Below is the text in which Bro. Goh Keat Peng spoke from last Sunday. I will try to see how to load the final two videos includes some additional comments which are very helpful.
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THE PALESTINIAN TRAGEDY: ONE CHRISTIAN’S RESPONSE
I am a Christian. As such my response is one Christian’s response to the Palestinian tragedy. I speak for myself. I have asked no one or group permission to speak. I represent no one or group but myself.
My birth year coincided with the UN resolution which brought statehood status to Israel which unfortunately also contributed to much of the problems faced by the Palestinian people. Hence, my personal interest and concern for the Palestinian people has been over a long period of time beginning as soon as I became educationally of age.
The Palestinian tragedy encompasses tragedies of various categories and combinations.
First and foremost, the current situation in Palestine is a humanitarian tragedy with many lives lost and families separated and properties damaged and serious threats of fearful diseases. The Gaza strip is experiencing a colossal complex humanitarian emergency which requires immediate and continuing large-scale humanitarian response. Such a humanitarian response should and must be supported by all regardless of ethnic, religious or political persuasions. Humanitarian response supersedes any and every loyalty we human beings may have. There are many Christians in Palestine. But I would have responded (in speech and deed) even if there were only Muslims in Palestine. Regardless of ethnic origin, religious creed or nationality, as human beings we must respond to the sufferings of other human beings.
Humanitarian tragedies have human causes. We should be wary of blaming humanitarian tragedies merely on nature or the devil. We human beings are often to blame for the tragedies which plaque other human beings. A mixture of arbitrariness and injustice and arrogance and a good measure of ignorance combine to bring about human tragedy.
Let me illustrate with the declaration of war on Iraq. George W. Bush citing (unproven) WMD and Iraqi complicity with Al Qaeda’s attacks on USA launched a war on Iraq ending his speech with “And may God bless America”. As a Christian I was appalled and incensed by such narrow self-serving partisanship. You are about to visit a country with the state of the art weaponry and wreak havoc and calamity on its people and all you could think of is your own country? God should only bless your people but not the people you are about to bomb?
God is brought into the picture. God is on America’s side. America is blessing the rest of the world by carrying out God’s agenda. According to some sources, the American president had even claimed that God had spoken to him about invading Iraq and Afghanistan. Bringing God into unethical, unwise, and unfair decisions is religious blasphemy (not religious truth). As a Christian I don’t want any leader of any nation to hijack my religion and force God Almighty into his particular smallness of heart and mind. You want to make war do so in your own name and take responsibility for it yourself. Don’t drag God into the equation to justify your own human decision.
Israel without American backing would not have been able to do what they have been doing to the Palestinian people over so many generations. I am appalled as a believer in Jesus Christ at the fact that in giving undying support to Israel, America has the backing of so many American Christian churches and people.
I believe that many human tragedies including the Palestinian tragedy have arisen through a combination of misplaced patriotism on the one hand and mistaken religious theology on the other hand. These are deadly combinations resulting in untold hardship and misery to countless human beings.
Misplaced patriotism is the cause of wars throughout human history. It gives rise to chauvinistic arrogance and irrationality. Other people commit wrong not us. It is these other people and nations who do bad things not us. Blame the other person or people and take no responsibility for yourself or your nation. I can do no wrong and the other person can do no right.
Unquestioning Christian support for Israel is the result of weak bible knowledge resulting in bad theology. For me as a Christian the “new Israel” expounded in the New Testament of the Holy Bible is not synonymous with the political Israeli state of today. Israeli membership with the United Nations isn’t the same thing as the aspiration and intention of biblical prophecy. To believe that the belligerences of the Israeli state today is somehow sanctioned by the God of both Old & New Testaments of the Holy Bible is simply bad theology and does not represent Christian Faith and Truth. As a Christian I owe the present Israeli state no allegiance of automatic support. Like all other nations, the Israeli as well as the Palestinian states must accept their own responsibilities for whatever wrongs they have humanly committed. The good which any nation commits is to be credited in the same way as any wrong they commit is to be summarily condemned. Let no nation claim biblical status and act against the very values and principles which God commands of every human being.
Lest it should be said that as a Christian in Malaysia my views on the Palestinian issue is influenced by an Islamic-centric view, let me quote an American Christian source. In 2002, a letter was addressed to the US President from over 40 evangelical Christian leaders. (I apologize for its length but it is only fair to quote them in full.) In it, the evangelical Christian leaders wrote:
“Dear Mr. President,
We write as American evangelical Christians concerned for the well-being of all the children of Abraham in the Middle East – Christian, Jewish and Muslim. We urge you to employ an even-handed policy toward Israeli and Palestinian leadership so that this bloody conflict will come to a speedy close and both peoples can live without fear and in a spirit of Shalom/Salaam.
An even-handed U.S. policy towards Israelis and Palestinians does not give a blank check to either side, nor does it bless violence by either side. An even-handed policy affirms the valid interests of Israelis and Palestinians: both states free, economically viable and secure, with normal relations between Israel and all its Arab neighbors. We commend your stated support for a Palestinian state with 1967 borders, and encourage you to move boldly forward so that the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people for their own state may be realized.
We abhor and condemn the suicide bombings of the last 22 months and the failure of the Palestinian Authority in the first year of the intifada to stop the violence against Israeli citizens. We grieve over the loss of life, particularly among children, and the suffering by Israelis and Palestinians. The longer the bloodletting continues, the more difficult it will be for both sides to reconcile with each other.
We urge you to provide the leadership necessary for peacemaking in the Middle East by vigorously opposing injustice, including the continued unlawful and degrading Israeli settlement movement. The theft of Palestinian land and the destruction of Palestinian homes and fields is surely one of the major causes of the strife that has resulted in terrorism and the loss of so many Israeli and Palestinian lives. The continued Israeli military occupation that daily humiliates ordinary Palestinians is also having disastrous effects on the Israeli soul.
Mr. President, the American evangelical community is not a monolithic bloc in full and firm support of present Israeli policy. Significant numbers of American evangelicals reject the way some have distorted biblical passages as their rationale for uncritical support for every policy and action of the Israeli government instead of judging all actions – of both Israelis and Palestinians – on the basis of biblical standards of justice. The great Hebrew prophets, Isaiah and Jeremiah, declared in the Old Testament that God calls all nations and all people to do justice one to another, and to protect the oppressed, the alien, the fatherless and the widow.”
(Among the signatories of this letter were such recognizable names as Richard J. Mouw, Tim Dearborn, Ronald J. Sider, Leighton Ford, Steve Hayner, Luci N. Shaw, Richard Stearns, Peter Kuzmic, David Neff, Philip Yancey, a few of whom I know personally.)
The role of religious belief in the affairs of state is a given but this being the case, leaders of nations as well as religions (Christian and Muslim) must do their homework and ensure that their knowledge of their respective Holy Scriptures and the theologies based thereon must be more sound and accurate. Otherwise, their “religious” conclusions and pronouncements can only sow discord and incite divisions and inspire unending conflicts. (Chauvinistic stance and rhetoric can only make matters worse and postpone further the day of liberation. I believe that a chauvinistic stance hurts more than it benefits the Palestinian cause in the same way that a chauvinistic Israeli stance hurts even the legitimate Israeli case.)
Let us pledge our support to alleviate the undue sufferings of all human beings in West Asia. Let us pray for peace not war. Let us strive for solutions beyond our rhetoric.
(An address given at the recent C.O.M.P.L.E.T.E. (COALITION OF MALAYSIAN NGOS AGAINST PERSECUTION OF PALESTINIANS) on January 18, 2009 in Kuala Lumpur)
From http://ongohing.wordpress.com/
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It is either we stand with Israel or we are against Israel. Just remember Genesis 12:3a ; I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you…”
Sometimes Christians stick their head out at the wrong time for the wrong reasons. Talk about responding to situations, huh…many a times we Christians just kept quiet when sensitive issues arised. Always saying, “we leave everything to God, He is in control”. Yea…and what about the current Gaza situation? Are we taking in glory for ourselves by making it into the newspapers? Can’t we Christians just pray and leave it to God like we ‘always’ do? Why stick out head out and let the world know that we are condemning Israel where the Bible has already clearly stated that Israel is God’s chosen nation, no matter what. We are to bless Israel, bless the Jews and not condemn them.
One of the reasons we know God is real is knowing that the whole world is against His nation and His chosen people. I am absolutely dissapointed with Christians who are liberal and are against Israel, and at this point of time, it is the test from God to know who are blessing His nation and who are cursing it.
If we got nothing better to say, don’t say! At least we can pray for Israel! Don’t go making yourself famous in the newspapers just because the whole world is condemning Israel, and you want to be a part of it.
John Gan,
The story behind the story in the paper might be coming out soon on this blog. I just did not have time to write on it specifically.
As for Christian views on Israel, I think I have put up some helpful email-conversations on this which you can refer to in my previous posts.
Sorry to hear about your disappointment. I’ve lifted you up to God in prayer as we pray for ALL, and trust God’s blessing is for ALL people.
I doubt I am able to read Genesis 12 outside the context of the rest of Scripture. I am also reminded that Genesis 12 addresses Abram, the father of both Isaac and Ishmael. Add to that the complexity of actually determining the lineage (both spiritual as well as anthropological) of the present day residents of the territory collectively known as Israel and Palestine, we must take stock of what would finally end up as a response that would be consistent to Christ’s message of reconciliation and redemption – one that transcends politics as well ethnicity.
The allegation of “seeking fame” is mischievious. If I am reading the ground right, there is a disproportionate influence of Christian Zionism among Evangelical Christians in Malaysia. Even I would count myself as being one of them and it takes a lot of struggle on my part to see beyond the politics (and identify the political nuance in that interpretation of eschatology) and look at the shared suffering borne by all. In fact, if one wants to be written off as an Evangelical leader in Malaysia, it would probably be best to get photographed with a group that is organising a pro-Palestine campaign.
I reckon I can only speak for myself here but I cannot see myself supporting or condemning Israel just because it is Israel. Neither can I do the same with Palestine (and by extension Hamas / Fatah / etc). I can only fashion my opinion based on their actions and/or lack thereof. So I would condemn Israeli perpetration of violence the same way I’d condemn Palestinian perpetration of violence. In fact, if I were to faithful to my understanding of Israel’s role as God’s chosen people, I would apply a higher standard of accountability and morality to her. One thing I cannot do is to keep quiet.
An addendum to John Gan’s comments ..
If there’s one thing folks like Goh Keat Peng and Rev Sivin Kit have not done is to stay quiet when sensitive issues arise. I’d suggest making a bit more research into the positions they have taken, and how folks like Goh Keat Peng have been ostracised by the larger Evangelical community for so many years before making such sweeping statements.
Are we to do so? Even the prophets spoke out against Israel when she was clearly in violation of God’s laws and standards. I doubt it made them less Hebrew or it meant they loved the nation of Israel less. The promise of blessing was made to Abram. Surely that means all the nations that proceeds from his seed and not just Jews alone. We surely did not see God abandoning Hagar and Ishmael in the wilderness.
And why are we so selective? How about Romans 9 where Esau is cursed? Does this mean the present day Edomites (aka Idumeans/Romans/Italians) remain cursed?! Try pushing that perspective in the public pulpit.
“It is either we stand with Israel or we are against Israel. Just remember Genesis 12:3a ; I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you…”
John, meditate and reflect on the meaning behind “Israel”. Go a little deeper than you usually would and understand the epistemology behind Israel. I won’t tell you what it means, but it definitely carries a spiritual meaning. However, I will stop short of interpreting it from physical terms i.e. the political state formed in 1948. I acknowledge the state of Israel, but that Israel is not the Israel the Bible tells me about.
“Sometimes Christians stick their head out at the wrong time for the wrong reasons. Talk about responding to situations, huh…many a times we Christians just kept quiet when sensitive issues arised. Always saying, “we leave everything to God, He is in control”. Yea…and what about the current Gaza situation? Are we taking in glory for ourselves by making it into the newspapers? Can’t we Christians just pray and leave it to God like we ‘always’ do? Why stick out head out and let the world know that we are condemning Israel where the Bible has already clearly stated that Israel is God’s chosen nation, no matter what. We are to bless Israel, bless the Jews and not condemn them.”
What are these occurences where “Christians have spoken out at the wrong time, for the wrong reasons”? What are these situations where Christians have stood silent? Last I checked, war is an evil for Christians and that it is only fair that we speak up against war, irrespective of who starts it… be it by our own Christian people or “chosen” people. War, no matter how accurately theologically justified, is invalid.
About remaining silent and praying, I affirm that as a vocation and I fully believe in its importance. However, there are people who have vocations to speak out, as the Holy Spirit empowered them to do. Do you think Peter brought people to Christ simply by praying? It started there, but he spoke. Remember, the Church is made up of different talents and gifts, but with the intention of glorifying the same Lord. Are you suggesting that who are able to speak out and make change sit on their laurels and just pray?
One of the reasons we know God is real is knowing that the whole world is against His nation and His chosen people. I am absolutely dissapointed with Christians who are liberal and are against Israel, and at this point of time, it is the test from God to know who are blessing His nation and who are cursing it.
Who is liberal here? This is not a question of “liberal” or “conservative”, only “well-discerning” or “misguided”. The only reason the Christian representation there was to set the record straight and get things right. War is wrong and unjustified, irrespective of who’s who in the war and the Christians’ role was merely to say “no” to war and to kill off polemics ingrained into the minds of many Malaysians that this is a war between Muslims and Jews. In other words, their purpose there was a result of “well-discerning”. Don’t make God look like a fool… He can bless anyone… and He can certainly curse anyone. No one is exempt. God is equal.
If we got nothing better to say, don’t say! At least we can pray for Israel! Don’t go making yourself famous in the newspapers just because the whole world is condemning Israel, and you want to be a part of it.
We can pray for Israel, but we also pray for everyone else, including the Palestinians. Remember who we are as Christians. No one’s making themselves famous here. So someone came out in the papers, big deal.
Oh John Gan…
I am remaining silent and praying for you and ALL god’s people.
Shalom
Dear Sivin,
Thanks for posting up Mr. Goh Keat Peng’s speech in full. He raised many important and timely points in his speech. I am glad that much of what he said reflects the concerns of Christian Peacemakers and helped to clear much misunderstanding to the public that ALL Christians are Pro-Zionism or that the Palestinian problem is only the concern of our Muslim friends.
Reading John Gan’s post, I can see clearer why you said to me the other day that you are in “controversy”! Haha! My tongue-in-cheek response to you: “There you go, Sivin, courting publicity again! Wouldn’t life be so much simpler if you’d just minded your own business and pray silently?” 🙂
But seriously, the Israeli-Gaza situation is so controversial precisely because many misunderstood it to be a “religious” issue. It is, first and foremost, a humanitarian issue. People are killing people. Irregardless of our theological positions on Israel (Replacement Theology, Pre-Trib/Pre-Mill eschatology, etc.) the numbers scream out from the papers daily in our faces (more than 1300 Palestinian deaths to 13 Israeli deaths in 22 days). Having said that, we must be fair to say that we are as angered at the deaths of 13 Israelis as we are about 1300 Palestinians – therefore, we are no supporters of Hamas or Fatah or whatever political groups. In fact, it is precisely because we are to “pray for the peace of Jerusalem” that we are so concerned about these things.
In times like this, to be silent is unjust. Our consciences will not allow that. Luther himself warned that it is a dangerous thing to act against conscience.
~ Edmund
It seems the influence of American evangelicalism in Malaysia is much deeper than I thought.
We should read the OT especially the prophets. But I hope we wouldn’t end up comparing the Palestinians with the Amalekites or whatever ‘ites’ like one commentator did on Keat Peng’s blog.
All I know is when I read the prophets, remaining silent is not an option in face of gross injustice and murder (irrespective of who is the perpetrator)