7/25/2025 Friday
It's ironic that the U.S. offers China and ByteDance either sell TikTok to Americans or shutdown operation in U.S. Ironic because the U.S. has been all about free market, freedom, and Intellectual Properties, so now they want to force a company to give up its own IP rather than taking due diligence in securing social data. At least China is honest with their "Firewall", that China government controls the people's internet; while U.S. would just complain about being spied because they care so much about freedom. This is also a proof that IP doesn't exist but in the mind of delusion and greed, which is that you can make up something called IP which has ownership not according to a person's "intellect" but how deep the money $ pocket goes.
Allie Beth Stuckey interviewing Zachary Levi is a surprise. Because I had no idea Zachary Levi is more Christian (was raised Christian) leaning than Jewish. After checking Wikipedia, I get this about the name "Levi" which many would think was his last name:
Early in his career, a Hollywood agent persuaded him to change his name saying, "A guy named Zach Pugh would not be going far in Hollywood," which led him to drop his last name.[74] In a 2013 interview with New York Post, Levi said he has no Jewish ancestry.
He seems to want to be Christian, but somewhat shying away from the confession perhaps due to the same reason as Jordan Peterson. But maybe he's more humble than Peterson on this matter.
After listening to Zachary, my respect for him does grow. Not sure how well he's aligned with the Gospel, I could only assumed based on the Charismatic/Fundamentalist people around him growing up, but I would listen to him more than any of today's preachers.
There will certainly be haters: He didn't talk about Jesus, he seems like Arminian, he sounded like post-modernist: "Preach the Gospel at all times and if necessary use words", "I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians", he's more like Roman Catholics: "balancing love and logic", "love is willing the good out of others", etc. Allie certainly isn't one of them haters, but she did seem defensive for Christian doctrine when the conversation went against textbook: "we must use words". She did allow Zach to explain further and then reconcile to the balance of words and work. If this interview is to be Gospel centered, the interviewer would need to really connect it from a very Gospel understanding way, i.e. "how would you deal with conflicts between religious faith", "how exclusive is Jesus/Christianity"? Without much Bible thumping on Zach. By the way, the "...Gospel...if necessary use words" quote often was attributed to St. Francis of Assisi, though nobody could source it, some, against the quote, calling it "can be a little arrogant = practice > preaching => useless dichotomy between speech and action" (which is itself a weak argument based on a self-created dichotomy on one's opponent using Strawman fallacy to cover one's own arrogance/hypocrisy/jealousy for being called out for indolence), though is not too far from the truth. Which is why when Stuckey veered the whole phrase to "Christianity is a word-based faith", she's missing the point, because Zach managed to correct her by saying "love-based faith". Word is important, but Stuckey missed the context when Zach already said "I see a lot of people talking, preaching, etc." as the context obviously transcends mere letters, for letters kill (something that a fundamentalist "reformed' Baptist wouldn't get). At the very least, she could at least try investigating what kind of "WORDS", "talking, preaching" was Zach talking about, so as to not associate the right Word with the wrong one. Nevertheless, the context is: Against hypocritical preachers who could only talk the talk but not walk the walk. And this is no time to talk about word-based faith. It's unwise to have it at the wrong time.
Stephen Tong finishing the last 2 of the 5 Solas as Reformed foundation - I think this is another way to dispel those simpletons who love to say "Reformed just means Biblical". If you call yourself reformed, you must at least, be able to confess the 5 solas, this is baby Reformed 101:
＃什麼是 Sola Christos 惟獨基督❓什麼是 Soli Deo Gloria 惟獨上帝的榮耀❓（希伯來書要理問答 第776問）(此講沒有影片，而從錄音帶轉錄；品質不良，請多看文字內容）
7/24/2025 Thurs
Painting of the day: Faith and Reason United, Painted by Ludwig Seitz (1844–1908), Executed circa 1887, Fresco, Vatican Museums, Galleria dei Candelabri
From Fr. Patrick van der Vorst, on Matthew 13:10-17 The secrets of the kingdom of heaven:
Our fresco at the Galleria dei Candelabri in the Vatican Museums depicts the figures of Faith and Reason united. We see Saint Thomas Aquinas teaching in the background. Pope Leo XIII (1810-1903) who commissioned the fresco had a desire that St Thomas Aquinas and his philosophy should have centrality in Catholic theology. Pope Leo XIII, the second oldest Pope in history after Benedict XVI, is perhaps best remembered for his landmark social encyclical Rerum Novarum, which laid the foundation for modern Catholic social teaching. A man of intellectual breadth and deep pastoral concern, he sought to bridge the gap between faith and the modern world. He reached out to the scientific community, established centres for theological and biblical scholarship, and made the Vatican Archives accessible to both Catholic and non-Catholic researchers, a groundbreaking gesture of transparency and trust. Leo XIII was also the first Pontiff to actively promote ecumenical dialogue, planting seeds of unity in a divided Christian world.
It is in this rich tradition of engagement, scholarship, and bridge-building that our current Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, has chosen to stand. In taking the name ‘Leo’, he honours that legacy: one of vision, courage, and hope for the Church in the modern age.
The translation of “DIVINARUM VERITATUM SPLENDOR ANIMO EXCEPTUS IPSAM IUVAT INTELLIGENTIAM” = “The splendor of divine truths, once received within the soul, itself assists the intellect.”
7/23/2025 Wed
Stephen Tong on the 5 Solas:
＃惟獨聖經、惟獨恩典的改教原則，如何講述基督徒不是靠行為，乃是靠上帝主權的恩典而蒙恩❓（希伯來書要理問答 第774問）(此講沒有影片，而從錄音帶轉錄；品質不良，請多看文字內容）
＃Sola Fide 惟獨信心，為何不是「因信」而是「藉信」稱義❓（希伯來書要理問答 第775問）(此講沒有影片，而從錄音帶轉錄；品質不良，請多看文字內容）
Returning home from SPG around 8pm today, I was buying the usual lamb rice by the NY Penn. Station. A "homeless" bearded guy with a backpack, not so black Muslim looking, came to me for a dollar. Someone else gave him some $, he thanked that person. Then back to me for the $. I said no. He asked again, I waved him off. He got mad, and pushed me a little. I got mad, but never touched him. I told him off. He "apologized". I ignored him and went for my food. He tried to ask for money. I said get lost. He got mad again and pushed me again. He grabbed his right pant pocket as if threatening he has weapon. I didn't care, calling his bluff. The we went our separate ways. I turned around across the street, looking for him taunting him with my tactical pen up. He looked back from the far corner. I dared him to cross the street and turned to the train station and never looked back while ready for him with my pen. I'm not even sure if I took my change ($1) after paying $10 for the combo rice. So he assaulted me twice.
I'm adding this to my fault. Because it's a fail in witnessing. With wisdom. And foolishness to sink myself to his level. I was well justified at first, for shooing him away. However, the absence of Gospel witness is disturbing to me. This shows I have been far from God. I did not do my Lord proud. I shouldn't have felt annoyed even if I could still wave him off without getting annoyed, which was why I had to respond to him with ungodly temper. I did flicked him off as did he in the end. The tactical pen gesture was also my fault. It should only be meant for self-defense. It's a bad witness to the lamb rice seller.
If I see either the seller or the punk again, I should apologize to both of them. To the seller "Have you ever seen him around often, you remember him?", for making an unrighteous scene. To the punk "You again!" for taunting him at the end (not for the dismissive wave, and I could directly indicate this to him), then a chance for the Gospel. I should reflect a lot on this, as there are many wise way to deal with folks like him: i.e. "You really meant sorry? Ok, my answer is still no." then wait for him to reflect, and give time to engage further thoughtful conversation with him. This also means that it was a sin for me to keep rushing all the time like this, poor time management. How should I work my time table, that I should have time for a thing like this? May God keep me in his mercy, Amen!
Connecting Hebrews 6 to 得救 vs. 得胜 ~ Stephen Tong
＃什麼是基督道理的開端❓歸正神學提到哪三步驟❓（希伯來書要理問答 第773問）(此講沒有影片，而從錄音帶轉錄；品質不良，請多看文字內容
7/22/2025 Tues
A tutorial on SVG
7/21/2025 Mon
Came across this Infant Baptism vs. Believers' Baptism: What's Biblical? | Ep 1213 by Allie Beth Stuckey. I generally don't bother with this debate anymore, but Allie's one of the respected Youtuber I would not just glance over when she speaks of important issues, especially when she dealt with Catholics. I've already known that she's "Reformed" Baptist, so this topic came as no surprise to me. So I'll one day take time to dissect her say on this matter, adding this entry to "Projects" Category:
A good analogy is citizenship. To vote, you must be 18 (believe) and a citizen (baptism) but it doesn't mean you can't be citizen before 18. Sacremental requirement of belivers does not affect the order.
Trump released Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. assassination files (230,000): https://www.archives.gov/research/mlk: FBI's investigation, potential leads, James Earl Ray's former cellmate, etc.
Adding a 2nd Aquarium Youtuber, MJ Aquascaping, for my aquarium (mostly marine) learning. First one was Inappropriate Reefer.
Stephen Tong on the importance of Righteousness vs. those who only preach grace and love:
＃保羅在政要面前講什麼道❓公義的道理有何等重要❓教會文化有怎樣嚴重的偏差❓（希伯來書要理問答 第771問）
I think the American "Reformed" Christians are weak on this because there's no competing views allowed...yet...Buddhism and sometimes Islam would be such challenge as they do a lot of "righteous" works where they were more rampant. Americans, with their fundamentalist preachers prolific in kicking these cults out of their country, are therefore unaware of any needed improvement out of conflicts. Rather, the improvement they seek is only head knowledge that doesn't require true candor as an ingredient.
7/20/2025 Sunday
So the pastor decided to continue Church History into The Medieval Church (I would say 476 to 1500 AD). I don't know how to get Nadia to love church history. Teaching history is not easy, one needs to train teaching kids first. History is for everyone, but most teachers only teach it to those who care because the teachers themselves do not know how to teach otherwise.
The textbook he's been using is Nicholas Needham's 2000 Years of Christ's Power (5 Vols).
I'm glad that the pastor agrees with me that Christian Nationalism is bad. Though I don't know how far he would go with this. It's as if he's not not into any sort of politics, which would not be my stand.