Signs that you are going to be a civilian soon

1. Everytime someone asks you when you ORD, you reply with a "ORD LOH!"
2. You woke up at 1pm today, went to sleep at 1am.
3. You were online on MSN the whole day.
4. Nobody calls you at insane hours of the day, say 0545h, and shout "Company, Fall in for 5BX NOWWWWW!"
5. You realize the world is made up of many other beautiful colours other than green.
6. You find your muscles growing smaller due to too long a period not exercising.
7. You suddenly realize that you have nothing to do!
8. You don't need to ask permission to do things.
9. Nobody calls your name by mentioning your rank first.
10. You crave for your Pink IC.

You Want a Reformation? Everyone does; it's just not happening.

Within certain circles of Christianity there are groups of people who keep praying for revivals. By that they mean spiritual reformation. When large groups of people will understand the Word of God and turn back to God in repentance. I don't think it will happen anytime soon as long as they keep focusing on mystical experiences, and neglect what the bible teaches.

I have never seen such reformations. Certain groups keep claiming they have already experienced it, but I doubt so, when the moral standard of the church is so low. A true reformation, seen from history, is something like the work of the Puritans. Entire generations of people in England repented, and had a holy fear of God. I am currently reading my second book by a Puritan pastor, Thomas Watson, and I found in his literature much greater fear of God than any ten books which I can pick up by contemporary writers.

Reformation must start from an intrinsic holy fear and love of God. That cannot happen when Christians focus on their own wisdom and methods, thinking that by themselves it will 'work'. Tonight I'm going to a talk on the spiritual theology of the Puritans. It should open our eyes to humility.

Prosperity Gospel



From some big church in Singapore

"There's a book of remembrance. For who? For those who tithe. Your name will go into the roster, and God will remember it and in due season, in this lifetime, you are going to be blessed....

God has a book. Every one of you who tithe eventually in this lifetime, you are going to have a hundredfold blessing, houses, lands, properties so that you can be a blessing to the whole world. [To audience's applause]"

I take issue with what he taught. The passage he was preaching on (Malachi 3:16) was actually mentioning the righteous who loved God. For whom is the book of remembrance? I quote Scripture, "for those who fear the LORD and who esteem His name." To confirm again, verse 18 says, "so you will again distinguish between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him."

The book of remembrance records those who are righteous and loved God, not those who tithe! Nothing is said about tithing here. It is not even the main theme of Malachi. And this is not to mention that the rest of what he said is not biblical at all. I wonder how many people are deceived. I wonder how many people give money to the church hoping that they will get more back. And do you think God is so small that He can be manipulated?

How long must it be that people start realizing that Christianity is not a feel good, look good, be rich, be healthy religion? The pastor had totally ignored the historical-redemptive theme of the entire bible and went into his own interpretation that those who tithe, God will give them more money. This isn't true in the first place. This is definitely not what the bible teach! Why should giving be based on returns? There is little doubt that the reason why the reputation of churches is so low is because of such dubious teachings. I could have written an entire essay to tear apart what he taught, but I believe what has been said has already been said. It is up to them to take it, or leave it.

At one point of his sermon, the pastor asked rhetorically, 'When will the world call us blessed?' He then reasoned that it is not when the praise and worship becomes good, because they already have the best praise and worship, and yet nobody calls them blessed. Then, again rhetorically he asked, 'Is it when our preaching becomes good?'.

He should have stopped his sermon there.

He had answered his own question. Yes, pastor, it is when your preaching becomes good and when you stop teaching these nonsense to a deceived generation.

People always wonder why that church is often criticized. I wonder why they are not, and why there are still so many people with itchy ears wanting to hear what they want to hear.

My Arthouse Poser Friends

Ball N Biscuit says:
go watch lust caution
wool says:
lol
Ball N Biscuit says:
stop being a arthouse poser
Ball N Biscuit says:
and go watch
wool says:
hahaahah
Ball N Biscuit says:
like real i believe u like art
wool says:
arthouse poser...
Ball N Biscuit says:
yesh

The only reason why I haven't watched Lust, Caution despite asking countless times is because all of my friends refuse to watch it because it is cut! What nonsense! This is after I have explained that the sex is not a pivotal part of the movie, as long as we know what it is used for. Betrayal. That's the point of the movie. Therefore I don't consider it absolutely necessary. And the cut version should convey the same message as the uncut one.

And if I ask them, 9 out of 10 will not know the plot of the movie, and there they are complaining that it is not 'pure'. Like real I will believe these people really appreciate art. Suddenly they become arthouse purists.

Yes. The same people who watched Resident Evil: Extinction.

The Technique of Long Takes in Film

Children of Men by Alfonso Cuaron [4/5]

I am very impressed with this film. I admit I don't quite understand how an infertile world can lead to such political mess and ungovernable situations all over the world, but I guess I can quite easily overlook that by the sheer brilliance of the filmmaking of Alfonso Cuaron.

At least three important scenes were all filmed in single takes. Imagine a scene which lasts five minutes, and all you have is one camera, and you need to orchestrate everyone, every movement such that everything coincides perfectly as you move your only camera in a decided manner when the main character moves from Point A to Point B to Point C. That means every actor knowing what he has to do, knowing his script for that five minutes, and knowing at exactly which position he would be at any moment, knowing at which speed to drive the car, knowing at which moment to speak, and at the same time acting and reacting since most of the time you won't know when the camera is going to focus on you out of the many actors. Imagine one extra foul up, and you have to reshoot the whole thing again!

Amazing. This is one example:



I don't quite know how to describe. But I know how difficult it is to do such a long take. This techinique worked for various reasons. For intensity, for gritty realism, for progressive revelation. Like I've said, for these three scenes, I don't really care that I only half-understand the plot. This is one great action-political film.


This technique is similar to this fantastic short film which I once watched, 10 minutes. It shows how 10 minutes can mean nothing to someone, but an entire life change for another. Amazing short film.

10 minutes by Ahmed Imamovic

Paranoia

I think I am getting paranoid. Sometimes I think I am doing things which are not really happening, a figment of my own imagination. That in the course of my doing things I really, in actual fact did nothing at all. I could have smiled at nothing. I could have gone through an entire conversation which had never happened at all, except in my mind. I could have gone through an elaborate process of a series of actions and done nothing at all. How does it feel to have to try to verify each single moment of your very existence? To doubt some things which normal people would never think of doubting?

And then I figured.

I was afraid that the paranoia would be true. I would be embarrassed, ashamed, pitied even. But then I reckon everyone sympathises with a madman. Some admire madmen even.

And then I get better.

Recent Movies I have Watched

1. The Aviator by Martin Scorsese [4.5/5]

How come no one ever mentioned this film! I have actually wanted to watch it for a very long time but somehow just kept passing it by simply because no one recommended it.

It is too underrated. It is too underrated. It is too underrated.

Opps, that the Howard Hughes syndrome there. Show depicts this perfectionist, eccentric, genius billionaire aviator Howard Hughes who also was interestingly flawed, a madman. Much like John Nash in A Beautiful Mind, only much more compelling and intense. Both geniuses, and madmen: the best combination ever. If Taxi Driver is the master's best in the 70's, Raging Bull in the 80's and Goodfellas in the 90's, then I guess, for now, for me at least, The Aviator stands as his best in the 2000's. I know there is The Departed, but to me that film was good, but a little overrated. Or maybe it's because I didn't enjoy it as much as I would have if I hadn't already watched Infernal Affairs.

This film is classic Scorsese. The electric 20's to 40's soundtrack, the long-timed single camera movement, and of course, Leonardo DiCaprio staring at himself, and talking to himself in the mirror at the end. This is reminiscent of Robert De Niro in Raging Bull, where he talks to himself about how he could be a greater person, and prepares himself for redemption, uttering I'm the boss, I'm the boss. I'm the boss. as he imagines himself boxing in the dressing room. In Aviator, Hughes murmurs

"The way of the future. The way of the future. The way of the future."

essentially showing his two main personas: that visionary genius, and that self unfortunately plagued by mental illness.

All in all, it is a marvellous film!


2. Notes on a Scandal [3.5/5] and Closer [3/5]

Both films are disturbing, but I guess they do refect truth in our society. Notes explores two cases of obsessions, one of marital infidelity and the other of homosexuality. Cate Blanchett plays this teacher who desired a young student (aged only 15!) in her art class, and ends up committing adultery with him. There is really nothing sane about this. Very depraved. But Blanchett acted well. Judi Dench plays this psycho, lonely old woman who uses her wit to gain friendship with Cate Blanchett. Ultimately we know that it was homosexual attraction. I guess the whole of this film I was watching with unbelief, but it looked like something that can happen in our society, or is already happening.

Closer is even worse. The sexual dialogue is very profane and disturbing, yet I think it explores one important thing essential in relationships: truth. Basically all four characters played by Clive Owen, Julia Roberts, Natalie Portman and Jude Law lack truth in their relationships, and as a result are hurt by it. Cases of betrayals, deception and infidelity keep showing throughout the film. I was so disturbed at one point I wanted to stop watching, but watched on anyway. The minor twist at the end revealed that in their course of 3 year relationship, Jude Law never even knew Portman's real name. I guess this film does reflect the truth about our lack of truth in relationships.


3. Girl with a Pearl Earring [3.5/5]

I liked the performances of Scarlett Johansson and Colin Firth. Especially Johansson. This film required her to emote mainly not of dialogue, but of her facial expressions, her awkwardness, her fear etc. Nothing seriously important point this film makes, other than the fact that art is a very powerful medium which could even destroy relationships. The cinematography was excellent though. And I liked the simplicity of the story.


4. Fight Club by David Fincher [3/5]

This is about a man who tried to detach himself from social construction and values. Why is this film so highly rated? Technically it was good. But I think this film is among those few which are critically acclaimed but which I cannot relate to, shows like Fargo and Apocalypse Now: too dark for me. One problem I have is that the revelation at the end turns out to be not so revelatory. I wasn't stunned. I took it in my stride. And in the end I find that I wanted to like the show, but really couldn't. Prefer straight-to-your-face serial killer films like Se7en and Zodiac.

5. About a Boy [3.5/5]

I watched this show to laugh. Cannot watch too many serious shows. And ya, Hugh Grant was funny.