Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Should we do a Seder?

I've always wanted to do the Passover Seder. It has 2 levels of meaning for me. It connects us to the past and it is a very experiential education for the children.

I am happy to read about the White House Seder. I think it may be time to introduce this with slight variations to the church. Thankfully the wikipedia entry on Christian Seder is quite helpful on this. I will be checking out the links. Next year's Lent will be far more meaningful with this.

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Recommendation: A Softer World

This is a webcomic that I've been following. The format is always the same. It will be 3 pictures with typed words pasted over it. But it is the words that are absolutely ironic and brilliant. The themes are on relationships, weird thoughts and life reflections.

(click on the picture for the full comic)

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

When will you die?

This is one of the funny dialogues in 善德女王.

毗昙被抓到美室面前。
陛下来了。
薛原公:是为什么目的这样做的?
毗昙:只是为了传达上天之意。只是在修炼中收到了天意。
薛原公:看来你是不怕死了!
美室:你知道上天之意?那你对自己的命运知道些什么?既然懂得上天之意,那么不会不知道的,你什么时候会死?
美生和雪梅说果然是美室,很厉害。
毗昙:怎么能将生死……
薛原公:快回答宫主的问题!
毗昙:是,小人会比陛下少活三日!
美室:我输了一局,他很厉害,他要是说比我少活的话,我会毫不犹豫杀了他,但是他居然说比陛下少活3天。

BiDam (who was pretending to be a prophet) was captured before MiShil.
The king arrived at the interrogation scene.
MiShil's general: Why are you doing this (sending a divine message)?
BiDam: I am only here to send a divine message I got from meditation.
General: You are asking for your death!
MiShil: So you know divine will, huh? What do you know about your destiny? Since you know divine will, do you know when you will die?
MiShil's lackeys: wow MiShil is good.
BiDam: When I will die... ... ...?
General: Answer the question!
Bidam: Yes, I will live 3 days less than the king!
MiShil: I have lost this round. He is clever. If he had said 3 days less than me, I would have killed him without hesitation. But he said 3 days less than the king!

Monday, March 22, 2010

What should you give the people?

This is one of the best dialogues in 善德女王. This scene arises because the princess Deoman (later Queen SeonDeok) wants to build an observatory tower so that everybody in the country can learn about astronomy, how to calculate seasons, days and tides etc. Prior to this, Mishil has been "using" astronomy to fool the people by making "prophecies" based on astrological events like the lunar eclipse. This "power" to control nature was previously in the hands of the royalties so that they retain god-like status. Now that the princess has won it back, she wants to release to the commoners. This is the dialogue that ensued.

德曼:这样新罗的所有人都可以知道天命,以后谁都不可以利用。
美室:所以要抛弃神权?
德曼:想这么做
美室:世界上有纵有横,纵有百济,新罗,在新罗有人跟随您,有人跟随我。世界也可以用横的来看。我跟你同样在上面,百姓在下面。我们是使用神权来掌管百姓。
德曼:但是(神权)什么时候都是可以抢夺的
美室:那也不能抛弃啊
德曼:不是抛弃,而是还给百姓。
美室:那样也是抛弃,这样会失去统治,这样是违反通则的,以什么巩固您的权利,以什么来统治?
德曼:真实,(真理)
美室:真实?什么真实?
德曼:科学就是揭发真实,而你利用科学做了幻像
美室:作出幻象才能统治,
德曼:不,是给他们希望
美室:百姓有多么恐怖,百姓的欲望有多么可怕您不知道吗?
德曼:是的,我不怕,
美室:百姓不想知道日蚀是如何产生的,只是想解决。
德曼:那是因为不知道
美室:是不知道
德曼:如果他们知道册历的话,就会想知道,他们不知道雨为什么会下,他们需要前进一步。我要创造跟我做同样的梦的新罗。
美室心想:难道她想要……
德曼心想:这是我想说的话吗?
美室:事实上那希望,那梦想是更可怕的幻想
德曼:也许是这样,但是……
美室:公主,美室在说幻象,你说的是希望,但是那希望和梦想却是最残忍的幻想。您比我更甚。
德曼:是吗,也许是那样。

The summary of the dialogue is that Deoman wants the people to know science so that it cannot be a source of internal battle (to own it) and it cannot be abused for power or control. Mishil feels that if you do that you are losing your power to govern. The people needs this illusion that you are in control. Deoman says that she will not govern in this manner, she will use truth to govern. The people should not live by illusion, but by hope and dreams. Mishil says that hope and dreams is the most scary and cruel illusion.

It is highly disturbing how governing a country and governing a church is similar. The needs of a church member and the needs of a citizen are similar. The methods of a king and the methods of a church leader are similar. What you decide to do in leadership will dictate what kind of country/church you produce. I cannot recall when the transformation took place, but some day I just decided that I will not govern by illusions anymore. I will not continue the same old words of comfort that "God loves you" & "God is in control" & "God will make sure everything will turn out fine". I decided to release all that I know to the people.

Mishil is right though. The people do not want that. They have endless requests and they just want to know that you can make it all go away and they want to feel better. But that is not the truth. I want to govern by the truth. I want people to struggle with me with the harsh realities of truth. There is much we cannot know and much needed to continue to learn together. We live instead by hope and dreams. We endure hardships of uncertainty and doubt believing in the promised land that is far beyond. My church, I'm sorry that I will just continue with my style of tough theological education. I don't want the power. I give you the power of knowledge. We will work it out together.

It is cruel. But it is better than illusions. It is hope and dreams.

Sunday, March 21, 2010

The Mentality of 10 vs. 1

This is yet another memorable scene from 善德女王. I am currently reviewing this serial that I've finished and capturing all the interesting scenes. In this scene, two fighters are preparing for their battle against one another. They are called BoJong and YuSin. They had only battled one another once before and BoJong lost to YuSin. This is a split scene whereby two conversations are going on at the same time. BoJong is talking to his friend ShiPin, and MiShil (BoJong's mother) is talking to YuSin.

宝宗练习武艺,石品:你在想什么?
庾信也练习武艺,美室去找庾信
石品:是想上次那件事吗?那是你是受伤了
宝宗:那时,我是输了,不是手受伤。他是豁出性命来的,但是我不是。
美室:与10个打架的1个心情是不同的,心中那10个已经输了
宝宗:手受伤不重要,重要的是我没有豁出命来打架,但是庾信
美室:宝宗不弱,很强。我不想看到没意思的比赛,我想看到实力相当的比赛,还有,我不想与你成为敌人
宝宗:我现在,要第一次在比才中豁出性命

(Color coded to differentiate the split scene.)
BoJong is practicing. ShiPin: What are you thinking about?
YuSin is also practicing, MiShil comes looking for him.
ShiPin: Are you thinking about your last battle with him? You were injured then.
BoJong: I lost not because I was injured. He was giving his all but I was not.
MiShil: The mentality of a person fighting against 10 others is different. The 10 has already lost because of their weaker mentality.
BoJong: The hand injury is not important. The importance is that I didn't give it my all the last time, but not YuSin. (note: He was fighting a lone YuSin with many others, and lost)
MiShil: BoJong is not weak, but very strong. I do not want to see a meaningless battle, but an evenly matched one. Also I do not want to be enemies with you.
BoJong: This time, I'm going to give it my all.

There is a difference in giving your all, and we all know that. But that is something we often missed in actual consideration. Have I given my all? Has my enemy given his all? Can this person give his all when needed and what would that be like? These are all questions we should think about more. Battles are often win or lost because of a difference in mentality. And this is why great strategists use mind games and working with the times (and timing) to get that extra psychological leverage.

Given the great difficulties and challenges a church has to face, knowing how and when to inspire is an important element of pastoral leadership. How do we assess this "give it your all" potential? How do we draw it out?

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

WoW42: Be the Owner, not the Hired Hand

One of the best parts of 善德女王 is the dialogues. And the best among the dialogues are between the two female leads 德曼 (Deokman) and 美室 (Mishil). The former is the princess that was abandoned from birth and the story is largely about how she clawed her way back to eventually become king. The latter is a lady who holds all the political power but failed to become queen because of her lack of noble blood. The dialogues between these two are the best because they talked a lot about leadership and the way to govern a country. I find myself reflecting a lot about how they view a people should be led and governed; and hence how a church congregation should be led and governed.

One of the critical turning points of the serial centered around this particular dialogue.
德曼:我现在知道了,这就是新罗无法得到发展的原因。
美室:什么?
德曼:玺主,是因为你不是国家的主人,你如果是国家的主人,会一直希望它好,但是由于不是主人,总是欺骗,不是主人,才没有梦想。但是,怎么办?没有梦想的人,是不会发展的,没有梦想的人,连一步都不容易前进。
美室挺受刺激。

Let me translate this:
Deokman: I now know why Silla has not developed all these years.
Mishil: What?
Deokman: Sealkeeper, it is because you are not the owner of the country. If you were, you would always wish it well. But because you are not, you resort to lies. But you are not the owner, you have no dreams. Without dreams, there will not be development. Without dreams, there is not a step forward.
Mishil is shocked.

I keep reflecting on a recent conflict with a co-worker and I think it really boils down to this issue. I don't know when the transformation happened for me. Perhaps it is because I started owning the entire church. I make no apologies for this, because I don't mean this in a possesive or abusive way. I mean owning in the sense of sacrifice and love. So I started giving my dreams and my life to the church. I take responsibility. I began to think big and far. At the same time, I realize my attitude also changed. I began to have expectations and talking honestly became important for me. I started making demands in a gentle and form way. But I also started moving forward.

This is not the way with hired hand. They are calculative about the time and effort they have to give. They are concerned with their resources for their own ministries. They pander to the flock which they are supposed to lead. They barely move forward because they are only concerned about gaining power and authority. They fail to realize that they own the whole church all along. This btw is also how I see the parable of the lost son. The key of the transformation lies in the verse "'My son', the father said, 'you are always with me, and everything I have is yours.'"

Monday, March 15, 2010

On Historical Fiction

I spent almost 2 weeks watching a great Korean drama serial online called 善德女王. I will be using a few posts to talk about my reflections. Although I really enjoyed watching it, I have a major issue with it: Too much artistic deviations from history! I totally understand how some of this is necessary to provide plot lines and drama. But a good historical fiction should balance history and fiction well. Too much history and you lose a good exciting story. Too much fiction and you lose the purpose of providing a historical setting. The right balance allows the audience to enjoy the show while learning how to reinterpret history in a new way. I find that the drama serials from China does this best, and the ones from HK fail badly in this.

善德女王 is based on the the history of Queen Seondeok of Silla. It dramatizes the political difficulties of Seondeok from her childhood where the lack of a male heir slowly becomes an issue, til her reign where acceptance of the first female king is the problem. Important historical elements includes all the political characters (and resulting political intrigue), the building of the oldest observatory Cheomseongdae, the military campaigns to unify the 3 ancient kingdoms, the relationship with the Sui-Tang dynasties of China. I had much joy researching on all these details as I watched the show. But despite its best efforts to give the show proper historical grounding, I am unhappy with the following deviations (meaning that I could accept the rest, including all the romances).

1. The exclusion of the character Jindeok who is the next queen to take over from Seondoek. Much of the storyline seem to indicate that his nephew ChunChu will take over her throne. But any quick historical check would reveal that Jindeok is next, and ChunChu (who is featured) follows only after Jindeok. Including the character Jindeok will certainly be more exciting because there will be another aspiring queen, and certainly one that is competing with ChunChu for the throne.

2. The absence of Eulje (乙祭 을제) after Seondeok reigned as king. This character is a major one before her reign because he is well respected and an important supporter of king Jinpyeong. The drama showed his departure after he failed tried to assassinate Seondoek. That's fine with me. But this guy is noted as one of her regents when she reigned. His absence is unnecessary and lamentable. A tribute to his earlier contributions and a display of his changed attitude (towards female monarchy) would have been touching. Based on some online comments from fans of the show, I think many expected this guy to return in style later in the show. That's the same for me too.

3. The lack of use of the 3 legends. The use of the first legend is difficult is because in the drama Seondeok did not grow up in the palace. The use of the third legend is difficult because the prophecy is only fulfilled many years after her death. But why is the second legend about the white frogs not used? That would have been a good story!

Tuesday, March 02, 2010

The Worship Study Gorup II

I've previously mentioned about the worship study group formed to comb through all the online resources of Calvin Institute of Christian Worship.

We met the second time last sat and the summary is now online. If you are involved in worship ministry, I've also posted the assignments for April and May and I welcome you to read up as well.