THE QUEST FOR THE LIBERTY GRAIL

Managed to book out on Tuesday afternoon for PSC Scholarship Psychologist Interview at Raffles Hospital. Thought I might be a little out of sorts considerin' the fact that I had very little or in fact NO sleep the night before spending the night out digging and digging my own grave - the trench. Thanks to those smart alecs from World War I who created the Trench Warfare, that every soldier around the world today has to dig trenches.

Anyway, the interview went fine and it was interesting as the psychologist was amicable and lively. Did not stumble during the interview except when she asked me who my role model was. I spent like 3 mins thinkin' and a whole list of political leaders sprang up in my mind like Gandhi, Bill Clinton ( minus the scandal), Winston Churchill to name a few. Somehow I wanted someone different and unique (not a political leader) to be my role model but couldn't think of any. We then skipped that question.

The psychologist kept cross-refering to the report of the psychometric test I took last year and she said my interview responses were fairly consistent with those of the test report except that she kept pestering me about the issue of whether I tend to play up or down.

Just managed to catch Da Vinci Code. Much of the details were cut short. Thank God! I felt that Tom Hanks' and Audrey Tautou's performances as Robert Langdon and Sophie Neveu weren't that impressive. I must say that both Ian Mckellen and Paul Bettany stole the show as Sir Leigh Teabing and Silas.

Yeah, I noe there's all the controversy over The Da Vinci Code and as a Christian I shouldn't support it by watching the movie. Furthermore, we have the Catholic Archbishop calling for a ban of the movie. But seriously, I think that the whole story is fiction and even if Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene, who gives a damn except the historians. What's more important is that he is still God and all these facts and historical inquiries are so unnecessary. I can't see how marrying can affect the divinity of Christ. Come on, if he felt the pain when he was scourged and crucified, it shows the human side of him rather than the divine side of the Lord. Then using this argument, doesn't this simple experience of suffering make the Lord more man than God? I seriously think that whether Christ is married or not does not matter at all, what's more important are his teachings and philosophies as well as how we lead and live our lives as a moral and happy person. Whether Judas was asked by Christ to betray him as told by the Gospel According to Judas is not important at all. I personally think that there is insufficient evidence to support the claim as proposed by Dan Brown in his novel, but his writing and little facts like the Fibonacci sequence and the Golden Ratio and a little stuff about symbology has made the book an interesting read, at the expense of making the information inside a plausible truth. I honestly think that there is no need for a brouhaha over this, but this controversy provides the opportunity to spark an interest in finding out more about religion in many people which I feel is a plus point. I read an article in Life on Wednesday about the different locations for shooting the movie and the dean's verger of Lincoln Cathedral (the church used as a substitute for Westminster Abbey) said "The book has been a springboard to learn more about our faith." in response to allowing Ron Howard and his team to shoot in the cathedral. Perhaps the connections of Christianity with many well-known european artworks as well as it's rich history has allowed it to be exploited in Dan Brown's novel. Honestly, I think a ban of the movie will not work at all. A ban will spark even more controversy and people will be curious to discover more about the movie which will backfire the ban. If there should be a ban over the movie, why not go straight to the source and ban the book as well? Furthermore, I have not heard anything disastrous such as the number of christians in the world declining following the release of the novel or people claiming that I'm a member of the Priory of Sion. The issue has made christianity seem like a sensitive and close-minded religion. I guess, the Da Vinci Code controversy is an excellent example of how art is a very powerful tool and this makes it very interesting. Anyway, this reminds me of a GP topic I attempted last year : " 'People should fear art, film and theatre.' Do you agree? "

Unlocking my crptex now ...

" In London lies a knight a pope interred. His labour's fruit a Holy Wrath incurred. You seek the orb that ought to be on his tomb, That speaks of rosy flesh and seeded womb."