A letter to the Mr Intellectual

Dear Mr Intellectual,

Its been a long time since I've written to you and I'm quite sorry that we in the world haven't been speaking to you so much lately. Its just that we've gotten so roused up by Ms Hedonist's and Mr Expedient's rhetoric that talking to you just ain't as exciting as boozing it out or accusing someone of sodomy. Also, Mr Brinkmanship just told me that he reckons Russia would fire a few missiles into Gori, so that the Georgians would remember who's Boss in the Crimean. The Chinese seem to be reveling in an expansive show of growing political hegemony and they seem to have found a valuable proxy for this.... oh yes, they call it sport. And did you watch the opening ceremony of this Sport thing by any chance? I did not and will not, though I heard they got many of their ideas from the North Korean Mass exercises. I think the chinese might be annoyed with the Russians for trying to steal their thunder with those tanks and the Georgians but life's like that, you can't have it all. As you can see, its getting pretty hard finding time to think and consider the things we used to talk about when the world is in quite a mess.

Yet I've been thinking about what we've mentioned before. I kind of agree with you about the shifting fads of the intellectual class. Its odd that I cannot get around the circles of sophistication with my love of Shakespeare and Tolstoy. Quoting the classics don't really seem to help. It seems the people who write to you often aren't really fascinated by the sweet anachronisms of interpreting a common pool of classical work through our modern eyes anymore. Its the postmodern world you see, commonality and shared experiences are no longer in vogue. Its all about obsurity and esoteric circles of knowledge. People lumber over Icelandic literature and get excited over unheard of indie and alternative bands. Classical music is passe. Its important not just to know these odd post structuralist crazes, its important to show excitement over them too.

Like yesterday, I was at a bookshop and I overheard a few freshers of the intellectual school of Singapore talk about the colonial domination of their intellectual narrative and how they must shake it off through reinterpreting their past and exhorting the value of Asian literature. Very soon we'll all be getting excited over Catherine Lim, a worthwhile enterprise if we wished to confound the west and secure a place in the intellectual circles of the world. Always good to shake off the colonial hangover by indulging in abit of reactionary behaviour. Worst, I had this dean write about how ASEAN had accomplished more than the EU. Clearly, the search for intellectual prominence is leading us down the road of embracing obscurity and a little falsehood. Oh! (hitting my wrist), I meant the road of specialized knowledge and postmodern construction. ( a knowing smile)

Though I suspect, Mr Intellecutal, that we've been down this road before. No, no, don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that the post modern, post structuralist world was of such concern in the past, its just that we seem to be moving from fad to fad. Rather disconcerting, wouldn't you say? Consider how, a few decades ago, we were contemplating the positivist nature of Truth, about you know, how truth had to be scientifically and empirically grounded, and that since we couldn't see God, He probably wasn't there. You remember that? In a while, we're done with that and embracing the fact that objective truth does not exist and we're all masters of our own truth. I'm confused actually, it appears we've made ourselves little gods while doing away with the original idea of a God.

That's what worries me, Mr intellectual. I'm beginning to see the limits of the world of logic and science. The narratives that flow throughout our intellectual past augments noting more than fads that seek to distinguish a group of high intellectuals- a pedestal for the thinking elite. When more people attain to the fad, these high intellectuals shift to another one so there never is equality. Whats more, I'm coming to see a vanity in this and in our postmodern fad... furthermore there appears to be a recognition of the despair that comes naturally to those who dabble in it. We're so cynical about truth these days, that its cool to disagree or to be rebellious with existing constructs. I've got a couple of Boys to discipline, but they're pretty rebellious, they tell me that its their right to disagree in this postmodern world. I can't believe the audacity of them imposing their views on me, that I am not allowed to impose my views on them. And I'm their father for crying out loud! Rather regretful, wouldn't you say? With no common ground shared on truth, amoral behaviour in all spheres become the exposed homogeneity. Well, at least one good thing happens here, our primitivism is all the more obvious.

I'm sorry if I appear upset, though I think we're in a sorry state. There must be an answer somewhere. Someone told me its in religion. Honestly, I've found religion boring. All the rituals and moral guidelines. I've already pointed out, intellectual or not, we're all quite constraint to this hamster wheel of trying to reach the high pedestal faster than the others. So how should one expect Human Beings to tend towards moral perfection.... unless moral perfection becomes the next fad and the next means for becoming better than others. So i really don't think following moral guidelines and rituals help all that much.

I suspect the only way out, for you and me, is to be changed.... born again. Yes, to be utterly re-worked and transformed. And it cannot come from us since we're all caught up in this race to nowhere. Sure someone much greater than ourselves can do this.... someone who might perhaps be our creator.... I'm not monkeying around really, I do believe in a creator.... yes, as you might find it hard to believe but I'm contemplating Christianity.

Could this be the answer you think... Mr Intellectual? Do write back, I await your reply

Yours Faithfully
Charles Ng

There is Hope in Christ

Whilst much is wrong with this wretched world, a ray of hope still shines forth. Just yesterday, I was contemplating the mortality of humanity and the shortness of time, how in view of this we still dwell in sin that I was gently reminded that God reigns in heaven, supreme and patient. Soon, He will judge the world and all its inhabitants and bring to finish His glorious plan which He had began since the creation of man. As the bible so describes this will be a time of great trepidation and the powers of all creation whether good or evil will utterly bow and declare the beautiful, loving and terrible majesty of God almighty. The supreme judge will have the final say and only He has the keys to heaven and hell.

I guess, if I were absolutely honest about it, a sense of fear about this terrible Day is very much aroused in my heart and all of us do well to pray for mercy on this great Day of the Lord. Yet similarly, there is a great hope, a hope that comes only when we are aware of this power and the severity of judgment that proceeds from the righteousness of God above.

This Hope is two fold. On one hand, all the evil that runs amok in this earth cannot last long. they are only temporal. That is quite a hopeful thought. In fact, much of the evil that flagrantly parades itself will be utterly exposed on that day. Nothing will be hidden from the eyes of God. On the other hand, there is much hope in knowing that I would also fail the standards of God BUT (and its the exciting and life saving BUT) I have an advocate in Jesus Christ.

And that is the nub of it. He has won me by His death, having experienced the judgment 2000 years ago and having drunk the full wrath of God on the cross, He has made me worthy of being counted as God's child on that day. The beauty of it is that I did not have anything valuable enough to pay for the terrible sins in my life. God won me by His grace and loved me even before I was born. And what that really means is that the judge who has all right to punish is also the Saviour who will bear this punishment. This God who is so powerful will Himself rescue and I'm just told to believe that it will be so. Of course this belief is a supernatural work that will utterly change my life and priorities, but Jesus has done it all!

Which really means that when the Judge sits upon the throne, He sees me as His child -pure- because He Himself has paid the price. He has inflicted His Son to rescue me and all who believe. We have been won with a great price. Its different from the world, which ranks people by competence, wealth, social standing and power (all crooked ways of differentiating people), He values us according to the depths of His unconditional love not by what we have in us, but what His love accords us. That is a really really hopeful thing to know.

So while i got rather melancholic about the mortality of man, God allowed me to remember the justice of His throne. Once it struck a fear of inevitable damnation, now it habours all the hope that I cannot yet imagine till I hear the words "This child is mine and all his wages are paid by My Son". I wish more people will preach Jesus and tell the truth about the condition of man. That way, we can all find the real hope, real love, real faith, real unity, real passion, real cross that will drive us to see our inability to have any of that on our own and lead us to our ultimate end - to know Him and worship Him for eternity.

If all should ever be stripped away and the barest of minimums be preserved, let there be no deeper state then the heart that pours its worship forth in graceful abandon. This earthly manor where we reside is fraught with complex sounds, of competing songs and fervent shouts of every whim and call. They may be Christian, in all its words and can be met with dance, but nothing beats the fervent call that cometh from the heart. For He delights in loving tunes that words may not describe, in quiet places where songs dry out, these words are what He wants.

so.... write a tune that music knows not, nor easy words betray. Ponder long, if you must, but praise with sweetest gaze. Look upon the One you love, for He graciously holds out -His Son He gave to vicious pain that paid the wage of sin, that wedged between the world and we and called us unto Him.

So when the music ends and the claps die out,
may the heart refuse to cease calling out,
to the God above who daily sits,
in thrones of love that no mortal can ever pit.
For dancing and song are not for long, and human emotions fray,
the fervent cries can soon still die, amidst the worldly gaze.
The devil rages and cheats the man who yet no anchor holds,
they love the God but forsake the Lord for holy they hate to behold.
But soon come the day when glory speaks, to host its specter clear,
A glimmering ray from high above will drive all men to fear.
Amidst ceaseless praise and honour due the Love the Lamb displays,
Men will discover praise they've yearned to say or failed till this bright day.

World

let me tell you about the world in one word, the world not in the geographical sense but in the conglomeration of all people - evil. If you belong to the type who would say, you should define evil first or evil is differentiated across cultures, I'm sorry, I'm not writing to you, I'm actually writing for those who already share the same convictions on this matter. These chaps I'm writing to are told by the Word and the Holy Spirit about the nature of evil. And one might ask, why preach to the choir? well, even the choir forgets, and the preacher too :P

The World is evil because it delights in service to self. Its main and predominant concerns are its own interest, its pleasure and the maximization of its own happiness. If this were so amongst all the people that constitute the world, the world can only be dark and deeply deceptive. And this is so. This self interest is driven by a longing for domination, for the deepest happiness of the world can be attained by being better than everyone else. It forces upon one the desire to overcome someone else for the sake of a temporal happiness. I think of the vast group of low wage workers subdued by a wealthy boss, not that the low wage workers would not want to be in the Boss' shoes, but the injustice of oppressing a hired worker. I think of the champagne socialists and liberals who sip expensive wines and talk about the sad plight of the hungry children in Ethiopia. Or even in work where the rat race pushes one into unethical conduct in the office and where people become self absorbed in school for fear of losing out.

Yes and even in ministry, where the man boasts about how many people he has helped or the number of bible studies he has done. Along the way, the world desires the license to dominate, to boast in self achievement, to revel in the temporal happiness of being better. It fights wars to develop superpower status, it tears families asunder and it indulges in pleasures of all kinds no matter how depraved and self demeaning.

Its about my wants, my happiness, its about why isn't anyone caring about me. Well hear this, if everyone says why isn't anyone caring about me, no one will be cared for. So get up and start caring for someone, be focused on God and as you do so God will meet your needs. This selfish world is most aware of what it wants but is blinded to the God who is all they need.

It fights for happiness but all that combined drives them to madness and sin and sadly, this world cannot extricate itself from this dilemma. In fact, it revels in them. It is aware of evil but it practices it with impunity. It is the reflection of every individual in this world, it has a self seeking heart and there is no other way except through the divine rescuing of God. There is no other route left except that an external power, so good and so great, come to re-create a new us. This power can only come from our Creator and he must be pure, for if he were evil, he too would not Himself be able to rescue man. He is perfect such that he reminds us, how we were first created to be...

This world is evil and fallen and I live in it. But my God has told me of a different world, one which he hs prepared. I'm really looking forward to that.