Squatting Monkey, Jumping Lembu

ARCHIVES 2009

By admin-s On Sep 8, 2009

By Simon Templar

How can taking a step into a Buddhist or Taoist temple make you a lesser Christian? How can reading a Christian bible make you a lesser Hindu? How can having a Hindu temple near your house make you a lesser Muslim?

I cannot imagine any decent Malaysian who is not angry with the entire cow head fiasco. From the act of brandishing the severed cow head, the down right stupid and irresponsible statements of Hishammuddin Hussein (and Khir Toyo) down to the 'dialogue' held with the so called residents of the Section 23 Shah Alam.

This has been an embarrassing episode in the evolution of mankind. And to the Malay race in particular.

I find it hard to keep my anger away with this stupid issue. Yes, stupid. Stupid because – what is the real issue behind this issue?

I am not a religious person. In fact, I can hardly associate myself strongly with any religion. Maybe I simply have not receive the calling. And as such, I don't usually like to write on religious matter. But I will make an exception. And being a person who is indifferent towards all religions – Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity, Judaism, Sikh – I think I can present a non-interested party point of view on this stupid stupid issue. And I believe that many Malaysians out there share my point of view.

(Oh because religion is sensitive and sacred, I will watch my choice of words. I'll try real hard not to swear. Damn!)

According to all sources, the Muslim residents are against the building of a Hindu temple so close to their residence. Ummm… what's the problem? What is so wrong with having a place of worship of another religion close to your house? Or next to your house?

Mr. Home Minister said that having a Hindu temple close to the homes of the 'majority Muslims' makes the Muslims uncomfortable? And he can relate to their predicament.

How does a Hindu temple nearby make a Muslim uncomfortable? Do you develop a rash? Do you get constant headaches? No, you don't. So what is so uncomfortable?

I simply cannot comprehend what is going on in the minds of these Muslims of Section 23. I believe that Islam is a beautiful religion (or way of life as some will like it to be called). I am no Islamic scholar but logic tells me that Islam has to be good or else it cannot be the most popular religion on planet Earth.

And I need not be an expert of the Quran to say that there will be no where in the Quran where you will find that the Quran calls for Muslims to stay far away from the place of worship of another religion. If you believe that there is one, then you have interpreted the Quran wrongly. Very very wrongly. Or you have been grossly misled by someone else. I know for a fact that Islam calls for fostering of closer and stronger relations among mankind. I do not believe that a holy book will preach negativities among mankind.

How can Muslim kids playing at the playground near a Hindu temple make the Muslim parents uncomfortable? There are no monsters in the temples you know?

Are they afraid that having their children growing up near a Hindu temple will see the children taking a likeness towards Hinduism? I hope this is not true because if it is, then these people are poor Muslims who do not really believe in their religion. Do you not have faith in your own religion? Do you have such little faith in your own believes that you see your own children being swayed into the arms of another religion simply because of the presence of another religion nearby? For crying out loud, this is not what religion is all about. Your faith and your believe is what is in you and not what you appear to be or not how you act or what you call yourself or how you name your descendants.

Your faith, and the religion you profess, is a spiritual connection between you and your god. And I belief that this is one critical factor that is missing from the mass of 'religious' people today. Most people who claim to be religious have no inkling of what their religion is all about. And I am not talking about Muslims only.

Our makers (if you believe in one) give us this complex object placed right at the top of our heads called the brain. This object, which is alien to many, has many functions and one of its major functions is to help us think. Evaluate subject matters. Process logic. Understand and interpret matters affecting us, surrounding us. Try using it sometimes.