Chapter 6: His world? When The West Meets The East

“If you were of the world, the world would his own: but because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.”
                                                                                                             ~John 15:19

  It was Easter few days ago and it was a great time to reflect who Jesus is and take another evaluation on my life. Some people might say that it is so cheesy to read the Easter chapters every year and, to invite someone to church.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Jesus died and he is resurrected. What? Go to church. Dude! WTF?

Oh well. If you think Hong Kong has a strong sense of Christianity, you should look deeper in this place.
 
  Being an ambassador in two “undertakings”, both HKBU and our identities from Abba, I’ve been finding opportunities to preach the gospel and bring people to church.

 I can say this is like a challenge to hike on the highest mountain in the world. I’ve been feeling so impossible regardless how I press it on. I understand the intention to press on is enough and evangelism is not about trying but trusting God to change people’s heart but still, sometimes I find myself so desperate. I wish to see tons of people believe. I hope his kingdom comes as in the heaven in this eastern city. However, the more of my hopes on, the more of my doubt creeps in. It sounds quite ironic but it’s true.

   Down to a more realistic evaluation, I come to summarize the common reasons why Hong Kongers have hard time to believe in Jesus whenever I try and here are my insights. I’m not like pastors or evangelists. Evangelizing is something I try to do but it doesn’t mean I’m good at it (actually so not good at it) or expert…. Definitely, I’m no expert.

  First, Samson is not flexible enough to evangelize.

  Just face it. Being a reverse “weireboo” (someone loves eastern culture. Well, so I’m another way around). While I’m enjoying myself of being so comfortable to stay with North Americans, I’m learning to blend myself more like a Hong Konger rather than Canadian or American or whoever that I am not or whatever that giving me a false sense of identity. Just like what is said in the Book of Corinthians, if we want to evangelize, we should look like and be like those people. It’s another type of art to learn the phrases “to be like” or “to look like”. It’s because there are differences between “to be like” and “to be” (not the fact with “like” and without “like”, of course not what I mean). Personally, I have hard time to be more like Hong Konger. People have been telling me that they feel like they are talking to a “gweilo” (fun name for westerners, in case you don’t know) more than talking to a local Hong Konger, which makes my local friends, feel so uncomfortable. Do I earn the right to say “I can’t help it because that’s who I am”? I afraid I don’t and I’m not allowed to say so. Does it mean I have to reverse TO BE a Hong Konger and TO BE madly in love with HK pop or K-pop and snack on sushi every day? No exactly. See, that’s why it is an art. To take a precise balance between Hong Kong culture and western culture so that I am not changing myself in order to fit in and to introduce JC into the mist of both cultures that I’m with.

  Another process of learning, I guess.

 

  Second, the working environment is way too objective to talk about Jesus.

 

  As an audit intern, I’m not supposed to talk to coworkers about religions because it is against the norm in this place. I know God is so powerful and I’m not. People in CPA firms care numbers and short term enjoyment. I’ve been wondering of what I sang, a song by Rend Collective, “Build you kingdom here”. There’s a line of lyrics in the chorus is like that: “Change the atmosphere, build your kingdom here. We praise”.

 When have I lived this line of lyrics out even I’ve been singing it for so long?

 As I said, I’m no expert or evangelist. I don’t know how to spread God’s good news in a CPA firm.

 To be honest, my awesome American readers (I know you’ve been reading!!), I would be grateful if you’d like to jump into this discussion with me, because surprisingly, office culture is quite universal. No matter this is Hong Kong or the States, office culture is pretty much the same.

 

  You know, people avoid religion in the workplace for one word’s sake.

  Professionalism

  You talk about God? You’re out. You don’t work in a CPA firm and talk about God. For me, maybe I’m too free spirit to care rules sometimes. I just think it would be a small dish to talk about who they believe as long as nobody wants to hold a rocket launcher in this office and to say that they kill people in the name of God. (I’m just making illustration. Don’t shoot me if you are Muslim.) I’m quite open to talk about Buddhism or Taoism to people since I once wanted to be a Buddhist or Tao apprentice.

 No, it’s forbidden to talk about God in the office.

 So, Jesus, what should I do?

 Third, Hong Kongers view Christianity as a western belief.

 The religion origin matters. That’s what I can say. Christianity is founded from Middle East and to be colored and spread by the western countries. It’s not hard to understand people think that “it’s not their thing.” Besides, missionaries are mostly Christians who devote themselves into mission work are Americans, at least most of the missionaries that I come across. It’s not uncommon that Hong Kongers associate Jesus as western god. I would say the culture here is just quite self-protective. Hong Kongers are mostly, not usually, open to western world and the language barrier create a dynamic. I am not suggesting Hong Kongers should be westernized in order to open up for Christianity. I like people being westernized but it shouldn’t come from beliefs. I guess after all, belief is still attached deeply with culture. Hong Kongers just can’t escape from karma and reborn process (there’s a better word but I forget how to spell it) I don’t understand why they prefer karma and the reborn process and why they couldn’t take another possibility of the result of their afterlife.

 Another thing to observe and learn? I don’t know.

 I remember I was whining that why I am not in Canada right now and I’m back to Hong Kong instead. I know, legit reason, his work to be done in this city, but how can I fire a gun if I don’t even know how to load the gun and to pull the trigger?

  God, help me out here.