因為冷了，所以我們把Christ Temple的門關上了。
十一月的寒冷天氣警告，我問來自瑞典的朋友，我們在貴國嗎？
活像瑞典的冷，卻沒有那裡的暖氣。
然後我想起上個冬天，我們也曾因為低溫而關上聖殿的門。
在冷空氣中，鳥鳴顯得更清脆。
昨天接到舊教會弟兄的來電，他說，很久沒有見過你了。
然後我說，我轉了教會，之後是對方半秒的的無言。他似乎很明白，又或許是不知如何回應。
我仍舊參與周五早上的聖餐，仍舊早起乘坐首班巴士，只是有些人我不再願意見，有些地方我不會想再去。
Friday, November 20, 2009
Life is absurd
I had taught English to a group of women in the community for three years. Primary school level English that wouldn't really make a difference in their life.
Zi Teng offers English classes as well.
So there were those women I had taught who sought, and probably still seek, some kind of upward mobility or perhaps just a better chance in getting a job through the English course. There are also those women who want to learn more English for their trade as some of their customers are foreigners. My students have been praised again and agian for their hard work and diligence. Keep learning; keeping improving yourself; keep adding value to yourself! Then there are those sex workers who take English courses. There won't be any hand clapping for them. So what is the difference?
I see many similarities between these two groups of people except the nature of their job (or maybe you won't agree that sex work is a job). Life is complex. Maybe too complex.
Zi Teng offers English classes as well.
So there were those women I had taught who sought, and probably still seek, some kind of upward mobility or perhaps just a better chance in getting a job through the English course. There are also those women who want to learn more English for their trade as some of their customers are foreigners. My students have been praised again and agian for their hard work and diligence. Keep learning; keeping improving yourself; keep adding value to yourself! Then there are those sex workers who take English courses. There won't be any hand clapping for them. So what is the difference?
I see many similarities between these two groups of people except the nature of their job (or maybe you won't agree that sex work is a job). Life is complex. Maybe too complex.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
The story I shared with Eva and her congregation in Denmark
I went with more than 30 students from Norway to Wong Tai Sin Temple last week and it brought me many childhood memories. I had spent many a Sunday there as my grandma had a stall there selling incense and other offerings. I don’t know how this incense selling business sounds to people in Denmark, but certainly in HK, it has got me into trouble. I had worked in a mission organization for more than 4 years. My boss had no trouble hiring me as an editor. But once she and another colleague found out the nature of my grandma’s business, I was “asked” to confess my sin and repent. They thought that my family had some kind of connection to the evil. Perhaps it was really evil to make money and make a living. I was sorry that these mission people didn’t really care that even though we were selling incense in a temple, it was straightly business. For all the years I spent in Wong Tai Sin Temple, I never went in to worship any idols. The visit there last week was actually the first time I stepped inside and took a good look.
My Christian faith probably started when I was a student in a Protestant primary school. I learned the Lord’s prayer though I had no idea what it was about until much later. I learned most the hymns I know now from that time as well. The hymns we sang were not local composition. We sang the same tunes with people in the UK (our colonial master, remember?) but the words had been translated into Chinese. Since the translations very often didn’t really work, so very often our Lord became a pig. (The word Lord and pig have the same pronunciation in Cantonese except for their different tones). So for a long time, I sang: “pig” Jesus loves me. I don’t intend to blaspheme here; but maybe the above experience has taught me the need of localization and contextualization in our faith.
I didn’t go to church until I was a secondary school student. I was probably 16 or 17 at that time, studying in a Buddhist secondary school. There was indeed a Buddhist monastery next to our school and we had a Buddhist nun teaching us Buddhism. Buddhism remains a mystery to me and I see it as a philosophy more than a religion. Even though we had Buddhism lessons, no one really tried to convert us into Buddhism. I remember one of my teachers who was a Roman Catholic. She asked us to be respectful of this school religion even if we were of other faith. And that Buddhist nun teacher had also mentioned something about respect. She told us that when she went to a Christian church, she would do exactly what others did. I didn’t like this nun very much but I must say that I respected this attitude of hers.
So what do all the above lead us to? Now I am a Christian. I am leading a fairly active life in a congregation at TFS. And I met Eva there. I am a seminary student who is quite serious about her studies and wants to know more about the Christian faith. I believe that God was with me even in that sunny Sunday more than 20 years ago when I was playing around Wong Tai Sin Temple. I believe that God was still there even when I chose to go to a Buddhist school after my education in a Protestant one. Some of my Christian friends in HK would be horrified if they knew that I was going to a Taoist temple. At least one of my Christian friends would say going to a Buddhist school is a bad idea (and he’s teaching in one!). One of my teachers at the seminary is into interfaith dialogue. I had gone to a Sikh temple with him lately. I have seen too much exclusion and too little care in local churches. If God is love, is that love only for Christians? Or does God love all? If God loves the Jews, does God also love the Danish and Chinese?
Last but not least, thank Eva for inviting me to share my story. And I’d like to send my warm greetings to my dear brothers and sisters in Lord in Denmark. Though I haven’t met you, I believe that Jesus has called us to be one.
My Christian faith probably started when I was a student in a Protestant primary school. I learned the Lord’s prayer though I had no idea what it was about until much later. I learned most the hymns I know now from that time as well. The hymns we sang were not local composition. We sang the same tunes with people in the UK (our colonial master, remember?) but the words had been translated into Chinese. Since the translations very often didn’t really work, so very often our Lord became a pig. (The word Lord and pig have the same pronunciation in Cantonese except for their different tones). So for a long time, I sang: “pig” Jesus loves me. I don’t intend to blaspheme here; but maybe the above experience has taught me the need of localization and contextualization in our faith.
I didn’t go to church until I was a secondary school student. I was probably 16 or 17 at that time, studying in a Buddhist secondary school. There was indeed a Buddhist monastery next to our school and we had a Buddhist nun teaching us Buddhism. Buddhism remains a mystery to me and I see it as a philosophy more than a religion. Even though we had Buddhism lessons, no one really tried to convert us into Buddhism. I remember one of my teachers who was a Roman Catholic. She asked us to be respectful of this school religion even if we were of other faith. And that Buddhist nun teacher had also mentioned something about respect. She told us that when she went to a Christian church, she would do exactly what others did. I didn’t like this nun very much but I must say that I respected this attitude of hers.
So what do all the above lead us to? Now I am a Christian. I am leading a fairly active life in a congregation at TFS. And I met Eva there. I am a seminary student who is quite serious about her studies and wants to know more about the Christian faith. I believe that God was with me even in that sunny Sunday more than 20 years ago when I was playing around Wong Tai Sin Temple. I believe that God was still there even when I chose to go to a Buddhist school after my education in a Protestant one. Some of my Christian friends in HK would be horrified if they knew that I was going to a Taoist temple. At least one of my Christian friends would say going to a Buddhist school is a bad idea (and he’s teaching in one!). One of my teachers at the seminary is into interfaith dialogue. I had gone to a Sikh temple with him lately. I have seen too much exclusion and too little care in local churches. If God is love, is that love only for Christians? Or does God love all? If God loves the Jews, does God also love the Danish and Chinese?
Last but not least, thank Eva for inviting me to share my story. And I’d like to send my warm greetings to my dear brothers and sisters in Lord in Denmark. Though I haven’t met you, I believe that Jesus has called us to be one.
Hunger
I have never experienced real hunger; I always have a home to return.
But I don't think life is always easy in my family. My family has never been rich. I suspect that there were times that we just managed to survive; and I believe the same thing has happened to my neighbours.
We are just ordinary people trying to survive.
I admire many of the mothers in my neighbourhood. My childhood was filled with all those Mrs, and in particular there was Mrs Ng who lived opposite us.
Life is difficult. But those mothers I know have always provided shelter and security not only to their children, but to others' as well.
The Feminist Theology class visited Zi Teng last night. We had the chance to talk face to face with a sex worker.
This sex worker is like any other mothers whom I know, taking care of her son, trying to give him the best.
People may say she is morally corrupt. She will not be welcome by most churches.
But who are we that we think we can judge her? We who have never experienced any real hunger, we who always have a roof above our head, what makes us think we can judge her "morality"? And who is to say what is moral and what is not?
But I don't think life is always easy in my family. My family has never been rich. I suspect that there were times that we just managed to survive; and I believe the same thing has happened to my neighbours.
We are just ordinary people trying to survive.
I admire many of the mothers in my neighbourhood. My childhood was filled with all those Mrs, and in particular there was Mrs Ng who lived opposite us.
Life is difficult. But those mothers I know have always provided shelter and security not only to their children, but to others' as well.
The Feminist Theology class visited Zi Teng last night. We had the chance to talk face to face with a sex worker.
This sex worker is like any other mothers whom I know, taking care of her son, trying to give him the best.
People may say she is morally corrupt. She will not be welcome by most churches.
But who are we that we think we can judge her? We who have never experienced any real hunger, we who always have a roof above our head, what makes us think we can judge her "morality"? And who is to say what is moral and what is not?
Monday, November 16, 2009
Saturday, November 14, 2009
教會會籍問題
究竟為甚麼要有教會會籍？為甚麼當我受洗加入普世教會時，要同時加入一個堂會？
教會會籍於我代表：每年參與一次會員大會，但你不是會友都可以參加啊！至於投票權，除了要有會友的身分外，亦要在過去兩年有金錢奉獻，要有奉獻收據。難怪有人比喻奉獻為交會費，或親切點說是俾家用。這引伸了另一問題：冇錢「交會費」是否就冇投票權？
教會會籍於我代表：每年參與一次會員大會，但你不是會友都可以參加啊！至於投票權，除了要有會友的身分外，亦要在過去兩年有金錢奉獻，要有奉獻收據。難怪有人比喻奉獻為交會費，或親切點說是俾家用。這引伸了另一問題：冇錢「交會費」是否就冇投票權？
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)