The Lizard and the Ant

If you see a big, fat lizard waiting silently, with its eyes fixated at a tiny ant which is moving obliviously towards the lizard, what will you do?

You will...

A. Ignore the imminent disaster. Life goes on with or without the ant around.

B. Scare the lizard away, knowing that this can only be a temporary solution as the ant might be eaten by the lizard the next time you are not around.

C. Kill the ant. It is better for the ant to die an instant death than to be tortured in the mouth of the lizard till death.

D. Turn yourself into a tiny ant and beg the lizard to eat you and let go of that ant forever.

"Hey, which fool will choose D? "

Oops, Jesus did.

Note: Illustration has its limitation.

Further Thoughts on "Beautifully Imperfect"

How do we handle another person's imperfection?

We try to make minimal contact with that person through avoidance, lest his imperfection causes annoyance, irritation and eventually an outburst of anger in us. That will be ugly and unbecoming of us in the eyes of others.

What if we cannot avoid the person? Too bad, we just do our best to tolerate and swallow the pain and irritation as a result of his imperfection. We see this as God's challenge for us to master the art of self-control.

What if we try to see his imperfection as a reminder of our own imperfection?

What if we try to see his imperfection as something that makes him uniquely him?

What if we try to see his imperfection as something that brings flavour and colour to our otherwise black-and-white lives?

We might be annoyed by a person's imperfection when he is alive, but it is also his beautiful imperfection that will make an irremovable mark in our hearts and memories when he is no longer with us. By then, his imperfection will be the only sweet thing we can cling on to tightly.

Perhaps it is time to look at the imperfection of others from a different perspective.

Video: Beautifully Imperfect

I first saw this ad on Channel 5 (Singapore) on Maundy Thursday while preparing for the Stations of the Cross together with my cell group members. I was very touched by the words that were being said. Today, I came across the video clip on Charles' blog and watched it again. It never fails to touch my heart every time I watch the ad.

I felt very touched by her last words, "So to my beautiful children, I hope one day, you too find yourselves life partners who are as beautifully imperfect as your father was to me."

If only we were able to look at our neighbour as someone who is truly beautifully imperfect...as we are - beautiful because we were all created by God in his beautiful Image, imperfect because we are still "on the way" to perfection - then maybe, just maybe, the commandments of Christ, "Love your neighbour as yourself" and "If you hold anything against anyone, forgive him" might be a little bit easier to follow.

Grace and forgiveness are much needed in this hurting world. Let us learn to offer.

Too Proud

For many of us, the older we get, the more life experiences we gain, the prouder we become.

We become too proud to admit our mistakes, often putting the blame on the other party (parties), hoping that by doing so, everyone including ourselves will forget that we are to be blamed.

We become too proud to utter the word 'sorry', often trying to reconcile with the other party by treating the person nicely and pretending as if nothing has ever happened, hoping the other party will forgive us through a sorry-less but friendly gesture.

We become too proud to reveal to others our inadequacy, thus when others willingly share their insights with us, outwardly we pretend to be uninterested to learn, but in reality, we are listening and digesting intently.

We become too proud to share our problems with others, thinking that others will see us as weaklings and capitalise on our weaknesses if we become vulnerable to them.

No wonder. No wonder our wise Master once said that only those who change and become humble like little children are qualified to enter his kingdom. All along, he knew the fatality but commonality of pride among grown-ups.

Afterthought: The Bucket List

The Bucket List (2007) is a story about two complete strangers (featuring Morgan Freeman who is a wise (as usual) and knowledgeable car mechanic and Jack Nicholson who is a very rich but arrogant man who owns private hospitals) crossing one another's paths when they ended up in the same bedroom in Nicholson's hospital as both were suffering from terminal illness.

When they received news from the doctor that they had only six months to a year's time to live, rather than spending their last days in the hospital to receive an experimental treatment, they came up with a list called 'bucket list' which consisted of things they wanted to do before they die. From then on, they journeyed around the world to complete the bucket list, doing crazy things (especially as they were elderly people suffering from terminal illnesses) like riding a motorbike up the Great Wall of China and skydiving etc.

The central message of the movie became explicit in the middle of the movie when they were sitting on top of a pyramid in Egypt. Freeman told Nicholson a story:

“The ancient Egyptians had a beautiful belief about death. When their souls got to the entrance of heaven, the gods asked them two questions. Their answers determined whether they were admitted or not."

As Freeman was about to reveal the questions, he wanted Nicholson to answer them as well.

Freeman asked, "Have you found joy in your life?" To this, Nicholson did not take much trouble to say "Yes!"

But when it came to the second question, "Has your life brought joy to others?" Nicholson struggled to answer.

Both eventually died at the end part of the movie (sad ending), but both brought genuine joy and meaning to one another's lives as they spent their last moments together. Not only have they found joy in their lives, they have truly brought joy to others as well.

Have we found joy in our lives?

Have our lives brought joy to others?

Joy, a rare virtue in a seemingly bleak world, and that includes the Christian world, or perhaps even more in the Christian world. Christians seem to be so serious that you seldom hear any laughter coming from them (Oh, I mean us). It is true that we need to recognise the depravity of man and the implications of such depravity that are manifesting in this world; it is true that Christians need to count the cost and carry the cross of suffering; but that does not give us the license to remain sorrowful and sulk in despair. We need to stand strong and find hope and meaning amidst our adverse environments. We need to put our "trust-in-God" mentality into practice. We need to pursue joy, now.

Only when we have found joy, can we bring this joy to others. Or else, gloomy faces, sulky appearances, negative mentality, critical condemnations...can such lives bring joy to others?

Please, find joy. Then, bring it to others. Easier said than done, but do it anyway!

Ugly Souls

Sophisticated cosmetics and trendy apparel have become necessities for many in this age where exterior of the self is more important than the interior. Once deemed as luxuries items, these goods are now relentlessly pursued to provide self-confidence and image for the pursuers. We feel secured and confident in cosmetics and gorgeous outfits because they complement our physical imperfections that are constantly haunting us.

Just observe what these things do to the actors and actresses we watch on the screen. With these things, they become the gorgeous and stunning idols that everyone wants to imitate. Yet, when they are stripped of cosmetics and covered with plain clothings, they look just like everyone else, ordinary with faces covered with pimples, scars and freckles etc.

Therefore, we recognise the power of these items in making one look better than one actually is, and we make them indispensable in our lives to hide our exterior imperfections from others' sight and perhaps, from ours too.

Unfortunately, we are also equally good in hiding our interior imperfections. We fulfill our religious obligations faithfully, attending weekly services, prayer meetings, cell groups, evangelistic rallies. It started out as pure piety towards God, but slowly as others heap spiritual praises upon us for our faithfulness, piety becomes pride. In order to feed our insatiable pride, we waste endless time to prevent the ugly creature within us from popping out, ensuring that no one (especially fellow Christians) sees our interior imperfections lest praises cease.

However, pride makes us callous and careless. We are so preoccupied in hiding our interior imperfections from others that we have forgotten to actually attend to the imperfections themselves. Thus, amidst the praises of others that make us think that we are on the narrow trail towards God, we may actually be wandering further away from God. Just as we think that we are doing everything right, we may have already forsaken the fruit of the Spirit for the rotten fruits of this world.

Most importantly, we may have forgotten that hidden beneath each and every beautiful mask of religious piety and spiritual pride lies an ugly soul which loves wickedness and deceit. How do we know we have forgotten this reality? We show our forgetfulness when we become proud of ourselves and boast of our earthly successes and spiritual achievements. We show our forgetfulness when we become contemptuous and judgmental of others when they intentionally or unintentionally reveal their ugly souls.

When was the last time we look at the mirror and really have a good look at ourselves? Most of the time when we are in front of the mirror, we are looking for ways to cover up our exterior imperfections. Next time, let us have a good, long look at ourselves and be reminded that we are all ugly souls which are going through the beautifying treatment by the Great Beautician.

--
Since it was this quote by Soren Kierkegaard that provoked this blog post (thanks to Sakti), I shall end with it.

It is true that a mirror has the quality of enabling a person to see his image in it, but to do this he must stand still.

Soren Kierkegaard

Have We Forgotten?

We are so used to our frenzy pace of life, that we have forgotten how to remain still and enjoy silence.

We are so equipped with wonderful knowledge and facts about God, that we have forgotten who God is.

We are so obsessed with our perceived obligations to work and serve the Lord, that we have forgotten how to enjoy God.

We are so afraid of exercising our faith, that we have forgotten what God can do in us, for us and through us.

It is high time to recover what we have forgotten.

The Small Kid

Inside each one of us, there lives a small kid. This small kid is constantly battling against our natural growth for it is reluctant to grow up.

When we were young, we could do and say what we want for we know that our parents would bear the consequences for us. We had the freedom to make mistakes. As we grow up, we are confronted by tons of responsibilities and commitments that will cause us to be condemned by others if we fail to fulfill them. We are fearful of mistakes.

When we were young, we could put our trust in everyone that we meet. We could be ourselves without any masking or packaging. As we grow up, we are confronted by the sinfulness and imperfection of human beings. We can no longer put our trust in every person that we meet. In front of different people, we can only reveal certain aspects of our true selves in order to protect ourselves from hurts.

The small kid in us wants to remain in a world of innocence and purity, and struggles daily so that he/she can live in that world.

The small kid will eventually have his/her say, not now, but when the Kingdom of God comes in its fullness, for in God's kingdom, there are only "kids".

Human Reasoning

Life is full of sticky decisions.

In a world of complication and chaos, we are constantly bombarded by multiple choices and decisions. Often times, these decisions do not wait for us, for when the deadline is reached, the absence of a decision is also a decision by itself.

In life, many of our decision-making involve morality. In ethical decision-making, each situation varies and it is crucial for us to learn to scrutinise each situation before we apply the appropriate moral principles to the specific situation. It would be naive and simplistic for us to assume that every principle is to be applied universally in all situations regardless of the context of the situation. Thus, we get frustrated when others are quick to make moral judgment without first looking into the situation, quick to point out what is wrong and forbidden without examining the context.

Thus, it is important for us to learn to use our human reasoning in every ethical situation and to be able to make sound judgments and wise decisions. Unfortunately, human reasoning can be abused too. We can use the power of human reasoning to justify decisions that we make by explaining that it is not wrong to make such decisions, and not pursue the highest form of right: the ideal.

It is one thing to recognise the fallen condition of the world and the depravity of man, but it is another thing to capitalise on this reality and use it to justify the less ideal decisions that we make, and forget and forgo the pursuit of the ideal.

Human reasoning - use it but not abuse it, for it can make or break you.

Perils of a Critical Mind

“Knowledge is power.”

The more knowledge one acquires; the more power one has in his hand, to critique, criticise or condemn.

As we acquire more knowledge, we tend to test our new-found power on people and issues. In the name of critique (we avoid using the more negative words: criticise or condemn), we tend to use our power to analyse and highlight the imperfection of others. Yet, possessing a critical mind can be perilous. We can become grumpy, cynical and skeptical of everything and everyone that does not match up to our measuring standards. We can easily condemn others even if we can only see what is happening in the foreground, without wanting to first understand the background context.

Perhaps we think that by doing so, we are emulating Jesus who was never afraid or slow to lash out words of rebuke at the wrongdoers. Yet, I sometimes wonder whether we are emulating Jesus or the Pharisees. The Pharisees were equally critical of the people and issues of their days, quick to highlight people and things that did not match up to their measuring standards. The difference between them and Jesus is this: Jesus did it out of love; they did it out of pride and contempt.

Thus, for those of us who possess critical minds; beware of the power that is entrusted to you. Do not be too quick to judge, comment, critique, criticise or condemn. Only be quick in listening, but be very slow in speaking. Speak only when you know that you are truly speaking out of love for the other, not out of pride and contempt to pull down the other. Speak only when you really see the iceberg rather than the tip. Speak not to someone else about it lest you are found guilty of showcasing your critiquing power, but if possible, speak directly to the person involved to benefit him or her with your words of wisdom.

Or else, the power will do no good and can only bring destruction.

Afterthought: The Road to Guantanamo

No one warned me about it.

Like a tsunami, it completely swept me away and left me stunned. Like a molten hot rod, it left a lasting mark on me which I will not forget.

This was what the movie "The Road to Guantanamo" (2006) did to me last night. The story depicts the tragic fate of three young Britons of Pakistani origin (known as the 'Tipton Three') who were captured by the Northern Alliance Soldiers while traveling in Afghanistan (They traveled to Afghanistan at the time just before U.S. was about to bomb the country after 911). They were later handed over to the U.S. military who suspected them of being involved in terrorist activities. They were then sent to Guantanamo Bay detention camp in Cuba, and suffered two years of inhumane torture and humiliation. They were eventually released without charges and without any compensation.

Some thoughts about the movie:

1. Can war ever be justified? As I watched innocent civilians running for their lives from bullets and bombs, I wondered what wrong have they done to deserve this. Nothing! U.S. may have her reasons to justify her invasion on Afghanistan, but how do you justify the plight of the innocent civilians who lost their properties, friends, family members, and even their own lives? How do you justify the inhumane treatment that was given to those detainees who were actually innocent? The tag line of the movie is worth pondering, "How far will we go in the name of security?" I don't think any reason can ever justify the war.

2. When the suspects were brought to the detention camp, they were treated as terrorists even before they were proven guilty. They were in fact given the treatment of "guilty until proven innocent." The soldiers treated them like animals, stripping them off their basic human rights and more importantly, their dignity. Even if some of them could really be terrorists (in fact one of the Tipton Three confessed recently that he had once visited an Islamist training camp, handled weapons and learned how to use AK-47 in the camp, thus causing many to question their innocence), they should be treated with dignity and respect. What more for those who are innocent. Sometimes, I think we Christians are no better, for we easily strip people of their dignity by showing contempt and condemnation whenever we find out that someone had done (or suspected of doing) something wrong. We who know that we are saved only by the grace of God, we who know that we are all depraved and fallen sinners, should know better than these soldiers!

3. The detainees were bound in chain all the time in the detention camp. This brings to my mind a fellow seminarian's preaching not long ago in the seminary. He brought up the incident of Iraqi prisoners who were humiliated as they were bound by dog collars around their necks. Whenever the Iraqis see a dog collar, it was a sign of humiliation for it reminds them of the humiliation that their fellow Iraqis went through. In the same way, the cross was a sign of humiliation to the Jews (especially to the Jewish Christians) for it was the harshest treatment for the worst of the worst. That is why Paul said that Christ crucified is a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Gentiles (1 Cor 1:23). The movie reminds me of the intensity of shame and humiliation that Jesus had to go through, and the cross should serve as a sign of humiliation of Christ for me, rather than a mere sign of my Christian faith.

4. At the end of the movie, the Tipton Three said that the whole experience had certainly changed their life, causing them to look at things differently. This reminds me of my recent post "The Blessing of Adversity" whereby I said that adversity can make you bitter or better. This movie reaffirms my understanding and necessity (this does not mean that we seek after suffering) of suffering to shape our lives to become Christlike.

Go catch the movie if you have not watch it!

You have been warned.

The Fellowship of the Unashamed

During her Ethics presentation yesterday, Sharon gave us all a statement written by a young African pastor found among his papers in Zimbabwe after he was martyred. I pray that all of us would possess such courage, determination and commitment towards Christ.

I am part of the fellowship of the unashamed. The dye has been cast. The decision has been made. I have stepped over the line. I am a disciple of His and I won’t look back, let up, slow down, or back away, or be still.

My past is redeemed. My present makes sense. My future is secure. I’m done and finished with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed visions, mundane talking, cheap giving and dwarfed goals.

I no longer need pre-eminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I don’t have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded. I now live by faith, lean on His presence, walk with patience, live by prayer and labor by the Holy Spirit’s power.

My face is set. My gait is fast. My goal is Heaven. My road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions are few, but my guide is reliable, my mission is clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, deluded, or delayed.

I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of the adversary, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity.

I won’t give up, shut up, let up, until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, and preached up for the case of Christ.

I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I must go until He comes, give until I drop, preach until all know, and work until He stops me. My banner is clear. I am a part of the fellowship of the unashamed.

The Blessing of Adversity

Adversity. It can be our worst enemy or our best friend.

I once heard someone say, "When you are faced with adversity, it either makes you bitter or better." When a tragedy suddenly befalls us, we can either choose to become bitter and blame everyone else (including God) except ourselves. Yet, that makes us miserable people and stops us from moving on. In such cases, adversity becomes our worst enemy. On the contrary, we can choose to believe that every adversity that befalls us is written within God's Great Story of Creation, and trust that God allowed it to happen to enrich and refine us. In such cases, adversity becomes our best friend.

Adversity is like a crash course, accelerating our learning and growing curve, forcing us to learn priceless life lessons that we would not have learn in the absence of adversity. C. S. Lewis is right in saying, "God whispers in our pleasures, but shouts in our pain." It is in adversity that we hear God most clearly. Therefore, we need to learn to give thanks not in spite of adversity, but give thanks for adversity.

Adversity is indeed a blessing (although it is hard to say this when one is in the midst of it, but it remains a fact). Amidst a prosperity-oriented, positive-thinking church culture, such a fact must be reiterated relentlessly.

"Blessed are those who face adversity, for theirs is the fruit of the Spirit."

Who Wins?

When fellow Christians quarrel with one another, who wins?

When fellow Christians backstab one another, who wins?

When fellow Christians gossip about one another, who wins?

When fellow Christians are contemptuous of one another, who wins?

When fellow Christians become bitter and cannot forgive one another, who wins?

Fools we are! Satan wins. Christians lose.

Christ's work is ridiculed. God's kingdom is divided.


Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand.

Jesus Christ

Just Love Them

I came across this post in rhymes with kerouac's blog:

We've begun showing a movie on Friday nights at our public meals program. A man from our church has donated a projector, dvd player and big screen - and the sound-system to go with it - and our church has covered the licensing fees. It's beautiful. Amidst the small crowd there's a single mom who stays after dinner with her daughter - whom I'm guessing is about nine. After Friday night's movie, as folks were getting dressed to go out into the cold, someone suggested we watch Casino Royale, the latest James Bond movie. I fended off the suggestion by saying, "Oh, we like family friendly movies here." To my surprise, everyone agreed. The mother, though, simply beamed. I can't tell you the joy that was on her face after I said it.

I was thinking about her all day today, that lady with her young daughter. I mean, have you been to the movies lately? The cost of a going to the cinema is simply out of her grasp and having a safe place to watch a movie with her daughter is a Friday night event for both of them. Just the thought of being able to do this pleases me to no end. I was talking with the nice church lady last week and I mentioned our movie night. She asked what I did with this, asked if we had a discussion afterwards. I simply said no, we just let folks enjoy the movies and both of us let it go. that's kind of the thing - everybody wanting to do 'ministry'. It's like, everything we do at church has to have a guest speaker - we can't just get together and have a fun time. Everything has to be... ministry. One of our more 'churchy' staff members at the Mission (who didn't last long.... they never do) once challenged me because I listened to the oldies station on the kitchen radio instead of the local Christian station.

God is love. Okay, I got that, Saint John. So I wonder then, if every time I display love in the world if I'm not displaying the nature of God. I wonder if a pretty good definition of 'ministry' might be to simply love God and to love others. Is there a time and a place to 'share the gospel' (whatever that means, exactly)? Of course there is. In the right time, and the right place, which you'll know - and you'll know exactly what to say, and how to say it - because it will be one more expression of the love of God, seamlessly flowing through you, bubbling up out of you, making you into a transparency through which God can be known. I'm not going to make that Mom pay me for a Friday night out with her daughter by making her sit through a gospel presentation. I love her too much for that, and I don't even know her name. [emphasis mine]

---

Beautifully sweet. We often act like Gospel salesmen trying to force persuade others to 'buy' our product. Even though we know we might irritate others or cause others to be repulsive towards us and Christ, we do it anyway. We believe that as long as we have good intentions ("We love them so much, that is why we are aggressive."), it does not matter how the other party might feel.

If we truly love others, although we desperately want them to enter the kingdom of God, it cannot be a legitimate reason for us to be insensitive towards their feelings. We need to respect them as equals rather than objects. When we try to do 'imperialistic evangelism,' we might be preaching the message of love, but our act itself shows otherwise.

No hidden agenda, please. Just love them. The right time will come.

The Trap of Self-Pity

When man-made tragedies befall us, it is natural for us to pity ourselves, lamenting on how God, others and structural evils have victimised us. Self-pity becomes a mechanism for us to survive emotionally. We need to point our finger at someone or something else as the culprit of the tragedy lest we carry the blame ourselves and the pain that comes along with it.

Self-pity is poisonous and fatal. When we pity ourselves and put the blame on others (even if others are at fault), we are slowly consumed by bitterness and anger, finding it hard to release forgiveness and love to others, especially to those who have victimised us.

Pity ourselves no longer! There are many out there who are suffering from greater injustice and oppression, and there seems to be no chance or choice for them to escape from such predicament. Worse still, their children and the future generations will face the same cyclical fate without much hope of escape.

Pity ourselves no longer! Draw the strength of contentment as we recognise how blessed we actually are, and how little suffering we are enduring. Draw the strength of gratitude as we acknowledge that no matter what happens to us, no matter how others fail or disappoint us, God never leaves us nor forsakes us.

Be very strong and stop falling into the trap of self-pity. Let joy, love and laughter re-consume our lives once again.

Boy versus Man

Will you be very angry if I say that a boy is more worth saving than a man? It is infinite mercy on God’s part to save those who are seventy; for what good can they now do with the [burnt] end of their lives? When we get to be fifty or sixty, we are almost worn out, and if we have spent all our early days with the devil, what remains for God? But these dear boys and girls - there is something to be made out of them. If now they yield themselves to Christ they may have a long, happy, and holy day before them in which they may serve God with all their hearts. Who knows what glory God may have of them? Heathen lands may call them blessed. Whole nations may be enlightened by them.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Do you agree with Spurgeon? Sounds rather pragmatic and presumptuous to me.

Everything is Possible

Everything is possible for him who believes.

Jesus Christ

What Would Jesus Do?

It is the time of the year.

No, I am not talking about Christmas. I am talking about the flood.

While most churches are busy preparing for their Christmas 'soul-saving' programs:

furnitures, valuables, houses and lives are lost...

families are grieving over their lost ones...

people are stranded in flooded areas, waiting to be rescued...

evacuees are waiting in crowded flood relief centres...

WHAT WOULD THE CHURCH JESUS DO?

Don't Watch The Golden Compass!

Don't watch The Golden Compass because the author of the series, Philip Pullman is an atheist!

Don't watch The Golden Compass because a supreme being called "The Authority" -- who is evidently meant to be the Christian God -- is killed in a later volume of the series!

Don't watch The Golden Compass because Pullman has characterised our well-loved Christian author, C. S. Lewis' Christian-themed Chronicles of Narnia as 'detestable'!

Countless emails have been circulating in the cyberworld for some time now, urging Christians to boycott The Golden Compass. If this movie was screened few years back, I would certainly have joined the bandwagon of avoidance, banning myself and my youths from watching this movie. Embarrassedly, I did discourage my youths from watching Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter during those days.

Yet, that was me in the past. Now, I no longer rashly discourage my youths from watching movies that might have controversial elements. On the contrary, I would prefer to watch such movies together with them. Thus, I brought them to watch The Golden Compass last weekend and no, they did not become atheists after the movie.

Think for a moment. Why are we vigorously preventing our children from watching movies that might challenge our faith but yet do not prevent them from watching other movies that have sexual or violent elements (e.g. Hitman and Beowulf etc.)? Furthermore, why do we not prevent them from playing computer games that contain violence (e.g. Counterstrike) or magic (e.g. DoTA)? In my opinion, these kind of movies and computer games are more lethal than movies such as The Golden Compass, and hence, require more of our concern.

Just because Pullman is an atheist does not mean that we must avoid the movie at all cost. Just because what he writes might contain anti-Christian elements does not mean that we have absolutely nothing to learn from the movie.

For example, Pullman portrays the church as a sinister totalitarian bureaucracy called the Magisterium that perpetrates massive cruelties in the name of good. Absolutely no truth in it?

Other than that, according to Lev Grossman; it is not religion that Pullman has a problem with, exactly, or religious believers; it's what happens when religion mixes with politics. "Religion is at its best when it is furthest from political power...The power to send armies to war, to rule every aspect of our lives, to tell us what to wear, what to think, what to read - when religion gets hold of that, watch out! Because trouble will ensue." Absolutely no truth in it?

Don't be so quick to judge The Golden Compass. Watch it before you comment!

Quotes taken from Grossman, Lev. "Sympathy for the Devil" in TIME. December 10, 2007.