The revelation of 1 Peter

Read the book of 1 Peter many times before but suddenly there is such a touching moment with the bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ, Peter.

Our human nature is so like Peter.

From:

Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.” (Matthew 16)

Then Peter began to curse and swear, saying, “I do not know the Man!” Immediately a rooster crowed.

And Peter remembered the word of Jesus who had said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” So he went out and wept bitterly.
(Matthew 26)

To Peter saying:

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. (1 Peter 5)

Each of us is an epistle to God.

How is your chapter going? 😀

#traceourtransformation
#sixteendaystotenyears
#坚持到底

Sown seed growing

My ex-student, always laugh when I laugh, said I laugh like a witch😌

Lost contact for a few years, suddenly he is 16 years old.

Has a challenging family background, still struggling with low self-esteem because he thinks he is not as smart, as rich, as everything the world thinks is successful.

Suddenly he goes to church when we reunited, saying that it's I who first shared Christ with him.

I asked him why he wants to be a Christian. He said because he wants to go to heaven.

Why would you want to go to heaven to spend eternity with a God whom you don't know?

And so we started our once a week discipleship lesson.

It's more than knowing the Bible.

It's knowing the God of the Bible and how to be His son.

You don't have to wait to go to heaven.

You must first unleash the power of God on earth, in your life, in my life.

You are my favourite student because you have a pure and obedient heart.

You have a God-shaped future, as long as you desire Him.

You are loved.

You just need to believe and apply that in your life.

#Hallelujah
#belovedson
#sownseedgrowing

Psalm 1

Psalm 1:

The reason why you and I become dry, lifeless, restless and unproductive is because we are not consistent in
delighting in the law of the LORD and meditating
in His law day and night.

As a result, we may have walked in the counsel of the ungodly, stood in the path of sinners or sat in the seat of the scornful.

Aim for His result:

To be like a tree
Planted by the rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.

What is sin?

The basic sin of humanity is seeking independence from God.

-Ajith Fernando

Embryo screening is genetic discrimination

The emergence of newer technologies and the existence of pre-implantation genetic screening in other countries do not make it morally right for Singapore to embrace this procedure (“Three hospitals to offer embryo-screening technique in pilot study”; Nov 15).

The embryo is, at every stage of its development, a human being. Screening for normal, healthy embryos is immoral, as it leads to the destruction of defective embryos. It is in reality a search-and-destroy mission — the modern face of eugenics.

Genetic equality is pursued to increase the chances of a successful IVF cycle. Reproduction becomes a process of division by class, transforming parents’ unconditional love into an attitude of conditional acceptance.

What results is genetic discrimination and a willingness to discard those who are unfit. What kind of society are we creating?

As one with a genetic disorder, I am deemed to have defective genes compared with a person without a disability. I would have been discarded.

What message does pre-implantation genetic screening convey to existing parents of persons with special needs? That their decision to raise such a child was foolish and inferior when it actually showed courage and perseverance?

The pursuit of genetic equality will erode our willingness to treat the genetically impaired as humanly equal. Unless we admit and address our fear of and misconceptions about disability, our attempt to build an inclusive society is only skin-deep. 

http://www.todayonline.com/voices/embryo-screening-genetic-discrimination

The grief of God

So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
(Genesis 1)

You shall not murder. (Exodus 20)

And you shall not let any of your descendants pass through the fire to Molech...
(Leviticus 18)

The unpopular issue is very important to God.

#abortion
#ivf
#chooselife
#griefofGod

Genetic discrimination in Pre-implantation Genetic Screening

This letter was sent to ST Forum but was not published.

The embryos are developing members of the human species, offspring of their parents ("Hope for fewer miscarriages with genetic screening" ; 15 Nov). 

In selecting embryos which are chromosomally normal, genetic equality is pursued to increase the chances of success in an in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) cycle. 

This pursuit for genetic equality gives rise to genetic discrimination that will widen the gap between the haves and the haves-not, making us unwilling to work with and care for those who are deemed to have inferior genes.

Assistant Professor Tamra Lysaght is right to say that the pre-implantation genetic screening (PGS) will cause stigmatisation of disability in our society. 

How is it right to compromise the equal dignity of persons with disabilities for the 'goal' to help couples conceive in cases where the woman's fertility is diminished or compromised?

How is it justifiable to eliminate embryos with abnormalities in the pursuit of the miracle of life?

I regret the deep-rooted fear and misconceptions of disability in the woman who terminated her pregnancy when she found out that her baby had Down Syndrome ("Criteria set for IVF embryo screening trial"; 15 Nov). 

I empathize with parents who courageously bring up their children with Down Syndrome. Truly your love does not count chromosomes.

In embracing PGS, we open the door to more forms of discrimination and create a hostile society for the vulnerable and the disadvantaged. 

We build a 'throw-away' culture which will one day conveniently discard the old and frail. 

This is not the SG100 vision that our nation can look forward to. 

From the Editor:

Hi Serene

Actually, our stories say that the screening doesn't screen diseases or disabilities, but abnormal chromosomes that will likely cause miscarriages. Also, screening of Down syndrome is not allowed. It's not the same as screening for diseases or disabilities, which is still not allowed.

So it's not a case of parents being able to screen embryos with inferior genes or diseases or disabilities, as what I'm reading from your letter.

Regards
Wy-Cin

Hi Wy-Cin,

Appreciate your response to my letter.

To screen for abnormal chromosomes means eliminating those embryos that don't pass the quality control.

We all know that people with Down Syndrome have an extra chromosome so to choose the embryos with the correct number of chromosomes is to discard those embryos that when allowed to grow in the right environment, will be babies born with Down Syndrome.

To screen and select is itself a discrimination.

How do you explain the Professor's response that it will cause stigmatization of disability in our society if you say it's not screening of disability?

We need Jesus!

The depravity of this world tells us that we need Jesus more!

I have found a love that is greater than myself.

And that love is most shown through working for the welfare of others.

This then can be called Christian love.

Trial for screening of IVF embryos is eugenic

This letter was sent to ST Forum but was not published.

Scientifically and medically, the embryo is at every stage of its development a human being. Pre-implantation genetic screening is in reality a "search and destroy" mission, the modern face of eugenics ("Trial for screening IVF embryos to start soon" ; 11 Nov). 

According to Dr Christopher Chong, this screening can potentially reduce the number of abnormal babies, miscarriages, failures, reduce trauma for mothers as they can find out before pregnancy, compared to the anguish of discovering it during pregnancy over even after delivery. 

A human life would be eliminated when it fails the quality control. Isn't this based on parental and societal preference, just that the characteristic 'gender' has been replaced by 'degree of perfection'? 

Who will now leave their children's lives to nature's chance if defective genes can be detected in the laboratory? 

Furthermore, if chromosomal abnormalities account for more than half the miscarriages that occur, then the problem lies with this Assisted Reproduction Technology (ART) that goes against our natural body working. ART treatments not only pose ethical difficulties but is also intrinsically harmful to children conceived through it.  

The principle of freedom of conscience also requires that the government refrain from channelling the tax proceeds of those who conscientiously object to IVF into the procedure. 

 

Lastly, as a woman born with brittle bones, a genetic disorder, I testify to a life of resilience that comes from having a disability. My family, especially my late mother never regretted my birth.

Like what Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said, with many helping hands, persons with special needs can live full and worthwhile lives. No one deserves to be written off.

Teachers in upskirt video case need support too

As an educator, I empathise with the six teachers involved in the case of the boys found guilty of taking upskirt videos ("Upskirt video case: School 'right' not to go straight to police"; Monday).

I appreciate the teachers for forgiving the 30 students involved, even though they have every right to report them to the police, as this is no ordinary disciplinary issue but a criminal offence. A police warning would carry more weight and act as a greater deterrent.

These teachers, too, need support from their family and the school. Let us not be too quick to defend these young offenders. There may be many factors that contributed to this case, but there is no justification for the offence committed.

We should seek to uncover and address the root causes of the offence, which could be wrong values inculcated, a lack of proper guidance at home, undesirable peer pressure, pornography and so on.

http://www.straitstimes.com/forum/letters-in-print/teachers-in-upskirt-video-case-need-support-too

Original letter

As fellow educators, I grieve with these six teachers; the victims in a secondary school's upskirt video case (Upskirt video case : School 'right' not to go straight to police,say parents, 31 Oct).

I thank them for forgiving these 30 students, though they have every right to report to the police as this is no ordinary disciplinary issue but a criminal offence that warrants a jail term. As such, a police warning would carry more weight and acts as a greater deterrence.

This is not just a case of insulting the modesty of women, but a rebellion against authority and a total disregard for the teachers involved.

It is disappointing that no teacher has been interviewed in this article. In caring for our young, let us not forget these six teachers who have to endure the humiliation that is not theirs. They too need tremendous support from their family and the school in this trying time.

Let us not be too quick to defend these young offenders. There can be many factors that contribute to this case but there is no justification for the offence committed.

In defending them, we are doing a great disservice to them. We should seek to uncover and address the root causes of the offence, which can be wrong values inculcated, no proper guidance at home, undesirable peer pressure, rebellion, pornography etc.

It has been said that the young today are 'fragile' and therefore we must treat them sensitively. Understanding that the standards of the law do not change will put us in perspective.

We should do our part to provide the love and care that every child need, revealing the truth that every wrong action comes with great consequences.

To spare our children from being disciplined by the law, let us be vigilant in molding our young today.

Help the distressed work towards a purpose-driven life

I concur with the writer of “Step up suicide prevention efforts, not just intervention” (Nov 2) that death has been romanticised, an observation we cannot overlook if we are to arrest the rising suicide rate, especially among the young.

It is not uncommon for youngsters speaking their mind on social media to praise someone who committed suicide as braver than those who think of suicide but do not do it.

I have even heard adults saying the same thing, which is hurting to the family members left behind.

To stay alive to try and overcome seemingly overwhelming circumstances is more courageous and fruitful than to kill oneself on impulse.

I once attempted suicide and am thankful that I failed. I did not foresee the abundant life I have now.

My pain was real, but my reality was warped. I was not in the best state to assess the situation because I was swamped with negative feelings.

Feelings are not the best indicator of circumstances. In fact, they complicate and make a situation worse than it really is.

It is not unusual to have suicidal thoughts when life takes a sharp turn. What is crucial is what we do with these thoughts, which do not go away by distracting oneself with activities such as yoga and meditation.

That cannot address the helplessness within. Our mind is like a battlefield, and unless we guard it with the right belief system, we will succumb to defeatist thoughts.

The mind needs to be renewed and to recognise that one’s worth is not tied to one’s achievements, that life cannot always be plain sailing and that one cannot always get what one wants.

My faith informs my belief system and arms me with values that make me realise that by helping others, I am no longer helpless. I recognised that my problem was not the biggest.

Let us help the distressed visualise and work towards the purpose-driven life they are meant to have. That is the success of suicide prevention.
http://www.todayonline.com/voices/help-distressed-work-towards-purpose-driven-life

An open letter to PM Lee on true inclusiveness

Dear Mr Lee,

I thank God for your excellent health today, having seen you taken ill during the National Day Rally.

Your tenacity and perseverance to finish the speech in spite of your condition makes you a leader by example. 

I thank you for your support for The Purple Parade each year and the diligent effort of the government towards a barrier-free Singapore for people with disabilities (PWD). 

You said that with many helping hands, persons with special needs can live full and worthwhile lives.

I can't agree more because I am one of them.

On the day you were inaugurated as PM, you have declared to support this special community.

I thank you and all who have worked towards building a society where abilities are celebrated.

Truly, we have not shifted from focusing on a person's contribution to the society.

There are many PWD who have severe disabilities and it is a fact that they will not be able to contribute to our society in the way we would have wanted.

I am blessed to be alive because of good family support, the help of voluntary welfare organizations (VWOs) and the larger community.

I can now live a full and worthwhile life because of the many helping hands approach.

I am alive but I cannot say the same for other babies diagnosed with structural abnormalities.

During the spread of the Zika virus, abortion was readily pushed out as an option when no one can confirm that the baby with Zika virus would have microcephaly.

Even if the child is born with microcephaly, he is not unlike any child with a severe disability, deserving love, care and support like any other children without any disability. 

The Zika virus scare manifests the deep-rooted fear and misconceptions of disability.

On one hand, we celebrate the achievements of PWD and rightly so.

On the other hand, we are quick to dish out abortion to eliminate babies born with structural abnormalities.

It is the height of double standards to appeal to the routine foetal scan that is performed at 20 weeks gestational age to pick up structural abnormalities so that parents would have some time to "consider the implications and make an informed decision as to whether to keep or abort the child" as the reason for keeping the 24-week limit for abortion.

I remember myself crying when I first got to know that the contents of pre-abortion counselling is adapted for women diagnosed with foetal abnormalities.

Mr Lee, why is there no consistency in building an inclusive society, starting with the unborn?

Don't such parents deserve the same support from our government and the community?

It is a tragedy when our value as a human being is merely economic, rather than recognizing the inherent worth and dignity of every human life.

We will grow old, grow weak and may have accidents in life that make us unable to contribute to our society.

What then?

Do we trash ourselves in this throw-away culture that we choose to create?

I'm just a common citizen with no power, no fame, no status, no great achievement by the world's standards.

I have nothing to gain by speaking up for the voiceless.

I don't even know if you will get to read this letter but one thing I know, I cannot celebrate The Purple Parade, knowing that this inconsistency costs lives.

Let's wake up to this reality that discrimination is real for the unborn with structural abnormalities and that we do something about it.
We should have divine discontent in any matter that concerns life and death.

For those who determine that people with severe disabilities are better off being dead, I encourage you to watch The Drop Box movie.

Thank you Mr Lee for reading this long letter.

I believe in a government that is not hypocritical.

As the former President of the United States Thomas Jefferson rightly said, "The care of human life and not its destruction, is the first and only legitimate object of good government."

I sincerely hope that all the unborn will have equal opportunity to live in this place we call home.
Jesus bless you and I will pray for you.

Yours sincerely,

Serene

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTQ2VTf5vWc