The Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM) in its Merdeka Day message said that the country is “witnessing an escalation in ethnic and religious extremism, where unchecked sectarian forces of hatred and bigotry, often fuelled by misinformation and misinterpretation, lies and inflammatory speeches, are ripping apart the social fabric of our nation that had been built on the principles of moderation and multi-culturalism”.
“If we are to survive as a united nation, if we are to keep hope alive for our common future, we must all resist and oppose these destructive forces,” said the churches.
The pastors are telling their flock and Christians and all Malaysians to summon up the courage and moral will to actively resist “the forces of destruction, hate and violence”.
CFM believes that “all Malaysians truly have cause for concern” in view of the current developments and calls on all peace lovers to recommit themselves to working together “to save Malaysia from the forces of bigotry, religious extremism and racial polarisation”.
Is CFM saying that Malaysia needs to be saved from being ‘destroyed’ by, as one example, their arch enemy Perkasa?
BELOW: From the news archives – 27 Dec 2011
CFM is an umbrella body comprising the Council of Churches of Malaysia (CCM), National Evangelical Christian Fellowship (NECF) and the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Malaysia.
The CFM chairman is Rev. Eu Hong Seng who is also the NECF chairman.
CFM’s Merdeka Day message can be read in full at the NECF website.
(247 words)
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Helen Ang 
“The pastors are telling their flock and Christians and all Malaysians to summon up the courage and moral will to actively resist “the forces of destruction, hate and violence”.
Well who started it? If not for the Allah issue and the Herald, all is calm like Christmas morning.
Then we have the Politician Preist Paul and some people want to Take KL for Jesus (only to receive Take Selangor for Selangorians now!)
Well from the likes our friend Dandy:
Thanks Mulan, but are you not a Christian? Tell us something about your faith so that me & others will not write things that will offend you & people like you.
One day I read a comment by a Chinese in RPK’s blog. He wrote…:jangan cinabeng sana, cinabeng sini. Bukan semua orang cina macam tu”. Not only our country, this blog also needs religious harmony.
Yes. I am a Christian but I am so disappointed with the ultra Kiasu churches these days (the past 2 years) that as REM says “losing my religion”. Nobody cares about charity and doing good things but the church is focusing of real estate, Allah, and politics. The one I hate the most is talking bad about other religions including Catholicism.
Yes. I am in the brink of losing my religion. I have already skipped church on a regular basis. It gets very sick every week the sermon is about collecting money to build a bigger and taller church, pray for Allah, pray for the lost ones (non-Christians including of one main religion) to repent, pay 10% etc. “Good news” is missing in sermons.
I am already getting a life of my Sundays.
I’m really confused. What’s the difference between Christianity and Catholicism? I hope it won’t trouble you [and Helen for having to moderate it] to enlighten us on this subject so that we don’t cross the line when we comment or criticize.
In reality, Christianity and Catholicism is the same. Both religions believe in Jesus.
However today, the Protestants want to be different. The differences:
1. Mother Mary is a key figure in Catholic life; Protestants believe she is just an important Biblical figure. Catholics pray to Mary. Protestants believe you have to pray straight to Jesus.
2. Catholics have the crucifix with Jesus on the cross. There is no Jesus on Protestant crosses as they believe Jesus has gone to heaven.
3. The Pope is the head of the Catholic religion and determines the direction of the faith in all countries of the world. Protestants do not have an all powerful leader. Leaders of the Church (like Elizabeth) are figure heads.
(Protestants came about when Henry VIII divorced the Church when he cannot divorce his wife – see the movie The Other Boleyn Woman if you want to know the history. As the Pope is super powerful, this creates tension between the PRC and Vatican as the PRC does not allow outside forces to interfere with their running.)
4. Catholics believe in Saints – which can be worshiped. Protestants does not allow that. Protestants believe you have to pray straight to Jesus – and not via saints.
Catholics are considered as one denomination of Christianity but with the advent of Evangelists, these people want Catholicism to be a separate religion. Officially in Malaysia, Catholics are Christians.
re: “Henry VIII divorced the Church when he cannot divorce his wife”
Mulan, best lah you! :D
Thanks so much. God bless you!
In orthodox Islam, Muslims may seek the intercession of acknowledged saints – both living and departed – to seek spiritual blessings via the spiritual merit of these pure souls who are beloved to the Lord Most High.
Wahhabi radicals however, base their beliefs on a twisted conception of what “intercession” truly represents, and will condemn such practices as heretical and idolatrous. The Wahhabi dogmatists reject any account of the significant meanings such acts represent to the faithful Muslims who of course should not worship the saints (who are creatures). The seekers hope that with the saints’ unseen spiritual assistance they might be fortunate enough to receive the bounties and pardon of Allah Most High (the Creator).
This has been one of the main divisive issues separating the majority Malay Muslim traditionalists on one side and the Wahhabi and modernist-Islamists on the other, for well over a century.
Notes on sainthood from Imam al-Ghazali’s “Deliverance from Error”:
In general, then, how is a mystic `way’ (tariqah) described? The purity which is the first condition of ii (sc. as bodily purity is the prior condition of formal Worship for Muslims) is the purification of the heart completely from what is other than God Most High, the key to it, which corresponds to the opening act of adoration in prayer, is the sinking of the heart completely in the recollection of God; and the end of it is complete absorption (fana’) in God. At least this is its end relatively to those first steps which almost come within the sphere of human choice and personal responsibility; but in reality in the actual mystic `way’ it is the first step, what comes before it being, as it were, the antechamber for those who are journeying towards it.
With this first stage of the “Way” there begin the revelations and visions. The mystics in their waking state now behold angels and the spirits of the prophets; they hear these speaking to them and are instructed by them. Later, a higher state is reached; instead of beholding forms and figures, they come to stages in the `way’ which it is hard to describe in language; if a man attempts to express these, his words inevitably contain what is clearly erroneous.
In general what they manage to achieve is nearness to God; some, however, would conceive of this as `inherence’ (hulul), some as `union’ (ittihad), and some as `connection’ (wusul). All that is erroneous. In my book, The Noblest Aim, I have explained the nature of the error here. Yet he who has attained the mystic `state’ need do no more than say:
Of the things I do not remember, what was, was;
Think it good; do not ask an account of it.
(Ibn al-Mu’tazz).
In general the man to whom He has granted no immediate experience at all, apprehends no more of what prophetic revelation really is than the name. The miraculous graces given to the saints are in truth the beginnings of the prophets; and that was the first `state’ of the Messenger of God (peace be upon him) when he went out to Mount Hira’, and was given up entirely to. his Lord, and worshipped, so that the bedouin said, “Muhammad loves his Lord passionately”.
Desmond Tutu once said……When the missionaries came to Africa they had the Bible and we had the land. They said ‘Let us pray.’ We closed our eyes. When we opened them we had the Bible and they had the land.
siapa yang jolok sarang tebuan?
Helen,
Malays are not extremis. We believe in moderation. We believes that every human being have the right to live in this land of Allah. Unfortunately today we are seeing some people are encroaching into our way of life and our believes. This cannot be tolerated.
We Malays don’t like violence because violence and chaos will destroy all the things that all of us already have. And this is not good for anybody. The biggest loosers are not the Malays but others.
So if the church don’t want Malays and Muslims to becomes extremis and violence, don’t encroach into our way of lifes.
I hope all those outside there, including those in churches take note and understand this.
Let us built this nation into one of a heaven for averyone to love and enjoy without any violence and anarchy.
Mudah-mudahan Allah selamatkan negara ini dan penduduknya dari orang-orang yang ingin merosakkannya.
re: “Malays are not extremists. We believe in moderation.”
I know :)
Sebab itu tuan tanah Melayu selalu sebut, “biaq pi la, depa pun makhluk Allah juga, depa pun nak hidup”, bila mana ditanya kenapa tanah mereka dibiarkan saja, diduduki secara haram oleh pendatang.
Bumi Allah ni luas, nak hidup aman, kita tak perlu bulldoze saja apa yang ada di depan mata. Tapi sejak PKR, DAP & PAS menang besar, semua ini sudah tinggal sejarah.
PKR dengan politik neo liberal didikan Ketum, agen Amerika. DAP dengan budaya komunis dan kongsi gelap. PAS dengan budaya radikal Syiah dab Wahabbi.
Tiga Serangkai, Buta Perut, Takdak Akai!
Jikalau UMNO merupakan parti paling rasis dlm dunia, ia merupakan parti rasis paling gagal kerana telah gagal memelayukan dan mengislamkan 100% Cina dan India di Malaysia.
So CFM you sepatut rasa bersyukur kerana CFM wujud kerana UMNO yg gagal. Jikalau tidak semuanya sudah bertukar jadi Ahmad, Ali, Abu, Minah, Melor.
What did Hannah Yeo say about this ?.
I would expect her to say: “Popo, why de bad men bully Chrishens? Shay Shay dunno what to do. Heartbreaking.”
lololol
I think she’s having bronchitis; she’s been in silent mode since Khalid’s expulsion from PKR.
Too much dry BKTs?
Panic attack and probably put on stress pills. Don’t be surprised to see her all curvey and slim aft this crisis.
Bukan dia saja.. All of them are getting as confused. One day Tony Pua says this and Guan Eng far yonder still waiting for his Highness Sultan Johore to send him a letter to say that.
Tossing in bed and waking up to hear PAS buat U turn, Anwar and jijah walking hand in hand like new lovers…
Dandy pun terpusing2 fikir pasai Hang Tuah, Hang Jebat..
Too many captains, kapal mereka tunggu masa aje nak karam.
Malaysia save for Gaza
We Muslims means no harm and are willing fully in nature and so are we hoping no harm done within of other people faith in here
Quote
Surah Ay-Kafirun
Say: O unbelievers !
I do not serve that which you serve
Nor do you serve Him Whom I serve
Nor am I going to serve that which you serve
Nor are you going to serve Him Whom I serve
You shall have your religion and shall have my religion
should be: I shall have my religion
how come they could Save Malaysia from bigots and religious extremists if they themselves is a bigots and religious extremists.
Just look what they thought of Rosmah, who getting a title is “Darjah Kebesaran Kerabat Yang DiPertuan Gadih Minang”, meaning that the most supreme princess Minangkabau family
[Facebook]
The gall of these Toonheads is they dare be duplicitous so blatantly, and their followers forgive them for it. Who started it all if not for the stupid insistence to use Allah in churches of Peninsula Malaysia? Who keeps fanning hatred and inciting people with their court actions? Etc etc.
May God be unmerciful on these keparats, and may they all suffer horribly, both in this world and the next.
Ms H. I am mystified. Please let me know who or what are the forces of destruction, hate and violence ?
These forces exist inside everyone.
Fueled by ego and pride.
External means cannot destroy them. Only through internal actions can the world know peace, when the mind is calm, everything is calm.
C72. Why incite all these negative emotions when these are lying dormant inside our bodies as you say? Why the perpetrators or instigators arouse these evil emotions in otherwise happy, kind and friendly Malaysians? I have never seen or heard such mischievous acts before the advent of the Web. Is all these something to do with money, money, money?
http://therealsingapore.com/content/city-harvest-church-member-i-am-very-disappointed-pastor-kong-hee
Has faith truly blinded the City Harvest Church goers? To use a church as a vehicle to profit one’s other financial interests is unethical if the charges against Kong Hee are proven true by the Singapore Judicial System.
According to Pastor Kong Hee, God cried and apologized to Kong Hee for not being there for him. Will Christianity ever be the same again after this entire soap opera?
http://therealsingapore.com/content/god-cries-and-says-sorry-city-harvest-church-founder-pastor-kong-hee
http://therealsingapore.com/content/depth-analysis-wealth-city-harvest-church
Multi-level-marketing evangelism at its terrible best!
What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world only to lose his own soul?
re: “What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world only to lose his own soul?”
Hmmm … decisions, decisions.
Does she want the Prada or does she want to save her soul?
The Prada is prettier! She’ll take the handbag.
Re: The Prada is prettier! She’ll take the handbag
Let’s analyse her options to “upgrade” herself:
1) Plastic surgery – not feasible as later Shay Shay won’t recognise mummy. Anyways, she may end up with some ugly scars.
2) Lose weight – Too much time expended in the gym which will mean too little time to catch rats or visit mosques or do Sunday preaching. And those bowls of delish bak kut teh are just too irresistible.
3) Jimmy Choos or Christian Loubotins – Too dangerous. Given her horizontal and vertical numbers, using stilettos, more so designer ones would, to borrow Maria Sharapova’s words be like “cow on ice”.
So obviously the Prada wins. Least effort which would suit her ever expanding horizon, I mean waistline. After GE 14, would prolly be a Chanel. And later a Hermes perhaps after Putrajaya has fallen ?
Ms H. I used to own the KL Prada franchise if only she was born then !