“I am still determined to be cheerful and happy, in whatever situation I may be; for I have also learned from experience that the greater part of our happiness or misery depends upon our dispositions, and not upon our circumstances.”
Martha Washington (1731-1802), wife of George Washington, first US President, 1789–1797
Monday, November 16, 2009
Quote
There are some things in life that we do not because they are popular but because we believe it is right so to do regardless.
Sunday, November 08, 2009
Tuesday, November 03, 2009
Sunday, November 01, 2009
Réflexions à haute voix
How could one believe in an omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent benevolent God,
...if one were a victim of a brutal raped?
...if one were a parent of a child who was brutally raped?
...if one were one of the 800 million people on earth suffering from chronic malnutrition?
...if one were to be executed in Auschwitz during WWII or the Holocaust?
...if one were a parent/child/sufferer of a rare incurable debilitating or life-threatening disorder?
...if one were a victim of genocide, ethnic cleansing, human trafficking, poverty, or apartheid, or orphan of HIV/AIDS parents?
...if one were a domestic helper or a child unwarrantedly abused?
...if one were a victim of natural a disaster?
And even if one were not any of these...?
“When beggars die there are no comets seen;
The heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes.”
William Shakespeare (English Dramatist, Playwright and Poet, 1564-1616)
...if one were a victim of a brutal raped?
...if one were a parent of a child who was brutally raped?
...if one were one of the 800 million people on earth suffering from chronic malnutrition?
...if one were to be executed in Auschwitz during WWII or the Holocaust?
...if one were a parent/child/sufferer of a rare incurable debilitating or life-threatening disorder?
...if one were a victim of genocide, ethnic cleansing, human trafficking, poverty, or apartheid, or orphan of HIV/AIDS parents?
...if one were a domestic helper or a child unwarrantedly abused?
...if one were a victim of natural a disaster?
And even if one were not any of these...?
“When beggars die there are no comets seen;
The heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes.”
William Shakespeare (English Dramatist, Playwright and Poet, 1564-1616)
Quote
"Contradiction is not a sign of falsity, nor the lack of contradiction a sign of truth."
Blaise Pascal, French mathematician, physicist & theologian (1623 - 1662)
Blaise Pascal, French mathematician, physicist & theologian (1623 - 1662)
Quote
"If you want to offer, don't ask; if you want to ask, don't offer."
Tan Poh Sian (1934-2002), my mother.
One of her epigrammatic responses, when asked if she needed a drink of water whenever I noticed that she was tired. Used to rankle me. Then as a young child, I did not understand it. I think I do now.
Tan Poh Sian (1934-2002), my mother.
One of her epigrammatic responses, when asked if she needed a drink of water whenever I noticed that she was tired. Used to rankle me. Then as a young child, I did not understand it. I think I do now.
Saturday, October 03, 2009
Réflexions à haute voix
There was a period of my life (as a Christian) through faith in the Bible & Christianity that I thought I understood almost everything. Today (& for some time now) all I am certain of is I understand nothing & require proof of everything.
Friday, August 21, 2009
Please Beware! Caveat Emptor!
Recently I received a call inviting my wife and I to attend a soft launch of Worldex Asia. The caller claimed that because we were handpicked we will be given a 4-day/3-night luxury accommodation including 2 return flight tickets to any of these destinations - Hong Kong, Bangkok, Koh Samui, Phuket and Pattaya completely free. This was despite the fact that I candidly revealed that I categorically do not intend to purchase anything whatsoever they may be promoting. The caller claimed that the company is simply happy to give it to us with no obligations so long as we agree to attend a 90-minute presentation at Tong “Rolex” Building. I know my greed for the too-good-to-true free gift has dulled my intelligence :(
To cut to the chase, I did turn up at the soft launch and not surprisingly, my niggling suspicions that the entire exercise is dubious began to unravel. My initial conversation with a young personnel revealed that we needed to pay a $50 booking fee per pax not including airport/airline taxes. Despite our decision to discontinue the session, they generously decided to offer the free gift in the form of a “voucher” and booking form which exacerbated by suspicions. The terms and conditions printed on the vouchers, the booking form and another terms and conditions document (attached in their email to me) included many “hidden”, “non-refundable” costs/fees and contain contradicting terms. The redemption of the free gift is via another party called Dynamikz Netwerkz who is not a travel agent. Only their address and email are given without any telephone number. The Hong Kong option is “out-of-stock” and appeared to be part of the original print production. Upon further reading, the terms and conditions revealed “compulsory” commitment to additional presentations by the hotel. My request to speak to their manager-in-charge further fuelled my doubts. A well-dressed articulate British personnel claiming to be the “Chief Executive Shareholder”* tried to smooth-talk me but contradicted himself in many occasions. At this point, I was certain I was being duped by an experience and confident trickster. I ended my enquiries and left. The results of further attempts to find out more about “Global Securities”, “Worldex Asia”, “Dynamikz Netwerkz” and the name of the “Chief Executive Shareholder” via the internet became obvious. I have not made any attempt to secure any travel bookings. I did not make any purchase of any kind.
Please beware! Caveat emptor!
To cut to the chase, I did turn up at the soft launch and not surprisingly, my niggling suspicions that the entire exercise is dubious began to unravel. My initial conversation with a young personnel revealed that we needed to pay a $50 booking fee per pax not including airport/airline taxes. Despite our decision to discontinue the session, they generously decided to offer the free gift in the form of a “voucher” and booking form which exacerbated by suspicions. The terms and conditions printed on the vouchers, the booking form and another terms and conditions document (attached in their email to me) included many “hidden”, “non-refundable” costs/fees and contain contradicting terms. The redemption of the free gift is via another party called Dynamikz Netwerkz who is not a travel agent. Only their address and email are given without any telephone number. The Hong Kong option is “out-of-stock” and appeared to be part of the original print production. Upon further reading, the terms and conditions revealed “compulsory” commitment to additional presentations by the hotel. My request to speak to their manager-in-charge further fuelled my doubts. A well-dressed articulate British personnel claiming to be the “Chief Executive Shareholder”* tried to smooth-talk me but contradicted himself in many occasions. At this point, I was certain I was being duped by an experience and confident trickster. I ended my enquiries and left. The results of further attempts to find out more about “Global Securities”, “Worldex Asia”, “Dynamikz Netwerkz” and the name of the “Chief Executive Shareholder” via the internet became obvious. I have not made any attempt to secure any travel bookings. I did not make any purchase of any kind.
Please beware! Caveat emptor!
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Uniquely, Not Unique!
I have always thought that the thing most unique about Singapore and Singaporeans is that we are NOT unique. At first instance, this may sound like an oxymoronic statement.
Singapore is a small nation but so are at least 50 other nations, eg Brunei, Cyprus, Luxembourg, etc (ie population of less 1.5 million). Singapore is indeed a multi-cultural metropolis but so are Australia, Malaysia, US and UK.
Just in case you think you detect a pinch of demission, it is not. On the contrary, as a Singaporean, I am extremely proud of the fact that we are ordinary. At the recent Olympics in Beijing, two rather ordinary looking blokes - Michael Phelps and Usain Bolt achieved what most would consider super-human feat. In every aspect, they are just like you and me - and yet they are able to perform extraordinarily.
So what is unique about Singapore? Through our ordinary people, our one-party government, and in spite of our limited landscape and almost no natural resources we are able to make a little red dot perform extraordinary feats and if I may further indulge in my metaphoric reference to the two olympians, in record breaking time too.
I take pride that we are uniquely not unique.
Crosby Ong
(Please excuse my poorly updated blog)
Singapore is a small nation but so are at least 50 other nations, eg Brunei, Cyprus, Luxembourg, etc (ie population of less 1.5 million). Singapore is indeed a multi-cultural metropolis but so are Australia, Malaysia, US and UK.
Just in case you think you detect a pinch of demission, it is not. On the contrary, as a Singaporean, I am extremely proud of the fact that we are ordinary. At the recent Olympics in Beijing, two rather ordinary looking blokes - Michael Phelps and Usain Bolt achieved what most would consider super-human feat. In every aspect, they are just like you and me - and yet they are able to perform extraordinarily.
So what is unique about Singapore? Through our ordinary people, our one-party government, and in spite of our limited landscape and almost no natural resources we are able to make a little red dot perform extraordinary feats and if I may further indulge in my metaphoric reference to the two olympians, in record breaking time too.
I take pride that we are uniquely not unique.
Crosby Ong
(Please excuse my poorly updated blog)
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Saturday, June 28, 2008
Eulogy: Lawrence George Garlick, 1930-2008
Aunt Margie, John, Sue, Julie and other members of the Garlick family.
We only lost Uncle Laurie a few days ago and despite the fact that I am about eight and the half thousand kilometres away from him, I already missed him. I am sure we will miss his quiet presence, the smile and laughter of the gentle giant and the exemplary way of life of an ordinary hero – I most certainly will.
He probably did not know how much he inspired me as a husband, a father, a grandfather, a friend, a gentleman, a Christian in his unassuming ways. The most extraordinary thing about him was how ordinary he was. He was able to celebrate life without pomp and pizzazz. He exuded so much warmth, kindness and love. I have always felt in him, a certain inexplicable conviction and resolve in the God he believed. The way he handled his disease that plague his last days bore witness to all these.
Every day when I turn-on my PDA, I am greeted with my favourite quote from a book written by John Le Carre entitled The Russia House, “Today, one must think like a hero to behave like a merely decent human being”. Uncle Laurie was my hero. Uncle Laurie, thank you for sharing your home, your family and your life with me.
Aunt Margie, John, Sue and Julie, I grieve with you. I will miss chatting with him over the phone. I will miss hoping that I will see him again either in Singapore or in New Zealand. I will miss his calm, soothing voice. I will miss his jokes and laughter. However, in his honour I will continue to live my life like he did. Like him, I shall learn to live and behave like a merely decent human being.
May his God bless and keep Laurie Garlick, and his family he loved so much.
Wednesday, September 07, 2005
Lost & Found
I once was lost but now am found;
or so I thought, was that you God?
Perhaps, I'm better lost than found;
From where I am, I just can't see God;
But at least I know now, God I've not found.
You can't say I did not try;
I pray, speak tongues; Heck! even cry.
The deeper I get, the further from the truth, I feel.
When I look around, I'd say to myself, "this can't be real!"
Unless I choose to contradict the world, people and my self;
See only what I want to see;
Hear only what I want to hear;
I feel my life becom'n more and more unreal.
Like a sad loser that that just wouldn't quit.
Indeed I'm lost but happily lost.
Better to know I'm lost than pretend to have found.
It is not ideal but at least I am real.
Is there a God? I don't know.
I may be lost but I didn't lose my self.
I, once was lost but now am found!
or so I thought, was that you God?
Perhaps, I'm better lost than found;
From where I am, I just can't see God;
But at least I know now, God I've not found.
You can't say I did not try;
I pray, speak tongues; Heck! even cry.
The deeper I get, the further from the truth, I feel.
When I look around, I'd say to myself, "this can't be real!"
Unless I choose to contradict the world, people and my self;
See only what I want to see;
Hear only what I want to hear;
I feel my life becom'n more and more unreal.
Like a sad loser that that just wouldn't quit.
Indeed I'm lost but happily lost.
Better to know I'm lost than pretend to have found.
It is not ideal but at least I am real.
Is there a God? I don't know.
I may be lost but I didn't lose my self.
I, once was lost but now am found!
Thursday, August 11, 2005
Happy Birthday! Paul
The Athlete [March 2005]
Even before you were born, you've always been quite an "attention-seeker". Whilst in the womb, you had hydrocephalus. Less than a month after birth you had pneumonia. At a year-plus, you suffered intussusception that would relapsed about a year later. You've also had your appendix removed. But you've always been a brave lad!
You are beyond doubt a talented young man. There is a special warmth about you that I love. You're sensitive, perceptive and kind.
More to come....(sorry, been busy with work!)
Saturday, June 18, 2005
Domestic Helpers
Ever so often I get very angry, embarrass and uncomfortable with the way Singaporeans (including even some of my friends or relatives) treat their domestic helpers.
These past few nights, I've been attending my uncle's wake. Most of my immediate maternal relatives whom I'm closer with would be present. One of their domestic helper has been asked to be around to help. She is very helpful, pleasant, and make herself very useful indeed. Of course, some of my relatives have gotten her to help do some errands for them too. But most of them hardly ever say, "Please" or "Thank you". They just simply call her by her nickname or "shorter" name followed by their specific instruction (to put it mildly) for her.
I just can't understand this?!! These relatives of mine are some of the kindest and dearest people to me. They would bent over backwards for me, and have done so. Yet, whenever they are communicating with the domestic helper, all humane respect and kindness seem to disappear into the thin air! As my daughter would often say, "Aaaarghhh!!".
Domestic helpers are human beings. They've got feelings. They got brains - maybe not as "clever" as we think they should be but they are certainly not stupid. In fact, if given a chance to prove, many may be cleverer than us. I'm sure, if they had a choice, they would rather not work as domestic helpers for us ungrateful arrogant eccentric inconsistent children-of-immigrants. We sometimes forget that we could easily be in the same plight as they are.
In fact, it was not too long ago that some of our parents/aunts/ relatives were working as "amahs" for the many British/European expatriates in Singapore. My late godma certainly was one. I'm quite certain her employer didn't treat her with such disrespect. So why are we like that? Have we become too affluent to appreciate what it means to be poor and helpless - a sad victim of their own country's poor and corrupt mis-management? Many of these people painfully leave family, children, philandering and scum of the earth fathers/husbands to eke out a miserable living that guarantees no salary for the first six months of their employment here despite working 12-16 hour days and no off-days. Thanks to another bunch of scum of the earth agents at home and here. They do not deserve such a shit life any more than we do! Have a heart please.
Fermina, 16 years old, domestic helper in Malaysia
Sure there are the usual black sheep. But they are mostly defenseless "aliens" here. Many of them have no one to turn to. You could chop her up, cook her with curry, even worse, rape her, abuse her, wrongfully confined her, sell her....no one will probably know. How much would it cost us to just treat them like a decent human being? Have a heart please.
But the irony of it all is I think they will one day have the last laugh. I believe our ability to contradict ourselves in how we treat another fellow human being whilst preaching and demanding for our own perceived "basic" and "human" rights will backfire on us some day soon. Our ability to lie to ourselves will continue to numb our ability to check our own weakness and value. We become people who are completely blind to our own inconsistencies. There is one group of observers we are not likely to fool though. Our children. Some of them, hopefully, will grow up to question our actions and behaviour. Unfortunately, many of them will grow to be like us. They will ape the way we treat another human being, and when we grow old, they'll probably treat us the only way the know how - they way we unwittingly "taught" them by our negative example. Mark my words!
These past few nights, I've been attending my uncle's wake. Most of my immediate maternal relatives whom I'm closer with would be present. One of their domestic helper has been asked to be around to help. She is very helpful, pleasant, and make herself very useful indeed. Of course, some of my relatives have gotten her to help do some errands for them too. But most of them hardly ever say, "Please" or "Thank you". They just simply call her by her nickname or "shorter" name followed by their specific instruction (to put it mildly) for her.
I just can't understand this?!! These relatives of mine are some of the kindest and dearest people to me. They would bent over backwards for me, and have done so. Yet, whenever they are communicating with the domestic helper, all humane respect and kindness seem to disappear into the thin air! As my daughter would often say, "Aaaarghhh!!".
Domestic helpers are human beings. They've got feelings. They got brains - maybe not as "clever" as we think they should be but they are certainly not stupid. In fact, if given a chance to prove, many may be cleverer than us. I'm sure, if they had a choice, they would rather not work as domestic helpers for us ungrateful arrogant eccentric inconsistent children-of-immigrants. We sometimes forget that we could easily be in the same plight as they are.
In fact, it was not too long ago that some of our parents/aunts/ relatives were working as "amahs" for the many British/European expatriates in Singapore. My late godma certainly was one. I'm quite certain her employer didn't treat her with such disrespect. So why are we like that? Have we become too affluent to appreciate what it means to be poor and helpless - a sad victim of their own country's poor and corrupt mis-management? Many of these people painfully leave family, children, philandering and scum of the earth fathers/husbands to eke out a miserable living that guarantees no salary for the first six months of their employment here despite working 12-16 hour days and no off-days. Thanks to another bunch of scum of the earth agents at home and here. They do not deserve such a shit life any more than we do! Have a heart please.
Fermina, 16 years old, domestic helper in Malaysia
Sure there are the usual black sheep. But they are mostly defenseless "aliens" here. Many of them have no one to turn to. You could chop her up, cook her with curry, even worse, rape her, abuse her, wrongfully confined her, sell her....no one will probably know. How much would it cost us to just treat them like a decent human being? Have a heart please.
But the irony of it all is I think they will one day have the last laugh. I believe our ability to contradict ourselves in how we treat another fellow human being whilst preaching and demanding for our own perceived "basic" and "human" rights will backfire on us some day soon. Our ability to lie to ourselves will continue to numb our ability to check our own weakness and value. We become people who are completely blind to our own inconsistencies. There is one group of observers we are not likely to fool though. Our children. Some of them, hopefully, will grow up to question our actions and behaviour. Unfortunately, many of them will grow to be like us. They will ape the way we treat another human being, and when we grow old, they'll probably treat us the only way the know how - they way we unwittingly "taught" them by our negative example. Mark my words!
Sunday, June 12, 2005
Where's God?
Warning!!: Before proceeding, please read my entries on 1st & 2nd January 2005 and Personal Disclaimer.
I was still doing my theological studies then and was living on a shoe-string budget (if any). Hence, I tried to be as thrifty as I could. It was one of those occasion when my parents were staying over at my Yishun apartment (where I used to live) for a while. I was to accompany my mother to the National University Hospital (NUH) for her medical appointment. She had just suffered a stroke which affected her left limbs. She could walk by herself but not very steady. I can't even remember if she had started using a walking stick then.
Taking a taxi would have been the most convenient way to get to the NUH. But to save some money, I decided that we would take a taxi to the nearest MRT station (then it was only available from Yio Chu Kang Station) and use the train. Unfortunately, just as we were about to get out of the taxi, my mum fell and fractured her wrist!
You can't imagine how I felt. I've never forgiven myself. My mum was never angry with me but I was. Needless to say, I was subsequently angry with God too. Did he not promised in Psalm 121:
This was to mark the beginning of the end for mum that stretch 12 painful years. Where's God? Was it wrong or naive of me to expect a miracle from Yahweh?
I know there are others worse off. But should I take comfort at the expense of other's more grave miseries? Where's God for these people anyway?
I was still doing my theological studies then and was living on a shoe-string budget (if any). Hence, I tried to be as thrifty as I could. It was one of those occasion when my parents were staying over at my Yishun apartment (where I used to live) for a while. I was to accompany my mother to the National University Hospital (NUH) for her medical appointment. She had just suffered a stroke which affected her left limbs. She could walk by herself but not very steady. I can't even remember if she had started using a walking stick then.
Taking a taxi would have been the most convenient way to get to the NUH. But to save some money, I decided that we would take a taxi to the nearest MRT station (then it was only available from Yio Chu Kang Station) and use the train. Unfortunately, just as we were about to get out of the taxi, my mum fell and fractured her wrist!
You can't imagine how I felt. I've never forgiven myself. My mum was never angry with me but I was. Needless to say, I was subsequently angry with God too. Did he not promised in Psalm 121:
He will not let your foot slip - he who watches over you will not
slumber.... The Lord watches over you - the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm your by day, nor by the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm - he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.
This was to mark the beginning of the end for mum that stretch 12 painful years. Where's God? Was it wrong or naive of me to expect a miracle from Yahweh?
I know there are others worse off. But should I take comfort at the expense of other's more grave miseries? Where's God for these people anyway?
Friday, June 10, 2005
The Problem of Evil - A Theological Pain
Warning!!: Before proceeding, please read my entries on 1st & 2nd January 2005 and Personal Disclaimer.
As a Christian, one believes that God is in control of all that occurs. He has a plan for the entire universe and all of time, and is at work bringing about that good plan. But a shadow falls across the comforting doctrine: the problem of evil.
Read this excerpt from Millard J Erickson's Christian Theology - Evil and God's World: A Special Problem. Chap 19, pp 411ff. (Baker) which helps to describe the nature of of the problem of evil:
The problem may be stated in a simple or a more complex fashion. David Hume (Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion) put it succinctly when he wrote of God: "Is he willing to prevent evil, but not able? then is he impotent. Is he able, but not willing? then is he malevolent. Is he both able and willing: whence then is evil?" The existence of evil can also be seen as presenting a problem for the mealtime prayer that many children have been taught to pray: "God is great, God is good. Let us thank him for our food." For if God is great, then he is able to prevent evil from occurring. If God is good, he will not wish for evil to occur. But there is rather evident evil about us. The problem of evil then may be thought of as a conflict involving three concepts: God's power; God's goodness, and the presence of evil in the world. Common sense seems to tell us that all three cannot be true.
In varying degrees, the problem is a difficulty for all types of strong theism. Specifically, it is a difficulty for the theology which we have been presenting in this writing. We have discussed the omnipotence of God: his ability to do all things which are proper objects of his power. We have noted that creation and providence are implementations of this omnipotence, meaning respectively that God has by his own free decision and action brought into being everything that is and that he is in control of that creation, maintaining and directing it to the ends he has chosen. Further, we have observed the goodness of God - his attributes of love, mercy, patience. Yet evil is obviously present. How can this be, in light of who and what God is?
The evil that precipitates this dilemma is of two general types. On one hand, there is what is usually called natural evil. This is evil that does not involve human willing and acting, but is merely an aspect of nature which seems to work against man's welfare. There are the destructive forces of nature: hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes, volcanic eruptions, and the like. These catastrophic occurrences produce large losses of life as well as property. And much suffering and loss of human lives are caused by diseases such as cancer, cystic fibrosis, multiple sclerosis, and a host of other illness. The other type of evil is termed moral evil. These evils which can be traced to the choice and action of free moral agents. Here we find war, crime, cruelty, class struggles, discrimination, slavery, and injustices too numerable to mention. While moral evils can to some extent be removed from our consideration here by blaming them upon man's exercise of his own fee will, natural evils cannot be dismissed from our consideration. They simply seem to be there in the creation which God has made.
We have noted that the problem of evil arises to varying degrees for different theologies; in addition, it takes differing forms. Indeed, John Feinberg (Theologies and Evil) argues that we are not dealing with a problem, but with a set or series of problems appearing in varying combinations. Moreover, the problem of evil may occur as either a religious or a theological problem or both. In terms of the distinction made in the opening chapter of this book, religion is the level of spiritual practice, experience, and belief. Theology is the secondary level of reflection upon religion, involving analysis, interpretation, and construction. In general, the religious form of the problem of evil occurs when some particular aspect of one's experience has had the effect of calling into question the greatness or goodness of God, and hence threatens the relationship between the believer and God. The theological form of the problem is concerned with evil in general. It is not a question of how a specific concrete situation can exist in light of God's being what and who he is, but how any such problem does not necessarily imply personal experiences, but there will have been a specific situation at least vicariously encountered. The theological form of the problem, however, does not necessarily imply any such specific situation at all. One's focus on the problem may well move from religious to theological as a result of such an occurrence, or concentration on evil in general may devolve from much broader considerations. It is important to note these distinctions. For, as Alvin Plantinga (God, Freedom and Evil) has pointed out, the person for whom some specific evil (this is perhaps more accurate than the problem of evil) is presenting a religious difficulty may need pastoral care rather than help in working out intellectual difficulties. Similarly, to treat one's genuine intellectual struggles as merely a matter of feelings will not be very helpful. Failure to recognize the religious form of the problem of evil will appear insensitive; failure to deal with the theological form will appear intellectually insulting. Particulary where the two are found together, it is important to recognize and distinguish the respective components.
Perhaps another simplistic way of looking at how the problem of evil affects me can be stated in the following way:
As a Christian, one believes that God is in control of all that occurs. He has a plan for the entire universe and all of time, and is at work bringing about that good plan. But a shadow falls across the comforting doctrine: the problem of evil.
Read this excerpt from Millard J Erickson's Christian Theology - Evil and God's World: A Special Problem. Chap 19, pp 411ff. (Baker) which helps to describe the nature of of the problem of evil:
The problem may be stated in a simple or a more complex fashion. David Hume (Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion) put it succinctly when he wrote of God: "Is he willing to prevent evil, but not able? then is he impotent. Is he able, but not willing? then is he malevolent. Is he both able and willing: whence then is evil?" The existence of evil can also be seen as presenting a problem for the mealtime prayer that many children have been taught to pray: "God is great, God is good. Let us thank him for our food." For if God is great, then he is able to prevent evil from occurring. If God is good, he will not wish for evil to occur. But there is rather evident evil about us. The problem of evil then may be thought of as a conflict involving three concepts: God's power; God's goodness, and the presence of evil in the world. Common sense seems to tell us that all three cannot be true.
In varying degrees, the problem is a difficulty for all types of strong theism. Specifically, it is a difficulty for the theology which we have been presenting in this writing. We have discussed the omnipotence of God: his ability to do all things which are proper objects of his power. We have noted that creation and providence are implementations of this omnipotence, meaning respectively that God has by his own free decision and action brought into being everything that is and that he is in control of that creation, maintaining and directing it to the ends he has chosen. Further, we have observed the goodness of God - his attributes of love, mercy, patience. Yet evil is obviously present. How can this be, in light of who and what God is?
The evil that precipitates this dilemma is of two general types. On one hand, there is what is usually called natural evil. This is evil that does not involve human willing and acting, but is merely an aspect of nature which seems to work against man's welfare. There are the destructive forces of nature: hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes, volcanic eruptions, and the like. These catastrophic occurrences produce large losses of life as well as property. And much suffering and loss of human lives are caused by diseases such as cancer, cystic fibrosis, multiple sclerosis, and a host of other illness. The other type of evil is termed moral evil. These evils which can be traced to the choice and action of free moral agents. Here we find war, crime, cruelty, class struggles, discrimination, slavery, and injustices too numerable to mention. While moral evils can to some extent be removed from our consideration here by blaming them upon man's exercise of his own fee will, natural evils cannot be dismissed from our consideration. They simply seem to be there in the creation which God has made.
We have noted that the problem of evil arises to varying degrees for different theologies; in addition, it takes differing forms. Indeed, John Feinberg (Theologies and Evil) argues that we are not dealing with a problem, but with a set or series of problems appearing in varying combinations. Moreover, the problem of evil may occur as either a religious or a theological problem or both. In terms of the distinction made in the opening chapter of this book, religion is the level of spiritual practice, experience, and belief. Theology is the secondary level of reflection upon religion, involving analysis, interpretation, and construction. In general, the religious form of the problem of evil occurs when some particular aspect of one's experience has had the effect of calling into question the greatness or goodness of God, and hence threatens the relationship between the believer and God. The theological form of the problem is concerned with evil in general. It is not a question of how a specific concrete situation can exist in light of God's being what and who he is, but how any such problem does not necessarily imply personal experiences, but there will have been a specific situation at least vicariously encountered. The theological form of the problem, however, does not necessarily imply any such specific situation at all. One's focus on the problem may well move from religious to theological as a result of such an occurrence, or concentration on evil in general may devolve from much broader considerations. It is important to note these distinctions. For, as Alvin Plantinga (God, Freedom and Evil) has pointed out, the person for whom some specific evil (this is perhaps more accurate than the problem of evil) is presenting a religious difficulty may need pastoral care rather than help in working out intellectual difficulties. Similarly, to treat one's genuine intellectual struggles as merely a matter of feelings will not be very helpful. Failure to recognize the religious form of the problem of evil will appear insensitive; failure to deal with the theological form will appear intellectually insulting. Particulary where the two are found together, it is important to recognize and distinguish the respective components.
Perhaps another simplistic way of looking at how the problem of evil affects me can be stated in the following way:
- If God exists, then God is omnipotent, omniscient, and morally perfect.
- If God is omnipotent, then God has the power to eliminate all evil.
- If God is omniscient, then God knows when evil exists.
- If God is morally perfect, then God has the desire to eliminate all evil.
- Evil exists.
- If evil exists and God exists, then either God doesn't have the power to eliminate all evil, or doesn't know when evil exists, or doesn't have the desire to eliminate all evil.
- Therefore, God doesn't exist.
For some more additional reading, click here
Tuesday, June 07, 2005
A Sad Day
Rosy Tan 1934-2002. Wife, Mother & Grandmother par excellence!
Exactly three years ago to this day, my mother died after a painfully long spell of illness (12 years) that saw her deteriorate from an abled-bodied, proud, merticulous, first-class home-maker, enterprising person to an almost blind, bed-ridden, insulin dependent, dialysis dependent, had to be fed through a nasogastric tube and a catheter sticking out of her stomach. She had a stroke, followed by a heart attack that required a quadruple coronary artery bypass surgery, diabetic retinopathy, and a transtibial amputation of her left leg. So for her sake**, I was glad her misery finally ended. I really wished we had other options. Unfortunately, death appear to be the only panacea available to her.
You see, I have this "secret wish/dream" that I always haboured. Things I wanted to do with my parents - especially my mum. I rarely ever have a wishlist when I pray to God. This is one of those. Never came to pass. Don't get me wrong, when my mum died, I did not have things that I wish I had done. I believe I did the best I could for her. But I just wanted to do a little more. Why not. She gave birth to me, raised me with every cent she could and could not spare. She has never ceased to care for me - not even after I got married and have children of my own. I've always felt she deserved better. Her life on earth was harsh - to say the least.
I think of her often. Even more so now on every 7th day of June and 1st day of October - the anniversary of her death and her birthday. I still get picture flashes of the first time I had to see her fully naked before me. Completely hapless. No, I'm not ashame of seeing her naked. It's the circumstance. Another is the day she took her last breath in the hospital. It was painful to see her live with all the tubes, and missing or non-functioning body parts. So death was really the lesser of two evil. But nothing prepared me to see someone I love take her last breath. Suddenly, life felt so cold, so noir, so meaningless.
Anyway, I do try to move on. She did teach me many invaluable lessons about life. I cherish them. I hope to see and talk to her again. Frankly, I have very little confident I will. My Christian faith is fast diminishing. Much of my Christ-ian hope is turning into despair. Regardless, I miss her. It's funny how I actually have not dreamed of her, not even once, since her death.
**There are some dark days when I wonder if my own tiredness & despair had wished for her death. As a caregiver, I (my other family members too) was physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually and financially drained. On such days, I feel very shameful, am very angry and hate myself. God is not spared either!
Monday, May 30, 2005
Happy Birthday Charissa!
Picture taken at Genting Highlands [2004]
My first-born and only daughter turns 16 today. I remember very vividly two things about her when she was a baby. She had lovely curly hair and always had a smile in her face.
Her name Charissa is a latinised version of the Greek word "charis" meaning "grace or gift of God". Indeed she is. As a baby, she was very easy to look after. I remember rushing home everyday wanting to play, cuddle and talk to her. I used to spend a lot of time with her. I miss being able to cuddle you. I miss being able to talk to you more freely. Sometimes I feel like I no longer understand you, and this makes me extremely sad.
I enjoy watching you excel in sports. I'm very happy that you love music although we obviously prefer rather different genre. I'm very proud of your many talents. I do know you do put a considerable effort in your studies. If I'm hard on you it's because I think what's require of you to excel in your studies is going to be just as difficult. And I genuinely believe you got what it takes to achieve your goals but they are not going to be without some "pain".
I hope you'll be able to achieve your dreams - school-wise, career-wise and life-wise. I hope you'll grow up to be as wonderful a woman as your mummy - beautiful both in character and physically, self-less, strong and wise.
I love you very much - more than I get to express these days! Happy birthday to my only princess!
Tuesday, May 10, 2005
Lessons from Life 2
"Let him who cannot be alone beware of community.... Let him who is not in community beware of being alone....Each by itself has profound pitfalls and perils. One who wants fellowship without solitude plunges into the void of words and feelings, and one who seeks solitude without fellowship perishes in the abyss of vanity, self-infactuation, and despair." Dietrich Bonhoefffer, Life Together
Paradoxes of Life
- It is possible to experience freedom in bondage.
- There is death even amongst the living.
- One can be alone in a crowd.
- The more we learn, the less we know.
- Our strength is often also our weakness.
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