Interfaith Encounters

Jawapan Kepada Soalan-Soalan Orang Islam

Kesusasteraan polemik yang menyerang kepercayaan Kristian mudah didapati di kebanyakan kedai-kedai buku di Malaysia. Namun daripada merasa takut, umat Kristian mengalu-alukan serangan seperti itu kerana ia memberikan peluang kepada orang Kristian untuk menjelaskan iman mereka. Tetapi dengan tulus hormatilah Kristus sebagai Tuhan dalam hidup kamu. Hendaklah kamu sentiasa bersedia memberikan jawapan kepada sesiapa sahaja yang … Continue reading “Jawapan Kepada Soalan-Soalan Orang Islam”

Tetapi dengan tulus hormatilah Kristus sebagai Tuhan dalam hidup kamu. Hendaklah kamu sentiasa bersedia memberikan jawapan kepada sesiapa sahaja yang meminta kamu menjelaskan harapan yang kamu miliki. Tetapi lakukanlah hal itu dengan lemah lembut dan hormat. Hendaklah hati nurani kamu murni, supaya apabila kamu difitnah kerana hidup dengan baik sebagai pengikut Kristus, orang yang memfitnah kamu itu akan menjadi malu (1Petrus 3:15-16).

Lebih penting lagi, ada orang Islam yang secara ikhlas bertanya soalan mengenai kepercayaan Kristian dalam mencari persefahaman antara agama. Untuk orang-orang Muslim yang ikhlas seperti inilah kami tawarkan, “Jawapan Kepada Soalan-Soalan Orang Islam”. Semoga Allah memberkati umat Kristian dan umat Islam di Malaysia dengan persefahaman dan saling menghormati.

FAQ: JAWAPAN KEPADA SOALAN-SOALAN ORANG ISLAM Continue reading “Jawapan Kepada Soalan-Soalan Orang Islam”

A Christian Social Vision for Malaysia: Call for Dialogue

A group of Christian leaders and professionals call upon all Malaysians to dialogue on how to work together to build a shared nation. A CHRISTIAN SOCIAL VISION FOR MALAYSIA I. PREAMBLE Malaysia was formed as a multi-racial and multi-religious nation with a constitutional democracy which grants equality and religious liberty to all citizens under the … Continue reading “A Christian Social Vision for Malaysia: Call for Dialogue”

A group of Christian leaders and professionals call upon all Malaysians to dialogue on how to work together to build a shared nation.

A CHRISTIAN SOCIAL VISION FOR MALAYSIA

I. PREAMBLE

Malaysia was formed as a multi-racial and multi-religious nation with a constitutional democracy which grants equality and religious liberty to all citizens under the law. However, recent social-political developments have caused deep concerns that the rights enshrined in the Federal Constitution are being undermined by racial and religious extremism resulting in political marginalization of minority groups, increasing authoritarianism in government and society leading to the restriction of freedom of speech, assembly and association of citizens as well as encroachment by religious authorities on the fundamental liberties of all citizens.

Many individuals and groups have expressed similar concerns. As Christians, we are mindful of the call from the Holy Bible to be peacemakers. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God” (Matthew 5:9). As such, we, members of Kairos Dialogue Network would like to share our Christian social vision and call upon fellow-Malaysians of good will to come together for rational discourse and open dialogue. Our hope is that with commitment, we will succeed in building consensus, regardless of our colour, creed or confession and work together to build a harmonious, peaceful and progressive society.

II. OUR CHRISTIAN CONVICTIONS

A. OUR AFFIRMATION

To read the full statement go to:

Kairos Dialogue Network
— Website http://kairosdialoguenetwork.org/
— Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/kairosdialoguenetwork/
— Twitter https://twitter.com/kairosdialogue

Added on 14 Oct 2022.
The link to the main website appears to be broken. As such, the full statement is now given below:

A CHRISTIAN SOCIAL VISION FOR MALAYSIA

I. PREAMBLE
Malaysia was formed as a multi-racial and multi-religious nation with a constitutional democracy which grants equality and religious liberty to all citizens under the law. However, recent social-political developments have caused deep concerns that the rights enshrined in the Federal Constitution are being undermined by racial and religious extremism resulting in political marginalization of minority groups, increasing authoritarianism in government and society leading to the restriction of freedom of speech, assembly and association of citizens as well as encroachment by religious authorities on the fundamental liberties of all citizens.

Many individuals and groups have expressed similar concerns. As Christians, we are mindful of the call from the Holy Bible to be peacemakers. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God” (Matthew 5:9). As such, we, members of Kairos Dialogue Network would like to share our Christian social vision and call upon fellow-Malaysians of good will to come together for rational discourse and open dialogue. Our hope is that with commitment, we will succeed in building consensus, regardless of our colour, creed or confession and work together to build a harmonious, peaceful and progressive society.

II. OUR CHRISTIAN CONVICTIONS
A. OUR AFFIRMATION
God through His revelation in the Holy Bible, provides normative and sufficient guidelines for Christians to engage responsibly in public life.
The government is entrusted by God to exercise authority with checks and balance of power. Its duty is to establish justice, peace and freedom, and to promote human welfare. Public officials must serve all citizens, regardless of race, religion or social standing, and without fear or favour.
Every person is created in the image of God and therefore possesses inherent human dignity and human rights. The government has the duty to protect and uphold these rights, and promote tolerance and mutual respect between the various racial and religious communities.

B. OUR CALL
We seek to work together with all citizens who strive to uphold the Federal Constitution, honour the Malaysia Agreement and affirm the spirit of the Rukun Negara to achieve a united and advanced society based on our rich heritage of diverse cultures and religions. We express solidarity with and support for fellow-Malaysians who share our vision for a moderate Malaysian society. To this end:

We call on all Malaysians to work together to promote mutual recognition of and respect for all citizens regardless of race, culture and religion. We reject all forms of racial and religious extremism.

We call for integrity and transparency as the government legislates and executes public policies with fairness for all citizens. We reject abuse of political power that promotes injustice and intolerance.

We call on the government to allow citizens full freedom of speech, assembly and association as they work together to build a just democracy.

We reject any attempt by the State to restrict the fundamental liberties that are enshrined in the Federal Constitution.

We call on people of all faiths, especially the Muslim majority, to draw on the noblest and the best in our respective histories and traditions so that together we can build a society based on respect for justice and our diversity.

III. THE CHALLENGE TO CHRISTIANS
He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? – Micah 6:8
Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. – Matthew 5:16

A. THE DUTY OF THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY
Christians have been given the creation mandate to care for the world. We remind Christians that salvation is not an escape from a broken and sinful world, but a call to engage it as children of God.

As Christians, we are called to bear witness to the love, righteousness and justice of God in all areas of human society. This witness for Christ will also require us to be prophetic, wherein God calls men and women of integrity to speak with courage to the powers that be when they deviate from their public duty of upholding justice and peace.

B. WE PLEDGE AS CONCERNED CHRISTIANS AND LOYAL CITIZENS:
To consecrate our lives in study and prayer that we may discern the times and have the courage and integrity to undertake righteous actions.

To support all initiatives to strengthen the rule of law that respects and upholds the Constitutional rights of all citizens.

To work in partnership with all citizens regardless of race or religion to forge a shared social vision aimed at realizing equal citizenship, so that all Malaysians may work together for the common good to build a just, peaceful and prosperous society.

8 March 2015

SIGNATORIES
Rev Dr Hwa Yung | Methodist
MTh (London); DMiss (Asbury)
Bishop Emeritus
Dr Chris Chong | Protestant
BSoc Sc (USM); MSoc Sc (USM); PhD (USM)
Academician
Eugene Yapp | Presbyterian
LLB (London); MCS (MBS)
Former Secretary-General, NECF Malaysia
Rev Fr Felix Au | Roman Catholic
BSc (Texas); STL (St Thomas Aquinas, Rome)
Priest, Seminary Lecturer
Dr Helen Ting | Roman Catholic
BSc (Ed) (UM); DEA (Louvain la Neuve, Belgium); PhD (Sciences Po, Paris)
Academician
Dr Jayum Anak Jawan | Methodist (SIAC)
BA (UNC-A); MA (Appalachian); PhD (Hull)
Professor of Politics & Government
Dr KJ John | Mar Thoma Syrian
BEc (UM); MSc (Wisconsin-Madison); PhD (George Washington)
OHMSI Director
Dr Lee Hwok Aun | Protestant
BA (British Columbia); MSc (London); PhD (Massachusetts-Amherst)
Academician
Dr Living Lee Chai Peng | Baptist
MSc (UM); PhD (Liverpool)
Professor of Geology
May Leong | Methodist
BSoc Sc (USM)
Human Resource Consultant
Dr Ng Kam Weng | EFC
BSc (UM); MTh (TEDS, Chicago); PhD (Cambridge)
Research Director
Dr Ramy Bulan | Protestant
LLB (UM); LLM (Bristol); PhD (ANU)
Academician
Rev Dr Sivin Kit | Lutheran
MTh (SEAGST); PhD (Agder, Norway)
Pastor, Seminary Lecturer

Kota Kinabalu Declaration 2014 on Malaysia Day

An important declaration calling the Federal government to honor the Malaysia Agreement (1963) and implement just governance that gives due recognition and respect for the rights of citizens of Sabah and Sarawak. Highlights 7 AND WHEREAS the proliferation of oppressive laws that violates our fundamental civil liberties continues unabated, the legislative, executive and the judiciary … Continue reading “Kota Kinabalu Declaration 2014 on Malaysia Day”

Highlights

7 AND WHEREAS the proliferation of oppressive laws that violates our fundamental civil liberties continues unabated, the legislative, executive and the judiciary must take urgent measures to remove such offensive laws and selective prosecutions and to restore just, fair, and democratic principles of governance as envisaged by the framers of our Constitution and our founding fathers.

12 AND WHEREAS Islam is the religion of the Federation but other religions may be practised and people of other faiths shall have the constitutional right and freedom to profess, practise, propagate, and manage their respective faiths without interference and intervention by the State. 13 AND WHEREAS the Constitution provides for laws to be enacted for the administration of Islam, such laws shall not be applied to non-Muslims nor non-Muslims be subject to Shariah law.

14 AND WHEREAS freedom of religion is guaranteed by the Federal Constitution and set out in the first of the 18 and 20-point conditions of Sarawak and Sabah respectively to be part of the Malaysia Agreement, but the legislative, executive and judiciary have persistently and wilfully trampled upon such rights of people of other faiths by making laws and decisions that militate against such freedom. The prohibition of the usage of the word ‘Allah’ by Bumiputera Christians to refer to the one true God and the restricted ban on the use of the Alkitab, the Malay language Bible, since the early 1980s are instances of gross violations of human rights.

19 AND WHEREAS there are extremist dakwah elements who undertake aggressive Islamisation by both covert and overt means to convert Bumiputera Christians through intimidation, deception, or inducements particularly targeting remote and poor villagers as well as conversions of school children living in government hostels. The National Registration Department despite its denials are also classifying native Christians with ‘bin’ or ‘binti’ in their names as Muslims in their MyKad without their knowledge or consent. Such unlawful and oppressive practices must stop immediately. Continue reading “Kota Kinabalu Declaration 2014 on Malaysia Day”

Answers to Questions Muslims Ask Part 2

Related Post: Answers to Questions Muslims Ask. Part 1 In response to questions raised at the controversial “Seminar Kalimah Allah & Kristology Nusantara (“The word ‘Allah’ and Christology in the Malay Archipelago”) held on 6 May 2014 at Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) in Shah Alam, I would like to invite sincere Muslim inquirers to read … Continue reading “Answers to Questions Muslims Ask Part 2”

In response to questions raised at the controversial “Seminar Kalimah Allah & Kristology Nusantara (“The word ‘Allah’ and Christology in the Malay Archipelago”) held on 6 May 2014 at Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) in Shah Alam, I would like to invite sincere Muslim inquirers to read the FAQ document given below.

QUESTIONS MUSLIMS ASK – Also available in PDF format Questions Muslims Ask

ABOUT WORSHIP

QUESTION 1: It seems that you Christians have no “Religion”. You do just as you like, when you go to pray, some of you beat drums, some clap, some dance, some sit, some stand. Have you forgotten the way of worship which God laid down for you through the teaching of Moses and Jesus?

ANSWER: The “Religion” which Jesus Christ ordained for us is that we should worship God “in spirit and in truth”. Jesus emphasized that it is the pure in heart who will see God (John 4:24; Matthew 5:8).

Certainly every Christian must worship God; such worship helps us to cleanse our hearts and our lives. The essential part of Christian worship is the same in all Churches. In all services of worship we read the Bible, praise God, give thanks to Him, confess our sins and pray for others as well as for ourselves. But Jesus did not give us detailed rules about the form of our worship. He didn’t prescribe one form of service which every Christian must follow. So we are free to use our own language, and to worship in accordance with our own customs, so far as these do not conflict with our faith in Christ.

Of course Muslims as well have some small differences among themselves in the way that they perform their Ritual Prayer. At a certain point in the prayer there are some who put their hands to the sides, while others fold their arms across the breast. Continue reading “Answers to Questions Muslims Ask Part 2”

Answers to Questions Muslims Ask. Part 1

A Response to “Seminar Kalimah Allah & Kristology Nusantara” – Come now, Let us reason together, says the Lord (Isaiah 1:18) The “Seminar Kalimah Allah & Kristology Nusantara (“The word ‘Allah’ and Christology in the Malay Archipelago”) held on 6 May 2014 at Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) in Shah Alam, has sparked strong protests from … Continue reading “Answers to Questions Muslims Ask. Part 1”

A Response to “Seminar Kalimah Allah & Kristology Nusantara” – Come now, Let us reason together, says the Lord (Isaiah 1:18)

The “Seminar Kalimah Allah & Kristology Nusantara (“The word ‘Allah’ and Christology in the Malay Archipelago”) held on 6 May 2014 at Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) in Shah Alam, has sparked strong protests from the public.

The NECF protests that higher institution of learning should not cause confusion and promote prejudice. The CFM adds that it would amount to abuse of trust and stewardship, “If there is to be sincere and genuine academic freedom, then let us have an intellectual exchange with integrity instead of a one-sided presentation with arguably inaccurate information being disseminated as fact…Otherwise, the seminar yesterday would be nothing more than hate speech and sectarian religious propaganda thinly disguised as academic freedom.”

The protests were in response to several seminar speakers who had mockingly posed questions that suggest the grounds for Christian beliefs are fundamentally flawed. For example, in a forum “Christianisation vs Islamization, the speakers answered pre-prepared questions that included “Did Jesus really die on the cross for the forgiveness of sins?”, “What is the Trinity?”, “Why did Jesus cry ‘Eloi, Eloi, Lama Sabachthani’ (Aramaic for “My God, my God, why have You forsaken Me?”) while on the cross?”. Themalaysianinsider

Another speaker argued that the parts of the Bible based on his teachings should simply be called “Tales of Jesus” instead of the “Gospel”. The books in the Bible were written by Christ’s disciples such as Matthew, Mark, and Luke were considered hearsay and similarly should not be considered the Word of God. The so-called gospel is only Jesus’ words, speech, hence should not be called gospel. He asserted, “The Christian gospel is a fake gospel.” The malaymailonline Continue reading “Answers to Questions Muslims Ask. Part 1”

No Need to Comply When JAIS Abused its Limited Power to Harass non-Muslim Institutions

Much of the public discussion over the recent JAIS raid on Bible Society of Malaysia (BSM) has focused on who should be held responsible for an illegal raid. I shall briefly note that UMNO went on a road show to support JAIS after the seizure of the Bibles. We cannot overlook the insincerity and failure of the Federal government to honor the 10 points. Selangor MB deserves criticism for not reprimanding JAIS and instructing it to redress its illegal raid (granted he faced political constraints and impossible circumstances after the Sultan’s decree). The issue has become a political football passed between AG, the Home Ministry and the Selangor government. Let blame be rightly apportioned to all these wrongful parties. Continue reading “No Need to Comply When JAIS Abused its Limited Power to Harass non-Muslim Institutions”

Why Allâh is Not Exclusive to Islam: 3 Short Arguments

The Allah dispute is the focus of 3 court hearings this week. Taking the risk of committing the sin of boring repetition – here are 3 short arguments why Allah is not exclusive to Islam. First, ﷲ Allâh (al-ilah) is historically derived from a common noun (ilah), which is not a proper noun/personal name (Nama … Continue reading “Why Allâh is Not Exclusive to Islam: 3 Short Arguments”

The Allah dispute is the focus of 3 court hearings this week. Taking the risk of committing the sin of boring repetition – here are 3 short arguments why Allah is not exclusive to Islam.

First, ﷲ Allâh (al-ilah) is historically derived from a common noun (ilah), which is not a proper noun/personal name (Nama Khas). It is just a common reference to a divine being in general or to the Most High God in monotheist culture, along with other related references in the Semitic languages – Hebrew el, eloah, Syriac alaha etc. Sibawayh (the father of Arabic grammar), noted the etymology of the word was disputed but suggested a Syriac connection as al-Ilaah, Allah results when one attaches ‘al’ with aliha and alaha. More importantly, the word ﷲ Allâh was used by Christians and other Semites long before the emergence of Islam. Continue reading “Why Allâh is Not Exclusive to Islam: 3 Short Arguments”

The Beginning of Persecution of Christian Minorities in Malaysia?

The raid of Bible Society of Malaysia (BSM) by the Selangor Islamic authorities, JAIS (Jabatan Agama Islam Selangor) is a flagrant violation of religious liberty and a deliberate affront to the dignity of the Christian community. LINK JAIS’ action suggests that a threshold in inter-religious relations has been crossed, that is, the Islamic authorities have … Continue reading “The Beginning of Persecution of Christian Minorities in Malaysia?”

The raid of Bible Society of Malaysia (BSM) by the Selangor Islamic authorities, JAIS (Jabatan Agama Islam Selangor) is a flagrant violation of religious liberty and a deliberate affront to the dignity of the Christian community. LINK JAIS’ action suggests that a threshold in inter-religious relations has been crossed, that is, the Islamic authorities have progressed from harassing to persecuting Christian minorities in Malaysia.

The raid is not unexpected, given the orchestrated agitations and provocations coming from Islamic authorities and NGOs in the last few weeks. The decree by the Sultan of Selangor which bans non-Muslims from using the Allah word was followed by a statement by JAIS new Director declaring that JAIS will be sending warning letters to all churches. Islamic NGOs followed suit with police reports against Herald and the Catholic Church. Next, the former Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir accused Christians of irritating Muslims in using the Allah word, and the Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin publicly supported UMNO Selangor in its campaign against the editor of Herald. Strangely, the Prime Minister has remained silent although he has personally guaranteed Christians their right to use the al-Kitab a few years ago. The ominous beating of war drums can only lead to hostile action against Christians. Continue reading “The Beginning of Persecution of Christian Minorities in Malaysia?”

Semantik Kalimah Allah

Semantik Kalimah Allah* Kita mendekati pembahasan kata “Allâh“ dari sudut bahasa. Kata “Allah” berasal dari dua kata: al, dan ilah, Al adalah kata sandang (band, bahasa Inggeris; the), dan ilah bererti: yang kuat, dewa. Dalam bahasa-bahasa Semit,kata ini menunjuk pada kuasa yang ada di luar jankauan manusia, yaitu pada dewa. Sudah di masa pra-Islam, … Continue reading “Semantik Kalimah Allah”

Semantik Kalimah Allah*

Kita mendekati pembahasan kata “Allâh“ dari sudut bahasa. Kata “Allah” berasal dari dua kata: al, dan ilah, Al adalah kata sandang (band, bahasa Inggeris; the), dan ilah bererti: yang kuat, dewa. Dalam bahasa-bahasa Semit,kata ini menunjuk pada kuasa yang ada di luar jankauan manusia, yaitu pada dewa. Sudah di masa pra-Islam, al-ilah disambung menjadi Allah. Dan dalam agama orang-orang Arab pra-Islam, kata ini digunakan untuk menunjuk pada dewa yang paling tinggi di antara dewa-dewa yang lain yang masing-masing mempunyai namanya sendiri. Namun kata Allah itu sendiri bukan nama, seperti di atas diterangkan. Dengan demikian, kata Allah sudah ada dalam zaman jahiliyya. Ia bukan ciptaan orang Islam ia juga tidak baru muncul dalam Al-qur’an Alkarim, melainkan ia merupakan kata biasa dalam bahasa Arab lepas dari ikatan dengan salah satu agama tertentu. Continue reading “Semantik Kalimah Allah”