Alternative Culture: The theology of the 2026 World Cup

 

AI art of Uzbekistan's Fayzullaev

Every four years, the world stops.

Billions watch matches played across continents. Streets fill with celebration and heartbreak. National anthems are sung with pride. Flags appear in windows. For a brief season, people who otherwise share little in common are united by a common hope -- that their team will lift the trophy.

As a global phenomenon, this event invites theological reflection.

A gathering of nations
After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands -- Revelations 7:9

Scripture reveals at the end times, all nations and culture would unite to worship God. 

The World Cup (while being secular) offers a faint echo of this reality. People from vastly different cultures, languages, and histories gather around a common event. Rivalries remain, yet there is also a shared recognition of our common humanity.

When the sport is played rightly, the World Cup reflects aspects of God's design: discipline, creativity, teamwork, excellence, sacrifice, and perseverance. The World Cup showcases human beings exercising talents that ultimately come from their Creator.

AI art of Scotland's McGinn

The limits of earthly glory

but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. -- James 1:14-15

Yet the World Cup also reveals the human heart. Good things often become ultimate things.

National identity can become nationalism. Support can become obsession. Healthy enjoyment can become worship. Fans may find their mood, relationships, or sense of worth entirely determined by the success of a team.

Human achievement, however impressive, is temporary. This is not a reason to despise success. Rather, it places success in perspective.

The World Cup reminds us of both the greatness and the fragility of human glory. The celebrations are real, but they do not last. The victories matter, but not forever.

A better kingdom
Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
    and your dominion endures through all generations.
The Lord is trustworthy in all he promises
    and faithful in all he does - Psalms 145:13

While the World Cup gives us a sense of unity, we must remind ourselves this unity at best is temporary. The final whistle eventually blows, and ordinary life resumes.

Christianity teaches that humanity's deepest hope is not found in international sport, political institutions, or cultural achievements. It is found in Jesus Christ.

One day people from every nation will gather, not around a football pitch, but around the throne of the Lamb. Their unity will not be temporary or symbolic. It will be eternal. The World Cup can be enjoyed as a wonderful celebration of human culture and competition. But it also points beyond itself.

Every earthly gathering of the nations is merely a shadow of the greater gathering still to come.

And unlike the World Cup, everyone invited to that kingdom will never go home disappointed.

Alternative Culture: The Theology of Frieren: Beyond Journey's End

 

[The following post is dedicated to my wife, who loves Frieren: Beyond Journey's End]

One of the most popular anime nowadays is Frieren: Beyond Journey's End. I even see it traction among the Christian community who often regard it as the anime version of the Book of Acts.

In this post I want to explore the theology of this anime. I have watched the anime until season 2's end, so all my information is based on that. Furthermore, the creators of the series are probably not Christian, so any apparent relation to Christianity is accidental rather than intentional.

So what happens after the journey is completed?

Unlike most stories, Frieren: Beyond Journey's End takes place after the main quest have been resolved. The demon king is defeated by the human hero Himmel and his companions (one of whom is the elf Frieren). As a result, the story is focused on Frieren trying to find purpose after her quest is done (which includes finding and defeating the remnants of the demon king's followers)

This is similar to the Christian religion where Jesus had already defeated death and assured the salvation of mankind. All that is left with persuading humanity of the truth of the gospel. This immediate aftermath is covered in the book of the Bible called Acts.

The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah. - Acts 5: 41-42

Similarly, Frieren continues to do good with the mantra "what would Himmel do?".

Maturing over time

After Himmel's death (due to old age), Frieren wept. She had spent a good ten years with Himmel but yet she hardly knew him as a person. She understood his battle strategy, his values and his behaviour, but she did not know his personality, his likes and his philosophy. She had kept him at an arm's length, and only at his death she regretted not treasuring him.

Instead of staying at the stage of grief, Frieren moves on and starts her own journey and begins to understand Himmel better.

Similarly in Acts, the disciples of Jesus who once not understood that he was Messiah became transformed by friendship with Jesus and each other. They grew in their knowledge of Christ and became brave even in the face of persecution.

All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all - Acts 4: 32-33

Beware false teachers

Another point that the series make is to beware of the lies from the demon mouth. In one instance, a demon loosely uses the word "mother" to appeal for mercy from humans. However, the demons were shown not to share the same morals -- they do not even have the concept of family.

This parallels the concept of false teachers in Acts. They appear to be fellow Christians, speak the same language or share the same values but seek to lead people astray.

I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them.
-- Acts 20: 29-30

Conclusion

In short, Frieren feels like a fantasy "Acts" because it captures the spirit of continuing the mission after the great victory — traveling, forming community, doing good, confronting evil, and grappling with time, loss, and eternity. That's why it resonates so deeply with Christian audiences even without intending to. 

Just bear in mind that:

A) Frieren is not allegory or propaganda. It's a secular Japanese fantasy with Buddhist/Shinto influences mixed in, focused on melancholy, slice-of-life pacing, and appreciating the present.

B) Acts is explicitly evangelistic and theological, centered on the Holy Spirit, resurrection, and salvation through Christ.

C) Frieren is slower and more introspective; Acts is full of dramatic miracles, persecutions, and church growth.

Alternative Culture: The exposure of the lies of the BBC

 

Logo of the British Broadcasting Corporation

The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is the world’s oldest national broadcaster and the United Kingdom’s public-service media organisation. It prides itself on being impartial, fair and accurate.

For decades, BBC News was seen as the most trusted news source in the world (Reuters Institute rankings 2015-2022). Its style—calm, fact-based, no shouting—is copied by public broadcasters in Canada (CBC), Australia (ABC), Japan (NHK), etc.

Yet in 2025, a scandal rocked the BBC, calling into question its integrity. A 19-page internal memo by Michael Prescott, a former external adviser to the BBC's editorial standards committee, was leaked to The Daily Telegraph. Chief among the examples of clear bias was a misleading edit in a Panorama documentary titled Trump: A Second Chance?, broadcast in October 2024. 

The program spliced together non-consecutive parts of U.S. President Donald Trump's January 6, 2021, speech—specifically combining his remark "I’ll be there with you" (about marching to the Capitol) with a later phrase "fight like hell"—creating the false impression that he directly urged supporters to storm the Capitol and engage in violence

Other several examples of alleged systemic bias, including pro-Palestinian slant in BBC Arabic's Gaza coverage and suppression of stories critical of transgender activism (e.g., favoring "pregnant people" over "women"). Prescott accused the BBC of inaction despite internal warnings.

As a result, BBC Director-General Tim Davie and CEO of BBC News Deborah Turness resigned on 9 November 2025. The latest YouGov survey (covering this scandal) revealed that 50% of Britons feel that BBC is biased (31% feel that BBC shows left-wing bias while 19% view BBC favors the right-wing). 

To summarise: It is a state-funded broadcaster caught doctoring primary-source footage of a sitting world leader, followed by the resignation of its entire top tier, during a funding-review year, while facing a billion-dollar lawsuit. That combination makes it arguably the worst crisis in the BBC’s 103-year history.

Leeds Castle, 2011

What does this mean for Christians?
Again, the purpose of this blog is to look at the theological aspect rather than to blame or defend the parties involved.

First lesson is that the truth is sacred. Jesus himself states that he is the truth, and therefore Christians should seek to present information as honestly as possible.

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. - John 14:6

The Lord detests lying lips,

    but he delights in people who are trustworthy. - Proverbs 12: 22

The second lesson is to beware of institutional loyalty trumping Christ. We can love our church/denomination/ministry, but never more than we love Jesus and His truth. If we see patterns of dishonesty or favouritism, we speak up.

Many in the BBC were aware of the bias, but chose to remain silent to keep their jobs.

Better is open rebuke

    than hidden love. - Proverbs 27: 5

Lastly, we should pray for those in authority to do the right thing. The BBC shapes more worldviews than most pulpits. Its journalists, editors, and regulators are also children of God, and therefore need salvation and wisdom.  

I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. - 1 Tim 2:1-2

Personally, it is a bit surreal for me that the scandal happened. Having studied and lived in the UK for 4 years, I often relied on the BBC for accurate information. This incident reminded me to "trust but verify".

Alternative Culture: John MacArthur and his legacy

 

John Fullerton MacArthur Jr recently died of pneumonia on July 14, 2025, at age 86 in Santa Clarita, California. A titan among Protestant circles, his legacy endures through his extensive writings, sermons, and influence on evangelical Christianity.

Origin

MacArthur was a prominent American pastor, theologian, and author, best known for his long tenure as pastor of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California (1969–2025) and his radio and television ministry, Grace to You, which reached a global audience. Born in Los Angeles to a family with a strong Christian heritage—his father, Jack MacArthur, was a Baptist preacher, and his grandfather, Harry MacArthur, was an Anglican minister—MacArthur felt called to ministry early in life despite initially aspiring to a career in professional sport.

MacArthur authored or edited over 150 books, including the bestselling MacArthur Study Bible, which sold over a million copies and received a Gold Medallion Book Award. He founded The Master’s University (1985) and The Master’s Seminary (1986), serving as chancellor emeritus, and was a key figure in updating the Legacy Standard Bible (2021). 

Theology

Classic Protestants and Reformed Christians like myself admired John MacArthur for several key reasons, rooted in his theological convictions, ministry approach, and cultural impact. 

A) MacArthur was a staunch defender of the Bible as the infallible, authoritative Word of God. His expository preaching—verse-by-verse, with emphasis on historical and grammatical context—resonated with Protestants who prioritize Scripture over tradition or subjective experience.

B) He kept to the historical view of Jesus. As a Calvinist, MacArthur championed doctrines like predestination, total depravity, and the sovereignty of God, aligning closely with classical Protestantism’s Reformation heritage (e.g., the teachings of Luther and Calvin). His clear articulation of these doctrines appealed to those who value theological precision.

C) His expository preaching style. His methodical, text-driven preaching style became a gold standard for many Protestant pastors. Through Grace to You and his books, like The MacArthur Study Bible, he equipped churches with resources to study Scripture deeply, earning respect from those who see preaching as central to worship.

Thus, his consistent theological stance led him to cover critiques of theological liberalism, charismatic excesses, and seeker-sensitive megachurch trends endeared him to classical Protestants who felt modern Christianity was drifting from its roots. His opposition to progressive cultural shifts, such as on issues of gender and sexuality, aligned with conservative Protestant values.

For instance, his book Strange Fire (2013) was critical of the charismatic movement in Christianity, which he felt was overly focused on passions and emotions over discernment in Scripture.

Controversies

MacArthur’s controversies often stemmed from his unwavering commitment to his interpretation of biblical truth, which he prioritized over cultural or ecclesiastical harmony.

For instance, many felt his tone towards the charismatic movement was overly harsh and lacked charity. In another case, he continued to hold indoor services against the COVID rules of California in early 2020s.

MacArthur's critics viewed his approach as rigid, sometimes lacking empathy or openness to dialogue, particularly on sensitive issues like charismatic movement (of the early 2010s) or public health (of the 2020s). 

Legacy

Despite this, his unwavering commitment to Scripture, Reformed doctrine, and pastoral training made him a towering figure for Protestants who valued theological fidelity and biblical authority.

Alternative Culture: Pope Francis and his legacy

Pope Francis passed away on 21 April 2025. He was elected Pope in 2013 (the first South American to be Pope), and had served till his death.

He will likely be remembered as a transformative yet polarizing figure in the Catholic Church. Despite not being Roman Catholic, I want to give my nuance take on his legacy.

The People's Pope? 
Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, he chose the name "Francis" after St Francis of Assisi to indicate his intention to pastor to the poor, the marginalized, and the suffering. 

His 2015 encyclical Laudato Si’ was a landmark, framing environmental care as a moral imperative and linking climate change to systemic inequality. With regard to migration, he called for building bridges rather than walls, and also criticized unbridled capitalism.

In addition, he cleaned up the Roman Catholic Church by defrocking high-profile abusers (e.g., Theodore McCarrick) and issuing Vos Estis Lux Mundi (2019) to hold bishops accountable. He also appointed more Cardinals from the Global South to have more representation in the College of Cardinals.

The Establishment's Pope?
Yet many do not see Pope Francis positively. His focus of inclusivity often confused the Christian message. For instance, he famously said “Who am I to judge?” in 2013 regarding gay individuals seeking God. This is weird because homosexuality is explicitly a sin in Roman Catholic doctrine, and also that the pope is given an authority to judge by "having the keys of heaven".

Another concern was the Pope Francis’s warm reception by secular media and world leaders (e.g., his influence at the UN on climate issues) has led some to view him as a pope who courts globalist agendas. He often made political statements that favoured the progressives in Western countries over the conservatives. The Hollywood movie, The Two Popes, even portrayed him very positively without any criticism of his progressive views. 

Furthermore, the cardinals he appointed form the Global South were often seen to be based on sharing of his political views, rather than adherence to theological matters.

His silence on controversial cultural issues in the West (e.g., abortion in political contexts) while emphasizing climate or migration can feel like a strategic alignment with progressive elites, alienating grassroots Catholics who expected a bolder defense of traditional values.

Interfaith meeting in Singapore 2010

My take on Pope Francis

As a Christian with Lutheran/Calvinist leanings, I do not recognise papal authority. Nevertheless, I do see him as a important political figure among Christian circles.

One thing I think he did well was to clean up the image of Christians, and attempt to reach out to the underrepresented. He managed to rally Western leaders to be more compassionate in their policies, especially with regard to immigration and climate change.

Yet, the most important thing I do hold against Pope Francis is that his explicit silence on the suffering of Christians worldwide.

In one example, Francis has spoken broadly about peace and religious freedom, notably during visits to Iraq (2021) and South Sudan (2023), where he met with Christian communities under threat. His interfaith efforts, like the Document on Human Fraternity (2019), aimed to foster dialogue to protect religious minorities. However, his statements often avoid naming specific perpetrators (e.g., Islamic extremism or communist regimes) to preserve diplomatic ties, frustrating those who wanted a more confrontational stance. 

In another example, he endorsed the 2018 Vatican-China agreement on bishop appointments (renewed in 2020 and 2022). Intended to unify China’s underground and state-sanctioned Catholic communities, it was criticized for conceding too much to a regime that persecutes Christians. Figures like Cardinal Joseph Zen accused Francis of betraying China’s faithful for geopolitical leverage, reinforcing the “establishment” critique.

Conclusion
Pope Francis was a great political leader, but a poor pastor. He had an uncancellable platform to bring attention to Christian persecution worldwide, but chose instead on focusing on imaging and tackling on well-established issues like climate change and transparency.

Alternative Culture: The Pope's Speech in Singapore

 

In September 2024, Pope Francis visited Singapore as part of his tour of Asia. He gave a speech about the importance of inter-faith relations at the Catholic school, Catholic Junior College. The transcript of the speech is here. 

As usual I will give a theological take on current events, also for this speech in this post.

The good
"A young person must be a critical thinker, and it is not good never to be critical."

"Do you have the courage to criticize but also the courage to let others criticize you?"

"Young people must have the courage to build, to move forward and go out of their “comfort zones.”

The Pope advocated for critical thinking, and that is always good. Too often we Asians tend to have overly fear authority. We rather go through the motion pretending a fallacy is correct then to questions the legitimacy of a claim and risk upsetting the harmony of a team project, or upsetting the boss.

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. - John 14:6

This applies doubly for Christians. As Jesus claimed to be the truth, Christians should not be afraid to examine any claim or study any research with a critical and sceptical mind in order to find truth.

Although the pope's speech started out well, it went downhill from there.

An inter-religious gathering in Singapore, 2017

The bad (wasted opportunity)
"If you start arguing, “My religion is more important than yours...,” or “Mine is the true one, yours is not true....,” where does this lead? Somebody answer. [A young person answers, “Destruction”.] That is correct."

"All religions are paths to God. I will use an analogy, they are like different languages that express the divine. But God is for everyone, and therefore, we are all God’s children. “But my God is more important than yours!”. Is this true? There is only one God, and religions are like languages, paths to reach God. Some Sikh, some Muslim, some Hindu, some Christian. Understood? Yet, interfaith dialogue among young people takes courage."

Instead of advocating for the exclusivity of Christianity, Pope Francis chose the safer, political path. He claimed that religions are pathways to the same God, and that arguing a single, right path is "destructive". 

To me, this was a great wasted opportunity. The pope had a stage to preach Christ to a multicultural Singapore, and threw it away. It is not like this platform was unprecedented; the Apostle Paul took his chances at multicultural Athens 2000 years ago and preached the following in Acts 17:

So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, - Acts 17: 22-28

While as Christians we are taught to be live in peace with our neighbours, ultimately we are also to speak of God's love and sacrifice for everyone.

Conclusion
While we Christians should strive to live in harmony as far as possible, we are called to evangelise.

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[b] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” - Matthew 28: 18-20

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)

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).

Alternative Culture: The Localization Controversy

Comparison of text between the Japanese (original) and American versions of the game Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

The issue with localization in anime and video games
Japan is known for producing high-quality animation (anime) and video games. As such, it is little wonder that there is a demand for subtitling (subbing) and dubbing into different languages. 

However, one of the challengers of translation is that sometimes the Japanese phrases do not translate well outside Japan. For instance, our Japanese friends tend to use the words like "senpai", and honorifics like "-san" and "-chan" that are uniquely Japanese. Thus there is a need to do localization, which is to translate the Japanese words to suit the audience's culture. For instance in the game Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword,  the shopping district in is translated from "shoppu moru" to "bazaar" as it does resemble a street market in most countries.

One of the localization choices from Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

Localization controversy
Recently, Japanese-to-English localizers has come under fire for refusing to translate according to the original author's intention. 

The controversy first gained traction when the American audience noted the difference between the subtitles (which were more literal to the Japanese text) and the dubs in the anime Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid. 

The change from the text in Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid

In another example, the person in charge of dubbing the anime Lovely Complex took pride that his localization deliberately took liberties with the text against the author's intent, with the statement,  "We made it good. This show SUCKED!".

Such liberties usually seem to conform to a typical California left-wing politics, rather than an international audience, or even the general American audience. These include and not limited to uncalled criticism of capitalism, unhinged hatred of males, sudden claims of patriarchy and insertion of LGBT ideology or pronouns when the original Japanese did not even allude to it. I attached a video below to show how inappropriate the localization can be in video games.

What this means for Christians?
Be wary of inserting our own desires into the Bible

Now whether we Christians should think such localizations are right and wrong is not the point I want to discuss for part of the post.

What I want to discuss for this post is like whether we tend to localize Scripture to our interest, rather than allowing the God's intent to be read.

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. - 2 Timothy 2: 15

By rightly handling, this means doing the research, and not inserting our own politics, interpreting things to our favor  and detouring from the original text and intent. I have seen happen (whether intentionally or unintentionally) many times.

After all, no one seriously interprets God's instruction to the prophet Hosea to marry an unfaithful woman as a command to all Christian to do so. Similarly, we should not take verses like the one below:

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. - Jeremiah 29: 11

as a prediction that God always prosper us as it was a specific instruction for Jeremiah.

Dangers with translation of the Bible
I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book. - Revelations 22: 18-19

Another lesson we can take from the localization controversy is the lesson to localize or translate the Bible seriously. I appreciate the translators of the Bible for making the text available to everybody as learning the original Greek and Hebrew (in addition to the context) would not be accessible. 

Nevertheless, I think even for the Message translation (by Eugene Peterson) which takes great liberties with the text, I never got the sense that Peterson hated the original material unlike some of the anime and video game localizers.

Conclusion
The localization controversy should encourage Christians also to closely examine on how they interpret the Bible.

For more information:

Niche Gamer

Desiring God

Ministry Magazine

Alternative Culture: 2023 Gaza-Israel War and the responses of Christian organisations

Rockets fired from Gaza, photograph taken 7 October

Recently, Israel experienced wide-scale attacks from the neighbouring territory of Gaza. Led by the Islamic Palestinian organisation Hamas, the attackers launched operations over land, sea and air. As of 8 October 2023, about 600 Israelis have been killed and thousands wounded.

In response, Israel described this as a "war", and bombed Gaza after warning of a revenge strike,. This retaliation killed abut 370 people.

In this post, I want to briefly summarised how Christian organisations have responded in this crisis.

Responses from Christians
As with any wars, there is a tendency to be partitioned in the support. Certain Christian organisations, like Christianity Today is explicit in its support for Israel. This is unsurprising as there are calls by Muslim leaders to support Hamas based on religious brotherhood alone.

Nevertheless, majority of the Christians I see are praying for a quick end to the bloodshed, with most condemning the killing of innocents. Both the Pope and the Latin Patriarch of Jersualem (Roman Catholic leader of Jerusalem) called for descalation. The Patriarch's official statement is here.

The Archbishops of York and Canterbury have called for restraint and a quick path to peace. The Lutheran World Federation also called for international efforts for a swift ceasefire.

Despite differing attitudes with regards to the methods of peace, it is obvious that we should desire a peaceful outcome. As Jesus said,

Blessed are the merciful,
    for they will be shown mercy.
 Blessed are the pure in heart,
    for they will see God.
 Blessed are the peacemakers,
    for they will be called children of God.  -- Matthew 5: 7-9

Alternative Culture: Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once and Always - Theological review

The long-awaited reunion? Sort of...

Early this year, I managed to catch the long-awaited 30th anniversary reunion film of the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. I remembered watching the series in my childhood, and enjoyed the cheesy and action scenes.

Thus I leapt at the chance to see my childhood heroes again. And of course, a theological review follows.

Synopsis
The 2023 movie starts with the resurrection of a classic villain, Rita Repulsa. This time, she is partially mechanical and is thus dubbed "Robo-Rita". She caps off her return by killing the Yellow Ranger Trini, leading to her daughter Minh being an orphan. The Black Ranger Zach and the Blue Ranger Billy then step up raise Minh. 

A year later, the Rangers are ambushed at Trini's death anniversary but are ambushed by Rita. She captures the Pink Ranger Kimberly, the Green Ranger Tommy and the Red Ranger Jason. The remaining heroes retreat, and call in the reserve Rangers for help. Rocky and Kat come in as the replacements for the Red and Pink Ranger respectively.

After a heart-to-heart talk with Minh, the Rangers induct Minh as the new Yellow Ranger. Together they defeat Rita and free the captured Rangers.

What the film does well
The film captures the feel of the original Mighty Morphin Power Rangers in its cheesy dialogue and action scenes. The film also takes into account continuity, noting that Kat and Tommy were in a relationship prior to the movie and that Rocky finally managed to pull of a difficult action move (that he originally failed in the TV series).

The film also handles the death of Trini respectful (original actress Thuy Trang died in a car accident in 2001) and her replacement by her onscreen daughter Minh (Charlize "Charlie" Kersh).

It was also good to see the reserve Rangers come back. In addition to Rocky and Kat, Aisha and Adam (who were the second Yellow and Black Rangers respectively) made an appearance.

Minh receives news of her mother's death

What the film does poorly
As we all expect from reunion films, some were done a little too late. Some of the actors and actress were not able to maintain a reasonable physique for an action role. Others were unavailable to return for various reasons.

Amy Jo Johnson who was the original Pink Ranger Kimberly felt that she was out of the acting game for too long and did not return.
Jason David Frank (who was the original Green Ranger Tommy) rejected the return citing "broken promises" and "lies". He committed suicide in November 2022 just as filming wrapped up.
Austin St John (who was the original Red Ranger Jason) was indicted in 2022, and was thus not allowed to leave Texas for filming.

That left only two of the original six Rangers available for the reunion.

Actors Walter Jones (Black Ranger) and David Yost (Blue Ranger) are the only original Rangers to return

 The other issue was the mixed messaging given by the movie. For instance, Billy warns Minh in a scene against taking the lives of their enemies and living for revenge. Yet late in the movie, the Power Rangers literally perform lethal moves in front of her. 

Furthermore, Zack and Billy regularly reminds Minh of their  responsibilities of adults and her guardians, but the issue of them finding Minh's father (or addressing his absence) is never addressed.

What can Christians learn from reunion films?
First off, it is blatantly obvious that our time on earth is finite. We should not delay in doing the stuff we ought to do, whether it is reuniting with friends or making peace with past grudges.

What I mean, brothers and sisters, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they do not; those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep; those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away. - 1 Corinthians 7: 29 -31

Thus, in the light of this, it is important to prepare our successors well before we leave. This may include the deliberate mentoring or training our successors, or having children to continue our legacy.

When the time drew near for David to die, he gave a charge to Solomon his son.

“I am about to go the way of all the earth,” he said. “So be strong, act like a man, and observe what the Lord your God requires: Walk in obedience to him, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and regulations, as written in the Law of Moses. Do this so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you go and that the Lord may keep his promise to me: ‘If your descendants watch how they live, and if they walk faithfully before me with all their heart and soul, you will never fail to have a successor on the throne of Israel.’ - 1 Kings 2: 1- 3

Lastly for the Christians, our final reunion is not on earth, but in heaven. God has promised that we will all meet each other again in the final age.

After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. - 1 Thessalonians 4:17

Alternative Culture: A theological view of recent moral scandals of Singapore politicians

 

According to Arthurian legends, the illicit affair between Lancelot and Queen Guinevere led to fall of Camelot and King Arthur. This screenshot is from the game Pendragon.

Recently, my country Singapore has been hit by a wave of scandals. These incidents involved Transport Minister S Iswaran, Speaker of House Tan Chuan-Jin, Member of Parliament Cheng Li Hui, Member of Parliament Leon Perera, and senior member of the Workers' Party, Nicole Seah. 

The purpose of this post is to provide a theological view of the incidents. I am not here to give a political analysis or probe into their personal lives. I will also not be speculating on the character of those involved. For a factual view, I attached links from Channel News Asia in the first paragraph.

Here are my theological reflections:

These incidents are not unique or as rare as we think
This is definitely not the first time such scandals had arose from positions of power. In 2012, Speaker of the House Michael Palmer was also caught in an affair and resigned his post. American President Bill Clinton used his position of influence to have an sexual relationship with Monica Lewinsky. Even in Biblical times, King David (paragon of faith) had an affair with a married woman.

One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful, and David sent someone to find out about her. The man said, “She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.” Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with her. (Now she was purifying herself from her monthly uncleanness.) Then she went back home. The woman conceived and sent word to David, saying, “I am pregnant.” - 2 Samuel 11: 2-5

As Canadian businessman Stewart Butterfield noted "It [Power] makes you more than who you already were.". In other words, being in positions of power increases the resources and opportunities to sin. Power amplifies our flaws.

A common theme in the Soul Calibur fighting game series is the corrupting influence of power.

We should use such incidents to reflect and repent of our own sins

Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish."
- Luke 13:2-3

While it is tempting to join the bandwagon and condemned moral failures, we must be on guard for our own potential failures. If we are being honest with ourselves, we all are 2-3 small mistakes from our moral atrocities made public.

Prior to controversy, Tan Chuan Jin claimed that he had to be even more vigilant as a Christian in public office because his "own vanity, ego, social pressures and expectations" are now in the open. This is echoed in the Casting Crown song, Slow Fade, warning on how easy it is to slip into sin if we are not careful.

For the Christian, these incidents are reminder to remember how much we need Jesus.

Alternative Culture: Christianity and the Legend of Zelda

Legend of Zelda: Breathe of the Wild (2017)

 The Legend of Zelda is one of the most popular gaming series in the world. The first game in the series, the Legend of Zelda, was released in Japan in 1985 and in North America in 1986. As the next game in the series, Tears of the Kingdom will be released within this month, I want to post about Christian influence in the series.

To clarify, I will only be covering the major aspects of the overall plot. There are obviously many aspects which are not inspired by Christianity. After all, the game is not intended to be an allegory for Christianity.  For instance, it is implied in Skyward Sword (2011) that the role of Link, Zelda and the Ganon are inherited via reincarnation. Christianity does not promote the idea of reincarnation. In addition, the world of Legend of Zelda is polytheistic with gods including Hylia, Din and Nayru.

Another aspect is the nature of the Triforce, the trinity of the Zelda series. One aspect of the Tri-force is evil (Ganon). In Christianity, all members of the Trinity are good exists as three distinct personhood of God.

Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (2011)

The Chosen One
The first off is the idea of the "Chosen One". Despite the vast differences in settings in the multitude of games, the chosen one is always prophesized to be a boy named Link. This is most explicit in Breathe of the Wild (2017), as it implies that such events are cyclical. 

This evil has been turned back time and time again by a warrior wielding the soul of a hero, and a princess who carries the blood of the Goddess. With the passage of time, each conflict with Ganon faded into legend. -- Breathe of the Wild (2017)

To make things more obvious, any attempt to defeat Ganon without the chosen one would fail or at best, a partial victory. For instance in the Twilight Princess (2006), the attempt to defeat Ganon in the absence of Link resulted in high casualties and the temporal banishment of Ganon. He eventually returns to encase the Kingdom of Hyrule in Twilight.

This parallels the idea of Jesus as the predicted Messiah and Savior. In fact, any attempt to defeat sin and reconcile ourselves to God without trusting in Jesus is considered futile.

We all, like sheep, have gone astray, 
each of us has turned to our own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
 the iniquity of us all. -- Isaiah 53:6

When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” -- Matthew 19: 25-26

Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (2006)

Inherited conflict between good and evil

The other idea presented in Skyward Sword (2011) is that the battle between the good (Link and Zelda) and evil (Demise) will be inherited and continued till the generations.

My hate... never perishes. It is born anew in a cycle with no end! I will rise again. Those like you... Those who share the blood of the goddess and the spirit of the hero... They are eternally bound to this curse. An incarnation of my hatred shall ever follow your kind, dooming them to wander a blood-soaked sea of darkness for all time! -- Skyward Sword (2011)

This echoes the prolonged conflict between humanity and sin in Genesis:

And I will put enmity

    between you and the woman,

    and between your offspring and hers;

he will crush your head,

    and you will strike his heel. -- Genesis 3:15

Conclusion
It is interesting to see slight Christian themes in this Japanese game series. Of course, while the Legend of Zelda will keep up the battle between good and evil for the purpose of continuing the game series, in Christianity, the war is already won via Jesus Christ.

You might even say the demented Christian belief that not only is the salvation of the human species possible, but contrary to all we read in the newspapers, or see on Fox Television, it has in some sense already taken place. Not even the wildest utopian secularist will assert something as outrageous as that. -- Terry Eagleton

Alternative Culture: John Wesley The World, My Parish Theological Review

[Author's note: I received a free copy of this comic as the writer (Favian) is a personal friend. This no way influences the review.]

An illustrated history of John Wesley

Commissioned by the Methodist Church of Singapore, local artist Favian wrote and illustrated a graphic novel on John Wesley's life. To the uninformed, John Wesley is the founder of the Methodist Church, which is one of the largest Protestant denomination in the world.

So is this book worth reading?

What was good about the book?

Off the bat, I would like to say that the art style is superb. Several of my friends noted that the art reminded them of The Adventures of Tin Tin (with the small eyes and points noses), and the font was a breeze to read.

I would also like to commend Favian for getting little historical details right, such as the design of muskets used during the American Revolution and the historic maps of the United States, even though these were not the main point of the John Wesley's biography.

Favian also should be credited by not shying away from the more controversial aspects of John Wesley's life, such as John's refusal to give communion in the United States, the conflict with his brother Charles Wesley and John's marriage issues. Favian also cleverly hints towards the relationship between Calvinism and early Methodism.

Being a Singaporean publication, the book eventually concludes with the legacy of Methodism in Singapore in the form of churches, shops and schools.

What could have been
Generally, I am impressed by the research and the ease of reading. Jargons like "enthusiasts" and "Moravians" were aptly explained in the footnotes, and the famed Aldersgate experience was passionately described.

If I were to nitpick, I had hoped Favian would add the Methodist campaign against alcohol as the denomination is famed for. Even though John Wesley himself did not directly addressed alcoholism, it would have been informative to elaborate why his successors took such a stance.

Where can I get a copy?

I recommend the book, and you can purchase a copy at this link.

 

Alternative Culture: Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special Theological Review

 

Mantis and Drax search Hollywood for Kevin Bacon

After the debacle that is Marvel Phase 4, I finally mustered the courage to catch Guardians of Galaxy Holiday Special. I am glad (and relieved) to say that it is one of the better shows of the Marvel Phase 4 (other than Spider-Man: No Way Home). 

In this post, I want to focus on the theological aspect of the movie, rather than just a review. There might be spoilers, so this is your spoiler-warning.

Values are not universal or self-evident
Right of the bat, the movie goes on to show that the values of the aliens (even within the Guardians) differ from each other. For instance, Drax howled with laughter when Peter's sad Christmas memory was shared, much to Mantis's disgust.

Another example is clearly shown later in the movie when the aliens were obviously fine with human trafficking while Peter (who is a half-human) was morally outraged.

This values dissonance is actually draws in attention how much of our modern day morals are drawn from the experiences of our ancestors. In other words, moral values are neither self-evident or empirical. Atheist philosopher John Gray rightly pointed out in his book Straw Dogs (2003) that our values of human rights and individualism come from Christianity, or specifically that we humans all are equal and valuable before the divine.

For instance, modern slavery is not seen with the same outrage in countries which experienced more levels of Western influence (and hence Christianity). In another example, the historic movement to disband slavery globally (within the British Empire) was also Christian-led (by William Wilberforce).

The distortion of Santa Claus and the Christmas message

Another interesting thing that the movie shows is how easily Christmas lore can be distorted. Near the start of the movie, an alien band sang about how Santa Claus "shoots missiles at your toes" and is a "burglar". To us, it is an obvious misunderstanding of "mistletoe" and Santa entering houses at night.

This is should serve as a warning to Christians on how easily the Christian message can be changed. Even within the first century of Jesus's death, the Gnostics rose up to claim that secret knowledge is required for salvation. After the legalisation of Christianity in the Roman Empire, Arianism arose to claim that the members of the Trinity were not equal. In medieval times, the Cathars advocated against reproduction. Even today, there is a promotion of the prosperity gospel which encourages the pursuit of wealth and health at as evidence of spirituality.

Thus Christians must always be discerning about ideas that are presented to them.

Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God -- 1 John 4:1-2

An alien band plays a Christmas song to Peter, without understanding what Christmas is

Uniting as family is important
The major thing I think the film does well is the secular presentation of the Christmas message. Christmas is not about gifts or Santa Claus, but rather uniting as one family.

This film parallels the Christian message, which emphasises that the birth of Jesus paved a way for the people to be adopted into the family of God.  

For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—  to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. -- Ephesians 1: 4-6

Of course I am not saying Peter's father represents God in any way, but the fact that the movie focuses on the importance of the intangible ties between the Guardians (specially two of them).

The Guardians exchange gifts with each other

Conclusion
I am pleasantly surprised but how a short and simple Marvel film can bring a warm message. I recommend it.

Alternative Culture: Sam Harris and the corpses of children quote

 

A quote from Sam Harris during his interview on Triggernometry

In a 2022 August interview, atheist philosopher Sam Harris made an appalling statement about the 2020 American Presidential Election. He claimed that even if Hunter Biden (President Biden's son) had "corpses of children in his basement", former President Trump was worse in his "Trump University Scam". Therefore (in the same interview), he suggested that any conspiracy (if it had existed) to keep Trump from being president was justified.

The shifting of a philosopher's mind
When I first heard the comments, I was stunned. Here was a philosopher who in my younger days advocated for a truth without religion. While I disagree with him on many issues, I did follow his dialogues and blogs a little. I read two of his works, Letters to a Christian Nation and End of Faith, and liked that he popularised the idea of steel-manning an argument, (i.e. to debate an idea in its strongest form) rather than to strawman it. I enjoyed that he advocated free speech and freedom of expression.

Yet here I was shocked that now he was advocating for the censorship of the New York Post (a right-wing tabloid) and accepting any method to rig an election (although he would deny this in his tweets post-interview).

What does the Bible say about truth?
But if our unrighteousness brings out God’s righteousness more clearly, what shall we say? That God is unjust in bringing his wrath on us? (I am using a human argument.) Certainly not! If that were so, how could God judge the world? Someone might argue, “If my falsehood enhances God’s truthfulness and so increases his glory, why am I still condemned as a sinner?  - Romans 3:5-7

In his letters to the Romans, Apostle Paul clearly denounced the deliberate use of falsehood to enhance the outcomes (in this case, Christ righteousness.)

We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left - 2 Corinthians 6: 3-7

Apostle Paul also highlights the importance of truth to prevent the discrediting of Christian ministry.

In fact truth is so important that Jesus himself described himself as that:
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” - John 14: 6-7

As Christians, we have an obigilation to discuss issues honestly and with grace. Anything less is a compromise on the truth of Jesus.

Peace if possible, truth at all costs. -- Martin Luther

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