A storm in a teacup
The righteous will always be persecuted, but god’s wrath will rain upon those who deny the children of god their right to worship their one true lord. Take pride that other Christians in this world still has the right to worship in peace and call their rightful god by his Name, and while you may be envious of them, you know your faith is being tested. Your God, will not forsake you and neither will he forget.
By Capt. Iskandar Dzulkarnain
It was a dark and gloomy morning. Sporadic rain showers in the capital added a touch of helplessness and doom as dawn began to break.
June 8 will go down in history, as the day Malaysians wake up to a new reality. Our peaceful nation and our way of life are at stake. This beloved nation as we know it is under siege. It is vulnerable to attack, not externally but from within ourselves.
Our race relations are at an all time low. People are fearful and angry at the same time. The blame game is on, and everyone is blaming everyone, but themselves. Freedom of religion is at stake. And our right to worship has been questioned. Someone is out there pulling the strings. And like puppets, we are singing to its tune. The government is telling us to be calm and vigilant. They are even telling the churches to increase their security. How ridiculous can it get?
About two years ago, the Home Ministry had declared it illegal for non Muslims to use the name of Allah! This case was dragged to the courts and very recently the Supreme Court had overruled this decision. Shock and disappointment followed the court decision, and has led to the chain of events that followed. Many interpret it as a racial and religious intolerance but it is not the Malays and Muslims who are at fault. The unseen enemy is not one to mess with. It has an agenda, and the die is cast.
The court decision is a plus point for the Christians, and Christians should feel vindicated. However, at what cost? If we continue to pursue this matter, it will be fodder for the flames. Malaysians, from all walks of life, whether Muslims or otherwise, sympathises with you, and we support your right to worship. Be contented, that this incident is a blessing in disguise. The divine hand of God is at work. And one day, your rights will be restored!
The righteous will always be persecuted, but god’s wrath will rain upon those who deny the children of god their right to worship their one true lord. Take pride that other Christians in this world still has the right to worship in peace and call their rightful god by his Name, and while you may be envious of them, you know your faith is being tested. Your God, will not forsake you and neither will he forget.
The dice has been thrown, and it’s your move. All eyes are on the Christians, and your next move, will have an impact on the nation. Dragging the Name of God, through the courts again will only create more chaos. The government has declared that Allah is not the same god as that of the Muslims, and we have to take it with an open heart.
Although the nation is aghast at this chain of events, the nation silently sympathises with the Christians at their time of need. We are powerless to intervene or advise the Christians on their next course of action. There is really not much the Rakyat can do, except to vote wisely in the next election. All the ills of this nation can be solved by our votes and I believe that one day we can vote this entire wrong doings that belittle our nation away.
Therefore, I would like to appeal to the Council of Churches, to convene and make a declaration to the world, and to our government, that for the sake of national unity and peace, that Christians nationwide, will momentarily halt the usage of the word Allah, at least…..ah…. until the next election. Malaysians, will thank you one day for your sacrifice to the nation. And until that time, they should make a beeline for the nearest booth to sign up as voters, if they have not already done so.
Also surrender all the Indonesian bibles to the authorities, and appeal to Indonesia to reprint the same bibles with a name replacement. Doing so will appease the few religious bigots, hell bent on creating insecurity, and save the country from further chaos. Remember, our hearts are with you, and we will be proud of your stand in the interest of national security, and that we have averted another potential racial conflict. One day, by god’s will, we would like to join hands with you and all other Malaysians, to celebrate the birth of a new nation, one that we have always dreamed of!
It’s nothing but a storm in a tea cup. Add fodder to it, and the flames will get hotter. And when it starts to brew, a nation may disintegrate!
