Day 35: Your opinion on religion.
Personally, I don't have a religion, but I do believe that there is some sort of higher power(s) lurking around. I've never liked the idea that I had to follow certain rules in religions just to say you believe in a god or gods, or in anything at all really. I find religions a bit too suffocating that way.
Why do I need to abstain from certain foods for lessons passed down through generations, when diabetes already has me abstaining from certain foods. Why do I need to abstain from using contraceptives when AIDS is among one of the diseases that can be passed on the easiest through intercourse?
I do feel that religions mostly tell followers to be good - which is good when some people are lost in life.
In the end, it's what you have faith in. If you think believe in "what goes around comes around" then maybe a religion believing in karma will be it. Or if you believe that the world is created through evolution, there just might be a bunch of other believers like you.
As for me, I believe in a few different things, all made up of different ideas found in different religions. In the end, it's what I believe in, and since there's nothing out there that is similar 100%, I don't have a religion - but then again, I probably won't bother following all the rules if there was one. I rather just go with the flow and do what I think is right.
Showing posts with label Religious. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Religious. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 04, 2012
Thursday, February 08, 2007
If Tomorrow Never Comes
It's seems lately that people keep asking what religion I belonged to and when I told them I didn't have one, they would talk as if they want me to have one. Mind you, the "people" I'm talking about aren't even related to me, nor are they my friends. They are just random people like taxi drivers and people who get to know me through internet networking sites - basically if I know you through there, I won't consider you my friend when I've been chatting with you for an hour.
Anyhoo... I shall state here that I dislike people who try to push a religion on me, even if you think you are doing it subtly... you ought not to try at all. Once you get "too religious" for me (especially if you are my friend), I most likely will avoid you like the plague and come out from hiding, once in a blue moon, just to keep the friendship alive. Thing is, if I'm happy the way I am, what makes you think that I would think your religion is any better than the other one I've not chosen? Don't tell me you don't try to get people to join your religion and then go on telling me about how good yours is, and then telling me that I should choose one. Give me one damn good reason why I should?
One person can say that they think there's nothing wrong with other religions, and yet they would say the one they chose is the best. Now this just doesn't sit well with me - If there's nothing wrong with other religions, how can one be better than the rest? Furthermore, not all religions are the same and most of them have been passed down from one generation to another, and goodness knows what misinterpreted, deformed theories have been passed down. So who's to say what truly is right while others wrong, and what can be done while others can't.
In the end it all boils down to belief. If you believe that a certain religion is the way for you then so be it. Don't try to talk me into it, or tell me what's so great about it cos I don't want to hear about it. I know enough about myself and my beliefs to know that I will NEVER have a religion. If I should die tomorrow, just cremate me and throw my ashes in the sink, or the bin as it will eventually lead to me being buried in an island or floating out to sea with the sewage.
Anyhoo... I shall state here that I dislike people who try to push a religion on me, even if you think you are doing it subtly... you ought not to try at all. Once you get "too religious" for me (especially if you are my friend), I most likely will avoid you like the plague and come out from hiding, once in a blue moon, just to keep the friendship alive. Thing is, if I'm happy the way I am, what makes you think that I would think your religion is any better than the other one I've not chosen? Don't tell me you don't try to get people to join your religion and then go on telling me about how good yours is, and then telling me that I should choose one. Give me one damn good reason why I should?
One person can say that they think there's nothing wrong with other religions, and yet they would say the one they chose is the best. Now this just doesn't sit well with me - If there's nothing wrong with other religions, how can one be better than the rest? Furthermore, not all religions are the same and most of them have been passed down from one generation to another, and goodness knows what misinterpreted, deformed theories have been passed down. So who's to say what truly is right while others wrong, and what can be done while others can't.
In the end it all boils down to belief. If you believe that a certain religion is the way for you then so be it. Don't try to talk me into it, or tell me what's so great about it cos I don't want to hear about it. I know enough about myself and my beliefs to know that I will NEVER have a religion. If I should die tomorrow, just cremate me and throw my ashes in the sink, or the bin as it will eventually lead to me being buried in an island or floating out to sea with the sewage.
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| 'What will your obituary say?' at QuizGalaxy.com |
Wisdom = Belief + Doubt
Monday, October 30, 2006
Pictures I Lost Last Year
Yesterday, as it has been for a few years, my uncle invited us to one of the dinners organised by the temple, held in conjunction with a noisy auction. It's rather hard not to miss when it's held behind a huge wall that looks like a castle, bright lights, huge flags, and a Chinese opera playing out next to it. Last year, smart little me accidentally deleted all the photos before I could even upload them anywhere. Well not this year!
This year was slightly different than the past few, the tent was much bigger, but the tables seem to shrink, and it was in a totally different location. My 2 cousins took a ride with us to the location and amazingly didn't start their nonsense until much later. Ian, usually cranky when tired, actually was cheerful enough to pose for a few photos, especially happy when posing with his toy puppy. I got a feeling it's all the bubbles in the orange soda he drank that got him to lighten up. I would never get my Coke Light... so I ended downing glass after glass of Iced Chinese Tea. What a joke! Even bigger joke was when I asked for Chinese tea in English and she told me in Mandarin that they don't have it but they have exactly the same thing, only known to her as "zhong guo cha". I didn't know if I should laugh or cry then as I knew I had to start yapping in Mandarin to them the whole night to make sure that I get an iced tea and not some hot stuff that burns my tongue.
Anyway, it started around 8.30 together with the auction, making people bid ridiculous rates for mundane things like a bicycle. When I say different, even the food this year was different, it's the same caterer, it's always catered by my grandfather's neighbour. Anyhoo... it usually starts with hot steaming buns, but this year the first dish was actually the one that usually came out at the end, the noodles. The noodles looked really plain and simple yet tasted really good, must have been the leeks in it that added to the flavour, something which my mom, unfortunately, could not taste.
Somehow, the arrival of the next dish depended on the auction, if they think it's going well, the next dish is served up rather fast, and if they needed to stretch it out, we kinda go hungry. The next dish however, marked the arrival of the Guest-of-Honour, one of Singapore's MPs with a long name. Ian was considering going over to grab a few prawns off their plate when they got up to greet her but he was a little too shy. So 2nd dish was my fave among all the Chinese dinner dishes, the cold dish that's a platter of assorted yummies.
Personal Cold Dish
Ian Ate It All
Eventually the food is served rather quickly, possibly due to the presence of the VIP, but portions this year seem to have shrunk. Well, doesn't really matter when u have quite a few different dishes to go through.
Shark's Fin Soup
Herbal Chicken
Runaway Mushroom?
Huge Steamed Pomfret
Sweet Steamed Prawns
Oddly, it seemed to stop there and the auction was going really fast as they were running out of time. When the plates arrived, it gave a few of us quite a shock as it was something new, and some of us were almost full, waiting for dessert. Well, more buns for me then.
Kong Bak Pao
Quite a few people didn't bother to stay for dessert and left but they definitely didn't miss anything special.
Iced Canned Longans
This year was slightly different than the past few, the tent was much bigger, but the tables seem to shrink, and it was in a totally different location. My 2 cousins took a ride with us to the location and amazingly didn't start their nonsense until much later. Ian, usually cranky when tired, actually was cheerful enough to pose for a few photos, especially happy when posing with his toy puppy. I got a feeling it's all the bubbles in the orange soda he drank that got him to lighten up. I would never get my Coke Light... so I ended downing glass after glass of Iced Chinese Tea. What a joke! Even bigger joke was when I asked for Chinese tea in English and she told me in Mandarin that they don't have it but they have exactly the same thing, only known to her as "zhong guo cha". I didn't know if I should laugh or cry then as I knew I had to start yapping in Mandarin to them the whole night to make sure that I get an iced tea and not some hot stuff that burns my tongue.
Anyway, it started around 8.30 together with the auction, making people bid ridiculous rates for mundane things like a bicycle. When I say different, even the food this year was different, it's the same caterer, it's always catered by my grandfather's neighbour. Anyhoo... it usually starts with hot steaming buns, but this year the first dish was actually the one that usually came out at the end, the noodles. The noodles looked really plain and simple yet tasted really good, must have been the leeks in it that added to the flavour, something which my mom, unfortunately, could not taste.
Somehow, the arrival of the next dish depended on the auction, if they think it's going well, the next dish is served up rather fast, and if they needed to stretch it out, we kinda go hungry. The next dish however, marked the arrival of the Guest-of-Honour, one of Singapore's MPs with a long name. Ian was considering going over to grab a few prawns off their plate when they got up to greet her but he was a little too shy. So 2nd dish was my fave among all the Chinese dinner dishes, the cold dish that's a platter of assorted yummies.
Personal Cold Dish
Ian Ate It All
Eventually the food is served rather quickly, possibly due to the presence of the VIP, but portions this year seem to have shrunk. Well, doesn't really matter when u have quite a few different dishes to go through.
Shark's Fin Soup
Herbal Chicken
Runaway Mushroom?
Huge Steamed Pomfret
Sweet Steamed Prawns
Oddly, it seemed to stop there and the auction was going really fast as they were running out of time. When the plates arrived, it gave a few of us quite a shock as it was something new, and some of us were almost full, waiting for dessert. Well, more buns for me then.
Kong Bak Pao
Quite a few people didn't bother to stay for dessert and left but they definitely didn't miss anything special.
Iced Canned Longans
Went home satisfied and a little deaf.
Sunday, August 27, 2006
Talking To Gods
Some may have heard that I don't intend to have a religion and can't be bothered with people who try to convert me. Well this doesn't have anything to do with it but it is talking to Gods if you're open-minded enough to accept that.
Yesterday's little experience was all thanks to Amy, and she wanting to help me with my diabetes. She had been telling me about her own experience and I had always wondered what they actually did. So when she asked if I was interested in joining her, I took up the opportunity to quench my thirst for knowledge and ended up getting to know myself better.
There were actually 3 people who were mediums to 3 different Gods of the Underworld. 2 that gave a general insight to you and 1 who was more specific to health related issues. We only consulted 2 of the 3 as Amy wasn't fond of the 2nd God, Li Ya Pek, who seemed really fierce. While we were consulting the 1st God, the Li Ya Pek one seemed to be giving this one man a long lecture about something. Since everything was in Hokkien or Mandarin, I didn't catch a word of what went on. Plus the chanting behind me was drowning out everything everyone was saying.
When we first entered the place it looked rather creepy with the whole area that the Gods were in lighted only by candles, and from the bit of light coming from the other room, and chanting going on in the background. Funny how it looked like something out of Incredible Tales but it didn't feel creepy. I just seemed to be in exploration mode, wondering what everything was all about.
Finally when it got to our turn we had to first go to the 1st God, referred to as Da Ya Pek. He would take a reading of you though a fan (well it looked like a really tattered fan) that he would place on you. They all had an abacus placed right before them that seemed to help them add you up, or maybe it was a keyboard to some computer that dug up your file in their plane. Anyway, when it was my turn, I gave my basic details and got the fan placed on my head... for a really long time too. I was wondering what messages were being sent through but all I could really think of was that my eyes were smarting from the smoke in that room. After flicking the abacus beads around, he gave some advice which was translated to me by Amy as well as the assistant that stood by him. The assistant tried his best to translate it all in English and even wrote some instructions down on in simple English that Amy found rather amusing. I was told to consult the 3rd God for the health questions and was even warned that I might be in pain for the next few days but it would be normal.
We then waited a while for our turn to consult San Ya Pek, or the 3rd God. Amy had been telling me that the 3rd God's massages were really painful and it sometimes made her feel faint. When I was called in for my little consultation, I was basically lost without Amy helping to translate my queries. Thankfully there was an English speaking helper to helped me out till Amy managed to compose herself and resume translator duties. As Da Ya Pek did earlier, there was some flicking of the abacus beads and the diagnosis was given, with instructions to what I should do, as well as tell me that she'll be giving me foot reflexology. Sounded really cool but then after the warnings I think I braced myself up for an excruciating massage. Somehow the massage didn't hurt so much that I wanted to faint, but there were a few strokes that hurt really bad and one even made my leg jerk. Amy was amazed I could tolerate the pain. Throughout the whole massage, she was telling me what to change in my diet and it was interesting how it covered what my GP told me, and even had a few extra tit-bits that I wasn't aware of.
When we were done, we went down and Amy gave me a summary of all the instructions and information given to me. Somehow I now kinda see myself as a water balloon because of the fact that I'm retaining water and had a lot of "wind" in my system that is the cause of my size. The massage has left me in pain though, starting with one particular spot in my lower leg that pops with every step. The rest of the body seems to tingle and spots of pain seem to travel all over, dying in one place and starting in another.
Now I wonder what else I have in store for me.
Yesterday's little experience was all thanks to Amy, and she wanting to help me with my diabetes. She had been telling me about her own experience and I had always wondered what they actually did. So when she asked if I was interested in joining her, I took up the opportunity to quench my thirst for knowledge and ended up getting to know myself better.
There were actually 3 people who were mediums to 3 different Gods of the Underworld. 2 that gave a general insight to you and 1 who was more specific to health related issues. We only consulted 2 of the 3 as Amy wasn't fond of the 2nd God, Li Ya Pek, who seemed really fierce. While we were consulting the 1st God, the Li Ya Pek one seemed to be giving this one man a long lecture about something. Since everything was in Hokkien or Mandarin, I didn't catch a word of what went on. Plus the chanting behind me was drowning out everything everyone was saying.
When we first entered the place it looked rather creepy with the whole area that the Gods were in lighted only by candles, and from the bit of light coming from the other room, and chanting going on in the background. Funny how it looked like something out of Incredible Tales but it didn't feel creepy. I just seemed to be in exploration mode, wondering what everything was all about.
Finally when it got to our turn we had to first go to the 1st God, referred to as Da Ya Pek. He would take a reading of you though a fan (well it looked like a really tattered fan) that he would place on you. They all had an abacus placed right before them that seemed to help them add you up, or maybe it was a keyboard to some computer that dug up your file in their plane. Anyway, when it was my turn, I gave my basic details and got the fan placed on my head... for a really long time too. I was wondering what messages were being sent through but all I could really think of was that my eyes were smarting from the smoke in that room. After flicking the abacus beads around, he gave some advice which was translated to me by Amy as well as the assistant that stood by him. The assistant tried his best to translate it all in English and even wrote some instructions down on in simple English that Amy found rather amusing. I was told to consult the 3rd God for the health questions and was even warned that I might be in pain for the next few days but it would be normal.
We then waited a while for our turn to consult San Ya Pek, or the 3rd God. Amy had been telling me that the 3rd God's massages were really painful and it sometimes made her feel faint. When I was called in for my little consultation, I was basically lost without Amy helping to translate my queries. Thankfully there was an English speaking helper to helped me out till Amy managed to compose herself and resume translator duties. As Da Ya Pek did earlier, there was some flicking of the abacus beads and the diagnosis was given, with instructions to what I should do, as well as tell me that she'll be giving me foot reflexology. Sounded really cool but then after the warnings I think I braced myself up for an excruciating massage. Somehow the massage didn't hurt so much that I wanted to faint, but there were a few strokes that hurt really bad and one even made my leg jerk. Amy was amazed I could tolerate the pain. Throughout the whole massage, she was telling me what to change in my diet and it was interesting how it covered what my GP told me, and even had a few extra tit-bits that I wasn't aware of.
When we were done, we went down and Amy gave me a summary of all the instructions and information given to me. Somehow I now kinda see myself as a water balloon because of the fact that I'm retaining water and had a lot of "wind" in my system that is the cause of my size. The massage has left me in pain though, starting with one particular spot in my lower leg that pops with every step. The rest of the body seems to tingle and spots of pain seem to travel all over, dying in one place and starting in another.
Now I wonder what else I have in store for me.
Saturday, December 03, 2005
6 Events, 3 Days, 1 Big Wedding! (Day & Nite 2)
Today started out bright and early, with me arriving at 8.30 am at Vinnie's place but I decided to get breakfast and go up just before 9. Good thing I did because I went up after her aunts and when I got there, Vinnie and her family were rolling out of their beds and getting into the shower. So instead of just waiting and wondering what was going on, I just took pictures.
Lucky for me, they made sure u knew which way to go and got to the right house. (Brain function isn't good in the morning after a party the night before :p)
Morning Robot Dance??
Vinnie & her only brother. Anyone interested in him?
Once the Free-hand Artist a.k.a. a.k.a. Vinnie's sis Tashy, was dressed up, she started the ball rolling by drawing out the pattern to be filled with coloured rice flour. While everyone else got ready, all the younger aunts chipped in to create the colourful decoration which Vinnie would sit behind for the Oiling Ceremony.
As soon as the last person got dressed, and the camera got there (it went to the wrong person the night before), the interesting, and rather cute, ceremony started. First all the girls had a band tied onto their wrists, and the men had to hold up a cloth above her throughout the entire ceremony. Then from the two grandmothers (the oldest ladies), they started with a chant while they each took turns to slather oil, yoghurt and some yellow paste on her. Once all the married women were done, it was time for the single girls to rub (the sisters here giving evil laughters) the rest of the stuff all over her. She was then wrapped in the cloth and was (supposedly) carried by her uncle to the bath. Instead of just wasting time sitting around waiting for her to get out of the shower, the aunts just started dancing around (as usual).
And as soon as they started the crazy bits, my battery decided to die! Well anyhoo, after she got out, the married women took turns giving their blessings and feeding her a sweet yellow rice that has nuts, cloves, cardamon and raisins in it. Once all of them were done, it was her turn to finish the rest of the rice by feeding it to the single girls and us feeding it back to her. For those she wanted to get married sooner, she fed them twice, therefore I got 2 scoops instead of just one. Thinking that it's just 2 tiny teaspoons made me smile, until they gave me a bowl of it to finish after. The only way was to think it was a new kind of dessert, instead of rice, and it went down like dessert too! :P
Vinnie then changed into clothes for her Bangle Ceremony as she can't be doing so once her mehendi was on. As she got her arms and feet done, people who had nothing better to do a.k.a. ME, had to help the drying proocess by hair-drying the patterns and dabbing a sticky solution made with oil and lime juice. Another thing was to help feed her when she got hungry (good thing she was the bride-to-be, sorta given the princess treatment, or else it would be a bitch-slapping!! Hahahaha!) After her mehendi was done, the lady also helped a few of us add some interesting decor to our hands, all in time for the wedding tomorrow!
After the long break, waiting for the mutual video-man and some family to get back from last minute shopping, they started laying out all the items given to her for the wedding. There were pots, crockery, cutlery, clothes, jewellery and things I couldn't figure out. The ceremony started with her dad and other male relatives giving her blessings and putting on a number of bangles which had to stay on for 40 days after the wedding. While all this was happening, her grandmothers and aunts were cooking in the kitchen, preparing for the dinner later.
With the amount of people attending the ceremonies the house became really crowded and hot. Thank goodness someone thought about this before and decided to hold the dinner in the void deck. The groom's side had the idea of bringing their celebrations over to "crash" her party and they do it with a friendly dance competition. At this point, Vinnie wasn't supposed to be at the party as the couple wasn't supposed to see each other. But with me as her shield, she stayed to watch her husband-to-be shake his booty and then sneaked back up to her house once they were leaving.
Vinnie then changed into clothes for her Bangle Ceremony as she can't be doing so once her mehendi was on. As she got her arms and feet done, people who had nothing better to do a.k.a. ME, had to help the drying proocess by hair-drying the patterns and dabbing a sticky solution made with oil and lime juice. Another thing was to help feed her when she got hungry (good thing she was the bride-to-be, sorta given the princess treatment, or else it would be a bitch-slapping!! Hahahaha!) After her mehendi was done, the lady also helped a few of us add some interesting decor to our hands, all in time for the wedding tomorrow!
After the long break, waiting for the mutual video-man and some family to get back from last minute shopping, they started laying out all the items given to her for the wedding. There were pots, crockery, cutlery, clothes, jewellery and things I couldn't figure out. The ceremony started with her dad and other male relatives giving her blessings and putting on a number of bangles which had to stay on for 40 days after the wedding. While all this was happening, her grandmothers and aunts were cooking in the kitchen, preparing for the dinner later.
With the amount of people attending the ceremonies the house became really crowded and hot. Thank goodness someone thought about this before and decided to hold the dinner in the void deck. The groom's side had the idea of bringing their celebrations over to "crash" her party and they do it with a friendly dance competition. At this point, Vinnie wasn't supposed to be at the party as the couple wasn't supposed to see each other. But with me as her shield, she stayed to watch her husband-to-be shake his booty and then sneaked back up to her house once they were leaving.
Last shot I managed to squeeze out of my camera battery.
Friday, December 02, 2005
6 Events, 3 Days, 1 Big Wedding! (Nite 1)
The Sangeet that started the celebrations leading up to Vinnie's (my super*infinity good friend I met in Pr. 5) wedding. Basically this felt like a bachelorette party where the boys were welcomed to join in the fun. Mom and I ended up late due to the odd lack of cabs (never there when U need them; too many slowing down when U try to cross the road). Lucky for us, events here are almost always planned for late arrivals (and we were one of the earliest).
Things started out with the arrival of the bride-to-be, then with her going around taking pictures at every table. By the time she got to all the tables, the buffet lines were set and it was time to stuff ourselves.
Once you were done getting all the food in, they make you work it off by dancing to Bhangra and some crazy remixes. Starting off the whole thing was her brother, who played the Dohl drum, that led one of her aunts carrying a pot with candles on her head into the ballroom. Once they got to the dancefloor, the pot just went from one head to another until they got tired of it and just started dancing the night away. At one point or another, everyone was pulled in to shake what their momma gave them.
My Calves Need A Massage
Thursday, December 01, 2005
After This Visit, I Still Don't Have One
Went to watch Chicken Little with Shirley today @ Great World City. Once we were in the theatre, Shirley took out a Chicken Little stuffed toy, which she got for me all the way from the US (how sweet of her! 
) and started giggling. Soon we were mucking around with it and the lady asked where we got the "free gift". FREE GIFT my ARSE! Well, that wasn't our response but told her nicely it was from the Disney store. So right after, we went down for an early dinner and everyone was eyeing Chicken Little as it was kinda dangling from my bag, rather just stuffed into my bag that was quite full. Once we sat down to eat, I had to re-pack and hide it away as it felt rather awkward with people staring at you or your things.
Halfway through Uma came up and chatted for a while. Basically gossiping about Ada who can be rather dumb & forgetful sometimes. So here we are trying to get her new address and phone number but she doesn't return our calls or emails. What a biatch! Hahahaha!
After dinner was a long walk to Gallery Evason Hotel to pass Sheeda her crochet bikini. We were looking at it during dinner and wondered what would actually be covered by that pair of interlocked thread. It looked more like eyemask than a bikini top. Anyhoo, we had to head right back to GWC as it was almost time to meet Shirley's friend who was driving us to church.
Shirley's choice of churches ended up being the New Creation Church that hold their bible study classes and services at The Rock Auditorium. First thing you do once you get in was to get your hand stamped as if you were entering some club. Once you get into the main auditorium, you'll think you've gone to watch another movie with ushers around to guide you to seats. If I didn't know anything about the Christian faith or churches, I'd have thought that this was one really cool church with plush movie-theatre-like seats instead of pews. With cameras and telepromters set up, the place looked more like they were preparing for some charity/awards show.
The session then started with everyone singing some songs (I honestly wouldn't call them hymns), hands raised and waving, almost like one of the gospel churches you'd see in shows. Personally it felt rather weird, almost to the point of pretentious, and totally unnatural. What made it even more weird was when the pastor (of the day) came on saying "Amen" to certain phrases in a questioning tone and used the term "your Ah Pa" and "your Daddy" (rather ghetto-ish) to mean the Lord/Father. It just sounded "off" and wrong. Bleh.
Fast forward through the whole bible class, which was not as funny as the woman with bad breath next to me thought it was. Everytime she laughed I could just smell her stomach contents and nearing the end it was the horrible gross smell of bile. They seem to expect everyone there to be Christians or would be there to enter into the Christian faith. Somehow I felt like I was brought there to be converted or something. For anyone who would ask me if I'd recommend a church, this is one I'd probably forget about.
) and started giggling. Soon we were mucking around with it and the lady asked where we got the "free gift". FREE GIFT my ARSE! Well, that wasn't our response but told her nicely it was from the Disney store. So right after, we went down for an early dinner and everyone was eyeing Chicken Little as it was kinda dangling from my bag, rather just stuffed into my bag that was quite full. Once we sat down to eat, I had to re-pack and hide it away as it felt rather awkward with people staring at you or your things.Halfway through Uma came up and chatted for a while. Basically gossiping about Ada who can be rather dumb & forgetful sometimes. So here we are trying to get her new address and phone number but she doesn't return our calls or emails. What a biatch! Hahahaha!
After dinner was a long walk to Gallery Evason Hotel to pass Sheeda her crochet bikini. We were looking at it during dinner and wondered what would actually be covered by that pair of interlocked thread. It looked more like eyemask than a bikini top. Anyhoo, we had to head right back to GWC as it was almost time to meet Shirley's friend who was driving us to church.
Shirley's choice of churches ended up being the New Creation Church that hold their bible study classes and services at The Rock Auditorium. First thing you do once you get in was to get your hand stamped as if you were entering some club. Once you get into the main auditorium, you'll think you've gone to watch another movie with ushers around to guide you to seats. If I didn't know anything about the Christian faith or churches, I'd have thought that this was one really cool church with plush movie-theatre-like seats instead of pews. With cameras and telepromters set up, the place looked more like they were preparing for some charity/awards show.
The session then started with everyone singing some songs (I honestly wouldn't call them hymns), hands raised and waving, almost like one of the gospel churches you'd see in shows. Personally it felt rather weird, almost to the point of pretentious, and totally unnatural. What made it even more weird was when the pastor (of the day) came on saying "Amen" to certain phrases in a questioning tone and used the term "your Ah Pa" and "your Daddy" (rather ghetto-ish) to mean the Lord/Father. It just sounded "off" and wrong. Bleh.
Fast forward through the whole bible class, which was not as funny as the woman with bad breath next to me thought it was. Everytime she laughed I could just smell her stomach contents and nearing the end it was the horrible gross smell of bile. They seem to expect everyone there to be Christians or would be there to enter into the Christian faith. Somehow I felt like I was brought there to be converted or something. For anyone who would ask me if I'd recommend a church, this is one I'd probably forget about.
Next I'll Be Trying Paganism
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