While Malaysia fiddles, its opportunities are running dry
Sometimes when you are a way for so long (in my case 27days for others maybe 2.7 years or more … it depends), I found myself looking at my own country with fresh eyes. Apparently, Michael Backman is getting a lot of attention.
‘Amok’ Season Again: How We Perpetuate The Myths Of Empire
I overheard some of the concerns when I was in Germany, so now I’m catching up on the reading. There are also other articles I will be checking out in The Other Malaysia
A policy of basic respect
This lady makes so much sense with these words in the context of Malaysia, “Basic ground rules should be set and strictly adhered to. Statements that hint at compromising national unity in any way should be reprimanded. This should apply to all leaders in all public discussion, including parliamentary debates. Condemnatory insults of any race or religion should not be tolerated under any circumstance. In short, there should be conscious effort to move away from clamour and steadily towards rational dialogue.”
‘Choice a cornerstone of Islam’
I was surprised to read this considering our current climate where it could be deemed a little to religiously sensitive for such comments and yet, I appreciate us having the chance to openly and humbly discussing such matters with a healthy confidence in who we are and a generosity to listen to others who are different from us. …
“Azzam, the author of several books and a commentator on Al-Jazeera and the BBC, also said Muslims should not make such a big deal of those who chose to leave the religion.
“If submission to Allah involves free choice, then the same principle must apply if one wants to leave the faith,” he said.
He noted that the Quran did not stipulate any punishment for apostates at all, and the punishments spelt out by the hadiths had to be contextualised.
“In Islam’s formative years, going in and out of Islam was used to sabotage the community, and hence was viewed as treason.
“But if one leaves the religion out of free choice, let them become what they want.”
He said Muslims should be more confident. “Nothing will happen to Islam if people leave the religion.””
Life as a secret Christian convert
I found this piece giving me a glimpse from a secret Christian convert’s point of view. Especially the following … “”I feel that I am all alone in this struggle,” she says, “and I am frightened because I am alone against the odds.””
You wrote:
> I found this piece giving me a glimpse from a
> secret Christian convert’s point of view.
> Especially the following … “”I feel that I
> am all alone in this struggle,” she says, “and
> I am frightened because I am alone against the > odds.””
I hope that when you read this article you took careful notice of the REASON that this girl feels so terribly alone. The problem is not merely with her Muslim family. Of course her Muslim family doesn’t want her to convert! That is normal, that is natural, that is what we should expect. But the horrible, terrible, evil thing is that the so-called “Christian” community in Malaysia will not embrace her because of their shameful fear of man:
* And, even now, the church she attends asked
* her to sign a declaration stating the church
* is not responsible for her conversion.
*
* “My church says if the authorities come, they
* are not going to stand up for me. I have to
* stand up for myself,” she said.
SHAME on the Chinese church of Malaysia. SHAME SHAME SHAME! Anyone who refuses to stand up for a sister in Christ because they fear man proves that they don’t know the Lord who died to save us.
What about YOU, pastor? Would you stand up for this girl?
Thanks for your comment … Zach. I think you have posed some important questions that some of us are genuinely wrestling with. I’ve been to your website and checked a couple of links. However, while I can see your sincere and direct approach. And the Good News is for ALL people … but I don’t find myself using your particular approach. I think people from the west like you need to also respect how we who are LIVING here attempt to be FAITHFUL to be a witness to those who are like her. Pray for us. Thanks.
You didn’t answer my question: WOULD YOU STAND UP FOR THIS GIRL? Even if it meant your church must face trouble from the authorities.
> I think people from the west like you…
Nope, you can’t use my nationality as excuse to say that I must accept the SHAMEFUL behaviour of the Malaysian church. I was arrested and held for 10 days in Putrajaya for sharing the gospel with Malays. They threatened us with a 2-5 year jail sentence, etc. And I’m ready to do it again, even if they throw the ISA on me, or worse. So no, you can’t use my nationality as excuse to say that I must accept the SHAMEFUL behaviour of the Malaysian church.
Furthermore, this is not merely my judgment as an outsider. After talking with many, many Chinese Malaysian Christians about this matter, they themselves willingly admit the SHAMEFUL behaviour of the Malaysian church in this area.
> Pray for us.
Yes, I do pray for the church of Malaysia. I pray that you will REPENT of the SINS of RACISM and the FEAR OF MAN.
> some important questions that some of us are
> genuinely wrestling with
I hope that you do not mean that you are wrestling with questions like, “Should we be willing to stand in solidarity together with a Malay sister who trusts in Christ?” There is absolutely NOTHING to wrestle over there. The Bible’s answer is crystal clear: love one another, and love for one another includes suffering with one another (e.g. John 13:34-35, Heb 10:33-34, 1 John 3:16).
If, on the other hand, you mean to say that even though you know what you SHOULD do is crystal clear, but you are wrestling with the fact that it is hard, then I can sympathize with you. The idea of going to jail or being killed and leaving behind my lovely wife to take care of our little 6-month old baby alone is scary to me, also. If you are saying that you are wrestling with the fact that the way Jesus demands us to love and sacrifice for each other is difficult and overwhelming, then I will be glad to pray for you and with you and encourage you and do whatever I can to help you in this area.
But if you mean that you are wrestling over whether it is worthwhile to stand up for a Malay sister in Christ, then I exhort you to STOP WRESTLING, the answer from Jesus is crystal clear!
Wow Zach .. I can see you are truly zealous for the Lord.
I would agree that one should take up the cross and bear the sufferings of our Muslim background convert brethren and it is a shame that the Malaysian Church is way too timid to do so in many occasions.
Nonetheless, the exhortation applies to me as a follower of Christ and as a member of the body of Christ. I don’t see where is Scripture does it say I have the right to impose suffering on my brethren .. which is precisely what would happen if I were to stand up in public if I were a local church elder and take a public stand. It might also bring further persecution to other “secret” believers because I was imprudent enough to take rash action.
While we expect persecution, it is dumb to go looking for it. There’s enough persecution as it is right now and more is to be expected anyway.
So yes .. I would stand up for them if and when required .. but NO, I cannot impose the same burden of risk and persecution to my fellow brethren just because I feel convicted to do something that would bring persecution to me.
Zach, Thanks for praying for us. From what I read in your comments I get the feeling you only want to TELL me what to do (and in this sense even the specifics are the way YOU would do it). Discussing issues over a blog also isn’t conducive to REALLY understand each other. So, thanks for your exhortation. My only request is that you seek to UNDERSTAND (as you seem to be trying to do at some points) the complex realities of our situation in Malaysia politically, socially, and religiously.
You didn’t answer my question: WOULD YOU STAND UP FOR THIS GIRL?
And you didn’t answer for the rest of the issues raised .. so everyone’s even 🙂
Dear Ps. Sivin,
Have you listened to the radio broadcast accompanying the BBC report highlighted here (Crossing Continents)? I was fortunate enough to catch the repeat last Monday on the radio and it was half an hour well spent. I think it was helpful as it not only focused on Christian converts to Islam but also its confrontation with other religions as well. I think it might still be possible to get a podcast of it. Oh, and Farish Noor’s voice sounds like it’d make the girls swoon. :-p
God bless,
Correction: I meant Muslim converts to Christianity!
Thanks BK for the link I’ll search for it. I think you hinted at something very important for us here in Malaysia, i.e. our discourse must have a broader agenda beyond being reduced to mere talk about “conversion” matters and deal with our wider context of relationship with people of other religions in how we live together in harmony and respect.