It’s called entrapment

Okay, we know who replied to the question. Can I now have the name of the person who asked that question? Yes, I want the name of the person who asked that question. Give me that name. Now! And if you can’t give me that name then shut the fuck up until you can. And I mean BOTH sides to this argument.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

The Vatican's envoy to Malaysia, Archbishop Joseph Marino, was in the spotlight over the Allah controversy but for the wrong reasons.

Responding to a question in a meeting last week with a small group of reporters, the 60-year old diplomat, among other things, said he supported the arguments in a fact sheet put out by the Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM) on why Christians should be allowed to use the word 'Allah' to refer to God.

"In terms of how they presented the arguments in favour, it seems to be quite logical and acceptable," he said in his first media outing since arriving in Malaysia in mid-April as the first Apostolic Nuncio to Malaysia, two years after Malaysia established diplomatic ties with the Vatican.

Two local online news portals invited to the meeting characterised his comments as supporting the use of 'Allah' which immediately drew flak particularly two right wing Malay groups, Perkasa and Jati. They demanded that the government shut down the Vatican's embassy and kick out Marino if he did not apologise. 

Their reaction seemed disproportionate to the situation and surprised even Bernard Dompok, president of UPKO, a component party in the ruling coalition. The former Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister said Perkasa had gone way too far in their demand. "To ask an ambassador to leave… that is just unbelievable,” he said.

(Read more here: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/sideviews/article/allah-word-in-spotlight-again-but-for-the-wrong-reasons-bob-teoh)

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So, it seems that the Envoy from the Vatican met the press last week. And one of the members of this press corps asked the Envoy a question. And the Envoy, being a true Christian, replied to that question truthfully. And now some Malaysians want the government to send two submarines to Rome to bomb that city (well, maybe not as dramatic as that but certainly they want him kicked out of the country).

So now, yet again, the Muslims and Christians are ‘at war’ (sigh...and after writing almost a dozen articles about the Christian-Muslim divide over the last fortnight on top of that).

Now do you see why I need to write these articles? This is because the more religious they are the more stupid they become. They should put warning labels on all ‘holy books’ like they do on cigarette boxes: ‘The Surgeon-General certifies that religion causes irrevocable permanent brain damage’.

First of all, why ask a question that you will not like the answer to? The Envoy is a man of God so he will certainly reply with the truth of what he believes. So if you can’t stand the truth don’t go asking questions. Anyway, this is not only entrapment but contempt of court as well since this matter is still before the court. So I blame the person who asked the question.

Did you expect the Envoy to lie just to please you? He is not in the business of pleasing you. He is in the business of pleasing God, not you. And why should he lie to please you when lying will displease God.

So who is at fault here? The person who replied to your question or the person who asked that question? Why pick on the person who replied to the question? Whack the bastard (or bitch) who asked that question.

Okay, we know who replied to the question. Can I now have the name of the person who asked that question? Yes, I want the name of the person who asked that question. Give me that name. Now! And if you can’t give me that name then shut the fuck up until you can. And I mean BOTH sides to this argument.

You ask a question and you get upset with the reply. How stupid can you be? I thought religion enlightens you, not makes you more stupid. What did you expect the Envoy to do? Suddenly turn politician and reply to that question with a political statement?

Okay, maybe he should have responded as follows instead:

“That is a most interesting question. Yes, I realise that that issue has been a bone of contention for both the Muslims and Christians in Malaysia. However, while it is a very simple and straightforward question, the answer is not equally simple and straightforward.

I shall need to reflect on that question. It is best that I fast for 40 days and beseech God for guidance first before I attempt a response. I will certainly bring this question to the attention of the Pope in Rome who will most definitely bring it to the College of Cardinals for deliberation.

I realise that you may be expecting an immediate response but it may take time to come to an agreement on the appropriate response. Even the issue of Galileo Galilei took almost 450 years to resolve even after he was proven right that the earth revolves around the sun and not the other way around.

This may appear too long for some of you but then if you measure this in human years that may be so. However, God is beyond time, God is eternal, so time is of no consequence to the Lord. And in time, with God’s will, the answer will come with the guidance of the Lord.

However, it is good that you raised that question. It shows that we are always pondering on issues regarding faith, as what the Lord would like us to do. I commend the person who asked that question and urge more of you to adopt that same attitude of always seeking the truth. A person who stops seeking for the truth is a person who is dead long before the soul leaves his or her body.

Thank you so much for that question. Next question please!”

I suppose that response will please the Muslims but not the Christians. However, while the Muslims are normally more militant, the Christians are supposed to be more patient and forgiving. And they are supposed to hold fast to the belief that their faith will see all matters resolved in the end with the Lord’s help.

I remember back in the old days -- I was very young then -- when the Romans gave the Christians an ultimatum to abandon Christianity or else get thrown to the lions. But the Christians refused. They knew they were right and the Romans were wrong. So they held steadfast to their belief in Christ and refused to budge.

The Romans then rounded up the Christians and brought them into the arena and then released the lions.

The Christians still refused to budge. They got down on their knees and prayed to God and beseeched God to turn the lions into Christian-friendly creatures.

And it worked, a miracle of sorts. The lions also got down on their hind paws, and with the fore paws clasped in prayer, they uttered, “Lord, for what we are about to receive, we thank you.”

Hence prayer and patience can be very potent is matters such as these. So why not get down on your knees and pray for people like Ibrahim Ali, Zul Nordin, Ridhuan Tee, Hasan Ali, etc., to be turned into Christian-friendly creatures like the good Christian that you are? And if that does not work it can only mean that God does not want it to happen. And for that you also need to thank the Lord because nothing happens without God's will.