雜崩能閱讀報告
JBL Reading Report

This is from today's Mingpao, Vancouver edition:

信仰匯聚中心兼容天下宗教
供冬奧選手共禱 籌建費2500萬

【明報專訊】溫哥華即將出現首座包括所有宗教信仰在內的「信仰匯聚中心」(Inter-Faith Spiritual Centre)。該中心將坐落在溫市冬奧選手村內，在哥倫比亞街(Columbia St.)夾西一街處，預定在2010年啟用。目前已有發展商贊助價值400萬元的土地，2500萬元的建築費將在民間籌集；中心秘書、卑大教授何仲偉有信心可籌得建設所需經費。

　 提供一所中心，供不同信仰的選手作宗教崇拜之處，是奧運選手村的要求之一。為了向各國選手們提供共同祈禱、崇拜的地點，多個溫市宗教組織及民間團體，發起籌建一個歡迎不同信仰、或沒有信仰者，追求心靈平靜及世界和平的場所。

　 何仲偉說，「信仰匯聚中心」這個計劃已經運作了3年，獲得市府的大力支持。這個中心除了提供不同宗教人士追求心靈平靜的場所，也會有教室、圖書館等設施。冬奧結束後，將成為東南福溪(False Creek)社區聚會的地點，並成為溫市重要地標。

　 負責規劃設計該中心的建築師奧斯特里(Mark Ostry)說，由於這是世界上少有、結合多個宗教的信仰匯聚中心，因此在設計上幾乎找不到先例可供參考，只能憑想像、不斷與各宗教團體溝通，來進行設計。

奧斯特里說，根據規劃，中心將分為兩個主要部分，中間是提供所有人共同禮拜的空間，旁邊則由多個放置個別宗教象徵物的祈禱室圍繞，提供教徒使用。整棟建築物將採取多層樓設計，預計中間共同禮拜空間可容納400人。

　 多個不同宗教團體代表均出席了昨日的宣布儀式，除了代表天主教的何仲偉外，出席代表還包括：溫哥華Akali Singh錫克協會的Pritam Singh Aulakh、猶太領袖Rabbi Philip Bregman、佛教社區成員詹鳳玲、穆斯林社區成員Seemi Bushra Ghazi、加拿大聖公會主教Michael Ingham、加拿大穆斯林聯盟副主席Aziz Khaki、信仰匯聚中心董事會成員Derek LaCroix、猶太社區成員Bryan Shapiro、代表基督教的成員Jamie Wright。

　 與會代表最後並點起象徵東方信仰、西方信仰，以及無信仰的心靈追求等三根蠟燭，期盼「信仰匯聚中心」能夠照亮所有人的心靈。

Is it really possible for Christian to worship and pray in a space with symbols from other "religions" and not find them offending? To me, I don't think I can worship the Lord in a space with a statue of Buddha. This has nothing to do with tolerance (which is a bad word - and concept). This is just the nature of Christianity. Our God is the only God and he needs not to share His glory with anyone.

Labels: News

Posted by Alan Yu at 7/28/2006 02:24:00 PM | Permalink | Comments

I read an article on the August issue of BC Christian News today titled "A Different Perspective On The Head Tax Apology". It is a comment made by Wesley Lowe, a filmmake and composer, chaplain for Chinese WWII veterans and on the board of BC Christian News. The article is not available online yet (I'll try to post a link if it becomes available online later). The disclaimer made by the newspaper is that this article is strictly the author's own idea and not to be construed as representative of either a Christian or Chinese veteran's perspective.

The point of the article can basically be summarized in this quote:

...I don't think we needed an apology; I don't think we need compensation - either as descendants of Head Tax payers or as a community. Nada. Nothing.
Why? Because my forefathers came to Canada willingly.
No one put a gun to their head and said: "You must pay the Head Tax to come and work in Canada." In their own hearts, they were willing to do whatever it took in order to get out of the poverty of China, so their descendants might have a better future...

The logic of this argument is completely wrong. Willingness to accept something has nothing to do with the correctness of something. Let me give you an example.
Let say there is someone living in a home where he got physical abuse 7 days a week. Then, someone offered him another home to stay, where he will only be abused 1 day a week. Of course, anybody will "willingly" move out of the original home and choose the new offer. However, does his willingness to move into the new home makes physical abuse 1 day per week a correct thing? No!
Of course issues confronting the Chinese head tax payers many years ago were much more complicated, of course. But at least what we know is that, they did not have much choices like we do today. What they could do to survive was only to choose the less evil option. But that did not make that option non-evil.
When you did something wrong, you apologize. This is simple logic.

Labels: Discontent, News

Posted by Alan Yu at 7/28/2006 01:55:00 PM | Permalink | Comments

今日在明報港聞版看到以下這則令人擔憂的新聞：

學生失身率 初中高於高中
近半學生不會或不肯定會避孕

【明報專訊】中文大學與「母親的抉擇」，上兩月訪問了逾3000名中學和大學生，其中一成半受訪者表示已「失身」，而中學初中生「失身」的情況，更較高中生普遍。調查機構形容情況堪憂，促請教統局盡快把性教育納入小學正規課程。

數字未包括非在學青年

受訪的14歲至21歲學生，絕大部分為中學生。一成半表示曾和別人發生性行為。在中一至中二組別中，近兩成人已獻出了「初夜」；在中三至中七組別中，逾13%人承認已奉上了自己的「第一次」。母親的抉擇未婚懷孕服務主任劉小草形容，是次研究反映問題只屬冰山一角：「今次研究集中在學生，若包括其他非在學青年，實際的數字會更大。」

拍拖年齡推前 對性好奇

中大心理系首席研究學者林少�說，初中生較高中生的「失身」情況嚴重，是因為高中生多把注意力放在學業方面，對性的認知和情感控制亦較好，擔心懷孕後要承擔的後果。

劉小草補充，現時年輕人開始拍拖的年齡已推前至小五、小六，他們透過互聯網和傳媒接收不同的性知識，對性的好奇心增加。

調查又指出，近半學生不會或不肯定進行性行為時會避孕。若意外懷孕，逾一半學生指會選擇自行照顧嬰兒，約四分一會選擇墮胎和交由別人領養。林少�說，此情況令人關注，並指學生性知識貧乏，多數只是聽過「月經」和「墮胎」的課題，從未正式接受過完整的性教育。

林說，性教育不單是涵蓋生殖器官的功能和性交的過程，而是包括兩性的身分認同和感觀、個人操守、道德及性的操守、價值觀、安全性行為等。她指性教育應由幼稚園或小學開始，為年輕人踏入青春期時「做好準備」，促請教統局盡快把性教育納入正規課程。

籲性教育由小學開始

劉小草稱，除了學校教育，家長有責任自小灌輸性知識予子女。她建議，家長不應一開始便質問子女：「你有沒有拍拖？」又或厲聲喝罵，應該要從日常生活中，如透過新聞報道，與子女一起討論拍拖、未婚懷孕等問題，否則子女便會四處尋求一些不正確的性知識。

教統局發言人指，局方致力在學校推行性教育，現行的中、小學課程均包含性教育課題，並鼓勵學校透過家校合作，推廣和深化性教育。

I think most young people just do not understand the implications of having pre-marital sex, not to mention having sex at this young age. The article is right, they are exposed to way too much sexual content in the media. It is the responsibility of the parents to help children and young people build a healthy attitude towards sexual contents in media, not only sex. I remember when I was young, when there were people kissing on TV, we were taught to not look. Why are we not teaching children to do that anymore? The whole sexual downfall of society begins with these trivial changes in our attitude. Do not become numb.
我的大兒子三歲，是時候開始性教育了。

Labels: News

Posted by Alan Yu at 7/27/2006 11:19:00 PM | Permalink | Comments

Recently I encounter a book titled "The Hidden Power of Electronic Culture" by Shane Hipps. I finished reading this book in 2 days. This is how Doug Pagitt, pastor of Solomon's Porch describes this book:

Perhaps like me there are times when after reading a book, you are gripped by fear. Not fear because of what you have read, but fear because of what it would have meant had you not read the book you just finished. The Hidden Power of Electronic Culture is one of those books.

As for me, I fear both.
Here is one of the many paragraphs that catches me deeply:

Increasingly, we have become electronic nomads - people whose electronic locations are in constant flux. When I talk on the phone with someone in Europe, my voice is disembodied, and electronically I am in Europe. I am no longer fully present in my physical location. While it seem insignificant, this lack of presence is important. Consider the phenomenon that it is more dangerous to drive a car while talking on a hands-free cell phone than to drive while talking with a friend sitting next to you. When talking on a cell phone, a person is simple not fully present in the car. Cell phones and the like reduce us to partly disembodied souls electronically residing in other locations. In this sense, electronic technology can have an isolating, fragmenting effect.

Consider the implication to mission and discipleship.
I highly recommend this very practical book.

Labels: Reflection

Posted by Alan Yu at 7/24/2006 09:59:00 PM | Permalink | Comments

看到以下這篇文章已經很多天了，只是一直沒空scan and post。來自溫哥華明報《中華探索》7月17日。



這令我想起陳奕迅很多年前的一首歌：

反高潮 　　　
曲：陳奕迅
詞：黃偉文

這秒鐘　十分感動
接下來　只可以更加激進
如若要平庸　十一分的平庸
「微笑」「大笑」後必須「發瘋」

動不動　就很感動
縱壞時　生死也懶得起哄
娛樂再無窮　但本質都雷同
矛盾漸進就己是沉淪

如何留得住高潮
一招了　太過少
靈與慾已升級了
怎可再跌落寂寥
這十八層怎麼跳

敵不動　自己不動
厚面皮　一刀剌進都不痛
危難中兒童　撞冰山的郵輪
難煽動我又滿面愁容

如何留得住高潮
一招了　太過少
靈與慾已升級了
怎可再跌落寂寥
這十八層怎麼跳

不清楚　怎麼縱壞了
不得了　想得到　得到了嫌少
這一秒　只知多麼需要留得住高潮
一招了　太過少
靈與慾已升級了
怎可再跌落寂寥
這道斷橋即管跳

心不死
我最多情感漸失調　糟了
最近連高潮都停不了
連高潮都煩擾

我們基督徒在處理信仰問題時有否跌落相同的陷阱？
歡迎回應。

Labels: News

Posted by Alan Yu at 7/23/2006 01:38:00 PM | Permalink | Comments

The following is an excerpt from an article posted on Youth Specialties' website written by youth pastor Michael Holt. Some interesting points that require more attention.

The other night I was watching TV with my wife and there were two attractive young women sitting on a park bench, trying to figure out if the guys passing by were wearing boxers or briefs. I was intrigued; how do they tell? Type of guy? Type of pants? Type of…what? I asked my wife, "Do women do that?" "Of course not," she said incredulously.

Reflecting back, I realize that my wife and I come from a generation for whom underwear was not an acceptable topic of conversation unless you were shopping for some. But I've been exploring this issue, because as a youth ministry professional for almost thirty years, I definitely need to be up on the current culture. This "boxers or briefs" thing is everywhere. After all, ten years ago, candidate (soon to be president) Bill Clinton was quizzed about his underwear on MTV. Why does anyone ask? Why does anyone care? And whose business is it anyway?

...When I was in high school, one of the major fashion mistakes a guy could make was to publicly expose the waistband on his Fruit of the Looms—but not anymore. I read somewhere that this trend of wearing low slung pants with underwear exposed came from the prison culture. The prisoners purposely wore larger pants so they could be ready for a "quickie" with another convict at the, uh, drop of their pants. Many Rap performers adopted this because they had relatives who had been in prison, and they wanted to be cool. The trend then spilled over from the urban culture into the mainstream through Hip Hop/Rap music. Just check out the Hip Hop videos on MTV.

...I shared this with a student group at a retreat last year—mostly urban kids, and the guys were definitely hip. Watching basketball was strange; most of the aerobic activity came from pulling up their jeans. I've never seen so many "Tommy" boxer waistbands. At a session dealing with cultural influence and our biblical response, I explained what I had learned about the baggy pants look. The guys all jumped up, frantically yanking up their pants. I noticed the girls reacting positively to this and asked them why. One girl yelled out, "We don't like to see guys' underwear!" which drew emphatic female applause.

Most of the time we're just not alert enough with the implications and influences of popular culture on our own lives. Refuse to accept anything without passing it through your brain.

Labels: Reflection

Posted by Alan Yu at 7/22/2006 11:48:00 PM | Permalink | Comments

I walk by these recruitment posters at Starbucks everyday as I go to school. What amazes me is that they are not just recruiting people to sell coffee, but they are empowering their potential employees with a larger vision. This vision is not only verbal, but everytime an employee holds a warm cup of coffee, he or she is reminded that they are providing warmth, not just coffee, and they are changing lives. Starbucks is connecting their employees to an unseen landscape, a dream, that will in fact alter how the mudane work (selling coffee) on earth is done.

When we are recruiting people to serve the Lord, are we giving them as powerful a vision to drive them?

Labels: Reflection

Posted by Alan Yu at 7/21/2006 11:18:00 AM | Permalink | Comments

The following is part of an interview of 倪匡 at a seminar in Hong Kong as recorded by MingPao.

Q︰怎樣面對記者尖銳問題？

A︰普通問題，普通態度，普通答法。

Labels: Reflection

Posted by Alan Yu at 7/20/2006 05:22:00 PM | Permalink | Comments

Another great idea that I got in class a few days ago:
One of the fundamental issues is that Christians can't agree (classic examples: Holy Communion and baptism). So why should the world pay attention to us and believe that we have truth to offer?

Posted by Alan Yu at 7/20/2006 11:07:00 AM | Permalink | Comments

I'm enrolled in a class at Regent College these two weeks led by Quentin Schultze on the topic of faith and media.
There is an interesting conversation about learning raised in class today. Someone asked (who is a high school teacher), when all knowledge can be access through the internet with the proper searching technology, which is improving continuously, what is the point to know anything anymore? And this is exactly how his students think. They only memorize knowledge in a short-term fashion for exams and forget them immediately afterwards.
I think there is a fundamental misunderstanding about the concept of knowledge and learning behind this argument. What you can access on the web (most of them) I’ll only call data. If data is being put together in a meaningful fashion they become information. But not until you internalize and digest and reiterate that information within you and turn them into your own, they are not knowledge.
So learning should not be reduced to techniques for data searching. Learning is the process of turning data or information into knowledge. Many young people today do not have this ability to learn, because the education system is not giving them the vision about learn, and how important it is in a knowledge society.
We are in fact defined by what we know. A carpenter is defined as a carpenter because he or she possesses the specific knowledge of carpentry. A musician is defined as a musician because he or she possesses the specific knowledge of music. We are what we know. Knowledge gives us our identity.
When you do not have the ability to learn, when you do not possess knowledge of your own, you lose your identity. And this is exactly the struggle many young people are experiencing.
"Thou shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free." This bible verse is inscribed over the door to the Library of the University of Oregon. It cannot be more correct.

Labels: Reflection

Posted by Alan Yu at 7/19/2006 12:42:00 PM | Permalink | Comments

Recently I've been very busy. School has started and occupied me until 2pm everyday, so I'm left with only half a day at work... too many things to catch up and most naturally I have not been reading much. You may have already noticed that I don't have a lot of insightful entries recently. Sorry for not keeping up. Well, just give me a few more days and I should be able to pick up my Screwtape Letters again... and I'm about to start reading several books on worship... and also about living a balanced life...

Labels: Personal

Posted by Alan Yu at 7/13/2006 11:12:00 PM | Permalink | Comments

The following is copied from an extra distributed by 愛加公義聯會：

卑詩省政府為討好兩名同性戀活躍份子，於四月與他們秘密簽署協議，作為人權法庭訴訟的妥協，妥協是由省政府穿針引線的，妥協條款主要包括兩部份：其一是修改由幼稚園至十二班的必修課程，這些修改將會在本年九月十五日完成；其二是在明年九月開始，一個新的選修科目給第十二年班進修，名為社會公義科。其中一名同性戀教師Murray Corren 指課程會有重大更改，並表示他們用了十年時間，不會只是為了推銷一個小小的選修科（指十二班的新科目）那麼簡單。據傳媒報導，Correns 要課程包括同性戀歷史、歷史人物、同性戀以往和現時的模範人物、同性婚姻和同性戀者的收養權利等。現在省教育廳居然向他們作出的妥協，令他們異常高興。他們更預料家長權利會受嚴格限制，家長們不得因「內容敏感」而有絕對權禁止其子女上課。

據同性戀報章Xtra West的報導，協議中規定教育廳要定期諮詢Murray Corren 及其伴侶和他們所推薦團體的意見，在指定時間內檢討現有課程，作出指引，並於七月十五日前向他倆呈交課程指引初稿，再讓兩人提出批評及意見，然後由教育廳作最後修改，在九月十五日前正式執行。有很大可能性省政府和Correns 會縮短時間表以避免其他關心社會的人士有時間干涉。

本會在本年六月初在主流傳媒得知該秘密協議後，曾在本年六月二十日和省政府代表律政司（Attorney General Mr. Wally Oppal）會面。在該會議上，Oppal 先生堅持傳媒報導是錯誤的，實在只是在明年九月開一個新科目給十二班的學生，名為社會公義科，而且是一個選修科，他預料很少學生會對此科有興趣。本會代表關注該協議的秘密性，除Correns外，其他社會人士，尤其是家長和學生全都矇在鼓裏，再者，Correns 的投訴是沒有充份理據，性愛好和對社會貢獻實拉不上關係，還有修改由幼稚園到十二班的課程會在短短的兩個多月內全部完成（至本年九月十五日止），只有Correns 及他們所推薦的性愛好組織和人物進行修改，對修改有不尋常的影響力，實在只是一面倒的現象，Oppal 先生承諾會邀請副教育廳長和本會代表包括他本人在內於本年七月第一個星期內會面，但Oppal 先生一再拖延，不守承諾，我們非常失望。

同性戀人士要得到的可由卑詩同性戀教師組織所編製的「挑戰校內同性戀恐懼」Challenging Homophobia in School 的冊子表示：教師沉默即是壓抑，故強迫所有教師在所有班級的各課程內都要加入同性戀變性人的題材；要邀請外來講員講論同性戀，在校內張貼宣傳海報，師生要配戴彩虹襟章及粉紅色三角徽號，以鼓勵支持校內舉行同性戀遊行；所有語文必須改為中性，例如以「青年人」取代青年男女，以「伴侶或愛人」取代夫妻，以「家中成人」取代父母；教師不能假設所有女孩子都認為自己是女孩子，也不能把所有男孩子視為男孩子，要避免提及異性相吸。

一九九七年，同性戀的招攬運動已如火如荼地向整個教育制度進攻，幸而一群家長組織起來，極力反對，直至前教育廳長林世普（新民主黨政府）公開宣佈學校課程不得更改。結果，家長、學生及真正以教育為己任的教師們逃過了一場浩劫。但近十年後的今天，省政府律政廳及教育廳為了免除人權訟裁處的投訴，竟然選擇釋事寧人，屈服於數名同性戀者的壓力之下，將卑詩省數十萬學童當作政治籌碼，把整個教育課程交在兩名同性戀者的手下，聽其所命以作更改。我們切勿忘記，卑詩省的教育制度是屬於家長、屬於學童、屬於所有為社會栽培下一代成材的納稅人的，為此省政府必須向省民公開作出交待。

因著任何政治因素，以一紙秘密協議試圖出賣整個教育制度！？如此所為我們絕對不能接受！
為保護下一代的權利，為保障他們憲法所賦與的宗教及言論自由，家長及關心社會
人士必須團結起來，向政府反映我們的意見，絕對不容教育制度落在特殊利益份子手上，讓孩子們任其宰割。

附上請願書，請盡量協助搜集簽名，填滿後請於2006 年7 月28 日或之前交回愛加公義聯會CASJAFVA Suite #792 – 916 W. Broadway, Vancouver, B.C. V5Z 1K7

註：因此乃教育廳課程之更改，私立或獨立學校，包括教會學校在內應難幸免。

Labels: News

Posted by Alan Yu at 7/13/2006 11:59:00 AM | Permalink | Comments

Someone made a comment to me today that the scanned chinese articles I posted are too tiny to read. What he didn't realize is that, if you click on the image, you'll get a full size version of it. This is also true for any photo posted on this blog. Now you know.

Labels: Personal

Posted by Alan Yu at 7/12/2006 01:08:00 AM | Permalink | Comments

The other day when I was buying text books for my courses at Regent College, a sudden urge arised in me to read C.S. Lewis' "Screwtape Letters," so I bought the book and is now reading it. I've just finished about half of it but am already inspired (or should I use the word enlightened?). No wonder my professor Darrell Johnson calling it one of the most important books that Christian should read in the 21st century. It has great value in informing us about the spiritual war that used to be so hidden.
I'll share more about my reading of this book later. Check back often.

Labels: Reflection

Posted by Alan Yu at 7/09/2006 09:38:00 PM | Permalink | Comments

As an ex-architect, I have been following the news on the fate of this historic building in Hong Kong. I'm glad that one of the decendents of the original owner of the house is willing to buy the house back from other family members in order to preserve it.
Architecture is an art, but it is seldom appreciated in the same magnitude as other art forms, such as painting. For profit, many people are willing to destruct building with artistic value. You'll never see people buying a painting for the sake of destroying it. How sad architecture is often discriminated.
Is it because architecture is too often associated with commercial activities? I don't know. I think it is a question of the cultural quality of a city. I can never imagine such thing will happen in Paris or even Vancouver.

Labels: News

Posted by Alan Yu at 7/09/2006 09:29:00 PM | Permalink | Comments

I am not a soccer fan (in fact not a sports fan in any dimension), so I have not been watching World Cup in the last several weeks. However, it is so hot that everybody around me is talking about it, and I find peer-pressure that I have to at least know something about World Cup, so that I have something to talk about. I'm glad that it's finally over and hopefully life will get back to normal.

And this article appears today on MingPao. If it had appeared sooner, I think I can handle the situation easier. Well, I'm not totally behind every point he makes, but it is at least a comfort to me.

Labels: Reflection

Posted by Alan Yu at 7/09/2006 09:24:00 PM | Permalink | Comments

I got the following quotes that comments on contemporary church music from a workshop led by Tim Hughes.

“There are several reasons for opposing it. One, it’s too new. Two, it’s often worldly, even blasphemous. The new Christian music is not as pleasant as the more established style. Because there are so many new songs, you can’t learn them all. It puts too much emphasis on instrumental music rather than godly lyrics. This new music creates disturbances making people act indecently and disorderly. The preceding generation got along without it. It’s a money making scam and some of these new music upstarts are lewd and loose.”

But who said the above? A pastor attacking Isaac Watts, writer of ‘When I survey the wondrous Cross,’ in 1723!

Labels: Worship

Posted by Alan Yu at 7/04/2006 02:26:00 PM | Permalink | Comments

saw this on the web. if you don't have a wife yet, don't try the following. maybe except #15.

Here are some amusing Biblical examples of how men have historically gone about finding a wife.
1. Find an attractive prisoner of war, bring her home, shave her head, trim her nails, and give her new clothes. Then she's yours! (Deuteronomy 21:11-13) - Read on for more!
2. Find a prostitute and marry her. (Hosea 1:1-3)
3. Find a man with seven daughters, and impress him by watering his flock. (Exodus 2:16-21)
4. Purchase a piece of property, and get a woman as part of the deal. (Ruth 4:5-10)
5. Go to a party and hide. When the women come out to dance, grab one and carry her off to be your wife. (Judges 21:19-25)
6. Have God make one for you while you sleep. (Genesis 2:19-24)
7. Agree to work seven years in exchange for a woman's hand in marriage. Get tricked into marrying the wrong woman. Then work another seven years for the woman you wanted to marry in the first place. That's right. (Genesis 29:15-30)
8. Cut 200 foreskins off of your future father-in-law's enemies and get his daughter for a wife. (I Samuel 18:27)
9. Even if no one is out there, just wander around a bit and you'll definitely find someone. (Genesis 4:16-17)
10. Become the emperor of a huge nation and hold a beauty contest. (Esther 2:3-4)
11. When you see someone you like, go home and tell your parents, "I have seen a ... woman; now get her for me." If your parents question your decision, simply say, "Get her for me. She's the one for me." (Judges 14:1-3)
12. Kill a guy and take HIS wife. (2 Samuel 11)
13. Wait for your brother to die. Take his widow - it's not just a good idea; it's the law! (Deuteronomy or Leviticus, example in Ruth)
14. Don't be so picky. Make up for quality with quantity. (1 Kings 11:1-3)
15. A wife? No thanks ... (1 Corinthians 7:32-35)

Labels: On the light side

Posted by Alan Yu at 7/04/2006 01:00:00 AM | Permalink | Comments