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GLOBALISATION AND THE KINGDOM OF GOD

A Public Forum organized by World Vision Malaysia & Kairos Research Centre

Speakers: Vinoth and Karin Ramanchandra

Place:  Corus Hotel, Kuala Lumpur, Ballroom 1

Time:   Monday, March 1, 2010 7 pm – 9 pm

Attendance is free.

The world has shrunk. We are traumatized by news of violent terrorists randomly attacking innocent civilians, whether in Europe or in the Asia subcontinent. We feel a sense of economic injustice when millions lose their jobs just because some business tycoons played with the stock market at Wall Street. These events highlight the interconnectedness of life in the “global village”.

These global forces that are reshaping the social fabric of society and overwhelming our experience of the world seem so inexorable and unstoppable that they give rise to confusion in our perception of the world around us. We vacillate between feelings of optimism (global development will bring economic prosperity) and pessimism (we are merely pawns in the hands of media moguls and financial tycoons).

Our mindsets are caught in the contestation of global myths related to terrorism, religious violence, nationalism, postcolonialism and multiculturalism. We are desperate for handles to understand, critique and subvert dominant global myths so that we may regain the ability and freedom to choose for ourselves how we should live.

But how can we break free from the hypnosis of the present age? In this public forum, Vinoth and Karin Ramanchandran will outline the contours of the dominant myths that hold captive our mindsets and suggest ways to think beyond the global herd mentality and free ourselves from ongoing colonial mindsets and practices.

Biodata of Speakers

Vinoth Ramachandra

Vinoth Ramachandra is from Sri Lanka, and lives in Colombo with his Danish wife Karin. He holds BSc and PhD degrees in nuclear engineering from the University of London. He currently works as the Secretary for Dialogue and Social Engagement for IFES, an international Christian federation of about 150 autonomous, national university student organizations. He gives lectures in universities, colleges and at conferences all over the world, and his special interests at present are in the areas of the dialogue between theology and science, bioethics and political philosophy. He is the author of five books of which the most recent is Subverting Global Myths (IVP Academic-USA and SPCK-UK, 2008). He has also been active for many years in the Civil Rights Movement of Sri Lanka, and in A Rocha, an international environmental network committed to fostering research and advocacy in the area of biodiversity conservation and caring for the earth.

Karin Ramachandra

Karin Ramachandra has been involved in different forms of Christian social work – with drug addicts in Denmark and Holland, Cambodian refugees along the Thai-Cambodian border and foreign prisoners in Bangkok’s jails.

She holds a Diploma in Psychology from Denmark and a B.A. in Counselling and an M.A. in Biblical Studies from the University of the Nations, an international university developed by YWAM. Her Master’s dissertation was on “Biblical Ethics for Working with the Poor”.

Karin is also on the Visiting Faculty of Colombo Theological Seminary. She teaches regularly on the following topics: A Christian worldview, a theology of suffering, justice and the poor and cross-cultural pastoral ministry.

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Synopsis of Vinoth Ramanchandran, Subverting Global Myths:

The Global Myths that hold us captive

What myths about terrorism are spread due to lack of historical memory and moral focus?

Why since 9/11 are religions blamed for violent conflicts around the world?

Are human rights self-evident truths, or does protection of rights around the world demand a deeper understanding?

How does liberal talk of multiculturalism mask the way cultural diversity is threatened by forces of secularism and capitalism?

What encourages the divorce of scientific research from moral reflection, with dire consequences for the planet?

Are we trapped between the contradictory stories that we are determined by our genes and that we have an unlimited capacity for redesigning ourselves?

What historical myths lie beyond current thinking about globalization, and how do we free ourselves from ongoing colonial mindsets and practices?

Friends, especially those in Kuala Lumpur, this is worth your time.  Give the SABM gang a ring.

I like the I want to make it better bit!

Sign up, show up, and spread the word! (HT: The People’s Parliament!)

The year 2009 is the International Year of Reconciliation. It aims to promote the concept of reconciliation worldwide.

In conjunction with the United Nations’ declaration that 2009 is The International Year of Reconciliation with “Unity in Diversity” as the theme, the Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia initiative will be holding a forum at  Rumah Anak Bangsa Malaysia, 66 Lorong Setiabistari 1 Bukit Damansara, Kuala Lumpur, on Saturday 5th December, 2009 from 2.00pm to 6.00pm.

Uplifting the way of life of the marginalized and reconciling them with mainstream society is essential in order for all to be free and equal.

Resolving human conflicts, working towards reconciliation and restoring peace and harmony would bring about a better Malaysia for one and all.

The event will address these issues and the programme will include a talk, field trip reports, a narration by FoodNotBombs on how the homeless are helped, and a screening of “The Imam and The Pastor” with accompanying discussion by members of Nur Damai.

Please RSVP by 1st Dec 09 (Tuesday).
Email – events@sayaanakbangsamalaysia.net
Farida – 016-2095 818
Hasbee – 017-332 5424
Rumah Anak Bangsa Malaysia – 03-2095 0435

Spinning to many plates right now to blog. But still got a little bit of energy to pass on the word. The line up of speakers are worth your time.

Check out Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia. “Bring a friend!”

This is from the People’s Parliament

On 3rd November, 2007, a motley bunch of anak Bangsa Malaysia organised a forum at the Dewan Sri Pinang. You can read about that event HERE.

Speakers and participants at that forum arrived at a consensus on four major points as imperatives if the concept of Bangsa Malaysia or One People, One Nation is to become a reality :

• No more race-based political parties
• No more incompetence in Parliament
• Civil society taking ownership of governance of the nation
• No more racial delineation

Since mid to late January of this year, that initial motley bunch grew into a group of earnest and dedicated anak Bangsa Malaysia who are determined to see this nation began the long journey to break down the race-based communal barriers put in place by those with their own agenda, retaining always our diverse cultures and yet united in heart and mind, taking full charge and ownership of our nation, and collectively working to ensure an honest and equitable distribution of our nation’s wealth through the establishment of an affirmative action program that will bring justice and equality to every anak Bangsa Malaysia.

On 16th September, this year, the SABM initiative was formally launched whereat we made public the Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia Charter.

If you have not seen this document, the same, in PDF, is linked below.

ABM Charter {BI}

The SABM Charter goes beyond the four points of consensus formulated at the Penang forum in November, 2007.

For those of us involved in the SABM initiative, it represents the complete “One People, One Nation” message that we hope to be able to take to the rakyat.

We have decided to go back to Penang as our first step in what we know will be a long journey.

In an earlier post entitled “SABM Roadshow heads out to Penang”, I had announced that we would be in Penang on 15th November, 2009 to host a 1/2 day youth workshop, anchored by Pusat Komunikasi Masyarakat           ( KOMAS ) in the morning and a forum in the afternoon.

Details of both the workshop and forum appear below.

See you in Penang on the 15th next month.

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Youth Workshop : Ada Apa Dengan Bangsa?

Venue : Hu Yew Seah Hall, 43 Madras Lane, Penang

Date : 15th November, 2009

Time  : Registration is from 8.15 – 845am on 15/11/2009. The workshop is from 9.00am – 1.00pm after which lunch will be served.

Age Qualification : The workshop is intended for those between the ages 17 -25

Objective : To get particpants to explore our identity, who we really are, and what we believe in as Malaysians. Let’s talk to each other, have fun and understand the real issues in our multiracial society, and view Stereotyping, Racial Discrimination and Race Politics from a human rights perspective.

If you’re aged between 17 – 25 and would like to participate in the youth workshop, send your details ( name, i.c. number,  address, telephone contact number, and what you are presently doing ) to events@sayaanakbangsamalaysia.net

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Forum : Bring Along A Friend

Venue : Hu Yew Seah Hall, 43 Madras Lane, Penang

Date : 15th November, 2009

Time  & Program :

1.30pm – 2.00pm : Registration

2.00pm – 3.00pm : Screening of “Sepeluh Tahun  Sebelum Merdeka” & discussion with producer Fahmi Reza

3.00pm – 6.00pm : Presentations :

1. Human beings, all born free and equal

2. The founding of the nation : The truth

3. Nation in distress?

4. Did we let it happen?

5. This is my home. I care. I want to make it better

6.00pm – 7.00pm : Q & A and discussion

7.00pm – 7.30pm : Break & refreshments

7.30pm – 8.40pm : Screening of “Gadoh”

8.45pm – 9.15pm : Evaluation & closing

Presentation panellists :

1. Goh Keat Peng ( Executive Officer  of Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sihkism & Taoism )

2. Dr. Azmi Sharom (  law lecturer, University of Malaya & newspaper columnist )

3. al- Mustaqeem ( Middle East Graduates Centre )

4. Fahmi Reza ( Producer of “Sepuluh Tahun Sebelum Merdeka” )

5. Jayanath Appudurai ( SABM coregroup )

6. Haris Ibrahim ( SABM coregroup )

Why is the forum entitled “Bring Along A Friend”?

Quite simply, because that’s what you’ll have to do to attend the forum.

This is how it works.

Attendance is by invitation.

So you’ll have to e-mail us for an invitation, both for yourself and a friend of yours.

Now if you’re a Malay Malaysian, you’ll also have to register a non-Malay Malaysian friend, besides registering yourself for the forum. Conversely, if you’re non-Malay Malaysian, we will require you to also register a Malay Malaysian friend.

As with the youth workshop, if you’d like to attend the forum, send your and your friend’s details ( name, i.c. number,  address, telephone contact number, and what you and your friend are presently doing ) to events@sayaanakbangsamalaysia.net

Just in case you missed the “last” worship gathering at the Father’s House, we still have one more event you can join us for a relaxed event for family and friends both old and new.

The location for the event is still at the Father’s House . one more time folks, Don’t miss it!

Here’s what our Outreach catalyst Moh Foong sent out as an invite:

Dear Family & Frens,
Please find attached is the invite for BLC’s "FANCY DRESS MID-AUTUMN" Festival on the 2nd October at 8:30pm. It’s also BYOM (Bring your own mooncake) but please dun bring a whole box, one for each family/individual is enough. Tidbits and chinese tea will be provided.

So come dress in your best/most creative……er….. autumn gear.

Attractive prizes to be won. Rumour has it that some of the top prizes are tickets to Sunway Lagoon, movie tickets and tickets to U-Bowl at 1-Utama. ssshhhhh

See you all. Oh yeah.. Those who can come early to help setup please do come and help out. Thanks

Regards,
Moh Foong

Wow! Thirty years!

I’m so grateful for Malaysian Care.  They have shown us that Malaysians can indeed care. For many Christians, churches and even beyond the Christian circles, they have played an important role in raising awareness, provide training, and making opportunities available for ALL of us to do the right thing for the common good of society.

Caring is more than words, it’s about concrete action demonstrated in the realities confronting us daily – yes, even uncomfortable and issues where most of us would have ignored if left on our own.

I just got the events calendar for their upcoming celebrations. Let’s join them in anyway possible.  Check the special Care Contact "30 years of Journey" edition highlighting their work.

Thirty years … now that itself is a clear sign of faithful service!

I’m personally looking forward to facilitate the upcoming Open Forum this Friday, at the Father’s House. Where and how did it all start? That’s another worthwhile blog post someday. What’s important now is that a group of Muslims and Christians are jointly organizing an event where we can engage in conversation together truthfully, respectfully and humbly.  And it’s actually on what is relevant to ALL, so while the initiative is from the initial 2 groups, the invitation to participate is for ALL.

For the text version and information to download the flyer read on.

Please let me know you are coming or you’d like to have more information.

Read the rest of this entry »