Great Article about AWARE

Found this Great Article on someone's Facebook's Page...a perfect writeup about what's going on in AWARE.

To those who do not know what's going on, read on...
To those who do and are confused, hope this clarifies...I am...


Christians in Singapore, listen! You should not be this conflicted about the AWARE debacle. It appears that a few churches have already taken the opportunity to preach on the issue of homosexuality from the pulpit. Some Christians have also been rattling on about it being time to make a stand and be counted for what one truly believes.

So this is me making a stand right here. I have been a Bible-believing Christian for 25 years now. I want first to acknowledge fellow believers who, like me, are shocked, angered, and saddened by the takeover and feel that their faith has been hijacked and their views ignored. I know that a lot of such affected Christians are out there. There is also another group which may not agree with the new team's tactics but admires its fervour or sympathises with it for the heat it has been getting.

But, most of all, I want to address a crucial third party: Christian women who have been encouraged to stand up and be counted for their beliefs. I wish to appeal to their good sense in these last hours. You may be one of these and have even joined, or are planning to join, AWARE to help swing the votes in favour of the new ex-co on Saturday. Especially if I am describing you, please read on!

Yes, there are times when a Christian needs to make a courageous stand – but, in every event, always ask yourself: For what cause is this? What context does it serve? The current scenario is not one where we are being asked what our beliefs on certain issues are or whether Christianity and homosexuality are compatible or we are being mocked or discriminated against. It is a simple context where a group of well-meaning Christians infiltrated a secular organisation in order to be in a position to dictate their own values in its daily running. In this light, what a Christian may feel about issues like homosexuality is besides the point!

As a secular body, AWARE rightly cannot have a vision that treats women from different backgrounds through the outlook of just one religious system. Indeed, I dare say that an appropriate Christian response is to resist the actions of these Christians. Just as God gave every person free choice and the opportunity to believe, we ought to support the sanctity of this right for others to make up their own minds and live their own lives. Just as we do not force the Christian faith down someone's throat against his or her will, we should not take over a non-religious organisation for the single purpose of making others unlike us behave as we believe. To do this would be a gross misapplication of the message of Jesus.

If you support the new ex-co's actions, be aware that you are sending a string of possibly irreversible wrong signals to every Singaporean. Consider carefully whether you are willing to shoulder the responsibility of damages that would affect the longstanding good work of Christians in Singapore. Since the government has chosen not to be involved in the matter so far, whatever happens will be seen clearly by all as the response of particular sectors of society.

Here is my short list of obvious implications:

[1] Support the new ex-co, and you are effectively saying that you condone its quasi-corporate act of infiltration, with related strategies of secrecy, disinformation, moral coercion, and fear-mongering. You are saying that you support its less-than-Christian covert moves more than traditionally Christian ones like dialogue, open engagement, honesty, and clarity.

[2] Support the new ex-co, and we will go down a slippery road with wide-ranging repercussions for all. Don’t believe for a moment that the manoeuvring will stop here. What this invites others to see is that infiltration is the most effective way for small groups of like-minded individuals to seize power quickly -- and where will this end? What is to stop any religious or ideological group from doing the same to any social institution at every level? In the long run, who do you think loses?

[3] Support the new ex-co, and you potentially make light of the freedom that is God’s gift to every human being. Against your best intentions, you may send out instead the message that we Christians think that we know better than everyone else and that we are willing to outflank, overpower, and overwhelm if we do not get our way.

[4] Support the new ex-co, and, if they stay and behave as predicted, you will be directly responsible for undoing the trust that many Christians have taken years to build with their non-Christian friends. This is a trust built on mutual respect. You will have made the Gospel of Christ more difficult to hear for years to come because people will think that they know what it is about. You will have created a new generation of Christ-haters.

This matter, in short, is not to be treated lightly. Jesus tells us all to be "wise as serpents, and harmless as doves". There are times to be passionate and helpful in a gungho way, but this is not the time. Christians can be wrong about many things too. So please, by all means, pray for the AWARE debacle to be resolved amicably and for Christians in AWARE, but do not, in the name of our common faith, go in blind support of other Christians because you are Christian!

Yours Truly,

Gwee Li Sui

Dugong's take on AWARE...

I know I may be threading on thin ice with this post but after deliberating for a week, I'll do it anyway.

Wanna know why this AWARE saga is a total mess?

Here's my take...

I have the utmost respect for woman leaders everywhere..infact, I've had to work under two ladies in my past two roles and the both of them were great leaders in their own unique ways.

I think women run governments, organisations and countries just as well as men. So where's the problem?

The problem lies in "GROUPS of WOMEN".

Women simply cannot co-exist with one another...if you put a group of women to work together...you get the AWARE SAGA!

It's a simple thing....if you spend some time to think this through, how ridiculous is it that an organisation comprising of ALL WOMEN cannot co-exist and see eye to eye on issues and they are suppose to be championing causes for women elsewhere?

All this cat-fighting about overthrowing the board, planned coup, not inviting the old board for EOGM....ssspppiiiiccccyyyyy....and I LOVE EVERY SECOND OF IT....it is SO BITCHY!!!!

Well, don't flame poor litle old Dugong me....I had my share of "AWARE" madness...during Li-Anne's first confinement month when she had Terelle, we made the mistake of spending the month at my mum's place...

Imagine this...Li-Anne vs Confinement Nanny vs My Mum vs My Grandmother...

One woman in each corner of the ring and Dugong right in the middle!!!!

I rest my case...just sit back and enjoy the show...

Dugong Dissapointed...

Our family makes it a point to go back to my Dad's home for dinner at least once a week...primary reason is for my parents to spend some time with our kids.

That's a cool arrangement...the grandparents get to see the grandkids, my kids get to play with their cousins...Li-Anne and I get to see my parents and sister and brother-in-law.....there's free food...

Why am I dissapointed?

Well, I think there's a distinct difference between spending time and spending quality time..

In this case, I just wish my mum had more chances to spend quality time with my kids.

My mum is a simple lady...never someone who would complain about anything...and is always happy and contented with what she's given. She's more than happy to see us once a week, although I know deep down, she wishes we could come home more often. She was probably the happiest person when our family had to bunk in at their place for 1 month when we were moving house in December.

Imagine this...she's taking care of my niece and nephew full-time and when we were bunking over, she had both my kids in daily attendance as well. She was happy...she just wanted every one of her grandkids together.

Nowadays, when we go back, it's usually for 2-3 hours and it's right smack in the middle of dinner time. Within that time slot, there's the mad scramble to feed my nephew and niece and even after feeding, the other un-ending needs of the two kids will bog her down for the entire timeslot.

I wanted to show my mum some photographs from Terelle & Thane's blog last night...it was the best way to keep her updated about the ongoings in their life...

It was tough...I could NOT catch her attention for longer than 5 seconds at a time and I was busy trying to narrate to her as I scrolled through the blog but it was an almost impossible task...

My Dad doesn't really help calm the chaotic scene, most of the time, his attempts to help makes things worse...in any case, I don't feel he sees the need to keep abreast of the happening's in the grandkid's lives...maybe to him that 2-3 hours a week is sufficient...

I am truely upset...and I said a silent prayer last night that I will see to it that things change. My kids won't be little and THAT cute for long, and there won't be many years left for my mum to enjoy them as they are now.

For all the quirky-ness of my in-laws, especially my mum-in-law, I'm deeply grateful and appreciative of the quality time they spend with my kids. There is undivided attention, although many a times, it borders on spoiling them, but hey, nothing's perfect....

Maybe it's because there are no "other grandkids" to contest for their attention...maybe...but I guess for now, it's up to me to change things on this side of the fence..

X-Dugong Origins : Dugong-rine

If you have not planned to watch X-Men Origins : Wolverine this weekend, then do it...

It is an amazing movie...and I'm proud to say : RB and I might have been one of the first few people in Singapore to have watched the previews today.

I think a lot has already been said about how cool and macho Hugh Jackman is as Wolverine...it's all true but on top of that, I think Liev Schreiber's potrayal of Sabretooth was equally good.....finger-licking good...

Exceptionally good was that last scene which was shot on top of the energy reactor...gosh...that scene alone was worth the $8 I paid for the movie.

Probably the only gripe I have about the movie was the casting of Lynn Collins as the leading lady Kayla Silverfox ...just thought that they could have found someone more striking to play the role....someone like maybe Kristin Kreuk would be just nice :)

All in all, a good movie to start of the "good-movie season".....please no more crap junk like 17 Again!!!

Dugong Dehydrated!

Is it just me, or is the weather in Singapore getting FREAKY, DICKY unbearable? I made the wrong decision to wear a long sleeve shirt to work today....I realised it the moment I stepped out the front door this morning.

I was "LAO-GUA-ING" like a XIAO-GAO even before I reached the bus-stop!

Its so bad that I don't even feel like taking my daily dose of hot caffeine in the morning. What that means is that I've been struggling to stay awake in office.

Well, not that I'm trying to blame the weather...it's actually a combination of factors but the weather DOES play a big part in it.

It certainly does not help that the aircon vent in my office is faulty, which never did seem to bother me in the past, but now, it's just killing me.

I truely wonder when this heat wave would end, but i'm not really optimistic. Even the occasional downpour has not brought any relief so for now, I'll have to run from one aircon place to another!!

King James getting it DONE in Detroit!!

King James has done it again....4-0 first round playoff sweep of the passe Pistons...not that anyone was expecting any less. 2 assists shy of a triple double...the man's getting it done IN STYLE!

The Caveliers now have > 1 week of rest while waiting for the winner of the Miami vs Atlanta series..which may or may not be an advantage since you would want your team to remain hot and not start winding down with the extra rest.

But having said that, I don't think a team led by Lebron will have any chance of taking things easy...the man's hungry....

NBA Playoffs 2009

Was racking my brains for something to blog about after such a long time...so I think I'll write about the NBA Playoffs.....not too taxing on the brains...

King James....who else is more deserving of the title this year?

If you have not seen him play, make sure you catch Sportscenter's Daily updates at 7.30pm and a repeat at 10pm....he's in the news almost everyday now...

I've always had a weakness for sports icons who totally dominate their opponents.....and Lebron James is the perfect example of someone like that....

He can destroy you in SO MANY ways...he'll beat you on the dribble, post up, step back shot, 3-pointer, draw the double / triple team and dish out for an uncontested 3-pointer...the man has done it all and does it so well..

He's got the physique of Wolverine but floats like a butterfly when he drifts in for the monstrous windmill dunk...

Anyway, the Caveliers is already 2 games up on the Pistons and I'm predicting a 4-0 sweep, just like everyone else.

I seriously don't see any team in the Eastern Conference today who is capable of stopping the Caveliers...so to the Lakers, I would say "See you in the Finals!"