Everyday gods

A False Dichotomy between Physical Idols and the Intangible Ones

Have you ever wondered what motivates you to do what you do? There was a story told of a 9 year old who entered a Thai restaurant in midtown New York. Brought up in a Christian family, the boy curiously peered at a statue placed near the doorway. "I didn't know there are idols in New York?" he asked his dad, puzzled.

Christian doctrine has long appeared intolerate of other gods or idols. Sadly, much of the intolerance is not so much characteristic of the God of the bible and Jesus Christ, the lover of our souls, but characteristics of the human heart, ever quick to judge, prejudice and set aside things different from itself. Rousseau lamented in the Social Contract that Christians make the worst citizens in a civil state. This is because true Christianity is about being slaves. They care not about public felicity and do not think ill of their neighbours. They would make the worst soldiers for in war, they would fight with a deep sense of duty but without passion for victory.

While Rousseau's opinions may not accurately describe the emotions and passions a devoted believer may have for his/her state and country, he got the next point about the intolerance of religion correct: "Now that there no longer is and never again can be an exclusive national religion, tolerance should be shown to all those that tolerate others..." In an earlier passage, he adamantly claimed "the sovereign can banish from the state anyone...for being unsociable." Reading from a couple of yahoogroup emails the story of the Singaporean couple who were sent to jail for their severely erroneous tracts on the Muslim faith, I lament that too few of us seriously consider why the God of the bible hates idols. It is not so much that He is intolerant (for He made us and knows our propensity for mistakes) but more that he is angered by the subtle destruction to our lives idols do.***

***[Please note that I do not refer to idols here in the physical sense. I do not attempt to categorize religious items, statues and relics of other faiths as idols. "Idols" here is a generic label for the intangibles that our souls desire, and the sometimes tangible that we make as a form of chasing the former. Please read on.]

True Idolatry - Genuine Loves in Wrong Positions

Today, Dr. Tim Keller spoke about the capacity of the human heart for idolatry. Quoting from Romans 1:21-25, he stated that men inevitably want to create idols, and have created a great range for them. In the Old Testament times, the prophet Isaiah chided the nations of Judah and Israel for worshipping idols made of everyday material. He said, the same tree that was chopped for firewood or cooking, portions of it are used and carved into a creature or image of praise. The same bronze, silver or gold which is used in buying and selling, is molded into a delectable image for worship. The contrast was that created things (wood, gold, silver) were used to created items of worship as opposed to us worshipping the One who created them.

But the dangers of idolatry are deeper and scarier and poses big questions for all men. Keller alluded to the fact that all men have an inclination to worship something. Just looking around, we ascribe praise to great men and women. Celebrities are given endless attention - attention to their latest fashion, their lives, their football club transfers (which seem to last months!). Statemen and Generals are erected statues in their honour. Intangible things like 'love', 'anti-racism', 'human rights' are celebrated and form such a core in many peoples lives. We love to attach value to things and then by association, want our lives to be valued by finding ourselves in them. But many of these gods we celebrate don't give us what we truly need.

If we agree that there are several goods a man requires, them being love, attention, acceptance, esteem, security, etc., then many of these items of worship hardly deliver them. Keller mentioned some illuminating examples.

Where the Search for Acceptance, Esteem and Security Fail - Money, Sex, Power

First, he allued to the idea that there are near and far idols. A Wall Street banker may have his near idol as money. He desires a higher pay, bigger bonuses and a fat bank account. But his far and concealed idol may be security. He is afraid that he would be penniless and face the downside of a free-market economy. He searches frantically (though appearing calm and composed) for ways and means to earn the next buck and to store them in his account. When Lehman collapses, he reacts more than others because he fears the dimunition of value in his wealth.

The same near idol, money, can lead to a different far idol - acceptance. For a lawyer to be like myself, my near idol may be money, not so to provide security, but to buy acceptance. I want to drive a slick looking car which will obtain my friends' praise, a decent looking suitcase to fit my tailored blazer. Maybe some neat furniture in a nice apartment. A nice refridgerator to store delightful gourmet food. All this so that I can mix with and be accepted by a certain crowd. The jet setters and high-lifers will certainly feel at home with me, and I at home with them. But from the above two examples, clearly the idols don't deliver. One crisis - the fall in currency, or the rejection by someone important - will cause us to crumble.

Keller also mentioned the result of painful emotions. Guilt he says, results from making an idol of the past. We want our past to look better but we can't change it. But because of this, we wallow in guilt, unable to tell ourselves life is not central upon what we have done or omitted to do. Bitterness, results from making an idol of the present. We want our present to be perfect. We desire for life to be just the way we want it. Our plans fail and we feel mistreated.

Before the religious person become elated from hearing all these deprecatory examples, how about moral rectitude? When we make an idol out of being a moral person, we think being moral will get us what we want. Thus, when suffering or failure hits us, we blame god and turn away, or hide our sore emotions because we felt that by our morality we deserve better.

In sexual or romantic pleasure, we may be seeking both acceptance and security. For that moment, instead of showing love and pleasure in the one we consumate with, we read our partner's willingness to give his/her body or romantic expressions to us as a sign that they accept us for who we are, and we are secure in this. Sexual addiction prove the contrary. That while for a moment we may feel that way, the act of sex itself never cures our need for acceptance and security. A Christian book once reported that Playboy Magazine did reveal that in order to attract readers, models are to pose in a manner that says "I desire you" to their readers. Inately, it attempts to lure the human heart to the false god of sexual pleasure by telling them they are accepted and esteemed. Yet, it never fulfils and is illusory.

One need not go far to imagine how obtaining power can be an idol.

Ordered Loves

CS Lewis in the Four Loves and Augustine in Confessions both alluded to the same idea - that our hearts are restless till they have found their peace with God, and that God must be the centre of all our desires/loves. For God Himself claims to be able to fulfil all our needs. That's why he is angered by idols. Because by chasing the near or far idols of wealth, moral rectitude, achievements, beauty, sexual pleasure, etc., we fail to reach the true source which will provide us with security, trust, love, acceptance, forgiveness, esteem, and a sense that we are finally at home and at rest. Christ sacrifice speaks boldly of this. Romans 8:32 says:

"He who did not spare His only Son, but gave him up for us all - how will He not also, along with him, graciously give us all things."

We know God accepts us for who we are because of the Cross. We can find security because we know He holds our world in His hands. We can trust Him because He disclosed his heart and chose to be first vulnerable to us. We can find true forgiveness, not condoning of our wrongful acts, because a price was paid for us. We can find esteem because by giving Himself for us, he is redeeming us, his adopted children to return home.

Oscar Wilde once wrote that when men are most miserable when they get what they pray for. There is a sense of truth to that in that we often feel gratified and lulled into a sense of tranquility when we obtain our near idols. When we seek for acceptance, more achievements make us feel happy. Yet, this sense of acceptance is never really there. One mistake, one bad grade, one failure to achieve the highest position may mean you've "fallen". At times, it is when we don't get what we seek for that God allows the situation to reveal our false gods.

Not all false gods (idols) are bad in and of themselves. No one would say "since I have sought my wife as an idol I shall leave her." This is contrary to reason and biblical understanding. Yet, the key is to place our loves in order. Wealth, beauty, sexual pleasure and the like must be ordered in their places and assigned the right motivations and values. The love of the Creator and Divine and for what He has done for us and how He has loved us, when placed at the apex of our desire pyramid, allows us to fulfil all our souls' desires. When the need for acceptance, love, trust, esteem, etc. are all met, others pleasures and gods we seek will fall into place and are hardly dangerous since we seek them for their intrinsic value - wealth to provide and multiply for others, sex as an expression of love and appreciation, beauty as an appreciation of what is fine and delightful. Ordered loves is the key.

Unless we order our loves, there is always the danger that our unfulfilled desires for acceptance, affection, security, esteem and love turn the things we possess and treasure, into an idol which enslaves. Why should we allow our loved ones, wealth, moral rectitude and romantic pleasure to a victim of our disordered loves and enslave ourselves to them?

Human Trafficking - A Descend into the Heart of Darkness

This will probably be my last entry before either shifting to a new blogsite or to use a new format. The latter is most convenient so maybe I'll stick to that. After much reflection and prayer, I've sensed a need to be careful of taking pride in my own "brand name". Before it sounds smug to you, for me to even think I have a brand name, let me explain.

For some time, I have allowed compliments and praise to build up my self-image. I began to feel comfortable being praised or esteemed. Yet, recently, as perhaps reflected in my previous posts, I've come to realise how human I am and how I must be careful of thinking myself too highly. Pride is subtle. People may not see it, but God knows, and when its revealed, we know too. For example, people always know me as a 'good Christian' or 'model/moral person'. But it is only when I see the true plight of my own hypocrisy - appearing moral but feeling upset and contemptuous of others on the inside - that I begin to be wary of myself. All in all, I think its been a good time of learning, of realizing how important to be grounded, avoid being built up by praise and to beware of pride.

Confidence is a good thing. Seeing yourself as esteemed by others and being unable to accept criticisms, comments and differing views is another. I guess its best to beware of the latter. My decision to shift blog or to change the format to in part to get away from having a blog named after me. It was named that way because I didn't want to hide behind a label, and I want to be me, transparent and open. Yet, there is that danger of me celebrating my own blog, personality, thoughts and reflections - i.e. being happy about my name being publicized. Its a thin line between "self-desecration" and moving away from subtlelies of pride, but I hope I have support and trust that all I am trying to do is disassociate myself from my name and still blog in the spirit of open thinking.



Human Trafficking

On Thursday, I went to the UN for the appointment ceremony of the Goodwill Ambassador to the UNODC (Office on Drugs and Crime) and the launching of the official report on the state of Human Trafficking. It was an eye-opener for me. After hearing much about human trafficking, it was a chance to learn more and gain a depth of knowledge.

As I arrived at the Balcony, I was surprised that every seat was littered with an "Amazing Grace" DVD. The movie, featuring the life story of William Wilberforce and his lifetime battle to abolish slavery and its ills in the British empire, was given for free! Glad as I was, I pondered why they would be giving this DVD. What was the link?

As soon as the speeches got underway, I heard sad statistics on the state of affairs with regard to Human Trafficking. If you're one for facts and figures, do check out these websites and the report:
www.unodc.org/unodc/en/human-trafficking/index.html,
www.unodc.org/documents/Global_Report_on_TIP.pdf,
www.ungift.org/.

The link to "slavery" and thus the link to the "amazing grace" dvd gift was that Human Trafficking is modern day slavery. Whilst "slavery" in its primitive form was abolished, human trafficking accounts for similar and arguably worst and more clandestine effects. The syndicates running human trafficking do a significant damage to humanity, theirs being ranked the 3rd biggest illegal organised crime, after arms and drugs.

Human Trafficking includes many facets. The main ones are the smuggling of children for paedophelia or child labour; and the smuggling and kidnapping of women (mainly, as opposed to men) for prostitution or illegal domestic labour. While on the surface the words "smuggling", "prostitution" and "domestic labour" seem merely technical, in actual fact, this trade subjects fellow humans to the worst forms of emotional, physical and psychological harm. (See the story of Dora and Sondra below)

More interestingly, was the speech by the new ambassador against Human Trafficking Mira Sorvino. An Academy Award winning actress, Mira Sorvino spoke eloquently. She was introduced as a Harvard Graduate in East Asian Studies who finished with a Magna Cum Laude. Unlike the 3-4 speeches before her which were clinical and factual, she gave a soft yet sterling speech. As she spoke, she mentioned two true stories of victims she had met, who had been trafficked.

The first story was of Dora. (not her real name). Dora was a Mexican woman who lived in a poor shanty. She was tricked by an elderly lady in her village that she would be promised work in sewing clothes. Once she reached Texas, she realised she was tricked and soon she was forced into selling her body for money. When she had the courage to ask to get out, the elderly lady told her she was an illegal immigrant and would be subject to very strict laws. The elderly lady furthermore, told her that "no one will listen to you. Here in Texas, a dog is more important than you. They care more about their dogs than they would for you." After being held for years in this kind of economic, emotional and psychological bondage, she had the courage to escape. Ironically, law enforcement agencies only managed to put the elderly lady under 1 year of house arrest because of her age. Further, despite relocation methods and means to help Dora get a new life, this elderly lady who is back in Mexico, constantly tries to bribe or threaten Dora's family so as to track her down.

The second, and even sadder story is that of Sondra. When she was 15, Sondra was sold to a paedophile for USD$200. He raped her several times a day. To scare and manipulate her, he locked her in a room with an occult altar. He placed a picture of Jesus on the altar, together with bones and jars of black powder, and he also told her he could read her mind, every of her thoughts. In the earlier years, he threatened to kill her and she believed him because she saw other garbs lying around in the room, and was fearful due to the presence of bones. After being raped on end for days and feeling helpless and wanting to give up, she asked him to kill her. Her only desire not to die was to provide money for her family. After 5-6 years of keeping her locked in his house, the paedophile then sent her to work in a factory. But upon her receipt of payment, he took all her money. Some neighbours finally gave law enforcement agencies a tip off saying they saw Sondra constantly mopping the floor dressed in shabby rags. This lasted for 20 years.

Mira Sorvino mentioned that Sondra looked like a "burnt out soul". Who could expect more after 20 long years of emotional torture, physically abuse and the snuffing out of any soul-fire on her wick of dignity?

According to social workers on this field, victims of human trafficking can be sold multiply times a day. This is because the cost for 'maintaining' them is so low. In fact, apart from the scraps of food, perverse clothing and drugs given to hooked them, very little is required to keep modern day slaves.

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Indifference Perpetuates Inhumanity

"Sad" is far too mild a word to describe the emotions that should grip us as we hear these stories. While we may be in safe and secure settings, many others part of our common humanity suffer under perverse systems. I was thinking to myself as I heard those stories, how would I react if a female loved one was raped? Heaven forbid it happen, but I would be outraged. Even as a practising Christian, the issue of forgiveness would be a huge struggle. Yet, these women are raped several times a day. Some are put on drugs so as to ensure they do their masters' bidding - a literal depiction of slaves - without dignity, freedom or any form of self-control. Anger and outrage, equally inapt phrases, must surely be part of the cauldron of emotions stirred up by such true stories.

I wonder if, secure from grevious ills, we have become accustomed to ignorance or indifference. A poster on the walls of the NUS lifts reads "Indifference is the essence of inhumanity." (George Bernard Shaw) I fully agree. Sometimes, we often think away the need to be aware, involved and engaged by saying "look, these things are so far away, since I can't do anything about it, or can't change anything, why should I be involved?" While one can understand the sentiment, a descend into the heart of darkness will show us the wretched potential and seeds of wickedness all human beings have. Evil may not surface in its ugliest or truest forms, but the subtle forms of oppression which appear in greater volumes in sex/human trafficking often appear in our everyday worlds.

In some countries, the poor sleep on dirt roads and continue in a cycle of poverty. Unable to have conducive school, proper and minimum healthcare and proper housing, almost none of these children grow to break out of the poverty trap. In developed countries, indifference is practiced when we think only of our gain and protection and security but bother not about the genuine concerns of others. What about domestic workers in Singapore? If I told you your son or daughter were to work in a foreign land 24 hours a day, 7 days a week without a rest day, how would you feel. Perhaps you will gleefully agree only if he/she is an investment banking or international commercial lawyer. Manual labour aside, many maids aren't accorded basic human dignity. Last to eat at the table, given the leftovers and scraps, made to do dangerous tasks like cleaning windows from the outside of a HDB ledge - surely some decency can be afforded them. "But nah, this job and life we give them is better than they have back home." Sure. Turn the tables around and we would be the ones crying to heaven against the oppression, subtle or otherwise.

A most quoted phrase is "the only thing needed for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing." However idealistic it may sound, its truth is evident. We don't need to be world changers like Martin Luther King Jr, or as hoped for, the recently inaugurated President Obama. We can be who we are, in whatever station we are, but working and living against the grain of indifference. If we aim high, the dignity we accord to another person may lift him or her up to be a history maker. But even if we aim low, you may have made a stark difference in the life of one who has never felt dignified.

Talk to your maid, ask her how she's doing. How's her family? Talk to the road sweepers, greet them. Don't pity them. We don't act out of pity or sympathy because we know we are equals. But don't perpetuate the neglect and act in the stream of indifference this world feels comfortable to live in.

Mira Sorvino gave a personal testimony which was most inspiring. She said, "with all the evil and hurt I've seen in this world, it was a very difficult choice in wanting to have children. Yet, I chose to and today I have two girls, age 2 and 4. This is because, amidst all the evil, I believe in hope. I am banking on hope and I am writing my cheque with my own sweat, blood and tears." Essentially, she chose, by bringing children into this world, to have a stake in the battle against evil, indifference and inhumanity - to fight for it because it would cost her something otherwise.

Aptly, the title of the talk that day was "Exposing Denial and Benign Neglect". For the evils in society to persist, all it requires is for us to do nothing. Benign neglect. Years of bullying may cause a man to lack total self-esteem. Years of racism and oppression may cause a person of a minority race to lash out and react in violence. Years of subtle put-downs may cause a wife to see herself as emotionally small in her husband's eyes. Years of undignified treatment may cause a person in poverty to think that there is no way he/she is going to get better, so why try? These abovementioned problems aren't murder or torture or violence. Yet, the indifference we show allow time through years to compound the inhumanity.

By looking at our loved ones and imagining them subject to these forms of oppression, hopefully we can say like Mira Sorvino that "we are banking on hope, and we will write our cheques with our sweat, blood and tears." The great news is, everyday indifference hardly costs us sweat, blood or tears, but a kind word, a smile and an outstretched palm.