Sunday, 13th Feb 2011
The Christian Federation of Malaysia has stressed that Valentine’s Day is a secular observance which Roman Catholics and Protestants do not commemorate as a religious festival.
ts chairman Bishop Ng Moon Hing said Christians in Malaysia were hurt by statements made which linked Valentine’s Day to sins and Christianity.
Even though he did not mention specifically Siti Bahayah's name, but the public knows that Siti Bahayah on Feb 15, 2009, was reported to have warned Muslim youth against celebrating Valentine's Day as the occasion has been linked with "immoral activities, discoing, couples meeting in private," which she said "were traditions of the Christian community."
She was made popular because of her book entitled Cakar Harimau!
Such comment should not be allowed air publicly especially in a multi-racial nation like Malaysia. Siti Bahayah a well-known Islamic motivator who was made popular by her ":Cakar Harimau techniques" should be banned from appear in the televisions for such sensitive remarks.
Just imagine if any christians ever made such sensitive remark that link Islam to immoral activities in Malaysia. I am believe that such person will be detained under ISA.
In condemning the National Fatwa Council, the Council of Churches of Malaysia also said the Council had erred in its inference that Valentine’s Day was a Christian observance.
Its general-secretary Rev Dr Herman Shastri said: “Although the word ‘Valentine’ draws some connection to St Valentine, church authorities have not endorsed the connection, be it Roman Catholic or Protestant.”
On Thursday, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom said the National Fatwa Council had decreed in 2005 that Muslims should refrain from celebrating Valentine’s Day as it was not part of Islamic practices.
The Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) launched an anti-Valentine’s Day campaign last night.
It also held a discourse on “Beware of Valentine’s Day Trap” during the launch in Putrajaya.
Jakim director-general Datuk Wan Mohamad Sheikh Abdul Aziz, in explaining Jakim’s call for Muslims to stay away from Valentine’s Day celebrations, said: “Islam promotes love and affection between people. There is nothing wrong in expressing it but when it crosses the boundary of decency, then we have to advise the young to stay away.”
Flyers were distributed to university students to remind them of the negative impact of Valentine’s Day.
Sermons delivered at mosques in the Federal Territory and Selangor during the Friday prayers yesterday also called on Muslims not to celebrate the occasion.
PAS Youth chief Nasrudin Hassan Tantawi said the wing would continue campaigning against Valentine’s Day celebration, adding that “we will not abandon our mission to save the younger generation from committing sins.”
Today, Malaysia made the headlines again in the international scene. I view this with growing concern as intolerance escalates within our shores. Let me try to put perspective into this whole issue.
Firstly, to reject any religious view (whether Islam or other religions), or any other worldview, equates that one prefers another view of reality. We always make judgements about almost everything, in contrary with our views. Nobody in this world may dictate, “I don’t know if my views are right but I certainly know that you are wrong.” This is because we believe that other person’s view is wrong and ours is ultimately correct.
Secondly, no one can claim to provide an end on the explanation of the nature of reality. However, not knowing everything about reality should not be used as an excuse to believe anything we want to. No views in this world provide any comprehensive answer. All of us harbor some biases believing in what we do, but that is not a valid reason to believe it’s truth claims.
Thirdly and most important of all, all beliefs are not equal. Tensions between differing religious views have existed since the dawn of time. But here the need to exercise tolerance towards others’ beliefs does not mean that one has to champion the illogical idea that all views are equally true. Every religion, like all belief systems, are exclusive in the manner that it asserts its claims are true. There is nothing wrong in believing with what is true and false.
We should understand by now that real differences exist between all Malaysians (and the rest of the world) that tolerance is necessary and also a virtue. The definition on tolerance that we belief in is ‘being tolerance of all views’. To me, real tolerance is equated with ‘putting up with errors’. We should also come to terms that all beliefs are not made to be equal.
My fellow Malaysians, it is your call now.
http://rajeshcalais.wordpress.com