The Micah Mandate (mandat Mikha)

commentary

2008-08-26

A RESPONSE TO “MOVING ON NEUTRAL?”

by TAN SRI RAMON NAVARATNAM

Yes I agree that life is about involvement. Its about service to “glorify God and to do his purpose.” It is to testify to his good news and his good works - and not to be just neutral.

Indeed that has been the failing of our church in Malaysia or should I say the majority of our members of the church of Christ. I’ll go so far as to say that we are in this position of marginalisation and retreat because we have been too neutral too long. So we deserve what we get and let’s not just grumble and groan and give up - even in our prayers! Christian leadership is slow to lead and respond to our challenges because they have a tradition of hear nothing, see nothing and speak nothing. Worse still perhaps most of us even do nothing!

We find the lame excuse that we will go under the ISA! Why do we think that we are so important that anyone wants to take us in? Are we such big fish and not really small fish as the writer has said!? Why can’t we testify to the truth in a civil way with God’s guidance. After all Jesus spoke up and died for us and we can’t even speak out with conviction and some courage?

What kind of Christians are we - just Sunday Christians? That’s my poor excuse for not being a regular church-goer! I find many sermons out of sync with our real purpose in life (please read A Purpose-driven Life - by Rick Warren).

Indeed there must be balance. But as the writer has said very rightly - we have to speak up and do God’s work fearlessly in the real world of strife , and not only in the hallowed confines of the church where we can become complacent and selfish and self righteous!

Our excessive silence has brought us to the position of disrespect for our faith and the full freedom to practice our religions without any kind of discrimination. We are to blame for our sin of omission just as others (who have moved to restrict us) have to answer for their sins of commission.

What are we afraid of? Can millions be incarcerated? Or are we finding excuses to just have a good life for ourselves, make plenty of money and squander it all before we are called up yonder where we can’t even take with us one cent in whatever currency?

If I was against Christianity or an intolerant person, I’d be happy that the churches have taken a lot of nonsense and have been relatively placid and submissive to my acts of abuse against their precious human right of religious freedom.

Its true that we Christians have given the impression over time that we have been self-centered and irrelevant to socio-economic and political development in our country, except for brave leaders like Tan Sri Tan Chee Koon and several others. But they have been few and far between. Whence cometh more?

Somehow the church has built up the tradition that it should not be involved in public debate on the policy issues but that we should be concerned at most with some small charity events at the most. Have I got that right?

I offered a reward to the church that registered the highest number of voters – but got no response. I was surprised and discouraged. I asked myself - have we become a soft and tidak apa Christian community?

The church has to unite and follow Christ’s advice in the bible to fulfill our purpose on earth and not only our individual wellbeing. Unless we do so soon enough, we will be pushed to the wall by negative forces and we will surely fade away.

Yes, as the writer has said, we need to go on full gear and move forward to serve God’s purpose for us with dedication and determination. We need to take the straight and narrow paths and not find refuge in cosy corners of the church.

We will increasingly find that we will get what we deserve in the future. So let’s sow our seeds on the fertile ground and not on the hard rock. Let’s use all our talents to achieve God’s purpose and glory.

A RESPONSE TO “MOVING ON NEUTRAL?”

Comments

Submit a comment