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"The LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation:" Exodus 17:16) Throughout their 5,000 year history, the Jews have faced and survived major adversaries - the Egyptian pharaohs, Philistines, Assyrians, Babylonians, Seleucid Greeks, Romans, the Ottomans, and Nazi Germany. These people have been dealt with decisively and are all in the dustbin of history. Exodus 17:16 suggests the conflict with Amalek is a generational curse. Might this still be going on, an enemy that seeks the destruction of the Jews, a mystery that lurks behind the ceaseless conflicts in the Middle East in our own lifetime? The people whom the Bible describes as God's covenant people have been known by different names at different periods of history. They were Hebrews (for Abraham and his descendants), Israelites, or Children of Israel (for descendants of Jacob), House of Israel (the Northern Kingdom), House of Judah (Southern Kingdom), Jews or Yehudi (during Babylonian...

For years, one of the more confident boasts heard in some Muslim circles has gone something like this: "Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world. It will take over the world."   At first glance, the numbers seem to back up the swagger. The global Muslim population has grown from around 1.6 billion in 2010 to well over 2 billion today. Demographers routinely project that Islam will remain the world's fastest-growing major religion for decades to come. It is enough to make some believers grin, some critics panic, and statisticians reach for a larger spreadsheet. Fig.1 But before anyone starts engraving "Mission Accomplished" on the globe, it is worth taking a closer look. Conversions to Islam is more common than most people think. There are no statistics and we rely on Pew Research surveys which shows the numbers are few in comparison to population numbers. People joining are negated by people leaving and the net impact is negligible eithe...

I have often said many events, whether hosted locally or overseas, present valuable teaching moments. Local thought leaders and domain experts have a responsibility to share their knowledge publicly, sparking meaningful debates that drive collective growth. Ancient Greeks gather in public places called agora for these public debates which helped build and protect their democracy. Ordinary citizens gathered to discuss politics, vote on new laws, and hold their leaders accountable. It was also a place for philosophers to challenge common sense and discover the truth. Unfortunately this is a rarity in Singapore despite the convenience of social media instead of an agora. One of these rare thought leaders is lawyer Michael Han who writes regularly. I enjoy reading his posts even though I disagree often with his views when it comes to politics. The difference between Michael and someone writing like me, is he writes from a position of authority. That behoves upon him mor...

"Deep in the shady sadness of a vale Far sunken from the healthy breath of morn Sat gray-hair'd Saturn, quiet as a stone, Still as the silence round about his lair; Forest on forest hung about his head..." John Keats (Hyperion) In that beautiful epic poem of evolutionary change, Keats described the forlorn figure of Saturn (Roman version of the Greek's Kronos), leader of the Grecian pantheon the Titans, sitting alone in the forest like "The Thinker", reflecting on their loss to the Olympians under Jupiter (Zeus).  We are at the moment in history when a civilisation seems to pause at the forest's edge, listening to the fading echoes of one order before the uncertain thunder of another. Our age feels at such a twilight interval. Our generation has the unique experience of witnessing civilisational change, but unfortunately, as frogs in the boiling water, most of us are unwary of what's happening with the bigger picture.  Like the Titans hearing ...