If Allah Is A God in Islam, Can Christians Call Their God Allah?

30 April, 2011

By NH Chan

If Allah is the Islamic God then, since Christians are not Muslims, could or should Christians call their God Allah?

Source - http://bit.ly/k1RvDM

The nomenclature of God

IF YOU LOOK UP THE WORD "ALLAH" IN ANY ENGLISH DICTIONARY , you will find this definition:

Allah noun the name of God among Muslims; or Allah n. the principle Muslim name for God.

In fact all English dictionaries are definite about the meaning of the word Allah; it is the name of God in Islam. Surprisingly the dictionary does not say that it is an Arabic word. Actually it is not strange at all. As I have already explained before, this Arabic word has become an English word since the sixteenth century when it was spelt using the English alphabet to represent the speech sounds of the Arabic word. It is only an Arabic word if it is written in the original Arabic text as distinct from the phonetic spelling in English.

If Allah is the Islamic God then, since Christians are not Muslims, could or should Christians call their God Allah?

The answer will depend on whether, as a fact, Allah in Arabic was first coined by the founder of Islam or that this Arabic word Allah had predated Islam and had been in existence as a name for "The God" ? "The" meaning "the only one of its kind", as in "the only God" - long before Prophet Mohammed’s Call, the legendary revelation of Allah in 611 AD. As a matter of fact, even before there was Jesus Christ, "Allah" meaning "the only God" was already a word in Arabic a Semitic language spoken by the ancient Arabs who belonged to the ethnic group of peoples known as the Semites.

Historically, therefore, the Arabic word Allah was not coined by Islam’s founder at all. According to the Bible, God made Abraham, his two sons Ishmael and Isaac and their descendants His people. Since then monotheism - a religious belief that there is only one God - was founded. The descendants of Abraham from the line of Ishmael (the Arabs) and Isaac (the Jews) worshipped the only God named Allah in Arabic and Eloah in Hebrew. In Arabic, Allah was derived from Al - Ilah meaning Al (The) + Ilah (God). In Hebrew God was Eloah with a capital E.

Muslims worship the same God that Abraham, his two sons and their descendants had first worshipped more than 2000 years before Islam was founded and more than 1500 years before Jesus Christ was born.

Before Abraham there was god and there were gods without a capital G. For example: "elohim" means "gods" in Hebrew and "ilah" means "god" in Arabic. Since Abraham, after God made him and his two sons and their descendants His people, God is called Allah in Arabic and Eloah in Hebrew and they mean "The only God".

So that the Arabs and the Jews, and after the founding of Christianity and Islam, Christians and Muslims throughout the world worship the same God that Abraham, his two sons and their descendants first worshipped in biblical times thousands of years before there were Christians and Muslims.

Allah was the Arabic name for the only God long before Islam was founded. Abraham worshipped the only God whose name even then was Allah in Arabic and Eloah in Hebrew. Before Abraham there were also those who worshipped the only God. In biblical times English was not then spoken yet, so the Deity was not called God in English. But Arabic was already a spoken language in ancient times and Allah in Arabic was worshipped by those who believed in the only God even then.

But even in ancient times there were those who worshipped other god or gods and the true God was displeased with them (see the Quran) and they were punished. The Quran acknowledged and confirmed the biblical story of Noah (Nur), Surah 71, Abraham (Ibrahim), Surah 14 where Moses was also referred to. The Quran has also confirmed that even in the days of Noah, Abraham and Moses, Allah meaning the only God had been worshipped thousands of years before Islam was founded. That being the case, it has been established beyond peradventure that there were believers who had been worshipping Allah the only God so many thousands of years before Islam was founded in 611 AD.

Therefore, it is dishonest for those narrow-minded politicians and clerics to claim that only Muslims can use the word Allah when before Islam was founded others had been worshipping Allah, meaning the only God, for thousands of years by the Arabs and the Jews. In biblical times Allah was not worshipped by Muslims because Islam had not been founded yet.

That being so, I have often wondered why some people in our government today are so obsessed with the view that only Muslims can use the word Allah. Why should human beings prevent others from worshipping God according to their faiths by decreeing that those who worship the God of Abraham, as Christians do, are not allowed to call their God Allah? God never said His name Allah is for Malay Muslims only! God is never a racist. Only the misinformed are the racists. However, Muslims elsewhere do not mind Christians calling their God by the name Allah because God can be addressed in any language. For example, why should anyone be upset if a Chinese Christian addressed the only God as their God or Allah without using any Chinese word? For that matter, should a sensible Arab Muslim or Christian be upset when an Indian Christian addressed his only God in English or in Arabic, by calling Him God or Allah instead of using Hindi or Tamil?

The etymology of the Arabic and Hebrew languages for God

The Semites or Shemites are an ethnic group of peoples who speak a Semitic language, including the Jews and Arabs as well as the ancient Babylonians, Assyrians and Phoenicians. Of these peoples who came from the same national or cultural background only the Arabs and the Jews still exist today.

Of the Semitic or Shemitic languages that include Arabic, Hebrew, Aramaic, Amharic, and such ancient languages as Arkadian and Phoenician, only Arabic and Hebrew are still spoken.

In the Semitic languages, God is ‘Allah’ in Arabic, ‘Eloah’ in Hebrew and ‘Elah’ in Aramaic - these words, signifying God, are being pronounced according to their phonetic spelling in English as most, if not all, of us do not speak or write any of the aforesaid Semitic languages. Why do the mentioned languages sound so much alike? They sound similar because the Arabs and the Jews belong to the same ethnic group of peoples called Semites who shared and speak the same genus of Semitic languages. By the same token the Chinese people even though they speak different dialects like Hokkien, Cantonese, Teochew, Hakka, etc their language is written in Chinese characters which an educated Chinese can read irrespective of his spoken dialect. Similarly a scholar of any of the ancient Semitic language could decipher and read another language of the same Semitic genus.

To find out when Allah became the name of God to his people, we have to go back in time to ancient biblical history. We start with Shem who was the eldest of Noah’s three sons: see Genesis 10:21 in the Old Testament. The descendants of Shem were the Shemites or Semites, hence the name of this ethnic group of peoples. The ancient Babylonians, Assyrians and Phoenicians, including the Jews and Arabs were regarded as descendants of Shem: see The Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology.

The phases of God: from making Abraham and his descendants His people to being worshipped throughout the world from the teachings of Jesus Christ and Prophet Mohammed

According to the Old Testament of the Bible, Abraham was the first of the patriarchs and the founder of the Hebrew people (Genesis 11 - 25). Ishmael, the son of Abraham and Hagar who was Sarah’s maidservant, was the ancestor of 12 Arabian tribes (Genesis 21: 8 - 21; 25: 12 - 18). Isaac was the younger son of Abraham and Sarah (Genesis 17: 21 - 27).

In How to Judge the Judges I wrote, pages xxix, xxx:

Abraham was the founder of the Hebrew people. According to the Old Testament, Abram (later Abraham) at God’s call abandoned civilization, his father’s household and his people to wander in the desert as a nomad. His wife Sarai (later Sarah) had borne him no children. So Sarai took her Egyptian maidservant Hagar and gave her to her husband to be his wife. Hagar soon conceived with Abram’s child. But Sarai mistreated Hagar and heavy with child she ran away. According to the Old Testament, the angel of God found Hagar and told her to return to Abram and added, "I will so increase your descendants that they will be too numerous to count." God also told Hagar that she shall name her son Ishmael for God has heard of her misery at the hands of Sarai. Ishmael means God hears. So Hagar bore Abram a son and he gave him the name of Ishmael. According to the Old Testament, Abram was 86 years old when Hagar bore him Ishmael. When Abram was 99 years old, God said to Abram that no longer will he be called Abram (it means exalted father); your name will be Abraham (it means father of many) for you will be the father of many nations - he will be fruitful and kings will come from him. In return, Abraham and his descendants will worship the God of Abraham who will be the God of his descendants for generations to come and the Covenant (agreement) they are to keep were; Every male among him shall be circumcised. For the generations to come every male who is eight days old must be circumcised, including those born in the household or bought with money from a foreigner - those who are not their offspring. Those who are not circumcised will be cut off from his people. As for Sarai, her name will be Sarah and she will be blessed and she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her. A son will be born of her. His name will be called Isaac. Abraham said to God, "If only Ishmael might live under your blessing!"

As for Ishmael, God said he had heard Abraham: "I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers. He will be the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation."

And so on that very day, so the story goes in the Old Testament, Abraham took his son Ishmael and all those born in his household, and circumcised them. Abraham was 99 years old when he was circumcised, and his son Ishmael was 13. And every male in Abraham’s household, including those born in his household or bought from a foreigner, was circumcised with him. Abraham was 100 years old when Isaac was born to him by Sarah, and he was circumcised.

And at page xxxi:

So now we know that the Arabs and the Jews were descended from Ishmael and Isaac whose father was Abraham (Ibrahim); and the God of them is the same God. And God has marked them as His people by circumcision.

Those events took place some two millennia before Jesus Christ was born, and before Prophet Mohammed founded Islam some 600 years after the birth of Jesus Christ.

After Abraham, with the advent of Christianity and Islam the worship of the only God extended to worshipping Him throughout the world. Monotheism, the religion of worshipping only One God, has become a world religion.

I ask, because I am unable to understand, why our government is trying so hard to separate the inseparable, that is, the people who believe in worshipping the same God to demean another of the same faith by decreeing that Christians are not allowed to call their God Allah and desecrating their Bible just because Christians call Allah their God. But the Quran had accepted Jesus Christ as being sent by God (Allah) to deliver the teachings of Allah (God).

NH Chan, a much respected former Court of Appeal Judge, is a gavel of justice that has no hesitation in pounding on Federal Court judges with wooden desks for heads. Retired from the Judiciary to become the People’s Judge. Wrote the explosive "Judging The Judges", now in its 2nd edition as "How To Judge The Judges". Once famously hinted at a possible "case match" between lawyer and judge by remarking that "something is rotten in the state of Denmark" (see Ayer Molek Rubber Company Berhad & Ors v Insas Berhad & Anor [1995] 3 CLJ 359). We need more people like NH Chan. That is why you should buy PASOC and his book.

Source: http://www.loyarburok.com/human-rights/pray-for-me/if-allah-is-a-god-in-islam-can-christians-call-their-god-allah/

The Gospel According to Barisan Nasional

8 April, 2011

By Aston Paiva

The failure of BN to defend the rights of religious minorities to use the word "Allah" is a failure to defend the Constitution.

Original picture of the Bible taken from http://www.genesis.net.au/~bible/

One of the biggest imbeciles Malaysians have had to deal with is a person called Nazri Aziz. As a Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department for Law & Parliamentary Affairs, Nazri has outdone almost every other individual in the Dewan Rakyat when it comes to lodging one’s head into one’s own anus.

It’s quite a surprise when people refer to this charlatan as a "Minister of Law" or a "former lawyer". He displays none of the qualities required for the two. This man has single handedly been responsible for perverting the Constitution, misstating the law and duping the public with his erroneous and reckless statements.

Another member of Nazri’s entourage is a moron named Hishammuddin Hussein who very unfortunately is currently Malaysia’s Home Minister. He too is a "former lawyer" but judging from his antics — waving a Keris and promoting racism and defending acts intended to incite racial/religious violence — this man clearly lacks a functioning brain and should volunteer himself to be sterilized.

Hishamuddin’s predecessor, Syed Hamid Albar, a bona fide jackass of the highest order, is the man responsible for the Allah saga. He has now been removed from Cabinet and is probably kept in cold storage in some dysfunctional "Suruhanjaya" or "Badan" or "Lembaga" that the Barisan Nasional is famous for concocting.

If there’s anything Barisan Nasional has been good at, it is its remarkable ability to churn out mediocre, embarrassing and useless leaders, almost all the time.

The Constitution

Now, what does Nazri say on the use of the word "Allah" by Christians?

Nazri has repeatedly stressed and has as recently as March 16th 2011 reiterated that there are State laws within various States in Malaysia that restrict the use of the word "Allah" by non-Muslims. One such example would be section 9 of the Enakmen Ugama Bukan Islam (Kawalan Pengembangan Di Kalangan Orang Islam) 1988.

This is a flawed statement. A simple reading of the Constitution shows that Nazri either doesn’t understand English or has succumbed to the pressures of those who desire to turn Malaysia into a theocratic state — to subjugate the rights of religious minorities.

Article 11(4) of the Constitution reads:

State law… may control or restrict the propagation of any religious doctrine or belief among persons professing the religion of Islam.

There you have it. That is all there is to it. The restriction only applies insofar as it affects Muslims.

In fact, so clear and obvious is this that even the Enactments that Nazri keeps braying about expressly quotes the above in the introduction/preamble.

Therefore, non-Muslims are only not to use the word "Allah" when explaining or detailing their religion to Muslims, not when propagating their religion to other non-Muslims or practising their religion among themselves.

That there is the end of the entire Allah debate!

All non-Muslims are free to use the word "Allah" among themselves.

Hence, Nazri is wrong and should resign from his post as "Minister of Law".

You can debate all you want about Bible translations, theology, hurt feelings, etc. Ultimately, this is what the Malaysian Constitution and the State laws promulgated under it says. This is here to stay and most importantly, this is what the founders of this nation wanted.

The Proportionate Response

Now, it would amount to a crime for a non-Muslim to actively propagate his religion to people whom he knows to be Muslims but it would NOT be a crime for a knowledge-seeking Muslim to purchase, in his own volition, and read a piece of non-Muslim literature.

The greatest fear is still: How do we ensure that non-Muslim materials are not being given to Muslims for purposes of propagation?

Simple. All the Government needs to do is to ensure that the publishers and retailers of such materials make it clear that it is "Not for Propagation to Muslims" and perhaps, that sales of the materials be confined to the grounds of religious houses of worship and religious bookstores.

The above response, had the Government taken it, would’ve been reasonable, proportionate and respectful of constitutional rights. It would’ve also achieved its objective under Article 11(4). Nothing more needs to be done.

But of course, the decision taken by the Minister of Home Affairs against the Herald wasn’t really a decision based on political considerations. It was ultimately a religious decision which amounted to religious oppression i.e. imposing a particular religion on non-believers.

The then Minister of Home Affairs (Syed Hamid Albar) stated in his affidavit in Court:-

"Larangan yang dikenakan adalah kepada penggunaan kalimah ‘Allah’ di dalam penerbitan majalah tersebut kerana kalimah ‘Allah’ secara nyatanya adalah merujuk kepada Tuhan Yang Satu bagi penganut agama Islam sebagaimana termaktub di dalam Al-Quran iaitu dalam surah Al-Ikhlas"

(I have paraphrased the above as I believe the version quoted in the judgment contains grammatical errors).

And later:

"…kalimah Allah adalah nama khas bagi Tuhan Yang Maha Esa bagi penganut agama Islam dan ini jelas termaktub di dalam Al-Quran dan dimartabatkan di dalam Perlembagaan Persekutuan."

What nonsense!

Underlying both reasons is a noxious undertone: "My Religion says this, and you must follow it!"

This is extremely dangerous. The Minister has blurred the line between Government and Religion; a Minister of the Federal Government is telling you how to conduct your religious affairs and he is using "Islam" as a justification to do so. This is imposition of beliefs by Government and it is against the Constitution.

The reasons above also prove that the Minister is a bigot and that he and his clearly idiotic subordinates need a lesson on religious pluralism and constitutionalism.

And this is why we need to secure Secularism and secure it quick; so that ALL religions, thoughts and beliefs are given space to breathe, to grow and to develop so that Man may find his Truth — so that He may live in peace and harmony.

Why all of a sudden?

A common question among socially unconscious Muslims is the question as to why is there a sudden overnight need by the Christians to use the word "Allah"?

The use of the word "Allah" in this part of the world was not undertaken overnight or single-handedly by Christians. The use has been documented for centuries. I merely need to refer to the affidavit by the Catholic church:-

(iv) The word "God" has been translated as "Allah" in the Istilah Agama Kristian Bahasa Inggeris ke Bahasa Malaysia first published by the Catholic Bishops Conference of Malaysia in 1989;

(v) The Malay-Latin dictionary published in 1631 had translated "Deus" (the Latin word for God) as "Alia" as the Malay translation (exh. MP27);

(vii) In Bahasa Malaysia and Bahasa Indonesia, the word "Allah" has been used continuously in the printed edition of the Matthew’s Gospel in Malay in 1629, in the first complete Malay Bible in 1733 and in the second complete Malay Bible in 1879 until today in the perjanjian baru and the Alkitab;

(viii) Munshi Abdullah who is considered the father of modern Malay literature had translated the Gospels into Malay in 1852 and he translated the word "God" as "Allah";

(ix) There was already a Bible translated into Bahasa Melayu in existence before 1957 which translation was carried out by the British and Foreign Bible Society where the word "Allah" was used (exh. MP28);

(x) There was also already in existence a prayer book published in Singapore on 3 January 1905 where the word "Allah" was used (exh. MP29);

(xi) There was also a publication entitled An Abridgment of the Christian Doctrine published in 1895 where the word "Allah" was used (exh. MP30);

(xii) Another publication entitled Hikajat Elkaniset published in 1874 also contains the word "Allah" (exh. MP31)

(xv) At least for the last three decades the Bahasa Malaysia congregation of the Catholic Church have been freely using the Alkitab, the Bahasa Indonesia translation of the Holy Bible wherein the word "Allah" appears

Much ado about Nothing

Over the months, I have heard numerous views forwarded for and against the usage of the word "Allah" by the Catholic church. One argument continually shines bright but in fact means Nothing.

It is the emotional plea that Christians should stop using the name "Allah" so as not to offend feelings or sensitivities. This is in fact barely an argument and is utterly immature. Our ability to communicate would be rendered illusory if we constantly had to keep tabs of who we might be offending.

If you feel offended because something conflicts with your beliefs, my advice to you is: grow up and realise that the world is bigger than you and your beliefs.

We will never grow as a Nation if we cower to the childish displays of those purported to be offended or instructed by their political masters to be offended. The claims of those "offended" have no basis, rationality or reason and should never be respected.

If any feelings have indeed been offended, it certainly must’ve been the feelings of the Christians; to be told overnight that you can no longer pray to and worship Allah is pure heresy. It is arbitrary Government intervention into the affairs of a Religious group and it must never be tolerated!

To be Christ-like

Jesus had a very captivating philosophy that seems to have transcended the spirit of his time and place. The man himself was courageous and honourable.

For a man who seems to have undergone one of the most horrific backstabs in history, an arbitrary arrest, detention without trial, degrading treatment which included people insulting him, slapping him, scourging him to a bloody pulp, forced labour and eventually a slow and painful murder, he stayed true to his words — if an enemy strikes you on one cheek, offer him the other. He never complained that his feelings were hurt or that he was offended. He never objected, never even said a word. Lived by his message.

During the entire "Allah" saga, particularly in the period after the Court’s decision when some 11 churches were either firebombed or vandalized, I must say that my admiration for the Christians of Malaysia grew exponentially for they clearly practiced what they preached.

The Christians of Malaysia stood firmly by what Jesus himself said: "…love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." That they certainly did. No Christian ever retaliated. Not one mosque or surau was attacked by a Christian. No Christian leader in Malaysia ever preached for hatred or bloodshed.

The Christians of Malaysia are the real heroes during this "Allah" saga. At all times, they were humble, sincere and forgiving. They embodied the qualities all Malaysians should learn to inculcate in their lives.

And I say all of this as someone who isn’t a Christian.

A Secular State

I don’t believe in Allah. I never will. But I do believe in Religious Freedom for all. I believe that all men have the right to profess and practise their religion. It is a right inherent to all human beings by the sheer fact that they are human. In Malaysia, they are free to propagate their religion to all but they can be restricted in their propagation to Muslims. However, that does not bar a Muslim from holding a Bible, Gita or Dhammapada and reading it — that is his right and we must respect that!

Ultimately, we are all very fortunate for Malaysia, as intended by our founders, is a Secular state.

I believe in Secularism; I believe Government and Religion must always be kept separate. I believe only with such a wall of separation can there ever be Religious Freedom. Without Secularism, you can never have Religious Freedom. I believe that Man, as long as he causes no harm to anyone, must be allowed to live, think and act freely.

If we live by these principles and ensure that our Government obeys these principles, we will be a Free Society.

So, what can we do now? How can we move on?

At this juncture, the above questions are commonplace.

But before we answer them, let’s have a retake.

The Barisan Nasional government has failed the people of Malaysia. Nazri Aziz, Hishamuddin Hussein and Syed Hamid Albar have failed in their duties and are not competent leaders for a multicultural multi-religious Nation State like Malaysia. The Ministry of Home Affairs is a repeat offender for violation of human rights in Malaysia — it is a failure.

BN doesn’t care about the rights of religious minorities. BN has been perverting the language of the Constitution for its own religious theory. The Barisan Nasional government simply doesn’t care about you!

For decades now, the Barisan Nasional government has shown that it only cares about one thing — its own power. It only cares about keeping its power and expanding it whenever and wherever possible.

This Allah issue was just one of a series of violations perpetrated by BN. Previously it had banned the animated cartoon The Prince of Egypt and then a restriction on The Passion of Christ to Christian-only audiences, without a regard for the rest of the non-Muslims in Malaysia.

BN acted at snail’s pace when churches were being firebombed and vandalized. BN seems to be supporting any act that is meant to incite racial and religious violence, with a potential tipping point being the cow head protests.

Let’s also not forget the two reporters from Al-Islam magazine who had gone to a Christian church, eaten the Communion wafer, spat it out and photographed it. Despite such a disrespectful act committed against the Christian community, the BN machinery was silent on the issue and there were no prosecutions.

Then, they impounded the Al-Kitab Malay Bibles. Soon after, they defaced the Malay Bibles. No apology has been forthcoming.

I fear these are the beginnings and things will only get worse.

I would not at all be surprised if one day a Ministerial order is made that all Christian churches are not to publicly display a cross or crucifix. Wouldn’t exactly be a first too: Barisan Nasional MP Syed Hood once raised the proposal to remove crosses and Christian images in missionary schools, saying "Times have changed and I think that we cannot allow Malays to look at the crosses and statues without any explanation."

But regardless of what BN does, we must never forget that it is the people of Malaysia, and only the people of Malaysia, who can change their predicament.

These arbitrary actions by BN take place because Malaysians continue to put up with it. But enough is enough! And I think all reasonable minded Malaysians are fed up with the constant intrusion into private life, the moral and thought policing and the absolute disrespect BN has shown for the very citizens it was supposed to protect.

Aston Paiva dreamt of becoming an astronaut. He became a lawyer instead. However, he was successful in becoming a psychonaut.

Source: http://www.loyarburok.com/human-rights/pray-for-me/the-gospel-according-to-barisan-nasional/

Bible Desecration Shows Puerile Insensitivity

27 March, 2011

By NH Chan

Credit to | http://indianinthemachine.wordpress.com

In the Sun on Monday, March 21, 2011 I read with dismay about how insensitive the Barisan Nasional government is of the religion of other people. It reads:

Stamping desecrates Bible, say Christian federation

By Karen Arukesamy

PETALING JAYA: As far as the Christian community is concerned, they will not accept the 35,100 Bahasa Malaysia Bibles after the government imposed new conditions for their release from Port Klang and Kuching port.

Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM) chairman Bishop Ng Moon Hing said in a statement that the new requirement that the Malay language Bibles are stamped means they have been desecrated [meaning 'to treat something sacred with violent disrespect'].

He said Christians could not accept the released Bibles which have now been stamped with a serial number, official seal and the words ‘… for the use of Christians only, by order of the Home Ministry’.

What’s sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander is a well known proverb. So how would the Minister feel if someone were to desecrate the Quran? The desecration of the Bible clearly shows that our government does not respect the religions of others in multi-racial Malaysia. Are the rest of us - who are not born a Muslim because we are not Malays - second class citizens? It certainly looks that way to us who are the rest of the people of this nation.

This should be a warning to all of us that the Barisan Nasional government has been in power for much too long, so much so that they think they are not answerable to the people of this country. For sure this is definitely not a government for the people. They have shown by their deed in desecrating the Bible that they are a government for themselves only. It is so because of self-interest and it is also blatantly clear that they do not respect the feelings of others who are not of their ilk.

In the next election, the people will know what to do. For the sake of the country, so that we do not sink further into the abyss of a dictatorship, we must all do our duty - indeed it is our patriotic duty - to vote the Barisan National out of office thus removing the people’s mandate from such selfish despots to govern this nation, and to replace them with a government for the people. I am sure the opposition will gladly accede to the people’s request.

However, if the opposition can’t deliver, we will exercise the power of the people’s vote again at every election until there comes a time when we can all live in a truly democratic Malaysia. We do not want totalitarianism being forced down our throat by a dictatorship because we are smart enough to know that any government, even a democratic one, would inexorably metamorphose into a dictatorship if allowed to overstay its hold on power.

I am not a Christian but I have read the Bible for my enlightenment. I also find it to be great literature. In order to allay some misconceptions about the Bible, I give below my insight on it which I hope may help those who are not Christians to understand and appreciate Christianity’s point of view.

Landmarks in the Law

Lord Denning in his book Landmarks in the Law, on page 313, tells us how the Old Testament in the King James Bible was translated into English:

The Old Testament was originally in Hebrew. It was translated into Greek. The Greek was translated into English by William Tyndale. It takes up three-quarters of the Authorised Version of the Bible.

I wonder why Denning said that. The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, a collection of manuscripts in Hebrew and Aramaic found in caves near the Dead Sea (between 1946 and 1956) and believed to have been written between about 100 B.C. and 68 A.D., provide biblical evidence that the scriptures the Old Testament and the New Testament were originally written in Hebrew.

I suppose Denning must have known that the New Testament were already translated by the Protestants who belong to the Churches of Western Christendom that are separated from the Roman Catholic Church and who adhere to principles established by Luther, Calvin, etc., in the Reformation. The British Protestants must have the English translation, albeit in Old English, of the New Testament.

At page 314, Lord Denning went on to say:

The New Testament is not accepted by the Jews. It is rejected by them. It has had even greater influence than the Old Testament. It contains the life and teaching of Our Lord Jesus Christ who was a Jew and of all the 12 apostles who were Jews and the Letters of Paul who was a Jew.

The Authorized Version, an English translation of the Bible published in 1611 under James I who was king of England and Ireland (1603-25) in succession to Elizabeth I of England. He was also James VI, king of Scotland (1567-1625) in succession to his mother, Mary Queen of Scots. This version is also called King James Version, King James Bible. This is the version commonly used by English speaking Christians. But there are other translations of the Bible in modern English and other languages as well.

The Authorized Version of King James is printed in old English which most Malaysians cannot understand. This explains why the Bahasa Malaysia Bible is popular because of the educational system of this country where most of our people can read and understand the National Language but not the English language especially when it is in the English of the time of James I in the seventeenth century.

REUTERS/Bazuki Muhammad | Protesters hold placards that read "Don't Challenge Islam" in a protest against the "Conversion to Islam" forum held by Malaysian Bar Council in KL August 9, 2008.

But what really riles me is for the Home Minister to say that the Bible is "for the use of Christians only". What business is it of him to fear for my conversion to Christianity? In a democracy I should have the right to choose the faith I want to believe in or not at all - I have freedom of choice and I will not stand for any pipsqueak bully, for that is what a dictator really is, to tell me what faith to believe in. What business is it of him to tell me what Bible I can read or cannot read?

Reading is knowledge and it also gives me a great understanding of the religious beliefs of others. That is the trouble with the puerile mentality of the composite Barisan National party. They cannot even tell the difference between what is right and wrong; they even relish in their own wrongdoings as in the Perak takeover of a legitimately elected state government. It is because of the BN that we even have an animal farm system of government - all animals are equal but the pigs under Napoleon the head pig are more equal than others.

But I am digressing. The Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin bin Hussein had the gall to add insult to injury when he said:

The practice of stamping was standard protocol and not done to ‘deface’ the Bibles. He said the need for serial numbers was to identify the specific Bibles which were held back.

After he mentioned that the act of stamping and serialization was standard protocol, he said; see The Star, Wednesday 23 March 2011:

For example, Qurans imported into the country are also checked to ensure they are authorized, and are stamped with serial numbers before they are released.

And now (in the Star, 23 March 2011) they say:

The BM Bibles currently impounded in Kuching and Port Klang will be released with the words ‘For Christianity’ stamped clearly in Ariel font, size 16, in bold. No other words or serial numbers will be stamped on the Bibles.

Whether it is stamped ‘For the use of Christians only’ or ‘For Christianity’ it is still desecration of a Holy Book. The dictionary meaning of a Christian is ‘a person who follows the religion based on the teachings of Jesus Christ’ and Christianity means ‘the religion based on the teachings of Jesus Christ’. Therefore, this is a false argument and the dictionary word for ‘a false argument’ is sophism.

The Home Minister is not even a Christian and he wants to ensure that the Bibles we read are the authorized ones. Did he think he is King James I of England but does he know that James I was a bad king who alienated Parliament by his assertion of the divine right of kings? But Christians the world over have never had their Bibles censored by Big Brother. There are myriad translations of the Bible acceptable by Christian society.

Anyway, the word ‘authorize‘means ‘to allow someone to do something with official sanction‘. When James I came to the throne of England there was no English translation of the ‘Old Testament’. The Bible of the Church of Rome i.e. the Roman Catholic Church during the Roman Empire was in Latin. The Pope spoke in Latin and the language of the Church then was Latin. Nowadays the Bible of the Catholic Church can be in any language, although at the Vatican, I think they still use Latin.

The desecration of the Bible is insensitivity of the highest order. It should be enough to bring down the Barisan Nasional government in the next General Election. He forgets that people who live in glass houses should not throw stones. It is not that, I think, that Christians would return the desecration of their Holy Book in kind. I know they would not do that. They would not demean themselves. Modern Christianity is a religion of love and forgiveness. Not since the Crusades in the Middle Ages (between 1000 and 1450) have Christian nations waged holy wars. Not even Napoleon or Hitler who were described the Antichrist by Nostradamus nor those who fought against their evil or the warring factions in the First World War had ever called their conflict a holy war.

To cap it all, the Home Minister showed his true colours when he reveals the true reason for the desecration of the Bible in Bahasa Malaysia. He refers to:

… the use of ‘Allah’ in non-Muslim publications …

Catholic newspaper banned from using the word "Allah"

Can anyone claim proprietorship to the use of the English word ‘Allah‘ where English is a foreign language in Malaysia?

I have said this before. The word ‘Allah’ is an English word since the 16th century. The Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology, Edited by C.T. Onions, Oxford at the Clarendon Press, 1979 reprint, says this:

Allah the deity among the Mohammedans. XVI - Arab. Allah, for al-ilah, i.e. al AL, ilah god = Aram. elah, Heb.eloah (Early forms in Eng. Writers are Alla, Allah, Ala, allough, Alha.)

‘XVI’ stands for ‘the sixteenth century’. So that this tells us that the etymology of the word ‘Allah’ in English had been used in the English language since the sixteenth century. In Arabic it is ‘al-ilah’ meaning ‘The God’. In Aramaic, it is ‘elah’. In Hebrew, it is ‘eloah’.

In the Collins English Dictionary for the word Allah, it gives the etymology of the Arabic word for God:

[C16: from Arabic, from al the + Ilah god; compare Hebrew eloah]

‘C16′ means ‘the sixteenth century’. The word ‘Allah’ in the dictionary is from the Arabic al the + ilah god, so that in Arabic al ilah means ‘The god’. In Hebrew ‘God’ is ‘eloah’.

If you do not already know, Arabic is the language of the Arabs who is one of a branch of the Semitic race. Aramaic pertains to the northern Semitic languages, the biblical name for ancient Syria. And Hebrew is a person belonging to the Semitic race descended from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; Jewish is their language. Source: The Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology.

Also in the same Dictionary of English Etymology you will find:

Semite Hebrew, Arab, Assyrian or Aramaean, regarded as a descendent of Shem (Gen. X): see The Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology.

So that we now know that neither Arabs nor Jews would pronounce the word for their God as "Allah". The Arabs would pronounce the name for their God as "al-ilah". The Jews would pronounce the name for their God as "eloah". The word "Allah" is an English word (as seen in any English dictionary) and is a mispronunciation of both the Arabic and the Hebrew word for God. The pronunciation and spelling of this word "Allah" is distinctly English because it is a word accidentally invented by the British people because they have mispronounced a Semitic word.

Before Bahasa Malaya, now Malaysia, there was no National Language. The Malay language is the language of the Malay race. They could have used the Arabic word for God with the correct Arabic pronunciation and make this a word in the National Language for the God of Islam. Instead they plagiarized the English Word "Allah" into the National Language. Now they say we cannot use the English word "Allah" because the National Language has now claimed proprietorship of the English word "Allah" and, therefore, it is now the Nation?s word for the God of Islam which only Muslims can use.

But why must they insist that they must use an English word for the Islamic God when there is always available an Arabic word for the Islamic God as understood by all Muslims?

NH Chan, a much respected former Court of Appeal Judge, is a gavel of justice that has no hesitation in pounding on Federal Court judges with wooden desks for heads. Retired from the Judiciary to become the People?s Judge. Wrote the explosive "Judging The Judges", now in its 2nd edition as "How To Judge The Judges". Once famously hinted at a possible "case match" between lawyer and judge by remarking that "something is rotten in the state of Denmark" (see Ayer Molek Rubber Company Berhad & Ors v Insas Berhad & Anor [1995] 3 CLJ 359). We need more people like NH Chan. That’s why you should buyPASOC and his book.

Source: http://www.loyarburok.com/human-rights/pray-for-me/bible-desecration-shows-puerile-insensitivity/

Christians can and will say 'No'

KJ John
Apr 19, 11
1:54pm

In my last column I argued that truth matters for Christians, but they will be less involved on issues of partisan political concerns alone; whether racial or otherwise.

For the more serious Christians, their ultimate loyalty can only be to their Master and Lord, the God-man Jesus Christ. Anything else or less, is idol-worship of some form.

That is biblical theology, and not my opinion.

In the early 1990s, Ishihara Shintaro wrote "The Japan That Can Say No: Why Japan Will Be First Among Equals". (Incidentally, in 1996, he and Mahathir Mohamad co-authored "The Voice of Asia: Two Leaders Discuss the Coming Century").

Learning to say "No" without hurting the other's feelings is the best art of diplomacy. All will do well to learn how to do this. I will argue in this column that the federal government should not take

Christians in Malaysia for granted, for they can say "No", when needed.

Therefore let me argue that Christians did say "No" in Sarawak; twice now!

In fact, I would go further and argue that most Christians in the connected world of the Internet probably said "No" to the BN-led Chief Minister of Sarawak, in the last elections.

The others in Sarawak who did not either did not know about the real issues, or played ignorant, or genuinely do not know their faith as much.

Some maybe did not even vote; in order to avoid the difficult choice.

Short term resolution

The CFM, the Federation of all Christian Churches in Malaysia, including those in Sabah and Sarawak issued their newest response to the 10-point proposal of the government (please see letter column of Malaysiakini for a full version) and argued that Allah and Al-Kitab matter is not yet settled. The Bishop wrote:

"We consider the 10-point solution to be an ad hoc and short-term resolution to the two consignments of Al-Kitab which have been impounded at Port Klang and the Port of Kuching.

"We reiterate that the Bible is our Holy Scripture and it is our right to read, study and pray with it in the language of our choice as freedom of religion is enshrined under our Federal Constitution."

I hope that the government realises that had CFM been upset before the elections in Sarawak by the ignorance and belligerence of the federal government and especially the attorney general and the books division of the Home Affairs Ministry.

They could have easily quite easily issued the equivalent of a circular (or fatwa) to all their congregations in Malaysia and asked them to say "No" to the government of the day in Sarawak.

The Star's Wong Chun Wai whom I quoted in my earlier column had already warned of this eventuality, and actually repeated his thesis in the most recent column in the Sunday Star in which he labeled Sarawak BN's loss of votes as due to "Land and Lord Issues."

Allow me to expand the argument that the Christians who voted for the BN-led leadership of the Sarawak government are actually allowing the abuse of these issues to continue.

I presume that these are the Christians in the hinterland of Sarawak and in the 'unconnected' long houses.

They have voted for their political elders, who represent them, but they don't know their rights as Malaysian citizens; to equity in development.

They have not learnt to say "No" yet; even after 46 years of dismal development. They have voted for politicians who may not be leaders in the truest sense of the word!

Christian discipline

Leadership is about standing up for matters of truth and the fundamental rights of every Malaysian community! Then, when truth matters, nothing else matters!

For truth of the kind that Christians believe and talk about actually transcends the material world; it is also the kind of truth that sets us free!

Once free like that, we owe no one any personal loyalties! The only loyalty required is that we always seek to obey our Master and Lord.

That is good Christian discipline, discipleship and faithful obedience.
The Bishop further wrote:

"The 10-point solution deals with the impounding of the Al-Kitab but not with the prohibition of publications containing the word "Allah". The root cause of the problem of the impounding of the Al-Kitab lies in the following:

a. The 1982 prohibition of the Al-Kitab and the 1983 prohibition of the Perjanjian Baru under the Internal Security Act 1960 on the grounds that the Al-Kitab is prejudicial to national interest and the security of Malaysia.

b. The 1986 administrative order prohibiting the use of the term "Allah" in Christian publications on the grounds of public order and prevention of misunderstanding between Muslims and Christians.

c. The Garis Panduan of the Bahagian Kawalan Penerbitan dan Teks Al-Quran of the Ministry of Home Affairs prohibiting the use of the word "Allah"."

The Federal Government needs to therefore understand what the real imperatives here are!

Three million

There are about three million Christians in Malaysia.

Christians are generally law-abiding citizens, unless there is a just cause for them to protest about; and protest they will, as it is now become obvious both in Sibu and all of Bandar Kuching and outskirts.

What the Government of Malaysia should not do is to unconsciously deny the fundamental rights of the Christians, and especially the Bahasa Malaysia speaking and worshipping Christians who are also bumiputra of Sabah and Sarawak.

This momentum by Malaysian Christians against injustice, corruption and abuse of power, started before the last general election.

Then the battles was limited to only Peninsula Malaysia. Today it has obviously crossed over to Sarawak and at least amongst the Chinese community the message is loud and clear.

The Government needs to observe and understand this trend and ensure that the tide will move in a different direction before the next general election.

Otherwise, it is a foregone conclusion that by the time of the next general election, all Christians will vote conscientiously against bribery and all forms of corruption today.

The Christians in Malaysia have learned to say "No" too and I believe they can and will say "No" again if they are taken for granted and their fundamental and basic rights denied in very obvious and illegal ways!

May the Good Lord grant the government and the cabinet wisdom to understand the writing on the wall!

May God bless Malaysia!

KJ JOHN is dean of the Faculty of Economics and Policy Science at UCSI University and they are currently seeking good students for a Masters in Public Policy to be offered in May 2011. UCSI is also a regional centre for Blue Ocean Strategy which teaches Value Innovation processes.

Source: http://www.malaysiakini.com/columns/161879

Najib's latest Bible 'sandiwara' sparks greater disgust among Christians

Thursday, 14 April 2011 00:54
Written by Wong Choon Mei, Malaysia Chronicle

As expected, Prime Minister Najib Razak lined up a show in which he gave himself the hero's role and Bolly Lapok the part of the faithful supporting actor as he sought frantically to douse Christian anger at his mishandling of the Malay-language Bible or Alkitab issue.

On Wednesday, Najib gave Bolly, who is the chairman of Association of Churches Sarawak, his "personal promise" that he would never again impound the Alkitab.

But their melodrama is unlikely to sway the Christian community whether in Sarawak or in the peninsula. In fact, the lack of a concrete solution from Najib after weeks of discussion may spark even greater anger.

“We hope that it is not an election gimmick. As Christians, we always keep an open heart but we urge the Prime Minister to show his sincerity by dropping the Allah appeal,” Christian Federation of Malaysia member Rev Thomas Philips, who is also the president of religious organisation MCCBCHST, told Malaysia Chronicle.

"It is hard to understand the need for ‘personal promises’ when an instruction to the lawyer would be the cleaner and more conclusive proof of seriousness and sincerity."

Reservations and lack of credibility

One of the reasons for the reservations about Najib's "personal promise" is the lack of credibility. The scandal-plagued PM is already in hot soup for promulgating gutter politics, while Bolly is often viewed in the same disregard as Perak mufti Harussani Zakaria.

Both clerics not only toe but espouse the line taken by the BN leaders including Najib and Sarawak Chief Minister Taib Mamud.

A day ago, Bolly had already met and posed for several high-profile photos with Taib. But he kept the best for the PM, whom he met today at the Hilton Hotel in Kuching.

“As a body that brings together a wide cross-section of the Christian community in Malaysia, we know about the sinfulness of man and have experienced the forgiveness of God. As such, we receive these expressions with all the sincerity with which they are offered,” said Bolly.

Within the Christian community, it is known that the views of the ACS tend to run counter to other Christian bodies in the country. Bolly himself has come under fire for allegedly bending to the will of the BN leaders.

He faces a litmus test for impartiality on Thursday. Pakatan Rakyat leaders have asked for a meeting following the Church Leaders of Sarawak's discussion with Najib on Wednesday.

“Now that the Church leaders in Sarawak have met and posed for a picture with the Chief Minister and the PM, the same courtesy should be extended to the Pakatan leaders,” a Christian leader told Malaysia Chronicle.

“Let’s see if Bolly does so. If he refuses or makes excuses, then it is not wrong for other Church leaders and followers to view Bolly and his group as being partisan during the elections.”

Still no reason for S'wakians to vote BN

At the crux of the row over the impounding of the Bibles is a court decision allowing non-Muslims to use the word Allah, which some quarters insist can only be used by Muslims.

Najib's government is apealing the decision and should it win, non-Muslims will be barred from using the word. It would also render the Alkitab illegal. This is the basis of the fears expressed by Rev Thomas and the CFM.

Christians account for 43 per cent of the Sarawak population. Many have condemned Najib's hurriedly unveiled 10-point proposal, arguing that it would only serve to divide the Christians in the country with two sets of rules – one for Christians in the peninsula and another for those in Sabah and Sarawak.

“There is still no reason for Sarawakians to vote for BN. They already know Bolly and his style," Sarawak PKR chief Baru Bian told Malaysia Chronicle.

"I am quite sure what happened yesterday with Taib and today with Najib wll only confirm the notion that the two BN leaders rely too much on doublespeak. It has become a way of life to them. That Najib is unwilling to drop the Allah appeal indicates that he may renege on his word after the election." - Malaysia Chronicle

Source: http://www.malaysia-chronicle.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=10634:baru-bian-calls-on-christians-not-to-vote-bn-after-najib-latest-sandiwara&Itemid=2

炮轰圣经十点方案“分而治之”，基督教组织控诉四十年受歧视

	2011年4月8日 晚上 8点39分

首相署部长依德里斯提出10点新方案，不但未能解决马来文圣经的课题，相反地使到这场风波有越演越烈之势。

大马基督教协进会青年团（CCM Youth）秘书丹尼尔今日发表措辞强烈的十点声明，矢言捍卫民主原则和全面自由与权利，拒绝接受依德里斯的10点方案。

不过，大马基督教协进会青年团否认，其要求是不可理喻、放肆或制造麻烦，更对教会过去长时间保持缄默和妥协的态度感到遗憾。

“虽然出自好意，但是教会领袖却被卷入毫无止境的没生产力闭门会议，给予从未兑现的口头答应和口头协议。不幸的是，教会与基督教徒的好意没有获得回报，而且闭门协议从未兑现。最近的马来文圣经问题就是最后一根稻草。”

逃避基督社群40年歧视

大马基督教协进会青年团呼吁所有基督教徒与教会领袖站在同一阵线，以便为基督教社群达致解决方案。

在其十点声明中，大马基督教协进会青年团首先抨击十点方案只处理马来文版圣经的课题，却逃避基督社群近40年来所面对的歧视，以及宗教自由渐被侵蚀的问题。

全面恢复基督宗教权益

其次，该青年团坚持政府必须完整恢复宪赋的宗教自由和权益。

它炮轰国阵政府从1970年代开始就不断对基督教实施种种的限制，如把教会学校的十字架移除、在校园禁止或解散基督社团、调走教导基督教知识的老师、将马来文圣经宪报为国家威胁、阻挠教堂和坟墓的兴建。

“十点方案是多余的，因为基督教公民并非要求过分的东西，而是要求他们写在联邦宪法的基本权利被尊重和遵从。”

使用国语是天生的权利

第三，大马基督教协进会青年团强调，否决马来西亚基督教公民使用国语来实践其信仰是荒谬的事情，因为基督教徒使用国语来阅读、交谈和书写是“与生俱来的权益”。

它强调，这些权利“不应该被放弃、谈判、出卖，或为‘五斗米而至折腰’”。

青年团质问，为何一方面非马来裔公民经常被质疑不使用国语而不效忠的时候，另一方面，当他们要使用国语来阅读圣经的时候却被阻挠。

促政府撤阿拉字眼上诉

第四，该青年团也抨击政府的十点权宜方案毫无法律基础。

它强调，若政府是诚恳的，它应该立即撤除对天主教会“阿拉”字眼案的上诉，这会让阿拉字眼和马来文版圣经的限制不复存在。

“大马基督教协进会青年团促请政府坚持民主原则，勿采取迂回途径来玩弄伎俩，这样不能反映它的诚意。”

欲对基督社群分而治之

第五、该组织批评政府的十点方案，是尝试分裂基督教徒，企图“分而治之”。

它质问，正当政府推动“一个大马”之际，为何会出现两种圣经和三种解决方案？若是如此，“一个大马”就只是一个政治辞令。如果教会领袖同意这个方案，届时沙巴与砂拉越原住民将有一套法治，而半岛教徒包括原住民将有另一套。

担心妥协最终变成陷阱

第六、虽然基督教社群一直都获得保证，但是最后都以失望告终。大马基督教协进会青年团促请教会领袖更加理智，所谓的妥协最终演变成陷阱。虽然政府给人妥协的印象，但是他们却可能后退，出动政府机关在相关州属去骚扰书局、印刷商、船务公司和学校等。

第 七、教会领袖无须仓促决定，迫切的是他们没有牺牲未来一代，或者侵蚀未来一代自由信仰的权利。大马基督教协进会青年团促请教会领袖用尽一切时间，在不牺牲 信仰之下发问所有问题。否则，未来一代回溯今日时将会忆起，过去的领袖作出妥协或保持沉默，当他们有机会时却没有捍卫正义。

质疑依德里斯没有权力

第 八、虽然保持对依德里斯的尊重，但是大马基督教协进会青年团却质疑，依德里斯在处理此事时是否获得内阁的全力支持？这是因为一些内阁部长的基调和缺乏在媒 体出言支持，就连首相本人也罕有的沉默。从内政部长和不同的“影子守门人”的言论，没有任何保证相关部门将会兑现任何协议。

大马基督教协进会青年团相信，当局急着达到解决方案，与砂拉越州选举有关，担心这将影响基督教社群。它担心基于这种“短期机会主义”态度，所以政府才提出这个政治权宜之计，主动劝告教会领袖提高警惕。

如果政府真有诚意解决基督教社群的怨言，它相信当局早应设立一个联合特工队，包括首相署、内政部、总检察署、教育部、各州政府与宗教局代表。

内长下令盖章不曾道歉

第九、大马基督教协进会青年团指出，目前只有依德里斯道歉，没有其他部门包括下令为圣经盖章的内政部长不曾发表任何正式的道歉。

第十、大马基督教协进会青年团表示，除了依德里斯，许多身为基督教徒的内阁部长都保持沉默，其中一名部长甚至批评基督教徒进行祈祷集会是愚蠢的做法。大马基督教协进会青年团挑战内阁部长必须忠诚，今日起选择侍奉上苍或人类。

来源： http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/161027

The Christians Win, But for How Long?

Monday, 04 April 2011 18:46 Last updated on Tuesday, 05 April 2011 11:56 by Kee Thuan Chye

IN their stand-off against the Government over the Bible issue, the Christians have won. Especially those in Sabah and Sarawak. Not only will the Bible in any language, including Bahasa Malaysia, be allowed to be imported; it can now be printed locally and in the indigenous languages of the Sabah and Sarawak natives. This shows that when you stick to your guns, you’ll get what is rightfully yours. In this case, the right to practise your religion freely, as is guaranteed by the Federal Constitution. The Christians have to be admired for standing up and not giving in. But lest they think they had God, Najib Razak and Idris Jala on their side, they might do well to realize that what decided the issue in their favor and even beyond their wildest expectations was obviously the upcoming Sarawak state elections. This is a politically expedient decision through and through. Otherwise, it would not have been made at such super speed. Prime Minister Najib desperately wants the Christian vote in order for his coalition to win big in Sarawak. The outcome of the state elections there could be a harbinger of the next general election. He needs a morale booster. He cannot afford a break in Barisan Nasional’s (BN) momentum after its recent spate of by-election victories. He wants to keep up the public perception – no doubt as advised by his well-paid public relations consultants – that Malaysian support for BN is returning. He also wants to ensure that Sarawak remains a safe deposit for BN. And Sabah, too, where the Christian populace, like that in Sarawak, is substantial. The Christian uproar over the Bible issue must have scared him. The huge turnout at the Kuching prayer rally last week – to express Christian unhappiness with the Government and to send out a call for religious freedom – was unprecedented. Given the dire situation, Najib must have realized that it would not have been enough to just agree to release the 30,000-plus copies of the Bible impounded by the Government, so he added a sweetener – the Bible can now be printed in Malay and indigenous languages locally. It took many people by surprise. This means that the word “Allah” – which appears in the impounded Bible copies and has been a bone of contention between the Home Ministry and Christian publications – can now be used by Christians without restriction. The one thing that can crush it is if the Court of Appeal overturns the decision made by the High Court in December 2009 that granted Christians the right to use “Allah”. However, no date has been fixed yet for the Court of Appeal to hear the appeal, even though it was filed by the Home Ministry more than a year ago, in January 2010. Why, indeed, is this so? What is it waiting for? Is the Government holding on to the case like it were a trump card it would unleash only when the time was right, for its own political purpose? And since the case is pending appeal, the question needs to be asked: What will happen to the Bibles in Malay and indigenous languages if the Court of Appeal should eventually overturn the High Court decision and declare that Christians cannot use the word “Allah” after all? As we know, this saga concerning the use of “Allah” and the prohibition of the AlKitab, the Malay name for the Bible, is not recent. It has been unfolding since 1981, when the AlKitab was banned under the Internal Security (Prohibition of Publications) Order. Is there any assurance that it will not start afresh when the Sarawak state elections and the next general election are over? This is where Malaysians can derive a moral from the whole saga: That it is hazardous to give the Government too much power through a strong mandate. It is always safer to keep the Government on the back foot and under pressure so that it will listen to the people. Once they have too much power, they are bound to get arrogant and ride roughshod over everyone. The people of Sarawak might want to consider this important point and vote accordingly. As for the Christians in Peninsular Malaysia, they might well wonder why the new ruling discriminates against them. While there are no conditions imposed on the Sabahans and Sarawakians over the importation and local printing of the Bible in all languages, why must there be one for Peninsular Malaysia publications, which have to carry the words “Christian Publication” and the cross sign on the front covers? Is this 1Malaysia? How can it be when it transgresses the principle of inclusiveness that is at the core of Najib’s concept? The reason given for these double standards is that the Government has to consider the interest of the larger Muslim community in Peninsular Malaysia, but it only serves to expose the central flaw of the 1Malaysia concept and the questionable sincerity of its architect. It shows that 1Malaysia is half-hearted, and it lacks the will and the courage to overcome the status quo of divisive practices and prejudices. It is to be applied only when it is politically safe and convenient to be applied. Having a different standard for Peninsular Malaysia over the Bible issue shows even more clearly that the Government’s new decision is merely to win the votes of the Sarawak Christians. The way forward now is to test the Government’s sincerity. It has come out to pledge that it wishes “to work with the Christian groups and all the different religious groups in order to address inter-religious issues and work towards the fulfillment of all religious aspirations in accordance with the Constitution, taking into account the other relevant laws of the country”. That’s according to Idris Jala, the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office who has had to handle the AlKitab issue by dint of his being a Christian even though the Home Minister should be the one doing the dirty job. (Poor man! There were occasions during the stand-off when he was viewed by his fellow Christians as a Judas Iscariot.) To see if that pledge is true, the Christian groups should next press for easier Government approval to build churches instead of having to wait years for such approval to come, as has been the experience of some. They should ask for real churches to be built, like those in the old days with church-like design and the cross prominently featured on their facades, instead of like those that are not supposed to appear like churches and are housed in warehouses or shophouses, as has been the case in recent times. They should ask for churches to be located in appropriate vicinities instead of in industrial areas among factories, as has also been the case in recent times. After all, in the context of 1Malaysia, churches, mosques, Buddhist temples, Hindu temples and all manner of religious buildings should stand alongside one another to proclaim the religious freedom and tolerance of worship that our founding fathers envisioned. That’s just for starters. There must be a litany of other grouses the Christians have been harboring over the decades concerning the unfair treatment they have been receiving, most of it without regard for their rights as enshrined in the Federal Constitution. But now is the time to make Najib walk the talk. They have to strike while the iron is hot. Because when the time for political expediency is over, God knows whether the Government will be as amenable and anxious to please. * The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the writer. Source: http://www.malaysiandigest.com/opinion/20296-the-christians-win-but-for-how-long.html

Cabinet sending out mixed signals on Alkitab, says Sarawak importer

By Debra Chong

April 05, 2011

The Alkitab is imported from Indonesia. — File pic

KUALA LUMPUR, April 5 — Confused by the Cabinet’s crossed signals on the Alkitab issue, the Sarawak importer is staying his hand in picking up his 30,000-book cargo despite the Home Ministry’s go-ahead.

“I will not take them back because the bibles have been defaced,” James Redas Noel told The Malaysian Insider over the phone from Kuching last night.

Noel is the pointman for the local branch of global Christian group The Gideons, who shipped in the Malay bibles from Indonesia three months ago, only to have them seized, stamped and serialised with the Home Ministry’s seal.

The incident was carried out simultaneously last month, with a separate shipment of Malay bibles brought in by the Petaling Jaya-based Bible Society of Malaysia (BSM), which triggered a massive outcry from Christians nationwide just ahead of crucial state polls in Sarawak.

Noel said he was elated after getting news that the Cabinet had lifted all conditions on the import of Malay bibles to Sarawak, as announced by Datuk Seri Idris Jala in a statement last Saturday.

He related he had been on the way to collect the cargo from the state Home Ministry office when he received a call from the Kuching Ministers Fellowship saying the decision was not finalised.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said yesterday talks on the Alkitab issue were still ongoing despite Jala’s 10-point solution which purportedly represents the Cabinet’s decision.

“We’re still in the middle of negotiations. Nothing is finalised yet,” Hishammuddin told The Malaysian Insider in Parliament.

Noel said he is now at a loss over what to do.

“I’m disappointed with this kind of statements here and there. On my part, I’m eager to resolve this issue as soon as possible, but I don’t know who to believe anymore,” he added.

The BSM collected its two-year-old cargo worth RM70,000 from Port Klang on March 29, which it said cannot be sold and will instead be preserved as museum pieces and a reminder to future generations of Malaysian Christians of what it maintains was a deliberate and unjustified government move to deface their holy book.

The BSM is the main supplier of bibles in Peninsular Malaysia.

Noel said he was seeking advice from other clergymen, adding that he was not likely to follow in the BSM’s footsteps because Sarawak’s situation was different.

He added that he was not averse to accepting Putrajaya’s offer to pay for the marked cargo as his concern was ensuring Sarawak Christians are not deprived of their holy book.

Source: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/cabinet-sending-out-mixed-signals-on-alkitab-says-sarawak-importer/

“They want to give money, we accept, as it can pay for another shipment,” he said.

Many in the Christian-majority state of Sarawak worship in Bahasa Malaysia but the small population and informal restrictions have led to the import of the Alkitab from Indonesia.

Sarawak goes to the polls on April 16 and the Alkitab issue is expected to be campaign fodder by the opposition Pakatan Rakyat (PR) pact which hopes to deny the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) its customary two-thirds majority in Malaysia's largest state.

Gov't lifts ban on printing of Malay Bibles

Apr 2, 11 7:28pm

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Idris Jala has today revealed a 10-point solution to the Bible controversy.

Christians groups are allowed to import the Bibles in all languages, including Bahasa Malaysia/Indonesia without restriction.

“These Bibles can also be printed locally in Peninsula Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak,” he said.

While there is no requirement for the Bibles in Sabah and Sarawak for any stamp or serial number, those in Peninsula Malaysia must have the words “Christian Publication” and the cross sign printed on the front covers.

“I hope this 10-point solution will be received positively by the Christian groups as being fair and reasonable. We have to look for a solution that deals with the Bible issues and also put a way forward to handle other issues raised by the Christian groups,” said Idris.

He conceded that the government and the civil servants are not perfect “as indeed all human beings are 'beautifully imperfect' in the eyes of God”.

"And for all our shortcomings in handling the Bible issue, I hope the Christians would find it in their hearts to forgive us.”

Below is the full statement by Idris:

The government confirmed that it has been in dialogue with the Christian groups to look into their specific requests on the Bahasa Malaysia/Indonesia Bible and also other religious issues. Taking into account the polarity of views of the different religious groups, including the Muslims, the government decided on a 10-point solution.

1. Bibles in all languages can be imported into the country, including Bahasa Malaysia/Indonesia.

2. These Bibles can also be printed locally in Peninsula Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak. This is a new development which should be welcomed by the Christian groups.

3. Bibles in indigenous languages of Sabah and Sarawak such as Iban, Kadazan-Dusun and Lun Bawang can also be printed locally and imported.

4. For Sabah and Sarawak, in recognition of the large Christian community in these states, there are no conditions attached to the importation and local printing of the Bibles in all languages, including Bahasa Malaysia/Indonesia and indigenous languages. There is no requirement for any stamp or serial number.

5. Taking into account the interest of the larger Muslim community for Peninsula Malaysia, Bibles in Bahasa Malaysia/Indonesia, imported or printed, must have the words “Christian Publication” and the cross sign printed on the front covers.

6. In the spirit of 1Malaysia and recognising that many people travel between Sabah and Sarawak and Peninsula Malaysia, there should be no prohibitions and restrictions for people who bring along their Bibles and Christian materials on such travel.

7. A directive on the Bible has been issued by the ketua setiausaha (KSU) of the Home Ministry to ensure proper implementation of this cabinet decision. Failure to comply will subject the officers to disciplinary action under the General Orders. A comprehensive briefing by top officials, including the attorney-general (AG), will be given to all relevant civil servants to ensure good understanding and proper implementation of the directive.

8. For the impounded Bibles in Kuching, Gideon, the importer can collect all the 30,000 Bibles free of charge. We undertake to ensure the parties involved are reimbursed. The same offer remains available for the importer of the 5,100 Bibles in Port Klang, which have already been collected by the Bible Society Malaysia (BSM) last week.

9. Beyond the Bible issue, the government wishes to reiterate its commitment to work with the Christian groups and all the different religious groups in order to address inter religious issues and work towards the fulfilment of all religious aspirations in accordance with the constitution, taking into account the other relevant laws of the country. In order to bring urgency to this work, the prime minister will meet the representatives of the Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM) soon to discuss the way forward.

10. The Christian ministers in the cabinet will meet on a regular basis with representatives of the various Christian groups in order to discuss their issues and work with the relevant ministries and PM in order to resolve them.

Source: http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/160443

Protect and defend Christians' right to use the Alkitab

30 March 2011 By Administrator | TinyURL ^TM

CFM MEDIA STATEMENT

30th March 2011

We are grateful to Almighty God for bringing together Christian leaders from across churches in Semenanjung, Sabah and Sarawak to address the current controversy surrounding the impounding of Bahasa Malaysia Bibles, the Alkitab, at Port Klang and Kuching. This decision weighs heavily on us because of the implications not only for Christians but for all Malaysians.

We are united in our reaffirmation of the freedom of religion and worship. Therefore, our position is that there should be no restrictions, proscriptions or prohibitions whatsoever on the Bible or the use of the language of our choice in the practice of our religion, as it was in the days before and after the formation of Malaysia.

Christians, like any other Malaysians, are not demanding for anything beyond our constitutional and fundamental human rights as enshrined in Article 11(1) of the Federal Constitution and Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The current controversy surrounding the Alkitab is just one of many issues that concerns Christians. There has been a systematic and progressive pushing back of the public space to practice, to profess and to express our faith. For example, the wearing and displaying of crosses and other religious symbols, using religious words and constructing places of worship have been restricted.

When Christians express this concern, we do so not just for ourselves but on behalf of all Malaysians. Our faith forms a critical component of our identity as Malaysians in nation-building as enshrined in the first pillar of our nation’s Rukunegara: Belief in God.

As regards the offer made by the government on 22 March 2011, we respectfully state that this does not address the substantive issues. In point of fact, our previous offer made in 2005 to use the term “A Christian Publication” was only honoured in respect of one shipment of the Alkitab. Subsequent shipments were similarly held up and subjected to further arbitrary conditions for release.

In order to move forward, we call on the Government to commit itself once and for all to remove every impediment, whether legal or administrative, to the importation, publication, distribution and use of the Alkitab and indeed to protect and defend our right to use the Alkitab.

This includes revoking all orders made under the Internal Security Act 1960, which have declared the Alkitab as a threat to national security. Neither can the Alkitab be considered a threat to public order under the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984. We categorically reject the characterisation of our Holy Scriptures in this manner.

Instead, we see our Holy Scriptures as providing enlightenment and direction. In the words of the psalmist, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” (Psalm 119 : 105). In the New Testament is stated the teaching that we hold dear and true : “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (II Timothy 3 : 16)

We remain committed to work with the Government for a viable and long-term solution where the detailed processes and procedures are made clear and unequivocal and so long as our fundamental liberties as enshrined in the Federal Constitution are not infringed.

As for the copies of the Alkitab that have been impounded and desecrated, we reiterate our position that the action of the Ministry of Home Affairs (KDN) in stamping the Bibles amounts to an act of defacement, disrespect and treating with disdain the holy book of the Christians.

Given the unfortunate experience of KDN’s tendency of taking arbitrary action without consulting affected parties or respecting the religious sensitivities of the Christian community, any decision to collect copies of the Alkitab which have been stamped and serialised would be with a view to prevent the possibility of further arbitrary acts of desecration, disrespect or destruction being committed against the Holy Scripture of the Christians by KDN and its officers.

We have left it to the 2 importers to decide whether or not to collect the Alkitab, based on their different specific circumstances and level of trust in the authorities and the processes in their local context.

Nevertheless, no matter what their decision is, we remain united in our common stand to uphold the principle of freedom of religion which includes the free availability without hindrance or obstacle of the Alkitab and all sacred scriptures in Malaysia.

We continue to call on all peace-loving Malaysians to pray for a dignified resolution to these critical issues in the life of our nation.

Dated this day 30th March 2011

(signed)

Bishop Ng Moon Hing
Chairman and the Executive Committee
The Christian Federation of Malaysia

Source: http://www.themicahmandate.org/2011/03/protect-and-defend-christians-right-to-use-the-alkitab/

基督组织坚持无条件入口圣经，批评政府献议未解决核心问题

2011年3月30日 傍晚 5点05分

回应政府早前为解决马来文版圣经入口所提出的献议，马来西亚基督教联合会今天表示，它坚持马来文版圣经和其他宗教圣典一样，应该有自由入口和流通的权利。

“我们一致坚持宗教和崇拜的自由。因此，我们的立场是，圣经或者宗教实践的语言选择不应该受到任何的限制、剥夺或阻挠，一如马来西亚成立之前和之后的情况。”

它也批评首相署部长依德里斯（Idris Jala，右图）在3月22日提出的献议，并未处理核心问题。

依德里斯当时表示，政府愿意撤回马来文版圣经必须盖章编号才能入口的决定，并改提出盖上“供基督教”（Untuk Agama Kristian）字眼的条件。

马来西亚基督教联合会表示，它坚持原来立场，即内政部在圣经盖章的做法已污损、侮辱和藐视了圣经。

促停止把马来圣经视为威胁

黄文兴主教在今天文告呼吁政府站稳立场，保护和捍卫基督教徒使用马来文版圣经的权利，同时永久撤除一切的限制，不论是法律或行政的障碍，容许马来文版圣经自由入口、出版、发行和使用。

他强调，基督教徒这次要求并没有超越宪法第11(1)条款和国家人权宣言第18条文所阐明的权益。

而被点名撤除的限制包括，马来文版圣经在内安法令下被宣布为国家安全的威胁，以及在出版法令下被视为公共秩序的威胁。

“我们绝对反对自己的圣典被如此定位。”

续与政府合作厘清入口程序

黄文兴更揭露，他们在2005年提出的献议，即印上“基督出版品”（A Christian Publication），当局只遵守了一次。其后的马来文版圣经都面对被扣押，必须在不同的条件下才获得发还。

黄文兴指出，基督教组织将继续与政府合作寻找一个可行和长久的解决方案，以在维护宪赋宗教自由之下，把马来文版圣经的入口步骤和程序一一厘清。

交进口商决定是否领出圣经

至于这次在巴生和古晋被扣押的马来文版圣经，马来西亚基督教联合会强调，它将交由两家进口商根据他们的特殊情况和处境，自行决定是否要领出。

惟他强调，即使他们同意领取已被盖章的圣经，但内政部和其官员必须确保未来不会重犯擅自设限和盖章污损马来文版圣经。

“无论如何，不论他们的决定是什么，我们一致坚持捍卫宗教自由的原则，而其中应该包括大马人能够在没有阻挠和障碍下，自由取得马来文版圣经和其他的一切圣典。”

仅压抑宗教自由的冰山一角

黄文兴指出，这次马来文版圣经事件举足轻重，它不但对基督教徒，而是所有马来西亚人都有深远的影响。

这次事件只是冰山一角，其实信仰自由的公共空间早已不断面对系统化的压缩，包括佩戴十字架或其他宗教符号、使用宗教字眼、兴建宗教场所都遭遇限制。

他表示，国内基督教徒这次的发声，不仅代表着自己，也代表了所有的马来西亚人。

来源： http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/160107