Authorities in Indonesia's conservative Aceh province said on Sunday several Christian churches would be shut down this week, just days after a mob burned down a church, killing one person and injuring several others.
Tensions have been high among the ethnically and religiously diverse population of Aceh, raising the risk of further religious violence in Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim population.
The vast majority of Indonesians practise a moderate form of Islam and Aceh is the only province to adhere to Islamic Sharia law, putting it at odds with the rest of the country.
Aceh was granted special autonomy as part of a 2005 agreement to end decades of separatist violence, which allowed it to implement Sharia law.
Christian groups in Aceh Singkil district, where the churches stand, had been consulted on the matter, authorities said, and members of as many as six churches had agreed to dismantle their houses of worship after admitting they did not have the required building permits.
"All houses of worship, regardless of the religion, need to be in accordance with the laws of Aceh," Bardan Sahidi, a member of the provincial parliament, told Reuters after attending a meeting of political and religious figures, including representatives from the religious affairs ministry in Jakarta.
Local Christian groups were not immediately available for comment.
The move comes after Muslim residents, including members of the hardline group Islamic Defenders Front, demanded that the local government shut down 10 churches, citing a lack of permits.
A mob of hundreds of people burned down a small church in Aceh Singkil district last week, forcing thousands of Christians to flee to neighbouring villages.
One Muslim member of the mob was killed, police said last week, adding that at least 10 people had been detained on suspicion of inciting violence.
The government has since deployed 1,300 police and military personnel to the area, with hundreds more on standby, to patrol the streets and stand guard outside churches that dot the small palm oil plantations in the district.
Christian residents of the run-down village attended a service on Sunday right next to the charred remains of their church, under the guard of about a dozen armed security personnel.
"At the moment, things are calm but we are on standby for any further incidents," said Saladin, spokesman for Aceh police, adding that evacuees had since returned to their homes.
Showing posts with label Church. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Church. Show all posts
Sunday, October 18, 2015
Tuesday, April 21, 2015
Carry the Cross to follow Jesus
Malaysia protesters forced the removal of the cross on Taman Medan Church.
Churches have a right to display the cross on their buildings under the Federal Constitution and should not be forced to take it down.
“Under Article 11, all Malaysians have a right to practise their own religion and the cross is an integral and indispensable part of the Christian faith – so it comes under the rights of Malaysians under Article 11(1) of the Federal Constitution,” said constitutional lawyer New Sin Yew.
He said that Article 11(1) reads that every person has the right to profess and practice his religion and, subject to Clause (4), to propagate it.
Article 11(4) reads that state law and in respect of the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur and Labuan, Federal law may control or restrict the propagation of any religious doctrine or belief among persons professing the religion of Islam, he added.
He further questioned the argument put forward by the demonstrators in Taman Medan on Sunday that the sight of the cross in a Muslim-majority area “challenged Islam” and could influence the young.
A group of 50 demonstrators had gathered outside a church in Taman Medan on Sunday to protest against a cross on the facade of the building. They had demanded for the cross to be taken down, claiming that it challenged Islam. It is understood that the cross was taken down by church authorities several hours later.
“You need strong and credible evidence to prove that hanging a cross outside a church would constitute propagation of the Christian faith to Muslims. It would be absurd to suggest that hanging a cross outside a building would amount to propagating Christianity to Muslims,” said New.
He noted also that the group should not have taken matters into their own hands.
“Even if the church should not use a shophouse as a church, the mob should not take matters into their own hands and ignore the whole legal system. They should report the matter to the relevant local authorities or file a suit in court and let the relevant public bodies decide,” he added.
Similar views were shared by Lawyers for Liberty co-founder Eric Paulsen, who also said the church has a right to place the cross outside their building due to Article 11 of the Federal Constitution.
“The issue is much more one of local council, and if the church authorities have received the relevant approvals from the MBPJ, they have a legal right to put the cross on the building. It is quite misguided to say that because an area is majority-Malay Muslim, it is misguided to say that only their rights count,” said Paulsen.
He said that in any society, the rights of minorities deserved as much protection as those of the majority in an area, and cited an international example.
Malay Muslims weak?
The group claimed that putting up a cross in a Malay-majority area is a challenge to Islam and could influence young Muslims. "contended that the sight of the cross in a majority Muslim area challenged Islam and could influence younger minds."
“To force them to remove the symbol is certainly unacceptable and disrespectful to the Christian community,” Azmin was quoted telling reporters after this morning’s monthly meeting with state civil servants.
Tony Pua also said the Taman Medan issue is far from over, since the church had voluntarily agreed to take down the cross “under threat and intimidation”.
“The bigger issue is the fact that if the authorities do not act to protect the minorities in this country, the majority will just become big bullies and take similar actions against others who are just practicing what is protected by our Federal Constitution,” he said.
Churches have a right to display the cross on their buildings under the Federal Constitution and should not be forced to take it down.
“Under Article 11, all Malaysians have a right to practise their own religion and the cross is an integral and indispensable part of the Christian faith – so it comes under the rights of Malaysians under Article 11(1) of the Federal Constitution,” said constitutional lawyer New Sin Yew.
He said that Article 11(1) reads that every person has the right to profess and practice his religion and, subject to Clause (4), to propagate it.
Article 11(4) reads that state law and in respect of the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur and Labuan, Federal law may control or restrict the propagation of any religious doctrine or belief among persons professing the religion of Islam, he added.
He further questioned the argument put forward by the demonstrators in Taman Medan on Sunday that the sight of the cross in a Muslim-majority area “challenged Islam” and could influence the young.
A group of 50 demonstrators had gathered outside a church in Taman Medan on Sunday to protest against a cross on the facade of the building. They had demanded for the cross to be taken down, claiming that it challenged Islam. It is understood that the cross was taken down by church authorities several hours later.
“You need strong and credible evidence to prove that hanging a cross outside a church would constitute propagation of the Christian faith to Muslims. It would be absurd to suggest that hanging a cross outside a building would amount to propagating Christianity to Muslims,” said New.
He noted also that the group should not have taken matters into their own hands.
“Even if the church should not use a shophouse as a church, the mob should not take matters into their own hands and ignore the whole legal system. They should report the matter to the relevant local authorities or file a suit in court and let the relevant public bodies decide,” he added.
Similar views were shared by Lawyers for Liberty co-founder Eric Paulsen, who also said the church has a right to place the cross outside their building due to Article 11 of the Federal Constitution.
“The issue is much more one of local council, and if the church authorities have received the relevant approvals from the MBPJ, they have a legal right to put the cross on the building. It is quite misguided to say that because an area is majority-Malay Muslim, it is misguided to say that only their rights count,” said Paulsen.
He said that in any society, the rights of minorities deserved as much protection as those of the majority in an area, and cited an international example.
Malay Muslims weak?
The group claimed that putting up a cross in a Malay-majority area is a challenge to Islam and could influence young Muslims. "contended that the sight of the cross in a majority Muslim area challenged Islam and could influence younger minds."
“To force them to remove the symbol is certainly unacceptable and disrespectful to the Christian community,” Azmin was quoted telling reporters after this morning’s monthly meeting with state civil servants.
Tony Pua also said the Taman Medan issue is far from over, since the church had voluntarily agreed to take down the cross “under threat and intimidation”.
“The bigger issue is the fact that if the authorities do not act to protect the minorities in this country, the majority will just become big bullies and take similar actions against others who are just practicing what is protected by our Federal Constitution,” he said.
Tuesday, April 14, 2015
The 15 Diseases of Leadership by Pope Francis
Pope Francis has made no secret of his intention to radically reform the administrative structures of the Catholic church, which he regards as insular, imperious, and bureaucratic. He understands that in a hyper-kinetic world, inward-looking and self-obsessed leaders are a liability.
The Catholic Church is a bureaucracy: a hierarchy populated by good-heart, but less-than-perfect souls. It that sense, it’s not much different than your organization. That’s why the Pope’s counsel is relevant to leaders everywhere.
The leadership team is called constantly to improve and to grow in rapport and wisdom, in order to carry out fully its mission. And yet, like anybody, it is also exposed to diseases, malfunctioning, infirmity. Here are some of these “[leadership] diseases.” They are diseases and temptations which can dangerously weaken the effectiveness of any organization.
1. The disease of thinking we are immortal, immune, or downright indispensable, [and therefore] neglecting the need for regular check-ups
2. The disease of excessive busyness
3. The disease of mental and [emotional] “petrification.”
4. The disease of excessive planning and of functionalism
5. The disease of poor coordination
6. The disease of rivalry and vainglory
7. The disease of gossiping, grumbling, and back-biting
8. The disease of idolizing superiors
9. The disease of indifference to others
10. The disease of hoarding
11. The disease of closed circles
12. The disease of extravagance and self-exhibition
13. The disease of existential schizophrenia
14. The disease of a downcast face
15. The disease of “leadership Alzheimer’
So, are you a healthy leader? Use the Pope’s inventory of leadership to find out. Ask yourself, on a scale of 1 to 5, to what extent do I . . .
As in all health matters, it’s good to get a second or third opinion. Ask your colleagues to score you on the same fifteen items. Don’t be surprised if they say, “Gee boss, you’re not looking too good today.” Like a battery of medical tests, these questions can help you zero in on opportunities to prevent disease and improve your health. A Papal leadership assessment may seem like a bit of a stretch. But remember: the
responsibilities you hold as a leader, and the influence you have over others’ lives, can be profound. Why not turn to the Pope — a spiritual leader of leaders — for wisdom and advice?
The Catholic Church is a bureaucracy: a hierarchy populated by good-heart, but less-than-perfect souls. It that sense, it’s not much different than your organization. That’s why the Pope’s counsel is relevant to leaders everywhere.
The leadership team is called constantly to improve and to grow in rapport and wisdom, in order to carry out fully its mission. And yet, like anybody, it is also exposed to diseases, malfunctioning, infirmity. Here are some of these “[leadership] diseases.” They are diseases and temptations which can dangerously weaken the effectiveness of any organization.
1. The disease of thinking we are immortal, immune, or downright indispensable, [and therefore] neglecting the need for regular check-ups
2. The disease of excessive busyness
3. The disease of mental and [emotional] “petrification.”
4. The disease of excessive planning and of functionalism
5. The disease of poor coordination
6. The disease of rivalry and vainglory
7. The disease of gossiping, grumbling, and back-biting
8. The disease of idolizing superiors
9. The disease of indifference to others
10. The disease of hoarding
11. The disease of closed circles
12. The disease of extravagance and self-exhibition
13. The disease of existential schizophrenia
14. The disease of a downcast face
15. The disease of “leadership Alzheimer’
So, are you a healthy leader? Use the Pope’s inventory of leadership to find out. Ask yourself, on a scale of 1 to 5, to what extent do I . . .
- Feel superior to those who work for me?
- Demonstrate an imbalance between work and other areas of life?
- Substitute formality for true human intimacy?
- Rely too much on plans and not enough on intuition and improvisation?
- Spend too little time breaking silos and building bridges?
- Fail to regularly acknowledge the debt I owe to my mentors and to others?
- Take too much satisfaction in my perks and privileges?
- Isolate myself from customers and first-level employees?
- Denigrate the motives and accomplishments of others?
- Exhibit or encourage undue deference and servility?
- Put my own success ahead of the success of others?
- Fail to cultivate a fun and joy-filled work environment?
- Exhibit selfishness when it comes to sharing rewards and praise?
- Encourage parochialism rather than community?
- Behave in ways that seem egocentric to those around me?
As in all health matters, it’s good to get a second or third opinion. Ask your colleagues to score you on the same fifteen items. Don’t be surprised if they say, “Gee boss, you’re not looking too good today.” Like a battery of medical tests, these questions can help you zero in on opportunities to prevent disease and improve your health. A Papal leadership assessment may seem like a bit of a stretch. But remember: the
responsibilities you hold as a leader, and the influence you have over others’ lives, can be profound. Why not turn to the Pope — a spiritual leader of leaders — for wisdom and advice?
Monday, February 23, 2015
Religious Investings, Land Lord?
Seek first the Kingdom of God and all the riches will be blessed upon you.... Prosperity Gospel.
Lutheran Church must shoulder most of the cost after some pull out
$25m hub for churches in Jurong hits a snag
Lutheran Church must shoulder most of the cost after some pull out
The Lutheran Church has hit a bump
in the road in its bid to develop a $25 million multi-denomination hub
in Jurong for small and medium-sized churches.
Some of the congregations which had initially pledged to jointly develop the complex have pulled out, citing a lack of funds.
It means the Lutheran Church, which told The Straits Times of its
church hub plans last February, will now have to shoulder most of the
development's cost.
Its bishop Terry Kee said the new arrangement puts more pressure on them to raise funds.
"It is a challenge for us financially, but we are pushing forward in
view of the great need for religious space in Singapore, as the
population and Christian community continue to grow."
There are more than 500 Protestant churches today and Christian
worshippers have almost doubled from about 588,000 in 2000 to around
930,000 in 2010.
The site for the hub is currently leased by the Lutheran Church's
Jurong Christian Church, with about 50 years left on the land lease.
The old two-storey Jurong Christian Church building was demolished on
Jan 2. Piling works for the new five-storey complex started on Jan 26.
The hub is expected to be ready by September next year.
The Lutheran Church, which has so far raised $10 million for the
project, will now act as the landlord. It will rent out the space to
churches such as the Jurong Tamil Methodist Church, King of Glory Church
and possibly New Life Baptist Church.
The only church contributing to the project's development cost is S-Word, a branch of the Evangelical Free Church.
It will pump $6.3 million into the development and occupy half a floor there for 30 years, with an option to renew.
Bishop Kee said the new building will have three service halls that can seat 400, 500 and 600 people.
The 60,000 sq ft hub will also have classrooms, a kindergarten,
offices, multi-purpose halls, as well as a prayer chapel and garden on
the rooftop.
Bishop Kee said the hub aims to address the space crunch faced by religious groups.
He has been meeting the authorities over the past four years to explore solutions to the lack of space for religious use.
Last December, the Ministry of National Development called a Request
for Information to seek views and proposals on the idea of housing
multiple groups of the same religion in multi-storey buildings.
The ministry said that these hubs will likely be located within or on the fringe of industrial areas.
Pastor T. Jeevanantham of Jurong Tamil Methodist Church said
religious hubs make sense for small churches, which often struggle to
find their own place.
"It's convenient to share the place with other churches as we are
resource-tight and cannot pay large sums upfront for a new building," he
said.
Church elder will complain "$ no enough" but but.... "Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need." Matthew 6:33
Wednesday, February 18, 2015
Wishing everyone a Prosperous Lunar New Year
The Chinese New Year traditions that focus on LOVE.
Chinese new year - a Christian perspective
The symbols, traditions and festivals of the Chinese New Year are deeply rooted in more than 5,000 years of human civilization, culture, mores and beliefs. The Chinese New Year lasts for 15 days and most Chinese households will observe traditional celebrations and practices.
Unfortunately,
some of our Chinese New Year celebrations focus too much on our
temporal earthly life and tangible success. Chinese Christians, much as
they value their culture, must seek to understand its symbolism and be
careful to avoid religious elements that do not accord with Holy
Scripture.
Chinese lunar calendar
The Chinese generally have adopted the Western calendar since 1911, but the lunar calendar, based on astrology and the cycles of the moon, is still used for festive occasions such as the Chinese New Year.
Astrology is one of China's most ancient philosophies - perhaps more than 3,000 years old. It claims to predict what will happen to people, countries, economic trends, conflicts and much more.
Traditionally, Chinese dating methods were cyclical - as in the method of recording years by the twelve animal signs. Every year is assigned an animal name or 'sign' according to a repeating cycle - Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Boar - so that the same animal 'sign' reappears every twelve years.
Astrology
One Chinese legend attributes the animal signs to the semi-mythical Yellow Emperor in 2637 BC. According to another legend, Buddha summoned all the animals before he departed from Earth but only twelve came to bid him farewell. As a reward, he named a year after each one in the order that they arrived.
There is a superstitious belief that the animal ruling a person's birth year exercises a profound influence on his or her life. Horoscopes have developed around the animal signs, much like monthly horoscopes in the West relating to astronomical signs. For example, a Chinese horoscope might predict that a person born in the Year of the Horse would be 'cheerful, popular, and love to compliment others'.
These religious horoscopes, though popular, are dangerous superstitions. The practice of astrology is condemned in the Bible - Isaiah 47:12-13 reads, 'Stand now with thine enchantments, and with the multitude of thy sorceries ... Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up and save thee from these things that shall come upon thee'.
Superstition
The occultic use of charts, or the worship of celestial bodies like the moon, sun and stars to predict behaviour, businesses, relationships or the future, is strictly forbidden in the Bible (2 Kings 23:5-7). And that includes consulting a geomancer or feng shui master, bomoh or shaman as well (Deuteronomy 18:10-13).
As Christians, let us be careful not to propagate, in the name of culture, superstitious practices that are clearly disallowed or even condemned in the Word of God (Leviticus 19:26-31).
Greetings and Ang Pows
In wishing one another a blessed new year, ang pows - red packets containing money - are given to children, parents, grandparents or others. It is good to show love and filial piety, and giving ang pows is acceptable as long as we understand them as gestures of love and appreciation rather than symbols of an unhealthy preoccupation with wealth.
The colour 'red', which to many people represents gold, is indifferent for Christians - who should not be enamoured with materialistic prosperity, wealth and worldly success. In our Chinese New Year greetings, it is not appropriate for Christians to wish people Gong Xi Fa Cai, which refers to tangible or financial wealth for that person. Wishes for peace in the new year, or eternal joy from God, are more appropriate.
We have reason to be joyful because we are blessed of God by his saving mercies and pardoning grace. We have Christ as Lord and Saviour of our lives - who died for us, redeemed us and rose from the dead, having destroyed sin and death, and brought us everlasting life. For the Christian, only Christ is the basis of our hopes in the new year.
Some hang paper pineapples in their homes because in Chinese the pineapple is called ong lai, meaning 'prosperity comes to our homes'. Others put the Chinese word for prosperity upside down on the wall 'to bring in the prosperity'.
During Chinese New Year also, some older folks resort to gambling with cards or mahjong, while pictures of gold bars are displayed to symbolize prosperity and wealth. All such practices should be avoided by Christian families because they reflect an ungodly covetous spirit (Exodus 20:17; 1 Timothy 6:6-10).
Rather, as Deuteronomy 8:18 says, we should 'remember the Lord [our] God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day'.
House spring cleaning
On the first day of Chinese New Year, one superstition demands that we should not sweep the house. Some even hide their brushes because brooms and sweeping are all 'bad luck' - they will sweep out the 'prosperity' and the 'good luck for the year'.
Conversely, spring cleaning may signify a new beginning, the false idea of getting rid of the 'bad luck' of the previous year - an idea which Christians cannot accept.
Some also say that we should only speak sweet words and eat nian gao (sweet cakes, fried with eggs and flour). These are supposed to sweeten the mouth of the 'kitchen god' who returns to heaven at the New Year - according to popular folklore.
Other superstitious Chinese take care not to break anything on the first day of the New Year because it will bring 'bad luck' for the rest of the year.
All such superstitions are meaningless and yet dangerous, and should be completely avoided by Christians.
Lion dance and firecrackers
Another Chinese New Year tradition is the lion and dragon dance - considered to bring good luck because the prancing lions and dancing dragons chase away the 'bad omen' in businesses or shops. Most, if not all, such practices have their origins in Buddhist temples and martial arts groups which are religious in nature.
The use of noisy fire crackers - which by tradition is intended to ward off the evil monster nian - is a thing of the past for Singapore, but is still widely practised in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and elsewhere.
It is banned in Singapore because firecrackers have caused accidents and even fatal fires. But even without these safety considerations the practice has unchristian origins and Christians should avoid it.
Focus on Family
However, we should maintain good Chinese New Year traditions - visiting families and relatives; exchanging oranges and greetings; giving ang pows for the children; and wishing God's blessings and peace to our friends and neighbours. These are meaningful social and family encounters and part of our Chinese culture.
When we wish somebody a 'blessed or peaceful Chinese New Year', we need to pray for them and seek God's help to live in a manner worthy of our calling as Christians.
For us, it is a seasonal celebration of the deeper meaning of Xin Nian (new year), representing as it does a year of new opportunities to serve and glorify God. The God of the Bible is our Redeemer, the reason and foundation of our confidence and joy for the new year - for 'if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new' (2 Corinthians 5:17).
There are many other relevant Scriptures we can contemplate at this season. For example, Paul advises: 'Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God' (1 Corinthians 10:31). Let us rejoice and offer praise, 'giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ' (Ephesians 5:20).
Consider also 1 Thessalonians 5:22: 'Abstain from all appearance of evil'. Let us avoid worshiping idols by burning incense, visiting temples, worshiping ancestors, or any other form of religious or moral compromise.
However, 'Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling-block or an occasion to fall in his brother's way' (Romans 14:13). 'For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another' (Galatians 5:13). We are to remember our accountability to God and to show genuine love and concern for one another during the festive season.
May our gracious
Lord grant us true joy, peace, grace and hope in this Chinese New Year
season, as we pray and witness for Christ to our relatives and friends
with the gospel of salvation.
Friday, October 4, 2013
Assistant pastor sentenced to jail for sex with underage girl
An assistant pastor who had oral sex with a 15-year-old church-goer has been sentenced to 16 months jail.
The 46-year-old, who cannot be named to protect the girl's identity, admitted to having the girl -- who was 15-years old at the time of the acts -- perform oral sex on him on two occasions.
The first was at a park along Bartley Road between end-September and early-October 2011. Then again in mid-October 2011 at the fourth level of the church, located in central Singapore. A third charge was taken into consideration.
At the time of the offences, the father-of-three was planning programmes for church members, among other administrative duties.
He met the girl in 2010 in the course of organising activities for the church's youth members. They got closer after an overseas mission to Myanmar.
The pastor started contacting the girl via calls, explicit emails and mobile texts -- where he would ask her for sex and said he loved her.
The court heard how he initiated the oral sex at the park and the victim pushed him away after a few seconds.
Court documents showed that the accused asked the girl to help him out at the church with some chores. He brought the girl to the fourth level to have oral sex, while the other pastors were on the ground floor.
The victim only made a report after realising what he had done was wrong.
In its submissions, the prosecution said the accused was 29 years older than the girl.
Prosecutor Ng Yiwen said the pastor not only abused his authority and the trust placed in him, but his actions also undermined the public's trust in the church. Mr Ng pointed out that the girl was "nothing more than a sexual plaything" to the accused, and that there was a certain degree of "moral corruption" involved.
The fact that the act was performed within the church is also an aggravating factor. Thus, Mr Ng urged for a range of 12 to 20 months jail per charge.
However, the Defence argued that the pastor's judgement was impaired because of his work and personal environment. Lawyer Wee Pan Lee said circumstances led to him being in a depressed mood and addicted to sex. These conditions, he said, were untreated.
Mr Wee asked for a jail term of between 10 and 15 months per charge, since his client was a first offender.
The accused, who last worked as a hourly-paid dishwasher, could have been jailed up to 10 years, fined, and caned on each count.
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