01/20/2026 Tuesday
Came across Mark 2:23-28, if someone doesn't agree/like your sabbath, that means he's either not a Christian or that your sabbath sucks. How can your sabbath suck? You ask. Well, imagine just lying on the floor staring at each other and calling it enjoyable rest in the Lord, if you don't like that, even don't like to be "persuaded" to do that, you can understand why some people's view of Sabbath sucks.
Interesting to know that Shen Yun HQ is in New York, Fei Tian Academy & College, near Port Jervis: This is a Fa Lun Gong program, but it's interesting nonetheless.
01/18/2026 Sunday
Snow day today, so after sending Willy to the train at 10:30am, Nadia and I did Crossroads Church service remotely with our big screen TV. The last snow day we went into the church, which was a few days ago. But this time, I was able to check the email first to be informed by Crossroads that we could choose to stay at home and worship with the on-site staffs remotely. GCC however, did their service on site.
Nadia and I discussed briefly on how the Church view illegal immigrants or "undocumented" immigrants. This would be opposed to many Fundamentalist view, including David Tong's. As they all would tell the undocumented immigrants to self-deport, because breaking this law is sinful. I contrasted this with these same Fundamentalist preachers/churches such as John MacArthur, on their stand against the legal system when it comes to church service during Covid19. Some got "lucky" and "won" their court cases, but not all were granted the same mercy, as the law varies from state to state. So I use Tim Keller's approach (i.e. his critique on the double standards of anti-abortion activism vs. no similar zeal against others worshipping other gods). The opposition could rebut with the distinction of horizontal (among men) vs. vertical (direction violation against God) relationships, but this distinction though can be named, is not one to be separated from, because to do so is to commit hypocrisy (i.e. pick and choose which one is horizontal and which one is vertical according to one's own advocacy.) Bottom line is, as a Christian, we cannot cop out if we have yet to put ourselves out as a living sacrifice for the Gospel (not social Gospel, of course, therefore, no looking for trouble such as fighting with law enforcers as the liberals do). So churches like David Tong's, and the other fundamentalists, won't last. Because they do not properly care and connect with the ones whom Jesus warned not to neglect. Their care is superficial at best.
As a side note, I think I an explain David Tong's condition. Which is very similar with many fundamentalists. That they don't really go through real trials in life. In David Tong's case, yes, he's been through quite some struggle, but these struggles are more passive forms (long hours of studies, raising family, hosting programs, etc.) than active ones (doing something that your name being recognized as someone who truly cares.) Which is why they can easily discard immigrants if being illegal/undocumented proves to be an inconvenience. Rather than taking the time to deal with one individual at a time. This is not about legitimizing harboring of illegal immigrants (that's for the legal courts to decide and given unto Caesar), but I have learned enough in life to say "I will not work with these, because they have not truly suffered with Christ." Even though they would surely (by their own principle, lest they be hypocrites again-due to jealousy? vengeance?) have no problem working with me. If there's any benefit of doubt with David Tong, it would be because of his father. But at this point, no, not a good candidate to work with on evangelism. At best, he is just a reference (i.e. I would point people to some of the good programs he runs.) but evangelistic works require human to human relationship, suffer together, cry together, trust and support with each other, which, though even I could fail, but it's a principle I stand on, which is clearly a principle they oppose, because one is Christ-centered, theirs is man-centered (i.e. I work with you because you know my mom, etc.)