Tunglang moves from describing authentic street food to talking about authentic forms of worship. From the way he describes it, it’s not such a great leap, as we might think.
Time has changed many things, many perceptions, many tastes and many lifestyles.
As has been the crux of argument for and against tasty, cheaper street hawker food vis-a-vis super clean yet expensive food court plastics, the ‘contemporary trend’ of style seems to be moving towards more comfortable, aircon-ed and modern stylish buildings to house worshippers in the hope of attracting more believers and prospective converts. Some even have gone to the extent of having hi-fi sense surround equipment with wireless mikes and miniature ear phones! Surely God is not suffering from Tinnitus and definitely does not want such extravagant displays of hitech toys and egoistic pandering at the expense of worshippers? Is it the numbers game or is it the authentic search and fishing of lost souls?
2000 years of talking and worshipping the same God need not change like that. What is of concern is humanity’s change of hearts and attitudes when relating to and worshipping Yahweh. The Bedouins are still praying in the desert wilderness just as Jesus did. Or the Penans in the humid heats of the rainforest swatting mosquitoes while giving thanks or saying grace.
It is what is truly in the human hearts that God really cares for. Human spirits can’t lie or pretend in the presence of The Creator. Award winning hitech houses of worship can’t win His favour or blessings. Nor acoustic renditions of Amazing Grace when the mind is somewhere else.
I still prefer the woody smell of old churches where I can still feel His intimate, loving presence most.
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Speaking of autheticity, the authentic made-in-Penang soya sauce 天成酱油 (‘Thien Seng’, established 1912) factory at Kg Malabar within George town heritage zone, will be demolished soon.
http://www.kwongwah.com.my/news/2011/05/06/16.html
Is it relocating or closing down business?
Just short of 1 year to its centennial anniversary, and if it decides to close down, what a sad way to exit.
There are not that many heritage businesses in heritage Penang lasting 100 or more years.
‘I still prefer the woody smell of old churches where I can still feel His intimate, loving presence most.’
You can’t confine the Creator in any Churches or old rustic bldgs.
In the Bible …
‘Seek ye the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and everything will be reveal unto you’
But where to find HIM??
Simply …
‘The Kingdom of GOD is WITHIN you, NOT outside of your physical Body. Amen.
‘I still prefer the woody smell of old churches where I can still feel His intimate, loving presence most.’ That is my emotional and spiritual response when melancholically feeling for His presence. Like tastes or preferences, it kind of works individually for different people, some like it noisy and hi-tech, some like it quiet, alone and rustic. It doesn’t matter where one chooses or prefer for God will seek you out when you call out His Name. You are partially right to say the Kingdom of God is within us. Before that happens, we have to build a ‘sanctuary’ in… Read more »
There are many ways to connect with your God.
I think God is flexible on this so long as you are sincere in your faith.
Very difficult to argue what way is authentic as they are all man-made from the beginning til now.
What’s applicable to you may not work with others.
To each his own.
Choose one you are at peace with, that’s is what spiritualism is all about.
IQ level in here just took a plunge.
Confound the ‘Wise’ or IQ of this World! 1 Corinthians 1:26-29 For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no… Read more »
Only the most greedy of us lot would ask god for more than what we already have. Enjoy your heaven we all call Earth. This is it.
Dedicating this to tunglang : Joan Osborne’s One Of Us mtv
p.s what if God is one of us ???
Let’s ‘face’ it.
God created us in ‘good’ spirits up there, and then brought us down here in individual bodies, definitely He is already part of us. He is an all inclusive Creator, men. No discrimination. I can see Him in everyone including Joan Osborne. And the recreational visuals remind me of carefree, multiracial Great World Park and go-slow-motion Gurney Drive Beach of past.
OMG, I love this folksy, unpretentious video.
Generation Y may prefer this Glee’s version:
The whole world should be singing this song!
Rich, poor, class, no class, whoever may be. And sing it everyday.
Amen.
In 1996, William A. Donohue, president of the Catholic League, took issue with the song. Because “even [Joan Osborne’s] admirers see something of the sacrilegious in her work”, Donohue claimed the song was agenda-driven and danced “awfully close to the line of Catholic baiting”. On the other hand, Roch Parisien called the song “a simple, direct statement of faith, honest and unadorned, one framed in a near-perfect chorus and delectable Neil Young-ish guitar riff.”
if one has strong faith in THE DIVINE, he or she will not be affected by the changing world ……The Almighty is testing our faiths all the times – from Elvis to Carrie Underwood – don’t you see the trend of the music is evolving just like traditional street food to air-con fast food ?
One way for tunglang to stay positive is to ignore the changing landscape in Penang and continue to indulge in his favourite past times of enjoying the tradional street food of Penang while they last ….
Ye are right, brother!
Whether I am dreaming of California’s LA or tree lined Macalister Road of the 60’s & 70’s, let’s enjoy the mood of reminiscence and one up individualities of good old days of good old churches:
FYI, this is my favorite, inspiring Sunday music in go slow Madras Lane.
Whao, fantastic, how grrrreat thou art!
When it comes to religion and God, the God fearing Gerakan K is missing!…his … conscience must be pricking him.
Can’t you look past those extravagant displays of hitech toys or woody smell of old churches?
Look into your own heart and see if it is the same as the day you were born?
Who are we to judge how others worships God?
Straight from Jesus:
http://niv.scripturetext.com/matthew/6.htm
Andrew I, I love this scripture text: Do Not Worry “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Ever since I left the senseless… Read more »
I like this: “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do… Read more »
It is up to you to accept my point of view or take it with a pinch of salt. Anyway, I verily know where I stand firm in my ‘old’ relationship with the Almighty Yahweh, and what is my own rights to my way of worship Him. My Yahweh is the same as the moment I knew and accepted Him in the little old church at Macalister Road. The only difference now is the growing up with Him. Sharing something of the simplistic past is not poisonous, sorrowful, lamentatious nor revolting unlike foolishly taking the Devils’ promises word for word… Read more »
Here is how a young generation would respond, courtesy of Glee:
One thing no one doubts was the change of authenticity of UMNO/BN…the once patriotic coalition with a vision for an integrated Malaysia had become a party of corrupts… moving just one direction plundering the nation to the core.
In Malaysia “Authenticity” was the past… even with foods. Tell me where I could get my kampung type Nasi Lemak definitely, not in a five star hotel!
Nasi lemak is served in school canteen, but only once a week as per Ministry of Health guidelines to improve students’ BMI. So you do not need to the hotel, but to a nearby school but only 1 in 5 chance in a week that nasi lemak is being served.
Health Minister Liow Tiong Lai demonstrated his flip-flop ability and now declared ‘”Nasi lemak is healthy” (http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/6lema/Article/)
a day after the ‘NGO’ made noise (http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/4mngo/Article/)
for fear of receiving ‘black cake’?
Another example of Anil capitalizing on tunglang’s contribution. Is it a symbiotic relationship, where Anil gets more viewership to his site while tunglang gets to pour out his emotions (and drowns in his sorrow) as he tries to cope with the changing times? If you have a strong affinity and faith with your God, good for you. The problem begins when one tries to impose his belief onto others. Things therefore get complicated in our multi-racial/believes society. Different people respond to different things. We respect each other’s belief. No need to claim which one is more superior. For all that… Read more »
It’s drowning your sorrows, not drowns in your sorrow. Use Google if you’re not sure.
Can you read anything that suggests conversion or whose religion is correct from Tunglang’s short piece?
Stop crying wolf when there is none.
Typo: drown in your sorrow.
Your constant bashing of Gerakan K has somehow immobilised your judgement. Frank Talk is just expressing his opinion, and he is not criticizing tunglang for that matter.
Here:” Is it a symbiotic relationship, where Anil gets more viewership to his site while tunglang gets to pour out his emotions (and drowns in his sorrow) as he tries to cope with the changing times?”
Does this come across as complimentary to you?
i find that it is really a symbiotic relationship between the two as both have benefited. tunglang’s writings express his uneasiness with the changing time as he is is frustrated with modern times while harping on good old times. i too share the observation (not a criticism or a complimentary) and it is not to discredit either party. time they are changing though
I think the metaphor is an apt description of someone being excessively or pathetically morose. It’s similar to the phrase you suggest, but the intent is different. It’s also in parentheses which Anil usually uses when he edits comments, so may not be the author’s original words.
I stand corrected. Thanks, Sean.
Relationship with the Supreme Being, whatever your chosen religious leanings is just the same. He only wants our committed devotion, not pretension or conceits. Or worst religious bigotry.
I would rather qualify it as an individual authentic experience with Him on a personal scale, not beared down by outside peer / pastoral influence, not induced by fear-based doomsday or bling-bling commercialism of falseness or big is beautiful $$$ of mega worshipping in mega congregations.
My quote of experience is my individual simplistic religious leaning, not to be imposed on others’ rights to freedom of religion.