When we were at the arcade, one of the staff disallowed a brother’s entry because he was wearing a school T-shirt. We argued that he is already working and that was a university T-shirt but the staff said that even an older man came in wearing that T-shirt, he will not be allowed entry too.
We tried to cover up the logos with cardigan but the staff said that this was lying. So in the end, the brother went to buy a change of clothes just to go to arcade to play. I think that it is quite absurd because the intention of the law was to keep students out when they aren’t supposed to be there. We are all working adults and we can easily provide our working passes to verify.
But as I reflect, I thought we should apologize and abide by the rules. Jesus asked us to submit to all authorities. The staff was just doing what was told. And if officers were to make spot check, they are answerable for it. How far are we willing to fight the case with them if we were the “culprits”?
In conclusion, do not wear old school T-shirt when you are out with friends. You never know when they might decide to go arcade and you get chase out by the staff. =p
"Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men.." 1Peter 2:13.
Wow, bro, that was the same line of thought I had too! :) Yah, was thinking too, what if some journalist sees me playing... then take photo and upload to STOMP... haha...
ReplyDeleteAnd I noticed you've started putting up Bible verses at the end of each blog entry... whoa, that's great! 'cos it helps us readers understand that every experience can be made sense of by the Word of God...
tks for sharing bro... i really enjoy reading your blog!
And oh bro, I'm totally all for it, the meeting up to go to a nice place... maybe Macritchie Reservoir? Or Botanic Gardens...
ReplyDeleteI think that the link between the part about submitting to all authorities and the application in this example that you have blogged about is too far fetched already. I agree that we should submit ourselves to authorities and the rules that it have set as the rules are to bring about order within the society. However having said that I disagree to submit to an application of a rule which is meaningless and enforced by someone who doesn't even know why the rule is being set up.We can't being mindless people to just do what the Garmen or any authorities tell us to do.God give us minds to think, reason and obey rules with conviction and purpose.
ReplyDeleteIn this case, firstly, why was the rule being set up in the first place? What is the intent of the rule itself? Behind every law and rule, there is a motive and if the application of the law is in such that demonstrates only the form and not to serve the intent, then the law itself is meaningless. Even in the court whereby the application of the law is done, the judges are careful to spell out and explain the intent of the law to lawers and to the public. You will see this esp when wrong judgement are being made previously by some younger and less experienced judges and at a result, the cases get to Court of Appeal.
It is the most unfortunate that the spirit and the application of the no uniform rule is being misused and misapplied. Moreover in this case, it is not useful to debate with the staff over the application of the rule. I think that the staff won't even bother to think why the rule exists there the first place!
Secondly, ultimately in this context, we should get the brother to change his clothes into something more acceptable to the staff. The motive and reason why we are doing this is not to submit to all authorities, but rather because we want to be blameless as children of God, so that the staff would not be stumbled by the exercise of our freedom and not living under the constraint of law.
Finally it is necessary to make a distinction between in this case of application for if not, then we better obey every single rules set by various authorities, even if the rules aren't sound and don't make any common sense at all!!!
Thanks Jon for your comments.
ReplyDeleteRecently I read Matthew 17:24-27 and it seems to describe similar to what we went through and what Jon had commented. =)