Christians must come out of their fog: Beware the two-headed snakes within and without

Christians are taught early in life to turn the other cheek, to respect the authority of the land and to show love towards our neighbours even if they may be our enemies. It is a lifestyle of commitment to servant-hood to a higher calling. Yet though Christians are called to be like doves, they should also to be as cunning as a serpent. Mind you, not to be a serpent, but to be cunning and wise in their everyday living.

Sounds odd, but it is meant to ensure that Christians take responsibility for the lives they lead and do not end up being bullied, dependent and oppressed. And this teaching has special significance for Christians in Malaysia.

Indeed, the Christian community should take heed because the Najib administration is both cunning and vile in their treatment of Christians, even though followers of the faith form a solid 10 per cent of the nation's 28 million population.

Sweet and empty promises

Prime Minister Najib Razak has just promised national Christian leaders 'full consultation' over missionary school heads and Bible knowledge classes as well as tax-exemption status for qualified Christian organizations. But his largesse was just a bid to repair relations between the federal government and the local church authorities.

It seems the prime minister had made the pledges at a highly-criticized closed-door luncheon for select Christian leaders, who were accused of being sycophantic in their eagerness to be seen with the PM but without getting the justice due to the Christian community. Not surprising then, in a bid to counter the allegations Najib was again using the Christian leaders to gain political mileage for himself, the mainstream media blared out his assurances.

But sweet promises at a time when votes are needed for Najib to remain in power are indeed questionable and should be questioned. Christians have to tread carefully when dealing with such assurances of concessions and consultations. Christians must remember promises like these can be as easily broken as they are made. And they have been before.

On his return from the Vatican last year after officially opening diplomatic ties with the Holy See, Najib's first words on landing at the Kuala Lumpur airport was to threaten Christians not to take advantage of Muslims! This is his level of integrity and principle, and knowing this, Christians in Malaysia must therefore be on guard or be stung again and again by a serpent.

Once bitten, twice shy

Whether or not it was a case of once bitten, twice shy, it was not surprising when the Christian Federation of Malaysia did not blindly hail Najib's proclamations this time. Instead, it issued a strongly-worded statement calling on the prime minister to check the growing systematic religious attacks against Christians nationwide over the past one year.

"There is a very wide and alarming disconnect between what you intend to happen and what is happening on the ground. The policy of moderation which you uphold does not seem to have filtered down to all levels of government,” head of the CFM, Bishop Ng Moon Hing, said in a statement released soon after the luncheon.

At the previous luncheon meeting with Christian leaders that came on the heels of claims by UMNO bloggers and UMNO newspaper Utusan, that Christians wanted to take over Malaysia, Najib had disgusted the country with a blatant show of political opportunism.

Instead of chastising Utusan and the UMNO band of merry cyber-troopers or apologising, Najib asked Christians to reaffirm their commitment to the Federal Constitution and accept Islam’s status as the federal religion. But since when did Christians question the position of Islam? It was Utusan and the UMNO bloggers who falsely accused Christians of harboring such motives, and by telling Christians to reaffirm and recognise the position of Islam, Najib was telling the world that Malaysian Christians had indeed questioned the position of Islam. Was this fair?

For those not quite clear what a two-headed snake is, this display by Najib should make clear what specie it is. It also underscores the wisdom of the teaching that Christians should not go around wearing rose tinted glasses and be made fools of by men of evil. Indeed, the time has come for Christians in Malaysia to buck up, take greater responsibility for their future - be as cunning and wise as a serpent.

Surrender to God but be responsible for your future

Not to dwell too long on past injuries, but has Najib ever apologised to the CFM for implying that it was a political tool of the DAP and DAP wanted to replace Islam as the official religion with Christianity. Not only is the answer in negative, but this anti-Christian stance was among the top issues during the UMNO General Assembly last month. How can Najib suddenly transform into a good guy for the Christians when barely a month has passed when he himself led UMNO delegates into round after round of Christian bashing?

Ultimately, while Christians surrender to God, while on this Earth they need to be responsible for their lives too.  Without doubt, Christian leaders here are to be blamed too. The Christian church has been heavily compromised by government.This is a sad reality and a fact that must be reversed. Sycophants must be weeded out. Top clergymen must remeber they answer to God first and foremost and not to Najib Razak or UMNO or Sarawak Chief Minister Taib Mahmud.

At this point, those Church leaders guilty of putting their own ambition first should know who they are and repent. Christians in Malaysia should not hold back in discreet silence anymore. The time has come to speak up and cleanse their own system first and foremost.

Currently, there is no clear distinction between government and church. This is evident by the number of clergymen readily receiving awards or ranks from the state, such as a Datuk-ship or Tan Sri-ship. By receiving awards that amount to a form of rank from the state, the clergy-men are in-debt to the state.

Their position is compromised and they are easily made puppets to masters with political wishes. And this has made it difficult for the Malaysian Church to have leaders make stands that should have long ago been made. For example, how can our clergy-men speak out against corruption, a mighty sin, when the very government that bestowed them the high awards and rank is the one swimming in the cesspool of corruption?

Sycophants and snakes are the same

Ideally, Christians leaders should distance themselves from the tentacles of government. Distant yet involved in the well-being of the nation. HOWEVER, in a country where politicians cannot be the moral beacon, it is the religious leaders that must take the lead. How else to defend the faith against evil?

Lastly, Christians must remember they are citizens too and citizens have every right to determine the way this country is managed and run. There should not be any discrimination and distinction based on religion and this is clearly stated in the Federal Constitution. All are to be treated equally and given equal opportunity to thrive in Malaysia.

Yet, UMNO and the likes of its ultra-Malay rights group Perkasa have made Christians appear as the enemy in the country - people that Muslims should avoid at all costs. What wrong have the Christians done? Are we criminals by virtue of the religion we profess? If that is so, does not UMNO and Perkasa break the spirit of the Federal Constitution that they so loudly protect?

Some things are certain. Apart from the sun setting this evening, Prime Minister Najib Razak is bound to break his promises to the Christian community. In the days to come, Najib will be pressured by his cohorts in UMNO and Perkasa, who will fight to negate and enforce their own twisted ideals.

Christians will again be made the villains for UMNO and Najib to win over Malay and Muslim votes. Christians will again be used as a catalyst to further widen the religious rift so evident in our society. Najib is to blame because he is the holder of the highest office in the land and also an active perpetrator in the country's anti-Christian movement.

But so are some of the Christians leaders who have been too compromised that they have lost their voice. In this, there is little faith to be had. Like corruption-tainted UMNO minister Sharizat Jalil, they too should step down before they are chased out.

Malaysia Chronicle