雜崩能閱讀報告
JBL Reading Report

We think we are headed toward the future. The truth is, the future is headed towards us. And it's in a hurry. We also generally think that the present makes sense only in light of the past. Again, we need to check our thinking. The present makes clear sense in light of the future. We humans write history by looking at the past. God creates history ahead of time. He never forecasts. God always backcasts. He began with the end in mind. The future is always incipient in the present. Before the foundation of the world, the Lamb was slain. Calvary was anticipated in God's kiss of life to Adam. The cross gains dimension ailhouetted against the empty tomb. The empty tomb confirmed the invasion of the future into the present. When Paul encountered the resurrected Jesus, he realized the future had been fast-forwarded. That changed everything.

It still does.

Labels: Reflection

Posted by Alan Yu at 10/24/2010 03:46:00 PM | Permalink | Comments

[...] 我聽過身邊的信徒，不斷向其他人「游說」，指聖經的記載如何如何地真確（literally correct），挪亞方舟事件，一如聖經上對它的每一項描述，準確地呈現在這個世界上。
我是想，即使（！）考古學家真的掘出了一艘如聖經所載、一樣尺寸、一樣停留的地方等的方舟，上述信徒的信仰，究竟是在一種怎樣的狀態？
不少信徒會極力維護聖經的「無誤性」，認為聖經如是這樣、那樣一字一句地說了，我們就應相信了。我不是想談方舟考古的準確性（我實在沒有質格談），我只想說，我觀察到的是，這些信徒是特別容易產生一種焦慮——尤其聽到甚麼進化論證據、甚麼考古發現等。談到挪亞方舟的記載性質（神話、歷史真實事件等緒如此類的討論），就直情是挑動他們的神經！深思他們背後的心態，不難發現這很大程度是因他們把信仰，建築在一種實證主義的基礎上。
有時，我們會把一些看得見、曾存在過的真實證據，作為我們信仰的根基；拿出了這些所謂科學實證，就以為信仰會是堅硬實淨。於是，我們竭力地在實證與信仰的關係上下護教之功。除去了這方面，我們的信仰似乎就要垮台；信仰／聖經不能跟實證科學矛盾，要不，我們的信仰哪有值得相信的地方？
可惜，這同時是一種信仰蒼白的狀態。信仰的歷程，真是要在這樣的基礎上走下去嗎？
基督信仰不是對世界、對社會、對文化的反省、對身邊人的關懷、對每個生命中受苦、盼望、恩典等有更深切、更偉大的睿見和委身（commitments）嗎？可惜，我們不把這些更大、更重要的事情放在心上，也不覺得這些是基督信仰的根基。（這或許就是不少人對香港大多數教會的批評）相反，不斷去傾盤而出、耗費不菲地去探索、以實證去指出聖經裡某一處的記載是如何精確，並以此作為我們傳的所謂「福音」的內容。
我不是要否定實證科學的價值，我只想問：把實證放在一個終極的位置，會否扭曲了信仰與科學的關係？而且，會否把信仰的焦點，由對人、對社會世界、對文化的關懷，錯置在一個自我築起、以滿足實證、客觀的探究上？

Labels: Reflection

Posted by Alan Yu at 10/17/2010 11:18:00 PM | Permalink | Comments

我們犯的就是多馬所犯的錯誤：我們忘了「不可能」（impossible）是神最喜歡的字之一。

Labels: Reflection

Posted by Alan Yu at 10/17/2010 04:28:00 PM | Permalink | Comments

The Latin root [for the word addiction] is addicene, "to give assent, to assign or surrender" - in ancient times it was used to describe someone (usually an enemy) who was captured and kept in bondage or slavery. This is a good description of the modern addict as well - he or she is a "slave" to an attachment.

Clavin Miller, in his book The Taste of Joy, warns that many Christians are only "Christaholics" and not disciples at all. He points out that real disciples are cross bearers; they seek to follow the true Christ, not make a fetish of him or any aspect of following him. Christaholics, on the other hand, are escapists who are looking for a shortcut to happiness. They want the joy that comes from knowing Christ but none of the responsibility.
The possibility of religious addiction is something every Christian leader should acknowledge, because in urging others to greater devotion, there is always the danger of encouraging the development of addictions. Given the tremendous emotional needs many in our culture feel, there is always the temptation, in presenting and interpreting the gospel, to overemphasize "what religion can do for you." Our preaching, teaching and writing, therefore, can lead people down the addiction path rather than the true experience of Christ's path if we unknowlingly give too much reverence to the objects of our faith rather than to Christ.

Labels: Healing, Reflection

Posted by Alan Yu at 10/11/2010 03:36:00 PM | Permalink | Comments

問：有沒有中國人獲得諾貝爾獎？
答：有，但他們都拿著外國國籍。(丁肇中、李遠哲、朱棣文、崔琦、賽珍珠、錢永健)
問：有沒有中國公民獲得過諾貝爾獎？
答：有，但他們都是中華民國的公民。(李政道、楊振寧)
問：有沒有新中國的公民獲得過諾貝爾獎？
答：有，但他不承認自己是中國公民。(高行健)
問：有沒有承認自己是中國人的新中國公民獲得諾貝爾獎？
答：有，但是我們不承認他是中國公民。(達賴)
問：有沒有承認自己是中國公民，國家也承認他是新中國公民的諾貝爾獎獲得者？
答：有，但他在新中國的監獄裏。(劉曉波)

本人強烈建議中共中央，立即逮捕那些抓捕劉曉波並判他11年徒刑的人，是他們陰謀策劃，最終製造了一個諾貝爾和平獎獲得者。他們才是共產黨最大的敵人啊！

南京一愛國青年在得知挪威將諾獎頒給劉曉波後，非常氣憤，走上街頭發起了一場「抵制挪貨，從我做起」的萬人簽名活動，呼籲廣大市民抵制挪貨，其中一位情緒激昂的市民在多人勸阻無效的情況下，當場點燃了一本《挪威的森林》。

評獎的這幫人太狠了，每當錢不夠時，就發給一個無法領獎的人。

由於新聞聯播在諾貝爾和平獎揭曉的日子竟然隻字不提，劉曉波在獄中一定知道他已經獲得諾貝爾和平獎。

新華社：中國一名服刑人員在改造期間輕而易舉獲得了諾貝爾獎，充分體現社會主義法制國家的優越性。

前些日子是全中國人要求日本放人，現在是全世界人要求中國放人。

Labels: News, On the light side

Posted by Alan Yu at 10/10/2010 09:31:00 PM | Permalink | Comments

...growth towards wholeness cannot begin until self-deception and self-justification are broken and the self experiences a vulnerability and creates an opening through which real contact with others can occur. The most difficult movement for the self to make in the recovery process is to experience a real breakdown in the defenses...

...hope emerges among those who publicly articulate and process their grief over their suffering.

Labels: Healing, Reflection

Posted by Alan Yu at 10/10/2010 09:18:00 PM | Permalink | Comments