robin Tyler, and her partner, Diane Olson.


I am thrilled to share Troy and Phillip's heartfelt statement below.
Equality for all people, including marriage equality,
has been an integral part of Troy's passion and ministry for almost 40 years.
It's worth remembering that in 1969,
as the Stonewall Rebellion took place in New York City,
Troy was already organizing the LGBT community in Southern California,
had already established Metropolitan Community Churches --
and had performed what Time Magazine has credited as the first public same-sex wedding in the United States. All before Stonewall -- amazing!


And in January of 1970, Troy made history again when he filed the first-ever lawsuit in the United States seeking legal recognition of same-gender marriages. The court dismissed the case before it ever came to trial, but it accomplished something profound: It birthed the marriage equality movement, and with it, four decades of debate, activism, struggle, prayer and persistence.


May a new generation of activists rise up and continue Troy's example of changing our world and working for an end to discrimination and injustice -- until our brothers and sisters in Jamaica no longer are attacked and killed solely for their sexual orientation and gender variance, until LGBT people in Pakistan no longer face the threat of death if found to be lesbian or gay, until LGBT people in Moldova can freely march in the streets without being targets of mob violence, until LGBT people no longer are smeared and ridiculed by the tabloid press in Nigeria, until our brothers and sisters no longer experience rejection from churches and communities of faith, until teens and young adults no longer take their own lives because they believe God hates them.


Until that day, ours is an unfinished world.
And it's a reminder that for Metropolitan Community Churches, ours is an unfinished calling.
Grace and peace,
+ Nancy
Rev. Nancy L. Wilson
MCC Moderator



The Rev. Dr. Troy Perry's STATEMENT:

Today the California Supreme Court ruled to legally recognize our marriage, which took place under Canadian law in Toronto, Canada, on July 16, 2003.

The Court's ruling says that our marriage is not less than or different from other marriages in this country; the court ruled that our marriage is equal in the eyes of the law to all other marriages.

We thank God that our prayers have been answered! This is a battle that our church, the Metropolitan Community Churches, has fought since I performed the first public same-sex wedding ceremony in the United States -- in Huntington Park, California, in 1969.
Today we both give honor to God for this victory.

On this momentous day, we want to acknowledge that we stand on the shoulders of others before us who fought for justice and blazed trails for equality, and who made this day possible.

One of our heroes died this month. Mildred Loving, an African-American who, along with her husband Richard, a white man, won the battle to legalize interracial marriage in the United States. Mildred Loving paid a steep price, solely for marrying the only man she ever loved. She was arrested, convicted, and banished from her home state of Virginia. Mildred, a soft-spoken, gentle woman, avoided the spotlight, but for the issue was always simple. In a 1967 interview on CBS News, she said, "I think marrying who you want is a right and no man should have anything to do with it. It's a God-given right."

Mildred Loving also said, "I am not a political person, but I am proud that Richard's and my name is on a court case that can help reinforce the love, the commitment, the fairness, and the family that so many people, black or white, young or old, gay or straight, seek in life. I support the freedom to marry for all. That's what Loving, and loving, are all about."

We also want to thank Robin Tyler and her partner Diane Olson. We are honored to have partnered with Robin and Diane to become the first two couples to initiate this lawsuit seeking marriage equality for all people in California and California's recognition of same-sex marriages performed in Canada.

We are deeply thankful for our attorney, Gloria Allred, and her law partners, Michael Masoko and John Goldberg, for taking this marriage equality case pro bono and arguing it all the way to the California Supreme Court. We could not have won this landmark case had it not been for Gloria Allred's deeply-held conviction that all people deserve equality -- including marriage equality -- under the law. And we are thankful to our denomination of Metropolitan Community Churches (MCC) for underwriting the court filing fees in this case.

We give honor to God for the Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto, under the direction of The Reverend Dr. Brent Hawkes, and their attorney, Mr. Doug Elliott. These leaders argued before the Supreme Court of Canada and won the right for all persons, including same-sex couples, to be legally married there. Had it not been for their groundbreaking and historic work, Phillip and I would not be married today. Everywhere we go, we proudly show our wedding bands to others and say, "Thank God for Canada!"

Tonight, we will go to the Metropolitan Community Church of Los Angeles (4953 Franklin Avenue, Los Angeles 90027, in the Los Feliz area) to give thanks for this victory for which we have worked and prayed for the past 39 years.

Is it really the Hand of God?

I know we are entitled to our own points of view, own belief, and even to our own foolishness. But to say that these recent tragedies are the Hand of God, i don't know with others, but this is one thing i cannot accept.

Yes, God may have allowed it to happened, but He did not do it just so there will be righteousness. He allowed it for a reason, but He didnt caused it. How do i know? coz i have Faith in Him.

am i putting Him in a box right now?

maybe. but maybe not. i hope not.

what do you think?


****************


A Reminder of our Fragility
10 May 2008

The recent killer cyclone that battered the low-lying delta regions of Myanmar is just a reminder of how fragile a planet we live in. As the death toll keeps mounting upwards, from an initial 351 to an official 23,000, the nation is bracing itself for the worst. Aid workers and diplomats are predicting that the death toll could rise to 100,000 with one estimate putting the number at 150,000. And while aid trickles in because of the belligerence of the Myanmar Government towards foreign intervention, more and more people end up suffering and dying. It was in December of 2004 when the giant Tsunami hit our region that saw over 250,000 people lose their lives. We had never seen anything like that happen before. At that time, many preachers were stumbling over one another trying to explain why something like this cannot be from God; that satan was the one who was behind it. All kinds of theories were espoused, but the reality is – there's no way to explain this away as though it was some freak storm or an act of mother nature.

It was the Hand of God.

Amos chapter 3 gives us an interesting perspective on the issue. A series of rhetorical questions are asked by God from verses 4 to 6 and by the time we come to verse 6, the question is asked, "If there is calamity in a city, will not the Lord have done it?" This is the crux of the matter. If a calamity strikes a city, it's because the Lord has done it. And we must be careful not to dilute what the Word of God is trying to say or explain. There's an interesting verse in Isaiah 26:10. It says that when grace is shown to the wicked, yet he'll still not learn righteousness. But the preceding verse says, "For when your judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness. "

So what's the issue in this matter? It's to teach the nations righteousness. That is God's goal. He wants us to learn and walk in righteousness. Now interestingly, some people will learn it by grace. When grace is shown to them, they do not take it for granted; so the grace given is not in vain. But to others, no matter how much grace is shown, they will still not learn righteousness. The only other alternative is judgment, because one way or another, God wants to teach us righteousness. That seems to be something that is very high on God's agenda. And we, as Christians, must come to that place where we do not take the grace of God in vain. When He is gracious to us, may we learn righteousness. What happened in Myanmar can only be understood if we see through the eyes of God's mercy and goodness, because He is not willing that any should perish. He speaks through the judgments.

So may we wake up from our slumber, because the end draweth nigh. The apostle Paul says that in evil, we are to be babes, but in understanding, mature. May God grant to all of us wisdom and understanding.

Pastor Yang Tuck Yoong

FAITH

just thought it would be nice to spend some time on a friday morning to share something just in case someone out there is reading this site... ;-)

this story talks about FAITH...as simple as it may sound, keeping our faith alive is hard to do...at least for me, it is. Faith without action is futile.

...may we always have that faith regardless of the circumstances...
...may we always do something about our Faith so it will not just be faith in words
...may we always be living testimonies to our friends and families

have a great weekend everyone!

rache

An Atheist Professor of Philosophy speaks to his Class on the problem Science has with GOD, The ALMIGHTY. He asks one of his New Christian Students to stand and . .

Professor :You are a Christian, aren't you, son?
Student :Yes, sir.Professor :So you Believe in GOD ?
Student :Absolutely, sir.
Professor :Is GOD Good ?
Student :Sure.
Professor :Is GOD ALL - POWERFUL ?
Student :Yes.
Professor:My Brother died of Cancer even though he Prayed to GOD to Heal him. Most of us would attempt to Help Others who are ill. But GOD didn't. How is this GOD Good then? Hmm ?

( Student is silent )

Professor :You can't answer, can you ? Let's start again, Young Fella. Is GOD Good?
Student : Yes.
Professor : Is Satan good ?
Student :No.
Professor :Where does Satan come from?
Student :From . . . GOD . . .
Professor :That's right. Tell me son, is there evil in this World ?
Student :Yes.
Professor : Evil is everywhere, isn't it? And GOD did make Everything. Correct ?
Student :Yes.
Professor :So who created evil ?

( Student does not answer )

Professor :Is there Sickness ? Immorality ? Hatred ? Ugliness ? All these terrible things exist in the World, don't they?
Student : Yes, sir.
Professor :So, who created them ?

(Student has no answer )

Professor :Science says you have 5 Senses you use to identify and observe the World around you. Tell me, son . . . Have you ever Seen GOD?
Student :No, sir.
Professor :Tell us if you have ever Heard your GOD?
Student :No , sir.
Professor :Have you ever Felt your GOD, Tasted your GOD, Smelt your GOD ? Have you ever had any Sensory Perception of GOD for that matter ?
Student :No, sir. I'm afraid I haven't.
Professor :Yet you still Believe in HIM ?
Student :Yes
Professor :According to Empirical, Testable, Demonstrable Protocol, Science says your GOD doesn't exist. What do you say to that, son?
Student :Nothing. I only have my Faith.
Professor :Yes. Faith. And that is the problem Science has.
Student :Professor, is there such a thing as Heat?
Professor :Yes.
Student :And is there such a thing as Cold?
Professor :Yes.
Student :No sir. There isn't.

( The Lecture Theatre becomes very quiet with this turn of events)

Student :Sir, you can have Lots of Heat, even More Heat, Superheat, Mega Heat, White Heat, a Little Heat or No Heat. But we don't have anything called Cold. We can hit 458 Degrees below Zero which is No Heat, but we can't go any further after that. There is no such thing as Cold. Cold is only a Word we use to describe the Absence of Heat. We cannot Measure Cold. Heat is Energy. Cold is Not the Opposite of Heat, sir, just the Absence of it.

(There is Pin - Drop Silence in the Lecture Theatre )

Student :What about Darkness, Professor ? Is there such a thing as Darkness?
Professor :Yes. What is Night if there isn't Darkness?
Student :You're wrong again, sir. Darkness is the Absence of Something. You can have Low Light, Normal Light , Bright Light, Flashing Light . . .But if you have No Light Constantly, you have Nothing and it's called Darkness, isn't it ? In reality, Darkness isn't. If it is, were you would be able to make Darkness Darker, wouldn't you ?
Professor :So what is the point you are making, Young Man ?
Student :Sir, my point is your Philosophical Premise is Flawed.
Professor :Flawed ? Can you explain how?
Student :Sir, you are working on the Premise of Duality. You argue there is Life and then there is Death, a Good GOD and a Bad GOD. You are viewing the Concept of GOD as something finite, something we can measure. Sir, Science can't even explain a Thought. It uses Electricity and Magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one. To view Death as the Opposite of Life is to be ignorant of the fact that Death cannot exist as a Substantive Thing. Death is Not the Opposite of Life, just the Absence of it. Now tell me, Professor, do you Teach your Students that they Evolved from a Monkey?
Professor :If you are referring to the Natural Evolutionary Process, yes, of course, I do.
Student :Have you ever observed Evolution with your own eyes, sir ?

(The Professor shakes his head with a Smile, beginning to realize where the argument is going)

Student : Since no one has ever observed the Process of Evolution at work and cannot even prove that this Process is an on–going endeavour, are you not teaching your Opinion, sir? Are you not a Scientist but a Preacher?

(The Class is in uproar)

Student : Is there anyone in the Class who has ever seen the Professor's Brain?

(The Class breaks out into laughter)

Student : Is there anyone here who has ever heard the Professor's Brain, Felt it, touched or Smelt it? No one appears to have done so. So, according to the Established Rules of Empirical, Stable, Demonstrable Protocol, Science says that you have No Brain, sir. With all due respect, sir, how do we then trust your Lectures, sir?

(The Room is Silent. The Professor stares at the Student, his face unfathomable)

Professor :I guess you'll have to take them on Faith, son.
Student : That is it sir . . . the Link between Man & GOD is FAITH. That is all that Keeps Things Moving & Alive.


NOTE: Just in case you want to know, the student is Albert Einstein