聖誕快到,藉著《HIM》大碟的推出,我再在這裡分享我在去年聖誕寫下的見證文章。
祝福大家,愛你們!
...................................................................................................................
《周慧敏2013信仰見證文章》
2013聖誕快樂
Dear all
成為基督徒後,聖誕節對我的意義不一樣了。聖誕再不是關於聖誕老人、聖誕禮物、或聖誕狂歡派對的節日,聖誕是紀念著耶穌基督的愛而普世歡騰的日子。這天,提醒我祂賜給我們的恩典,讓我時刻都感受到被愛與能愛的幸福。所以,這個聖誕,我希望向您們表達愛和思念的同時,也藉著這個特別的日子為我的信仰作見證。
其實,訓練了自己40多年建立而來的一套信念,理應根深蒂固,能讓我心甘情願地放下這套建立已久的信念,由零開始,真的不可思議,神的力量遠遠超乎人能想像的。
未信主前,我曾經視個人修為作生活一大指標。因為自信,我認為依靠他人或宗教是軟弱的行為,所以,並不理解和輕視聖經強調因信才能得救的重要性。一天,我與朋友偶然談起宗教,意識到基督教以外的宗教大都強調自我修為的重要,然而,那套準則,幾乎是凡人不可能達到的。再者,我想到若聖經所說的屬實,那麼因我沒有信主,未接受基督的救贖,我即使在個人修為上到達到甚麼境界,都是沒有資格進天堂的罪人。相反,就算聖經所說的不實,我即使成為基督徒,其實都沒半點捐失,因為我不會在個人修為上退步。想到這裡,我決意用開放心認識基督教,了解聖經所強調的信,生命就這樣逆轉。
記得第一次到教會,適逢2009年的復活節崇拜,那天我的心情異常激動,我抖震的聲音無法唱出半句聖詩,但我在心裡,卻重覆地向神說著一句話:「天父,我回家了!」
初信主的那段日子,特別需要私人空間,好讓自己專注尋求神,免於因瑣事分心。但因為我是公眾人物,這個要求談何容易,我無法控制人,只能憑信心祈求神。一年下來,我與丈夫到教會崇拜,與教友查經,一切與尋求神有關的事宜,都被聖靈保護著,進行得很順利。記得決志當晚,我決心棄掉家裡一切與拜偶像有關的物件,禱告承認自己的罪,接受耶穌基督的救贖,感受到前所未有的輕鬆、平安,與寧靜。
聖經讓我明白得救不是靠自身修煉,而是靠基督的救贖,無人能夠憑行為自誇。就是因為世上沒有完美的人,世人就無需把個人修為的高低定位,因為永遠高處未算高。當我放下剛硬的心看清自己的罪,我喜見自己逐步放下了舊我,放下了盲目靠個人力量的一套自信,放下呈強的擔子。摒棄了成年人的外殼,讓我從孩提階段再生,而建立起對人對事的謙讓。越是懂得把自身的不足放大,把自滿縮小,我發覺自己更有勇氣包容憐惜人的軟弱。信仰令我的價值觀改變了很多。現在,我不會執著世界的眼光,更不時提醒自己不以自己的準則要求或論斷別人。就是因為信念明確,自己就更有能力去取捨和追求,尋到真正喜樂的根源,和那份靠個人力量無法相比的強大信心。
如果不是神的安排,很難想像在我尋找祂的道路上,能走得這般通暢無阻。回想這段路,其實神的使者早已陸續在我的生活裡出現,為我的信作預備,保守我的心直到受浸。隨著2010年浸禮的進行,我的舊我就如跟著基督死去般浸進水裡去。我從水裡起來那刻,我就如跟隨著基督復活,成為新造的人。哥林多後書5章17節記著說:「若有人在基督裡,他就是新造的人,舊事已過,都變成新的了。」
受浸後,相信神會藉著更多試煉,讓我學習信靠和順服祂,而得以在靈裡成長,以神喜悅的方式生活。今後,因著信,我已得著平安的心,欣然面對未來的考驗,走在光明與愛的道路中,盼望基督再來。我感謝神讓我看清自身的不足,給我謙卑的心去繼續尋求,好好愛神,愛人,愛自己。
2014年,是我踏進演藝界的第28個年頭。這些年來,與大家建立了的一份友誼,相信是我回顧演藝生涯裡得著最珍貴的禮物。過去,我接收了很多愛,今天我可以藉著同樣的藝人身份和崗位透過工作回報支持者,是我最大的福氣。感謝神讓我們相遇,以愛互動。2013的聖誕,無論您們身在高處或低處,願您們都能感受到祂給我們的愛,而得著那份平安與喜樂!
親愛的,聖誕快樂!God Bless!
Love
V :)
2013 Merry Christmas
Dear all
Christmas has a new meaning to me after I have become a Christian. The festival, no longer about Santa Claus, Christmas present or rave party – it is now a time to celebrate the love of Jesus Christ and the joy to the world. This day reminds me of the grace given by God, I feel so blessed that I am able to love and be loved. At this Christmas, when I am telling you how much I love and miss you, I would like to take this special opportunity to witness for Christ.
Honestly, I have trained myself to follow my own rules for more than 40 years. These principals are supposed to have deep-rooted in my mind. But I have changed, I am willing to let go my long-established self-belief and rebuild a new me. God’s power, far beyond our imagination, is truly amazing.
Prior to my believing in God, I regarded personal development as an ultimate goal in my life. I was always self-confident, regarding the dependence on others or relying on religion is a kind of weakness. You can imagine - it was reasonable that I didn’t understand and even look down on what is emphasized in the Bible – salvation only comes from faith in God. One day, my friends occasionally chatted with me about religion, I then realized that the other religions (other than Christianity) stress on the importance of self-development. But the standards set by them are almost impossible to accomplish. Then I thought more about it - if what the Bible tells us is true, I would consider myself not yet qualified to believe in God - because I have not obtained salvation from Jesus Christ, that means no matter how well I have developed myself, I am still a sinner, still not eligible to get into the gate of heaven.
But, how about the Bible is wrong? I won’t lose anything even if I decide to be a Christian – I am still the same person and my personal quality will not be affected. I decided to open my heart to learn about Christianity, to understand the faith emphasized in the Bible. My life has been changed since then.
I remember it was the 2009 Easter Service, the first time I went to church. I was extremely excited and I couldn’t sing the hymn at all with my trembling voice. But in my heart, I kept praying to God: “Father, I am home! I am home!”
In my early stage of becoming a Christian, I tried to minimize distractions from trivial issues and spare more room for myself to focus on seeking God’s mercy. But being a public figure, it is not easy to have a lot of privacy, I couldn’t do anything but only pray to God for help. For the whole year I felt very blessed by the Holy Spirit, everything relating to my seeking of God went on smoothly, such as going to church with my husband and gathering with fellow Christians for bible study groups. On the night when I made a commitment to follow Jesus, I decided to clear away everything at home that is in relationship to false idol worshipping. Then I prayed to God and confess my sins, and received salvation from Jesus Christ. Immediately, I felt so relaxed, peaceful and calm, I have never felt as easy.
The Bible teaches me a lesson – salvation comes from Jesus and not self-development, nobody can boast about themselves a well developed person. In fact, no one is perfect and there is no need to judge the level of self-development. After I have let go of my stubborn mind and seen my own sin, I am happy to see that I have gradually left my old self behind and no longer solely depend on my own confidence or strength. I don’t have to gear up and show my strong sides anymore, I am free from the hardship. Abandoning the adult self, I am reborn as a kid and I have more courage to accept the weakness of human. My value changes after I am in God - no longer persistent to man’s value. And I always remind myself not to judge others with my own criteria. Now I have a clear direction towards seeking God, I am more powerful to let go and seek for the ultimate source of joy, as well as the great faith which self-strength can never compare to.
I cannot imagine without God’s mercy, how can I walk so well on the path leading to Him? But when I look back, God’s messengers have gradually come into my life and prepared me for my change, as well as preserving my heart till my baptism. At my 2010 baptism ceremony, the ‘old me’ died, just like Jesus Christ immersed into water after his death. At the moment I was raised from water, I was reborn just as Jesus’ resurrection and became a new person. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” 2 Corinthians 5:17.
After my baptism, God allows trials and testings to help me grow deeper in my trust in Him. I learned to grow in the Holy Spirit, and to live my life in a way pleasing to God. I now have a peaceful mind and I am contented to face the coming challenges, walking on the path of light and love and wait for Jesus to come again. I am really thankful to God for guiding me and grant me a humble mind to seek for Him, to love God, love everyone and myself.
The coming year 2014 is my 28th year being an artist. I am very happy that we have built friendship and stayed close, this is the most treasured gift in my career. In the past I received a lot of love from you, today I am glad that I am able to return my love as an artist, this is a real blessing. Thank God for letting us gather together and interact with love. At 2013 Christmas, no matter you are struggling or enjoying life, I hope that you can feel the love, peace and joy from Him!
My dear, Merry Christmas! God Bless!
Love
V :)
同時也有1部Youtube影片,追蹤數超過83萬的網紅serpentza,也在其Youtube影片中提到,Is Religion banned? Will you get your organs harvested for practicing your faith in China? Will you be oppressed and suppressed? Will you be arrested?...
「religion christian or christianity」的推薦目錄:
religion christian or christianity 在 Firdaus Wong Wai Hung Facebook 八卦
[Krismas: Benarkah Jesus Lahir 25 Disember?]
Krismas atau hari Natal umum telah mengetahui ia dirayakan pada 25 Disember setiap tahun. Natal dalam bahasa Latin bermaksud ‘lahir’. Ia adalah sebuah hari perayaan dalam agama Kristian yang bersempena menyambut hari kelahiran Jesus Christ. Perayaan itu disinonimkan dengan perhiasan pokok Krismas, Santa Claus, rusa, hadiah, salji dan bermacam lagi. Pada hari tersebut juga terdapat lagu-lagu khusus mengenai Krismas.
Kisah mengenai hari kelahiran Jesus ini sememangnya disebut di dalam Bible. Dinyatakan di dalam buku Lukas:
“Ketika mereka di Betlehem, tibalah masanya bagi Maria untuk bersalin. Dia melahirkan seorang anak lelaki, anaknya yang sulung. Anak itu dibedungnya lalu diletakkan di dalam palung, kerana mereka tidak mendapat tempat untuk menumpang. Pada malam itu, beberapa orang gembala sedang menjaga domba di padang.” (Lukas 2: 6-8)
Ini adalah riwayat yang paling terperinci yang menceritakan situasi mengenai hari kelahiran Jesus di dalam Bible. Cuma apabila merujuk kepada teks di dalam Bible ini ia menimbulkan beberapa persoalan. Benarkah Jesus lahir pada 25 Disember? Ini kerana pada waktu itu adalah musim sejuk dan adalah mustahil untuk ada pengembala kambing pada waktu malam. Jika merujuk Bible, situasi itu sesuai dengan musim kemarau yang mana terdapat pengembala menjaga kambing-kambingnya di padang. Ia mewujudkan banyak persoalan.
Jika Jesus tidak lahir pada bulan Disember maka bagaimana boleh muncul perayaan Krismas pada 25 Disember ? Adakah Jesus pernah menyuruh pengikutnya menyambut pada hari kelahirannya?
Jika dirujuk di dalam Bible, tidak terdapat satupun perkataan ‘Krismas’ atau ‘Natal’. Perkataan dan perayaan ini datang setelah beberapa abad dari zaman kehidupan Jesus.
Mengutip ulasan seorang tokoh Kristian di Amerika Syarikat bernama David C. Pack di dalam bukunya The True Origin of Christmas ada menyatakan:
“Consider these quotes from the Catholic Encyclopedia, 1911 edition, under ‘Christmas’: “Christmas was not among the earliest festivals of the Church…The first evidence of the feast is from Egypt.” Further, “Pagan customs centring round the January calends gravitated to Christmas.” Under “Natal Day,” Origen, an early Catholic writer, admitted, “…In the Scriptures, no one is recorded to have kept a feast or held a great banquet on his birthday. It is only sinners (like Pharaoh and Herod) who make great rejoicings over the day on which they were born into this world” (emphasis mine).”[1]
Beliau menyambung lagi, kemungkinan yang kuat hasil dari pengaruh kewujudan Krismas:
“Nearly all aspects of Christmas observance have their roots in Roman custom and religion. Consider the following admission from a large American newspaper (The Buffalo News, Nov. 22, 1984): “The earliest reference to Christmas being marked on Dec. 25 comes from the second century after Jesus’ birth. It is considered likely the first Christmas celebrations were in reaction to the Roman Saturnalia, a harvest festival that marked the winter solstice—the return of the sun and honored Saturn, the god of sowing. Saturnalia was a rowdy time, much opposed by the more austere leaders among the still-minority Christian sect. Christmas developed, one scholar says, as a means of replacing worship of the sun with worship of the Son. By 529 A.D., after Christianity had become the official state religion of the Roman Empire, Emperor Justinian made Christmas a civic holiday. The celebration of Christmas reached its peak—some would say its worst moments—in the medieval period when it became a time for conspicuous consumption and unequaled revelry.”[2]
Beliau mengatakan bahawa setiap kepercayaan yang terpalit pada perayaan Krismas berakar dari adat Rom dan agamanya. Ia adalah amalan Saturnalia dan Brumalia yang merupakan perayaan musim sejuk oleh orang Rom yang diraikan sehari sebelum 25 Disember.
Untuk memahami kronologi ini, kita hendak mengatahui bahawa pada zaman hayat kehidupan Jesus, kerajaan Rom tidak menganut ajaran yang dibawa oleh Jesus. Malah mereka menentang dengan termakan hasutan dari para Rabbi Yahudi yang mendesak kerajaan Rom supaya menghukum Jesus. Malah pengikut-pengikut Jesus juga diperangi oleh tentera-tentera Rom.
Menurut Graydon F. Snyder dalam bukunya Ante Pacem: Archaeological Evidence of Church Life Before Constantine mengatakan pada zaman itu, masyarakat Rom beragama dengan paganisme. Mereka menyembah dewa-dewi yang pelbagai. Malah pada zaman awal itu terdapat sorang Raja yang bernama Antoninus Pius (86 M -161 M) beliau menyembah matahari dan mengangkat Dewa Sol Invictus sebagai dewa yang diangkat pada zamannya. Dewa Sol Invictus merupakan dewa matahari bagi masyarakat Rom pada ketika itu. Malah mereka telah sedia ada perayaan menyambut hari kelahiran dewa Sol Invictus pada 25 Disember. Mereka namakan sebagai Natalis Solis Invicti (birthday of the unconquered sun).[3]
Selain itu terdapat juga pandangan mengatakan ia adalah perayaan bagi menyambut kelahiran dewa Mithra yang disembah oleh sebuah cult di Rom yang mana dewa Mithra juga lahir pada 25 Disember.[4]
Tradisi perayaan itu sentiasa diteruskan dari zaman berzaman. Beberapa ratus tahun kemudian, situasi keagamaan di Rom mula berubah apabila ajaran yang dibawa Jesus mula berkembang terutama ia dikembangkan dibawah idea baru oleh seorang paderi yang berpengaruh bernama Saint Paul. Sehinggalah pada beberapa abad setelah itu agama Kristian mula mendapat tempat di istana Konstantin lalu mereka mula menyerap agama Kristian yang telah didoktrinkan oleh St Paul.
Apabila kerajaan Konstantin mengambil alih agama Kristian, mereka telah menyatupadukan antara dua watak ini di dalam satu perayaan. Digantikan Sol Invictus itu dengan merai hari lahir Jesus. Begitu juga dengan ibadat sembahyang yang dikhususkan pada hari ahad (Sunday) juga merupakan sinkretisme daripada amalan paganisme menyembah dewa matahari pada hari ahad. Apabila dilakukan sinkretis diantara tokoh ini menyebabkan masyarakat yang sedia beragama pagan senang untuk menerima agama Kristian.
Hasil daripada pengaruh inilah terjadinya perayaan Krismas pada 25 Disember. Menjelang tahun 529 M selepas Kristian telah menjadi agama rasmi kerajaan Empayar Rom, Raja Justinian I telah mengisytiharkan Krismas sebagai perayaan rasmi bagi negara pemerintahan mereka. Pada ketika itu tradisi ini berkembang dari semasa ke semasa sehinggalah ke hari ini.
Sebenarnya isu sambutan Krismas ini menjadi perbincangan yang besar dikalangan ilmuan Kristian sendiri. Malah pada harini terdapat tarikh yang berbeza-beza bagi sambutan Krismas mengikut tempat dan denominasi (aliran Kristian) yang berbeza-beza. Sebagai contoh Kristian Armenia mereka sambut Krismas pada 6 Januari. Manakala Kristian Ortodoks dan Koptik mereka meraikan pada 7 Januari.[5] Manakala yang lain-lainya secara umumnya mereka akan mengikut denominasi Roman Katolik yang merayakan pada 25 Disember.
Kesimpulan
Krismas adalah sinonim dengan sambutan hari kelahiran Jesus. Ia adalah sambutan keagamaan yang menjadi perdebatan tentang tarikhnya. Ini kerana jika merujuk Bible, jelas menggambarkan bahawa Jesus tidak lahir pada musim sejuk. Walaubagaimanapun bagi penganut Kristian ia bukanlah suatu masalah besar untuk mereka fikir mengenainya. Kebanyakkan mereka sudah menganggap ia perayaan adat malah terkini terdapat perbahasan samada mereka hanya perlu mengucapkan Happy Holidays atau Merry Christmas.
Jika dilihat secara mendalam, perayaan ini bukanlah suatu perayaan yang diajar oleh agama Kristian malah ia tidak ada anjuran di dalam kitab suci mereka. Perayaan ini digubah setelah beberapa abad dari zaman Jesus. Berbeza dengan perayaan di dalam Islam seperti Adil fitri dan Aidil Adha jelas disebut dan dianjurkan oleh nabi Muhammad SAW. Islam menegakkan umatnya beragama berdasarkan sumber wahyu yang diturunkan oleh Allah dan bukan beragama di atas sangkaan atau dari perasaan ‘rasa-rasa’.
Nota kaki:
_____________________________
[1] Lihat David C. Pack, (2011). The True Origin of Christmas, The Restored Church of God, USA, hlm 8
[2] Lihat Ibid hlm 7
[3] Lihat Graydon F. Snyder, (2003). Ante Pacem: Archaeological Evidence of Church Life Before Constantine, Mercer University Press, Macon, hlm 120
[4] Lihat Franz Valery Marie Cumont, (2007). Mysteries of Mithra, Cosimo Classics, New York, hlm 167/ Lihat juga http://toolong.com/category/articles/sol-invictus-mithra/
[5]https://www.officeholidays.com/countries/global/christmas_day_world.php
R&D Team Multiracial Reverted Muslims
religion christian or christianity 在 Firdaus Wong Wai Hung Facebook 八卦
If a Muslim, without hesitation the media will called it as terrorist sometime even went as far to name the the religion of the perpetrator ; Islamic Terrorist! There is nothing Islamic in killing innocent life! Choice of picture too!
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Ironically when the perpetrator is non Muslim, the media trying to humanise the terrorist by choice of baby picture and wording such as angelic. The media even refuse to call it as white Christian terrorist!
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Yes we aware some Christian are angry at Muslim when Muslim called him as Christian terrorist because they claimed his act is not in accordance with the teaching of Christianity but why when a Muslim did it, you call it as Muslim or Islamic terrorist?
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Stop the name calling and labelling. Terrorism have no religion. You have Hindu, Buddhist, Communist (atheist), Christian who commit terrorism too in the name of their religion. Be fair and say no to double standard!
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#islam #muslim #dakwah #firdauswong #multiracialrevertedmuslims #christchurchattack #newzealandmosqueshooting #newzealandmosqueattack #mediadoublestandards #liberalmediabias #islamophobia #islamophobianetwork
religion christian or christianity 在 serpentza Youtube 的評價
Is Religion banned? Will you get your organs harvested for practicing your faith in China? Will you be oppressed and suppressed? Will you be arrested? Are there Churches in China?
The Taiping Rebellion was influenced to some degree by Christian teachings, and the Boxer Rebellion was in part a reaction against Christianity in China. Christians in China established the first modern clinics and hospitals, and provided the first modern training for nurses. Both Roman Catholics and Protestants founded numerous educational institutions in China from the primary to the university level. Some of the most prominent Chinese universities began as religious-founded institutions. Missionaries worked to abolish practices such as foot binding, and the unjust treatment of maidservants, as well as launching charitable work and distributing food to the poor. They also opposed the opium trade and brought treatment to many who were addicted. Some of the early leaders of the Chinese Republic, such as Sun Yat-sen were converts to Christianity and were influenced by its teachings. By 1921, Harbin, Manchuria's largest city, had a Russian population of around 100,000, constituting a large part of Christianity in the city.
Christianity, especially in its Protestant form, gained momentum in China between the 1980s and the 1990s, but in the following years, folk religion recovered more rapidly and in greater numbers than Christianity (or Buddhism). One scholar noted that "the Christian God then becomes one in a pantheon of local gods among whom the rural population divides its loyalties".
Protestants in the early twenty-first century, including both official and unofficial churches, had between 25 and 35 million adherents. Catholics were not more than 10 million. Other demographic analyses found that an average 2–4% of the population of China claims a Christian affiliation. Christians were unevenly distributed geographically. The only provinces in which they constituted a population significantly larger than 1 million persons are Henan, Anhui and Zhejiang. Protestants are characterised by a prevalence of people living in the countryside, women, illiterates and semi-literates, and elderly people.
A significant number of members of churches unregistered with the government, and of their pastors, belong to the Koreans of China.[334] Christianity has a strong presence in the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture, in Jilin. The Christianity of Yanbian Koreans has a patriarchal character; Korean churches are usually led by men, in contrast to Chinese churches which more often have female leadership. For instance, of the 28 registered churches of Yanji, only three of which are Chinese congregations, all the Korean churches have a male pastor while all the Chinese churches have a female pastor. Also, Korean church buildings are stylistically very similar to South Korean churches, with big spires surmounted by large red crosses. Yanbian Korean churches have been a matter of controversy for the Chinese government because of their links to South Korean churches.
In recent decades the Communist Party of China has become more tolerant of Christian churches outside party control, despite looking with distrust on organizations with international ties. The government and Chinese intellectuals tend to associate Christianity with subversive Western values, and many churches have been closed or destroyed. Since the 2010s policies against Christianity have been extended also to Hong Kong.
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