Archive for August, 2007
“Roh is a Malay word which means “spirit” and yet phonetically sounds like ruach, the Hebrew word for God’s Creative Spirit hovering over the world, and through the Incarnation is now in us, amongst us and through the Resurrection is all in all.”
This ripple is partly why I have been a little quiet lately 
Roh Malaysia is our little contribution to the next 50 years of Malaysia?
My Dear Malaysia – What Has Become Of You?
Let start with the veteran … “We were feeling good …”
50 YEARS OF ISLAMISATION A good time line of events.
When I Become Prime Minister of Malaysia…
How about one who has a dream …
More voices … Real ones.
Happy Merdeka .. Happy listening.
Interesting titles here …
Check out the latest two:
#16 Why a Faith Basis for Human Rights Matters download or read online
#15 My God – Your God – Our God? Christians, Muslims and God download or read online
The Dark Night of Mother Teresa
Facinating since this was written in 2003.
“The dark night of Mother Teresa presents us with an even greater interpretive challenge than her visions and locutions. It means that the missionary foundress who called herself “God’s pencil” was not the God-intoxicated saint many of us had assumed her to be.”
Pastor Hinn in Nigerian money row
It’s funny because just a couple of weeks ago a young man told me how much he admired Benny’s preaching.
I think it’s more of a young adult attempt. The Tag cloud caught my attention on what is main topics of interest.
For mature readers only …
PRAYER BRINGS ABOUT a turning of the heart to God, who is ever ready to give, if we will but take what God has given. And in the very act of turning, there is effected a cleansing of the inner eye. The things of a temporal kind that were desired are excluded, so that the vision of the pure heart may be able to bear the pure light, divinely shining, without any setting or change — and not only to bear it, but also to remain in it, not merely without annoyance, but also with indescribable joy, in which a life truly and sincerely blessed is perfected.
- Augustine
Hungering for God
(Via A Pure Heart)
We’re spending time during this Merdeka weekend at our church retreat in Taiping entitled “To Pray and To Love”. There’s too much spinning round and round going on in our daily endeavors. The headlines aren’t too encouraging and it’s tempting to lose hope if things keep on spiraling down. So, are we off to “escape” all these realities? Are we hoping to get more heavenly minded and forget about our troubles on earth? It’s tempting. The heart is tempted to turn inward and the only thing we can think of is self-preservation, self-protection in a world where so many want mere profit for themselves!
No, our time there in Taiping though may sound like an escapist retreat. It actually a necessary pause in order to put ourselves in a position to advance forward. We need to find our posture as we “turn our hearts to God.” Note, “turn our hearts to God” – Not religion which serves merely the self, or the purposes of the powerful few, or the consumeristic masses. A true turning to God … is when our hearts are purified from the “nonsense” we’re bombarded with daily. We need this more than ever. Because, dirt and debris of human sin and selfishness is more militant than ever. Of course, it’s more subtle and even entertaining these days. The packaging is very attractive. We need an inner eye to truly perceive what’s behind empty promises.
I’m looking forward that “the vision of the pure heart may be able to bear the pure light”. I want to keep turning to the promise of a world where broken hearts are mended, there won’t be any more tears or crying, where the lion can sleep with the lamb. Impossible? Well … I saw a professor swallow a sword the other day. I was reminded another who came back from the dead. And to You, I turn my heart today.
[korean christian] hostages in afghanistan – day 40
This is not over yet, and must not be forgotten too easily.
Mother Teresa’s Crisis of Faith
She is human after all …Â To some these words might shock them, but for me it’s a great comfort.
“Jesus has a very special love for you. As for me, the silence and the emptiness is so great that I look and do not see, listen and do not hear.”
- Mother Teresa to the Rev. Michael Van Der Peet, September 1979
Hermeneutics– A Guide for Perplexed Bible Readers
Good intro.
How To Humanize A Worship Space
Haven’t thought about this for some time.
We don’t have Christian Radio in Malaysia. .. but we have a version of the attitude highlighted in this piece – maybe I’ll call it “Thus Saith so-and-so”
Mentoring Questions by Fred Smith
Pause and choose a couple.
Race or nation? how about some imagination?
The Swiss is a good example. This national conversation is not isolated from examples from the other side of the globe. We cannot live in isolation. And we must not think in isolation too.
“One example of a multi ethnic people living as a single Bangsa is Switzerland. The Swiss as we know it is actually made up of 4 ethnic groups living peacefully together. They participate in same activities, join the same army, sing the same national anthem, salute to same national flag, but they still exist as different ethnic groups and speak different languages. To the outside world, they are just one people, the Bangsa Swiss. I just hope that our politicians can learn from the Swiss and stop making racial statement that incites the people. They should come out of the racial cocoon and talk of Malaysian interest instead of the interest of a single race. “
This is an excellent contrast of pictures and makes one wonder beyond them I’m buying the NST papers every day because of the 1957 edition. It’s already sparked off connections which I have missed in the past. This is reconnecting past history with the construction of a future history at it’s best. Even if it’s a small step at the level of the mind.
Interesting history when seen in the light of Bangsa Malaysia.
PM: M’sia neither secular nor theocratic country
Here we go again … “state” or “country”? Technical precision in terms or reshaping public imagination? Or …
PM: Pembangkang sengaja bangkitkan isu kontrak sosial
Editors play such an important role when they choose titles and in what they highlight. I suspect the PM reply to the question was answered in Bahasa Malaysia so I decided to check it out.
“Menurut Abdullah, beliau akan sekali lagi menjawab isu itu supaya ia tidak dipanjangkan sehingga menimbulkan rasa tidak selesa di kalangan penduduk pelbagai kaum di negara ini.
Katanya, Malaysia bukanlah sebuah negara sekular ataupun teokratik.
Sebaliknya, kata Perdana Menteri, Malaysia adalah sebuah negara Islam yang ditadbir berlandaskan prinsip-prinsip Islam dan berpegang teguh kepada prinsip demokrasi berparlimen yang berpandukan kepada Perlembagaan Persekutuan.
Menurutnya, prinsip Islam yang beliau maksudkan itu dapat dilihat melalui pendekatan Islam Hadhari yang beliau perkenalkan.”
Elysia, our 2 year old daughter says she want to learn how to play the violin after watching this. Now, that’s called inspiration. I asked her more than 10 times already now. She insists not piano but violin. That’s the influence of 11-year-old Sirena on our little 2-year-old Elysia.
I was there … and it was good … it was necessary.
Haris has given a quick recap here: Bangsa Malaysia Merdeka Get-together : The Real Thing.
I must confess I almost didn’t make it. But the “humble powers of the committee” allowed me to sneak in at the last moment.
There were many thoughts in my mind during the event. And I’m still trying to let them settle down.
A number of bloggers have already blogged away. Somehow, I’m trying to get the music right before I put more refined reflections down. Then again, I decided this random thought exercise will get some brain juices bubbling.
Toyed with with the following blog post titles Bangsa Malaysia Merdeka Get-Together (1) First Impressions, (2) Second Thoughts, (3) Third ways … ? We’ll see whether those posts will emerge from tomorrow onwards. I’m wondering why I’m finding it harder to blog …
Okay .. part of the reason was when I came back on Saturday … I was totally zonked out after a pretty full day. Then on Sunday, apart from the usually church stuff, I attended another church anniversary and dinner so then it’s double zonked.
By the time, I woke up this morning I’m still trying to recuperate and sort out transport arrangements since I had a pre-planned district meeting tonight. There were some gaps here and there. But, I didn’t want to just blurt out stuff. Because I felt some of what was inside me were and are precious. At least, I did manage to resize my pictures and get to read some of what others have already said.
For now, this is kind of a preliminary get ready post. Before my attempts in a simple blog trilogy which I hope won’t remain just in my head. There’s surely some stirrings in my heart. It’s a good thing I managed to mind map as much as I could especially during the excellent forum at 5pm onwards. Anything after that was sheer bonus.
I do regret not staying until the “candle light” moment and the “closing”. I had to return earlier because of my Sunday responsibilities.
We need space like this … while sometimes our conversations, ideas and “experiments in truth” (as BangMalaysia puts it quoting Gandhi) don’t come out neat and tidy, it’s a necessary start for many of us. It’s perhaps a little too easy to feel intimidated after hearing those who have stories to tell and thought out positions they articulate so eloquently. But, these “experiments in truth” needs us to join in as well to really “own” the whole process.
So sometimes, we mumble our way through.
And yet, there is still a need for clarity … at least, an ongoing process towards that. And this is where we need to give each other some space. I strongly believe we would give that space to one another when we see each other as family (or at least friends). This is an important place to start. But of course, this won’t be the end. This environment of “home” gives us security to explore beyond our “horizons”.
Looks like my random thought exercise is getting my engine started. Then again it could be the coffee I just had an hour ago kicking in slowly
So, before the more organized posts which should be comin. I’ll just end here by saying thanks Haris and all those in the “committee” who made it happen . A word of thanks to whoever paid for whatever as well – things like this cost money I presume. The big curry puff was REALLY good … but the event was more than that … much more.
I think I’m getting into a more patriotic “Bangsa Malaysia Merdeka” mood as the clock clicks towards Friday.
Presentations like this helps me to see the relevance of statistics!
My friend and fellow Christian (and Lutheran ) Bob alerted me to this whole incident when I thought the case should have been closed after hearing of Makkal Osai offering their apologies. Life should have moved on until we heard of their suspension. The fact is our Christian faith is not treated by any altered picture or even parody. I do not think this event would “endanger public order”. It may be inappropriate (as well as an innocent mistake with no intention to hurt others) , of course, some may be more offended than others. But it doesn’t have to be a big deal. At least, it’s not for me , I’m a Christian. I’m serving as a pastor. I’m not fuming with anger and waving my Bible demanding for justice and punishment on them (I admit I was a little disturbed but not shaken or over concerned). I’ll need to hear from my Roman Catholic friends how they feel. I’m a little puzzled by the action against this mistake when not too long ago I read of more serious remarks quoted in the blog post Are Christians lepers? (where there was a call for an apology – I haven’t heard anything on that yet. Apparently, there’s No Action Against UMNO Supporters’ Website? on that matter.) All these latest developments, may cause some discomfort for some, it does force us to pause and wonder what on earth is going on in our media whether it’s online or off line.
Overall, I think as Christians we would like to focus our energies and intelligence to deal with unjust and unfair issues which concerns us ALL than to be preoccupied with a tweaked image of Jesus (which the paper as already admitted their error and apologized for it). So far all the official statements from the MCCBCHST and the CCM seem to indicate, “It’s over now, let’s move on”. But since there were comments made on banning them and I was surprised that a political party was even more zealous in taking action than the Christians, I’ll repost Bob’s post for some update and commentary, for catching up on the story read Holy Smokin’ Jesus Controversy Paper Suspended! (Updated) first. Take note of the comments (at least the level headed ones) :
Christians Must Say No To Makkal Osai’s Suspension
Lift The Suspension Of Makkal Osai Immediately!
Do Not Use My Faith As An Excuse For Oppression!When the Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Malaysia (ELCM), Rev Dr Julius Paul, went on the record to ask for the banning of Makkal Osai in the aftermath of the publishing of a doctored picture of the Sacred Heart with Jesus portrayed as holding a cigarette and a can of beer, I don’t think he realised the wider implications of his statement.
Malaysiakini has now reported that Makkal Osai has been suspended for 30 days by the Ministry of Internal Security as the “publication of the image was inappropriate and could endanger public order“. Now, let’s look at what this means ..
.. for starters, it is common knowledge that the space for discourse on civil society and community issues within the Tamil speaking community in Malaysia is very limited and generally dominated by the government owned media (like RTM) or MIC owned mouthpieces. This same sorry situation is replicated in a lot of civic organisations that the community participates in.
Makkal Osai has generally been much more independent in its editorial policy and has recently been doing a series of in-depth reports on an issue that MIC very much wants people to forget .. the alleged mismanagement of Maika Holdings. By coming out in public to demand for the banning of a newspaper due to an incident that the paper has apologised for and the main aggrieved party (ie. the Roman Catholic Church) has seen fit to consider closed could only have strengthened the hands of those who would like to shut down this inconvenient publication.
The Bishop, representing a denomination that makes up approximately 0.1% of the Christian population in Malaysia, has essentially, by the nature of his office and the authority that the office comes with, implicated the almost 3 million strong Christian community in this country in an exercise to further reduce the already restricted space available for civic discourse for the Tamil speaking Indian community in Malaysia. Whether or not this will drive the wedge between the Christian community and the Indian community (which are primarily Hindu) remains to be seen.
As a Lutheran myself, albeit from a sister denomination, I am ashamed that Lutheranism has lent its name to this subtle exercise in the suppression of civic discourse. It is bad enough that the Church tends to remain silent when abuses of civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights occur in this country. To be a party of such abuse is a real jaw dropping moment!
Perhaps the Bishop would do well to have a look at what the Church of Sweden, the companion synod of the ELCM, and the larger Lutheran communion has had to say about the churches role in ensuring social justice be done and the church acting as agents of change:
- Justice Cannot Wait
- Dr Rogate Mshana- Churches as Agents of Change
- Ms Karin Åkerlund and Ms Lena Furberg- Towards a Fair, Equal and Sustainable Society
- The International Mission of the Church of Sweden- The Church in Society
- The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America- About Advocacy
- Lutheran AdvocacyAs a Christian, I urge my fellow Christians to join me to say NO to Makkal Osai’s suspension and urge that it be lifted. This perhaps can be one way we can seek to salvage this sorry state of affairs and start on a journey of reconciliation.
I am a Christian* Malaysian and I was not offended by the accidental depiction of a picture of Jesus Christ holding a cigarette and a beer can in Makkal Osai.
Do Not Use My Faith As An Excuse For Oppression!Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?
(Isaiah 58:6)Note
* strike off if not applicable