OCTOBER 29 — St Francis Xavier, Petaling Jaya Parish priest Father Albert Tan during a sermon asked if a person could be secular for the whole week and becomes spiritual the whole of Sunday?
He thinks not possible. We can’t be two persons. But what is possible is to apply our good Catholic or Christian values with all the secular decisions we have to make. By his reasoning all mankind should mostly be able to live happily ever after.
After all, all mainstream religions have identical advocacies — for all to be wholesome and good human beings. Never mind the rituals that differ.
But alas, we have those “holier than thou” to contend with.
Once we could laugh at ourselves
Why have our countrymen become so antagonistic? Disagreeable opinions are taken as affronts. Political differences are seen as personal attacks. Why are some folk continually gripped with this siege mentality?
In the legislatures the order of day is a slugfest of insults. If there are any attempts at “wit”, what we get are assuredly blundering vulgarities.
In 2007, then prime minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi urged the BN backbenchers’ club to raise the bar during parliamentary debates. We know it didn’t work.
I have fine examples to illustrate the class and breeding of our legislators once upon a time; even knowing they’ve been told many times.
“Mr Opposition” Dr Tan Chee Khoon (Opposition leader 1964-78) during a parliament sitting insisted that the High Commissioner to Australia be removed from his post because he went missing for two weeks (purportedly) in the arms of some buxom lady.
The Tunku, true to character, responded, “Let anyone amongst us who is without sin, stand up and cast the first stone.”
After a moment’s pause, noting that Dr Tan was the only one standing, Tunku fired this immortal line, “David Tan Chee Khoon, I really pity you.”
The house roared. Tan took it in his stride (believing the issue would be looked into).
And because Dr Tan is a devout Methodist, he uses quotations from the Bible whenever. Tunku would make digs on how much Tan sounded like a preacher. And as always, all were taken in jest. No one accused Dr Tan of attempted proselytisation. In 1972, prime minister Tun Abdul Razak officiated Dr Tan’s Sentosa Medical Centre opening. Such was the decorum then.
Dr Tan retired from politics in 1978 and was awarded the “Tan Sri” in 1980. He passed on in 1996 aged 77.
Both the government and opposition parties accepted their roles and responsibilities professionally; acutely aware they were mere custodians.
My way or the highway!
Germany is flourishing despite two mad wars, the dastardly iron curtain, and 204 years of Oktoberfest!
Oktoberfest is an important component of the Bavarian culture dated back to 1810. It is a 16-day festival running from late September till the first weekend in October. It has since been celebrated as a tourist attraction in many major cities worldwide.
Last year 6.4 million people visited this fun fest in Munich.
Ours is more of borrowing the Oktoberfest brand for promotion hype.
However, the hue and cry against this year’s event in Petaling Jaya is tantamount to attempts at segregation. When some oddballs chose to view all activities from narrowest perspectives, anything that they disagree runs foul.
There are now louder demands modeling on a mixture of theocracy, racial supremacy and totalitarianism. To each his own is an unheard maxim. Controlling the thoughts and actions of citizens is a legitimate pursuit. Goodness gracious me!
Dr Ahmad Farouk Musa of the Islamic Renaissance Front (IRF) remains steadfast to create space for those against abject dogmatism. Dr Farouk’s crusade, put simply, is to encourage more critical thinking.
Syed Azmi Alhabshi of the recent “touch a dog” event is a hero too, for similar intents. Safwan Anang, Adam Adli and Universiti Malaya Undergraduates Association leader Fahmi Zainol are part of a list getting longer. I see all as addressing a critical Malaysian cause.
I wonder why Barisan Nasional “allows” it to be seen as a Pakatan Rakyat cause?
All forms of evil “isms” have failed, i.e. Nazism, fascism, communism and racism. The Soviet regime has disintegrated and China recognises plurality. Apartheid in South Africa was renounced in 1992 and the Berlin Wall collapsed 25 years ago.
North Korea is the only certifiable basket case left on this earth. Let’s leave it at that.
The Puritans in the 16th and 17th century couldn’t accept that the Church of England was getting too liberal and moving towards what they claim as “man-made” doctrines. To the Puritans, the Bible was God’s true law and was determined to “purify” the church and their way of living. Any views, which do not conform to theirs, were wrong. They got no buy-in.
In the middle 17th century they fled England for America hoping to create a “nation of saints.” This narrative is about events over 400 years ago. Many have learned.
Today, the only Christian theocratic state in the whole world is the Vatican City.
Postscript
Our prime minister had the same theme on the United Nations podium, the Gerakan conference and his Deepavali message — that Malaysia rejected extremism. He also urged his coalition leaders to lead by example in championing moderation. It is long overdue. How about some action too?
Hate speech and criminal intimidation are becoming too commonplace. There is enough in the Penal Code to move in.
I thought one of the best responses without admittance of guilt, or claiming total innocence was when Jody Powell (press secretary to President Jimmy Carter, 1977-81) was asked if he ever lied to the press, during his last press call.
His spontaneous response was, “Never knowingly.”
Noticed how we have stopped laughing in Malaysia? And yet we continue to have more “clowns.” Hahaha!
* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail Online.
