My Confession: My Reflections on Job 12 - 14

 

I continue my reflections on Job.

Job rejects the idea that he is deserving of punishment
After Zophar accuses Job of being guilty of hidden sin, Job counters that Zophar should not claim to know the mind of God,

“I have become a laughingstock to my friends,
    though I called on God and he answered—
    a mere laughingstock, though righteous and blameless!" - Job 12:4

“But ask the animals, and they will teach you,
    or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you;
 or speak to the earth, and it will teach you,
   or let the fish in the sea inform you.
 Which of all these does not know
    that the hand of the Lord has done this?" - Job 12:7-9

“My eyes have seen all this,
    my ears have heard and understood it.
 What you know, I also know;
    I am not inferior to you.
 But I desire to speak to the Almighty
    and to argue my case with God.
 You, however, smear me with lies;
    you are worthless physicians, all of you!
 If only you would be altogether silent!
    For you, that would be wisdom." - Job 13:1-5

Job puts his trust in God
Job continues to trust God, even though he does not understand the reason for his plight. He asks for God to hear him out.

“Only grant me these two things, God,
    and then I will not hide from you:
Withdraw your hand far from me,
    and stop frightening me with your terrors.
 Then summon me and I will answer,
    or let me speak, and you reply to me.
 How many wrongs and sins have I committed?
    Show me my offense and my sin.
 Why do you hide your face
    and consider me your enemy?" - Job 13: 20 -24

Job also recognises his life and legacy is in God's control.

“At least there is hope for a tree:
    If it is cut down, it will sprout again,
    and its new shoots will not fail.
Its roots may grow old in the ground
    and its stump die in the soil,
 yet at the scent of water it will bud
    and put forth shoots like a plant.
 But a man dies and is laid low;
    he breathes his last and is no more." - Job 14: 7-10

Thus Job knows that his only hope for restoration lies with God.

"Surely then you will count my steps
    but not keep track of my sin.
 My offenses will be sealed up in a bag;
    you will cover over my sin." - Job 14: 16-17

Impressions
One thing I did admire is while Job rejected the idea that he is in the wrong (as accused in the earlier chapters). He also rejects the idea that he needs to justify himself in front of his friends and knows the only being that holds his fate is God. God may choose to spare or strike him.

"Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him;

    I will surely defend my ways to his face." - Job 13: 15

Again, Job is willingly to be honest with his feelings about his circumstance with God, and not cover it up with pomp and flattery.

"If only you would hide me in the grave

    and conceal me till your anger has passed!

If only you would set me a time

    and then remember me!

If someone dies, will they live again?

    All the days of my hard service

    I will wait for my renewal to come." - Job 14: 13-14

Although I do not want Job's circumstance, I do pray I have faith and honesty to that closest with God.

With Due Respect: Did the 2024 Olympic Opening Ceremony mock Christianity?

 

Comparing a scene from the opening ceremony and The Last Supper

Every four years, I enjoy watching snippets from my second favourite sporting event -- the Olympics. [My favourite is the FIFA World Cup.] 

While I overall did enjoy the games (I enjoy watching fencing and wrestling) and many moments were meme-able and memorable, the 2024 Paris Olympics kicked off with controversy. In one particular performance, the actors seemed to parody the painting The Last Supper by Leonardo Da Vinci. Da Vinci painted that during the Renaissance as a tribute to the last meal Jesus had with his disciples before his execution.

This caused uproar from the Christian community including the Vatican and Orthodox bishops, and secular entities like the Italian government and C Spire (a technology company).

Almost immediately, Thomas Jolly, the artistic director of the opening ceremony quickly claimed that his critics were mistaken and that his ceremony was a tribute to the painting The Feast of the Gods by Dutch artist Jan van Bijlert. (Note that both paintings are the property of France.)

The Feast of The Gods portrays the Greek Gods having a party. Since the Olympics were originally conceived to be a tribute to the Greek gods, thus Jolly saw fit to have it in the opening ceremony. According to him, Christians were overreacting to his artistic direction.

Comparing a scene from the opening ceremony and The Feast of the gods 

How should Christians respond?

Christians should expect mockery

“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you." -- John 15: 18-19

Firstly, Christians should not be surprise when non-believers mocked them. After all, Jesus predicted that (as stated in the quote above). In fact Christianity has been researched to be the most persecuted religion in the world.

Christians should not be naive

“I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues. On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you." - Matthew 10: 16-20

Secondly, Christians should not be so trusting. The actors were obviously portraying the Last Supper and not the Feast of the Gods. Look at the positioning of the actors and the popular image it invokes. The Last Supper is way more popular in the human psyche than the Feast of the Gods. 

Even the actors themselves thought they were portraying the Last Supper. To pretend that it was something is else is simply asinine. In addition, the organisiers have apologised for the portrayal, fully that there is validity to the claim of the similarity to the Last Supper.

In the words of Judge Judy, "don't pee on My leg and tell me it's raining". Such an action would be equivalent to wear a Buddhist swastika to a Holocaust museum and laugh at the offended people who were uneducated on the difference between a Buddhist and Nazi symbol.

Christians should not resort to violence

“But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either. Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them." - Luke 6: 27-31

Nevertheless, Christians should not be violence over this. In fact, Jesus Himself said to bless those who cursed you. When Jesus was a arrested, he instructed Peter to sheath his sword (John 18:11) when Peter tried to defend him.

Conclusion

Christians should be aware that Jesus call us to live a life foreign to the world, and not to be shocked when the world persecutes us, either directly or indirectly. 

For more information
The issue covered by Salt and Light

Alternative Culture: The attempted assassination of Donald Trump

 

After the shooting, Trump raises his hand to encourage his base

On 13 July 2024, a person opened fire at presidential candidate Donald Trump at a Trump Rally in Pennsylvania. While Trump survived, two others (David Dutch and James Copenhaver) were wounded and one (Corey Comperatore) was killed. The secret service opened fire and killed the shooter. Trump later would attribute his safety to a chart (Trump shifted his head to look at it, causing the shooter to hit Trump's ear), the secret service, and God.

The purpose of this post is not to talk about the politics, security or even any conspiracy regarding the incident. This blog is a theological blog, and I will give my theological thoughts on this.

Is Trump the anti-Christ or the chosen one?
As with any major public event, there many Christians who are too hasty to condemn or praise Trump. 

Because of Trump surviving a head wound and Revelations 13, some point out that that he could be the anti-Christ, or the beast of the anti-Christ. 

One of its heads seemed to have a mortal wound, but its mortal wound was healed, and the whole earth marveled as they followed the beast. - Rev 13:3

On the other extreme end, some supporters see him as divinely chosen as he was shot at 6:11 pm. 

Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil - Ephesians 6:11

As with any interpretation, Christians ought to be open but cautious. In fact, the Bible itself encourages believers to be wary of following such trends.

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. - 1 John 4: 1-3

In my sceptical mind, I reject notions him being the anti-Christ because his wound was obviously not fatal. And I also reject the use of Ephesians 6:11 to support Trump as it is obliviously arbitrarily chosen. Why not John 6:11 or Hosea 6:11?

Was his survival the luck of the draw?

How did Trump see his survival?
On 19 July 2024, Trump gave a speech at the Republican National Convention. As part of his speech, he covered the assassination attempt from his point of view. I put a few quotes below:

"There was blood pouring everywhere, and yet in a certain way I felt very safe because I had God on my side."

"I stand before you in this arena only by the grace of almighty God."

"But if the events of last Saturday make anything clear, it is that every single moment we have on Earth is a gift from God. "

Trump felt that his survival was due to the intervention of God. In my opinion, his speech at the RNC surprisingly showed much humility as he thanked the Secret Service for protecting him and his supporters for not panicking at the event.

"Bullets were continuing to fly as very brave Secret Service agents rushed to the stage. And they really did. They rushed to the stage."

"This massive crowd of tens of thousands of people stood by and didn’t move an inch. In fact, many of them bravely but automatically stood up, looking for where the sniper would be. They knew immediately that it was a sniper. And then began pointing at him. You can see that if you look at the group behind me. That was just a small group compared to what was in front. Nobody ran and, by not stampeding, many lives were saved."

He also provided a moment of silence for Corey Comperatore, a retired fireman who was killed, shielding his family from the bullets.

His speech was also more unifying than usual.

"As Americans, we are bound together by a single fate and a shared destiny. We rise together. Or we fall apart. I am running to be president for all of America, not half of America, because there is no victory in winning for half of America."

Now I do not know how much God intervened for Trump's survival, but I do know that whatever happens, God is in charge. 

"The lot is cast into the lap,
    but its every decision is from the Lord." - Proverbs 16:33

Looking ahead
Now whether America becomes more or less divisive from this incident, or whether Trump goes back on his speech of unity remains to be seen.

Regardless of outcome, know that God is ultimately in control.

Do you not know? Do you not hear?
    Has it not been told you from the beginning?
    Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?
 It is he who sits above the circle of the earth,
    and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers;
who stretches out the heavens like a curtain,
    and spreads them like a tent to dwell in;
 who brings princes to nothing,
    and makes the rulers of the earth as emptiness. (Isaiah 40: 21-23)

Theology 1.0: How did Christianity come to Myanmar?

 

Adoniram Judson was a missionary in Myanmar for almost 40 years

Myanmar (Burma) is a historically resistant to Christianity. It has banned most Christian mission work and religious material since independence in 1948, and burning of churches is reported in the southern regions.

Yet the number of Christians has grown (especially among the minority races) from 6% in 2016 to 8% to in 2023. Of this 8%, two-thirds are from the Baptist denominations. This is due to the efforts of Adoniram Judson.

Adoniram Judson
Although the Portuguese had made occupied parts of Myanmar during the early 1600s, their mission work stopped in 1613 after they were repelled by the Burmese.

In 1813, Americans Adoniram Judson and his wife Ann arrived in Burma after the British did not want them preaching to Hindus in British-controlled India. Despite suffering a miscarriage and the death of their two-week old child along the way, both Adoniram and Ann dedicated their time to studying Burmese and their culture. In 1817 he translated the Gospel of Matthew to Burmese.

Isolated from European or American help, Adoniram finally held his first public service in 1818, and had his first convert less than a year later. Although he unsuccessfully petitioned the Burmese king Bagyidaw to remove death sentences for Burmese who converted from Buddhism to Christianity, the Judsons managed to gain 18 converts by 1823. Adonriam also made his first Burmese translation of the New Testament.

Anglo-Burmese war
In 1824, the British Empire warred with the Burma. Despite not being British, Adoniram was jailed for being a Westerner.

Ann visits an imprisoned Adoniram

As the war went poorly for the Burmese, Adoniram was recruited by Burma to act as a negotiator and translator. He was freed when the war ended in 1826. That same year, Ann passed away and their third child passed away in 1827.

With the minorities
In 1827, Adoniram made contact with the Karen people. Unlike the majority Burmese population, they were not Buddhist but animistic, and were oppressed. He surprisingly found them receptive to Christianity, and focused his efforts to the Northern Karen tribes.

He finally translated the entire Bible to Burmese in 1834. He married Sarah Hall Boardman in the same year. They continued the minister in Burma until 1845. Sarah had fallen ill and was recommended to return to America. She died en route the same year.

Adoniram married a third time to Emily Chubbuck in 1846. Adoniram and Emily both travelled to Burma to continue the mission work there. 

In 1850, Adoniram fell ill and was recommended a sea voyage. He died the same year at the Bay of Bengal. By this time, Burma had about 100 churches and 8000 converts.

Today, Myanmar has the third largest number of Baptists worldwide, behind the United States and India.

Alternative Culture: Made in Italy Theological Review

 

Robert and his son Jack agree to renovate their old Italian house for sale

I rarely watch contemporary drama films as I have an inherent liking for action-based, fantasy or sci-fi films. Nevertheless, I decided to watch Made in Italy on Netflix for a few reasons. One, it starred one of my favourite actors, Liam Neeson, and two, it showcased one of my favourite countries, Italy.

Synopsis
Jack Foster (Micheal Richardson) is released from his job as an art gallery manager in England. The owner is Ruth, Jack's estranged wife. To continue his lifestyle, Jack offers to buy the gallery, by selling an Italian mansion he and his father, Robert (Liam Neeson) inherited.

The problem is that he and his artist father are not on good terms and he needs his father's consent to sell it. To make things worse, the mansion is in poor condition after years of neglect. After some father-son confrontations and advice from a property agent Kate (Lindsay Duncan) and a neighbour (Valeria Bilello), the duo decide to work together to restore the mansion.

Christian themes explored

The reality of suffering
One thing I did like about the film was the exploration of the reality of suffering. Jack's mother's death and the absence of his father during Jack's childhood were traumatic to him.

Similarly, Robert's abandonment of his son and loss of artistic talent was due to the immense guilt that he may have caused his wife's death. In his sharing with Kate (who is pained by her cheating husband),  they could never go back to how things were.

Except, you never really can start again. -- Robert to Kate

However in Christianity there is hope. Jesus is divine, and yet is able to empathise with us.

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. - Hebrews 4: 15.

Jack and Robert look proudly at their renovation

Restoration of relationships
Being a simple film, the focus is on the restoration of relationship between Jack and Robert. It only happens after massive arguments, petty disagreements and quality time together. Yet though great desire, they realise that their restored relationship was worth more the monetary value of the mansion.

Similarly, God desires the restoration of relationship with us. The journey towards that restoration may be painful, but it will be worth it.

For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. -- Romans 8: 19-21

Conclusion
Despite being a simple film, I was suprirsed by how much I enjoyed it. Adding to the emotion impact was that Liam Neeson and Micheal Richardson are real-life father and son, and this film was seen as a passion project (as Nessons's wife Natasha Richardson died in 2009).

Theology 1.0: How did Martin Luther view science?

 One of the common portrayals of religion is that the adherents are somehow anti-science. This ignores the fact the many landmark scientists from Isaac Newton, Blaise Pascal and Asa Gray to Theodosius Dobzhansky, Francis Collins and Simon Conway Morris are Christian. 

In this post, I want to instead examine how a certain theologian of the past viewed the philosophy of science -- Martin Luther.

Is Luther anti-science or anti-reason?
One of the most abused quotes of Martin Luther was the phrase in the book Table Talk, 

"Reason is the enemy of faith".

However, this does not mean Luther saw logic as an enemy because he was arguing against Aristotelian reasoning rather than using reason as a methodology. After all in the same book he said, 

"We are at the dawn of a new era, for we are beginning to recover the knowledge of the external world that was lost through the fall of Adam. We now observe creatures properly .... But by the grace of God we already recognize in the most delicate flower the wonders of divine goodness and omnipotence."

In this way, he recognized that knowledge about nature could be used to support humanity. In essence, he rejected the Roman Catholic policy of scholasticism (Aristotelian logic) and favoured observations in nature.

According to historian Andrew White, Protestant cities influenced by Luther were more likely to accept human anatomical studies over Roman Catholic cities. This was due to the fact that human dissection was seen as taboo by the Roman Catholic Church, and their insistence of following Aristotelian assumptions about the human body.

Being wrong about heliocentrism
Another criticism was that Luther rejected Copernicus's idea of heliocentrism (the idea that the earth revolved around the sun).

However, this was not an unusual attitude at that time because the prevailing view was geocentrism (the idea that the sun revolved around the earth). Furthermore, Copernicus had not proven his hypothesis scientifically. 

It was only in the 1600s that Johanns Kepler proved mathematically that Copernicus was correct. Luther died in 1546.

Conclusion
To say that Luther was anti-science is to misunderstand the reformer's attitude towards logic, natural philosophy and pragmaticism. His attitude towards the natural world was simply this,

It's our Lord God who created all things and they are good.

In other words, nature reveals God's handiwork. While Luther himself was not a scientist, the Reformation he kicked off led to an era of openness and acceptance of new ideas. Such attitudes favored the development of science.

For more information:

Kobe's view

Beggar's view

Theology 1.0: What did Pope Leo I tell Attila the Hun?

 

The Huns, as depicted in the game, Total War: Attila

From the year 430s to 450s, Europe was terrorized by nomadic barbarians known as the Huns. During this period of time, Rome split into two - the Western and Eastern Roman Empire. Rome was at its lowest state. The Eastern Roman Empire was richer and controlled the Mediterranean, but faced the powerful Sassanid Empire from Persia. Western Rome stretched from Spain to Italy and Tunisia, but could barely hold on.

Attila led the Huns to extracted tribute (protection money) from both Roman Empires after raiding and sacking their cities. At Attila's peak, he received 700 kg of gold per year from Eastern Rome.

In 450, Attila renewed his campaign against Western Rome. However in 451, Attila suffered massive losses at the Battle of the Catalaunian Plains (Northeast France). Undeterred, he launched an invasion of Italy and pushed his way toward Rome, sacking the city of Aquileia in the process. His forces stopped at the River Po in 452.

The meeting with Pope Leo I
With the Western Roman Emperor's blessing, three envoys were sent to negotiate peace with Attila. Gennadius Avienus, Memmius Aemilius Trygetius (both civilian officers), and Pope Leo I. While there are no records of what was discussed, Attila agreed to remove his forces from Italy peacefully. No gold was exchanged and no betrothal was offered.

The Meeting of Leo the Great and Attila by Raphael. Painting was done between 1513 and 1514.

So why did Attila retreat?
While Attila was rumored to have shown deference and mercy to Christian bishops like Lupus of Troyes, this meeting with Pope Leo I was well-recorded to have happen. Yet there are different ideas of Attila's sudden withdrawal.

Prosper of Aquitaine, a Christian historian mentioned that Attila was so impressed by the pope that he withdrew.

Priscus, an Eastern Roman diplomat wrote that Attila was superstitious and learned that another barbarian leader, Alaric of the Visigoths died one year after sacking Rome in 410.

Hydatius, a Western Roman chronicler was a bit more pragmatic in his interpretation. He remarked that the Huns was worn down by plague and starvation (there was a famine in Italy at that time). Thus Attila knew he had little reward in taking Rome. This seems to be the current favored theory as it has been reasoned that Attila was not a Christian and previously respected strength and gold.

What does this mean for a Christian?
No doubt there was probably some level of fear for Pope Leo I and his companions. After all, Priscus wrote (of Attila),

He was a man born into the world to shake the nations, the scourge of all lands, who in a way frightened all mankind by the terrible rumours that were spread about him.

In the Christian view, there are two types of fear. One is the fear of God which is to have reverence and respect for Gods nature and power. This fear is beneficial.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;

    all those who practice it have a good understanding.

    His praise endures forever! - Psalms 111:10

Yet we know that there is a type of fear that hinders us Christians from doing God's work.

For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. - 2 Timothy 1:6-7

While many of us will never be called to negotiate with a foreign aggressor or terrorist, we have experienced this type of fear before. Now I do not know if Pope Leo was thinking the same thing, but I do know that my worst and most fearful days are never as bad because I trust God.

In God, whose word I praise,

    in the Lord, whose word I praise,

in God I trust; I shall not be afraid.

    What can man do to me? - Psalms 56:10 -11

Scary our problems are, ultimately God is with us as long as we trust and love Him. 

For more reading:

The Roman Catholic view of the incident