Why me?

Superstition ≠ Faith

We do not manipulate God

God is always with us

Shit happens. If it hasn't happened to you, don't be smug, it just means that you have not lived long enough for that to happen...yet.

Many a time we lament when bad things happen. "Why me... I've been a good person. I don't do illegal things, I'm usually honest, how come Ah Beng down the street who engages in bookie activities gets to drive the big Mercs, bed the hot chicks and dine at Equinox..." are some of the daily complaints you hear about, perhaps from the person in the mirror.

So, depending on what we believe in, most of us will turn to higher forces for support and guidance. A simple question I always ask, both to myself and others alike, "Do you believe in _____(fill in whatever that's applicable)? If so do you think that _____ had allowed for this to happen? If so shouldn't you be more patient, focus on your sphere of influence, do what you can and for those you cannot control, to have more faith/burn more joss sticks/have your fortune told (delete where applicable).

For those who belong to organizations who put their faith in One God, I have this little teaching to share. Of course don't read too much into it.

In 1 Samuel chapter 4, the Bible talks about the war between the Jews and the Philistines, where the chosen race was routed, not once but twice at the hands of the Philistines.

In the first battle, the Jews, having lost 4000 men, decided to bring into the camp the ark of the covenant of God, thinking that this will bring victory to them. What's interesting here is that the ark is merely a container for the tablets of God's Commandments, but to the misguided Jews, it has become a lucky charm, a power-up or even a magic wand that they hope can be used vanquish the enemies. The basis of faith in God became faith in a piece of earthly creation...otherwise called superstition.

The second battle turned out to be even more dismal than the first, not only did the Jews lose 30,000 foot soldiers, so did both sons of Eli, head priests Hophni and Phinehas, and even the ark was captured by the Philistines. A very dismal picture indeed. So, did God forsake His chosen ones? On the contrary, I believe the Jews had forsaken God, in their superstitiously misguided beliefs that they can manipulate God's Will through earthly actions.

How often did you hear wealth and health gospels which promised the world for believers, where all you need for a good life is to enter into a relationship with God? How often did somebody have you believe that the physical act of baptism and offering begets good returns, to the point that one becomes increasingly deluded to believing that God's Grace can be manipulated. It is always easier to be the herald of good news than the harbinger of doom and simple folks, like me, love good news, like to feel inspired, crave for something to believe in. To the extent that I may subjugate my intelligence to misguided faith, to superstition. I suddenly see images of fervent hordes raising their right hand towards the swastika and young brats brandishing little red books.

Finally, we have ultimate responsibility toward ourselves for our own spiritual well-being. Do we just see things skin deep, led on the nose by people of apparent authority, or we can choose to take charge of our beliefs and see them/understand them/exercise them for what they really are. Did God, in his Book, say that all believers will be granted nothing for good tidings? Or will they also be subjected to the same, if not harsher, challenges all men face, only now they have the Lord to turn to for refuge? I think it is more like the latter. From 1 Samuel and the many anecdotes in the Bible, bad things do happen to His people, even good people. However, I think that we can choose to believe that God also work through those very bad things, according to His ever mysterious plans that only time, if we even have the privilege to know, will tell.

Just as in the movie 'Signs' where Mel Gibson, as the priest Father Graham, eventually found his faith again after seeing how all the 'bad' things in his life were finally wove together in the happy, albeit climatic, ending, 1 Samuel continues to talk about how God intervenes and weaves the history of the Hebrews. In this, God's Grace never left us, as long as we remain steadfastly along the path of salvation.

Finally, I said all I said...as a spiritually driven, non-institutionalized believer. So...don't read too much into it.