"do you want to know what the matrix is, neo? unfortunately, no one can be told what the matrix is, you have to see it for yourself."

the matrix is my favorite movie by far! initially i was merely amazed by the use of special effects in the movie, but it's only recently that i realize there're such deep messages (christian parallels) within the movie!!

the desire to find out its christian relations is triggered by one of the Bible studies in mCCF this term when we discussed the topic of "faith". in the prestudy, we were studying the passage where jesus was walking on water towards the boat that carries the disciples. then peter walked on water as well towards jesus but began to sink when he saw the wind and the wave. this scene reminds me of the scene in matrix where neo tried to jump from one highrise to another. you have to let it all go, neo. free your mind.

this is just like our faith, "...if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'move from here to there' and it will move. nothing will be impossible for you." matthew 17:20. if we have faith, we can accomplish anything just as if neo had faith, he can make the jump the first time!

the past few days i dwell on the thought of finding more christian parallels in the matrix!!!

1. neo is portrayed as 'jesus' where he is the chosen one to save the world

2. neo died at the end and is resurrected (jesus died on the cross for us and resurrected three days later)

3. cypher betrayed neo just as judas betrayed jesus (but in the matrix, cypher betrayed morpheus, not neo)

4. the chosen one will bring them back to the promised land, where in the movie it's referred to as 'zion' (which is also the name of the city of david)

5. the mothership is called 'nebuchadnezzar', which in the Bible, king 'nebuchadnezzar' was the king of babylon

6. tank and dozer are the only "natural-born" people on the mothership and all the other people are grown by a.i.. the distinction between tank/dozer with other people is as though tank/dozer are jews and all others are gentiles (but then neo, the chosen one, does not fit into this explanation)

7. the creation of a.i. compare to the Bible is like 'sin'. initially there was a battle, but we lost to sin ("...[eve] took some [fruit on the tree of the knowledge of good and evil] and ate it. she also gave some to her husband [adam], who was with her, and he ate it. then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked..." genesis 3:6-7. after the human lost the battle, they were controlled by a.i. just as now, because we are sinful in nature, we are still controlled by sin.

if anyone can think of any other parallels, please don't hesitate to let me know by e-mail!!!
- posted by awylee @ 02:13

 
right now is the midnight past my 23rd birthday, possibly the final time i celebrate my birthday in the city of waterloo.....

it's been quite an eventful birthday!! psych101 class from 11.30am~12.20pm (ran into teresa/gladys on my way from rch to plaza after psych class). had lunch at golden mango with sandy (ran into steve/cheryl as i came out from golden mango). after i got to dc after lunch, decided to head over to e2 computer lab instead (bumped into yet another familiar face - jeff). participated in a psych test from 2.00pm~3.00pm and then had ece476 lecture right afterwards. initially i wanted to head over to dc lib after my class but went home instead to kill some monsters with my lvl30 barbarian in diablo2!! then kwcac prayer meeting from 7.30pm~9.00pm. the amazing thing was, everyone at the prayer meeting celebrated my birthday after the meeting!!!

which reminds me of the first birthday that i celebrated in waterloo.............

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friday.03.05.1999
after work, peter came pick me up at my workplace (bell mobility). it's the first time we see one another that term even though our workplaces were just across from one another separated by one major road - highway 401. we went directly to waterloo to attend the myf event that starts at 7.00pm. it was an event led by steve chao. it's an event of games and worships. in the final game, everyone was separated into three teams. the rule of the game was that after representatives from each team are at the stage, steve will ask a question (such as who has the biggest shoe size, longest hair, etc...). i was in the last group for the game and steve asked us "whose birthday is closest to today?!". being a froshie, immature as i was, i immediately jumped up-and-down screaming "it's my birthday today! i dont think their [referring to the other two other representatives] birthday is today!" however, the purpose of that question was to tie into the celebration for my birthday! immediately paul came into the sanctuary with the birthday cake. as he approaches me, he suddenly trips and the cake went flying!!~~~~~~~

(i bet you guys are waiting for me to say that the cake went straight at my face, but sorry for the disappointment...)

the cake went up-side-down to the floor, luckily it's still in the box or else pastor henry would have shouted at us for making a mess in the sanctuary! :P
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i can't believe that i can remember what happened four years ago so vividly! i also can't believe how much i had grown in the past four years both mentally and spiritually. i used to be a mute when i first came to uw. i would not participate in any conversation or discussion, i simply just sit there and listen. i would never take on any leadership role in fellowships, yet the past year i co-led mccf bible studies with josiah as it first started. it never cease to amaze me how God had worked in my life these past 4+ years in waterloo. how brothers and sisters in fellowships told me that i influence them or help them where i was simply just being myself!

and finally, it's only fitting to mention that my first birthday in waterloo was a white birthday (15~20cm of snowfall four years ago today) and so is my final one (15+ cm lastnight)!! for God knows that i really really like snow!!!!
- posted by awylee @ 01:53