Democracy

When the Supreme Court gave a decision of 5-4 in favour of same-sex marriage, there were gasps and cheers in every country. People (even the White House) started to put up the 6-colour filter to show support while those against were crying doom for the US. As I grappled with this myself, I realized a few things.

First, the media seem to jump all over it and are puffing this issue up in favour of the court ruling. Buzzfeed released an article '15 Slight Overreactions To The Marriage Equality News' . While I contend that a media site is supposed to be impartial to news, the issue at hand is also me wondering how this would contribute to the society? Why do you need to put down the other person's view who differs with yours? To have a laugh? To make them sound ridiculous? To do it because the previous majority view did the same? In the progressive times that we live, apparently this backward tactic of putting down other people's views is still common I guess. In close relation to the article, there's the second thing I noticed.

Calm down peeps who are against the ruling. Some called doom on US, one even claimed that this was a 9/11 from a moral standpoint. While it does affect the nation in a way, 17 other countries have already passed this law. Among them are France, Denmark, and the Netherlands. Last I checked, they aren't doing too badly. As a Christian, while it is a sad thing that the law has been passed, I believe we can react better than just spelling doom (There are only four letters, I'm sure the others can spell it too). Rather, it is an even more urgent time to encourage the discouraged and to seek opportunities to engage this issue. Many articles are already written on the proper Christian response and that's what's needed. Moreover, my girlfriend did say, 'Weren't you expecting this to happen?' I guess we shouldn't be so surprised as the world is changing in a way that we didn't hope for, but hey, God did see it coming. On to my last point.

Now, in case some are ready to bash me up for bringing up religion and God, please don't. Because I don't like conflicts. :( But through this I do see the shortcomings of democracy. To put in layman's terms, democracy is basically the more famous opinion being shared. 30 years ago, the 'trendy' opinion was traditional marriage, today it's same-sex marriage. 30 years ago, the opinion of the minority was shunned for the majority, today it remains the same. Democracy, for all it's worth, does fall short as it doesn't unite all people, only those with the same opinion. It tells the ones with a separate opinion to just live with it or find more support. What makes it more dangerous is when the contentious issue is when it's one of morality (or appears so to some). Morality then becomes somewhat a scale that when more people gather to a side, the scale tips and it changes. 

It's the semester break now and I think I'm using my brain a bit too much. Studying Communication as a course does help me to study things more critically I guess. I should rest and play something brain-dead like Mortal Kombat X where they literally rip your brains out. Hmm.

Friends leaving.

It is these times that I wish I had not formed a close bond with them, so that them leaving may not hurt me so much. The last post was about me leaving for a short semester break, now it's my friends leaving university for good.

It hurts.

So a year passes...

And I'm back home for a 3-month break. Looking back at my first year in university, I'm rather shocked that time passed so quickly. It feels just like yesterday that I made the 6-hour trip up to Penang.

Seems just like yesterday that my family and I carried the heavy luggage up the hill to Restu hostel, unclear where it was anyway.

Seems like yesterday that I waved at my family before they went home, without me for the first time.

Seems like yesterday I got to know my new coursemates. 

Joined PKA. 

Attended church service in BRGH. 

Grew close to awesome HBP friends in hostel.

First outing with what I'm calling family now.

As fast as the term seemed to pass, I still enjoyed my first year a lot. Well, the assignments and stress weren't that fun, but it was the people and the crazy things we did that made things end positively. It's been great having friends playing Temple Run just for ego's sake, mimicking King of Opera, playing Ping Pong and well, basically do guy stuff!

Wrapping myself was fun too!

I was also nourished spiritually as I grew more into the model of Christ. Reviewing my stands and beliefs weren't easy, but worth the journey. Along the road, I came across spiritual brothers who were missing all these while and also reminded that God uses young Christians for His Kingdom as well as to teach me. I have two peeps I have in mind and I think you know who you are, oh Malacca and Penang girl, so thanks! :) Feeling the need, not for speed but to buck up all the more!

Finally, I managed to clear out one question in my head. I used to wonder whether it would be great to live a life of solidarity, with few to no friends or to live otherwise. Solidarity would certainly reduce the pain of saying 'bye' and make leaving so easy. No friends, no burden, no pain, simple. But thinking again, I don't mind having that sadness of saying 'bye' to friends who will graduate and unlikely to meet again, because the joy of being with them far outweighs everything else. 

What makes life great isn't the lack of sadness, but having the joy of friends.

So I leave with some sadness, but joy overflowing nonetheless.

Saw this on 9gag!

That in itself wasn't funny, but the comment that followed:

"Two guys are having a conversation when suddenly one of them yells "This is Sparta!". Guess who survived the conversation." - Nicklas Rindom

Awesome '300' reference. :)

So I checked my application...

to stay in hostel for another year, and it was rejected. Was in my friends' room at that time and they went,

"Hahaha, see you stay outside next year already loh. Bye bye!"

Went back to my room to do some stuff before coming back, and this is what they said,

"Wei, both of us also rejected."

*Yaomingface*

All 3: HAHAHAHAHAHAHA, we all staying outside together already loh!

What Then?

We're all in the Election Hype! To me, BN has pretty much shot its own foot in the month leading to the elections. I've always told people that if BN had just behaved itself and remained quiet, then the folks would be able to at least have a shot at something.

But no, that's not how they work.

They had to have all the free concerts.

The free food.

Free beer.

Bangladesh imports.

With taxpayers' money. No guilt, no conscience. They're exactly what Paul described in Romans 1:28,

"Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. "

BN, you've imploded and shamed yourself so much. Not only that, you make use of people who are desperate to make a living. How low can you go?

Apart from this whole BN thing, I'm not quite sure what happens if we do change the government. Will things be better, remain the same, or become worse? Most of us are putting so much hope in this election. We're looking at the dealer and saying, "You know what? I'm going all-in on this one."

 Swim or sink, do or die, now or never.

But.

What if BN retains power? What if expectations are not met? What if the country remains in chains of injustice and corruption?

What then?

I don't know what will happen, but for me I have this one comfort: God.

Some may say it's some made-up image in my head for me to go to when I'm feeling down, but that's if God is fiction. The facts for God is true and so He is real. God is moving.

I may not know what happens, but I know God knows, and I know He has His hands wrapped around this country. Whatever happens, He's there. 

And that.

That's my comfort.

I don't know about tomorrow;

I just live from day to day.

I don't borrow from its sunshine

For its skies may turn to grey.

I don't worry o'er the future,

For I know what Jesus said.

And today I'll walk beside Him,

For He knows what lies ahead.

Many things about tomorrow

I don't seem to understand

But I know who holds tomorrow

And I know who holds my hand.

I just saw this...

And thought it was a good line. Speaking on strikers (people whose job is to score goals in football), Alex Ferguson had this to say:

"You go through spells when you are not scoring and thinking you will never get a goal. Then when you are scoring you never think you are going to miss."

I guess it relates to the high and low moments in our lives. On our high, we feel capable of doing anything and everything, but on our low, we wish for the world to swallow us up.

What if we're in that low when everything seems impossible?

When nothing you do goes right? 

What do you do?

Who do you go to?

What then?