Customs Woes

In the same way that we cannot fathom the thought processes of the mentally retarded, the workings of the local immigration service is likewise lost on me, and indeed a lot of people. I just can't understand why it takes so long to stamp a few pages, check faces, and do that little thing with the computer that the officials do... if matters are already computerised, how difficult is it to clear cars and people waiting to cross the causeway for whatever reason they might have? Instead, the jams at the causeway checkpoints between Malaysia and Singapore are always so bad, it's got people muttering murder.

But perhaps i've been hasty. No disrespect to the state employees doing the best that they're capable of, given the tools and training they've been issued (whether it's part of Asian manners, an actual legal requirement, prudence or whatever, this “no disrespect” clause is a given when discussing public affairs and officials in Singapore, and I shan't be found wanting), but perhaps it can't be helped. Perhaps customs clearance the world over, at least in places where people actually care enough about doing it right, needs to be done at a ponderous pace to for it to have some meaningful effectiveness.

But again i say, i don't understand and don't know, what it is these customs guys do. My only participation in all this, which should entitle me at least a grouse, is sitting in my car on “neutral”, for too, too long, along with hundreds like me, burning fuel, boiling tempers and going no where. And even then, i thnk truck drivers get it worse...

Not pointing fingers, but it's a deplorable situation. Movement is the lifeblood of the world. Be it capital or blood, if either of these stays still, what we've got, is stasis, or a bruise. Perhaps things need re-thinking. Maybe we could look to the library service... they've got lots of stamping to do, no? Well they seem to have worked out the kinks and you don't see queues that often these days. But then again, maybe it's because most people hit the public library for a place to nap in cool quiet. And there's no stamping required for that.

Singing in Church

I'm pretty old-fashioned with regards to music in church, and am thankful that the one i attend only has a very limited (relatively speaking) repertoire in praise of God, comprising psalms, and hymns. Limited in the sense that we're not very adventurous and would baulk at say, Christian Rock, Christian Jazz or whatever. But still, it's better than singing some three-line thing and repeating it over and over, which in this day passes for devotional music in not a few churches.

But let me leave church music proper for a future post; its importance warrants exlusive treatment. Here, i should just like to comment on the singing. I don't know if many Christians realise this, but singing in church is an act of sacrifice/service to God. It is a part of worship. As the heathen offer incense, meats, etc., to their particular gods and deities, Christians offer up our voices to God in worship.

What does this entail? For me, several things. The singing is not about us, but God; so any egoism should be purged. We should not be carried away with technique, flair and polish of execution; but rather, focus on devotion. In singing too loud, too fast, or too slow, we sing for ourselves. So i would urge to sing in harmony. And i notice that there are people who sing half-heartedly, just going through motion while their minds are elsewhere (we cannot see thought bubbles but it's not impossible to tell when someone is distracted; and have we not been guilty of this at some time ourselves?), and there are also others who cross their legs when singing in church. Do we cross our legs when we talk to our superior at work, or at job interviews? We don't. All the more then, that when worshiping God, we should be a little more mindful about our posture.

Of course, these are my personal views; just that taking singing in church for devotion and worship requires that it be done in seriousness, sobriety. I don't think worshipping God is a thing of levity, and so the same applies to the singing.