Rilek1Corner

Tag: Christian

  • Paderi Kagum Etika Nilai Anakanya Yang Peluk Islam

    Paderi Kagum Etika Nilai Anakanya Yang Peluk Islam

    Paderi Gereja England yang juga cendekiawan antara agama, Profesor Graham Ward, dari Universiti Oxford mengakui pernah disebut sebagai “ayah yang gagal” apabila anak perempuannya mengambil keputusan memeluk Islam.

    Ahli akademik unggul itu memberitahu hadirin dalam syarahan perdana anjuran Pertubuhan Antara Agama (IRO) bertajuk Pluralisme Agama dan Kepelbagaian Budaya di Auditorium Ngee Ann Kongsi Universiti Pengurusan Singapura (SMU) baru-baru ini:

    “Apabila anak perempuan saya mengumumkan keputusannya memeluk Islam, sebahagian anggota keluarga datang kepada saya dan bertanya, ‘Apa dah jadi dengan kamu ini? Kamu berkelakuan buruk sebagai seorang ayah’,” singkap Profesor Ward.

    Ketika ditanya apakah reaksi pertama beliau dan isteri, Cik Mary Ward, dengan keputusan puterinya itu, Profesor Regius Ketuhanan Universiti Oxford berusia 60 tahun itu, dalam satu pertemuan berasingan di lobi Hotel Fairmont, menambah:

    “Kami berasa lega. Ini kerana kami mahu anak perempuan kami berkahwin dengan seorang yang percaya pada agama. Ia penting dalam beliau menjalani kehidupan yang bermutu dan beretika.”

    Sepanjang wawancara selama setengah jam itu, berulang kali Profesor Ward melahirkan kekaguman beliau dengan cara kehidupan anaknya, Cik Rachel Ward, 29 tahun, dan menantunya, Encik Muhammad Yazeed Adams, 32 tahun, di Cape Town, Afrika Selatan.

    Cik Ward, yang kini bertugas sebagai ketua penggubal dasar, Suruhanjaya Hak Asasi Manusia di Afrika Selatan, mula bertemu Encik Muhammad Yazeed, yang bertugas dalam bidang risiko korporat, semasa Cik Ward menjalani program latihan amali dalam bidang hak asasi manusia selama tiga bulan di Cape Town.

    “Saya paderi di gereja, maka saya lihat mutu kehidupan seseorang itu. Ia bukan setakat apa yang seseorang itu kata. Ramai yang daripada kepercayaan berbeza boleh berkata macam-macam. Tetapi apakah kehidupan mereka yang sebenar?” tanya beliau dengan nada penuh tenang.

    Bersama suaminya, Cik Rachel, seorang Sarjana Falsafah Undang-Undang Hak Asasi Manusia di Universiti Cape Town, dan dijadual melahirkan anak ketiganya dalam masa sebulan lagi, membesarkan anak sulung, Iriyana, lima tahun; dan Ali, tiga tahun; dengan cara Islam.

    Profesor Ward, yang turut mempunyai apartmen sendiri dalam lingkungan masyarakat Islam di Bo-Kaap, sebuah daerah di Cape Town, berkata apabila di sana, beliau yang mengakui gemar memasak, akan menyiapkan juadah halal buat keluarganya.

    “Apabila saya masak saya diberitahu agar masak lebih kerana mereka mahu mengagihkan makanan tersebut.

    “Jika mereka mahu membuang makanan sekalipun, mereka akan berdoa bersama sebelum makanan itu dibuang. Saya amat tertarik dengan amalan sebegitu iaitu adanya rasa hormat pada makanan sedangkan terlalu banyak pembaziran berlaku di seluruh dunia,” akui beliau.

    Apabila mereka menjamu selera di restoran sekalipun, baki makanan akan dibungkus. Ia kemudian diberikan kepada orang jalanan.

    “Inilah mutu hidup penuh kasih sayang tanpa mengira apa jua kepercayaan,” kata Profesor Ward yang turut menyaksikan sendiri kehidupan anaknya semasa Ramadan – bangun sahur dan berbuka bersama keluarga.

    “Saya ikut berpuasa bersama mereka walaupun Rachel tidak menyuruhnya. Saya melakukannya kerana saya mahu memahaminya sendiri. Ternyata ia amat sukar!” akui beliau sambil ketawa.

    Toleransi antara agama apatah lagi dalam keluarga adalah penting.

    “Generasi saya mungkin tidak ada isu dengannya, tetapi tidak bagi generasi sebelumnya.

    “Ibu mentua saya pada awalnya sukar menerima keputusan Rachel. Saya dan isteri kemudian menerbangkan beliau ke Cape Town untuk meluangkan masa bersama anak kami agar beliau dapat lihat sendiri tiada apa yang perlu dirisaukan. Beliau gembira dan berpuas hati,” tambahnya.

    Bagi Profesor Ward sendiri penerimaan perbezaan dapat turut dilihat dalam keluarga menantunya.

    “Yazeed akan memandu dan menghantar saya ke gereja di Cape Town dan ibu Yazeed pula akan memberitahu saya bila waktu sembahyang di gereja akan diadakan. Inilah hubungan kekeluargaan yang sebenar dalam menerima perbezaan.

    “Inilah asas kehidupan yang beretika dalam beragama. Setiap individu bermaruah dan suci,” kata Profesor Ward yang turut ikut duduk di masjid dan mengakui berasa tenang di dalamnya.”

     

    Source: http://beritaharian.sg

  • Christian Bakers Who Declined To Make Cake For Gay Wedding Ordered To Pay $135,000 To Lesbian Couple

    Christian Bakers Who Declined To Make Cake For Gay Wedding Ordered To Pay $135,000 To Lesbian Couple

    GRESHAM, Ore. — The owners of a Christian bakery in Oregon have officially been ordered to pay $135,000 in damages to two lesbians who claimed that they suffered emotionally after they were told that the bakery could not make a cake for their ceremony because of their convictions not to participate in others’ sins.

    As previously reported, Aaron and Melissa Klein operate Sweet Cakes by Melissa in Gresham, which is now operated from the couple’s home after the Kleins’ shut their doors due to harassment. In January 2013, Aaron was approached by a mother and her daughter as the two were interested in a cake for the daughter’s upcoming wedding—to her lesbian partner.

    “My first question was what’s the wedding date,” Klein told television station KTW in Portland. “My next question was [the] bride and groom’s name. … The girl giggled a little bit and said, ‘It’s two brides.’”

    He then informed the women that the bakery does not make cakes for homosexual events.

    “I apologized for wasting their time and said that, unfortunately, we do not do same-sex marriages,” Klein explained.

    The women left Sweet Cakes upset about the incident, and later, one of them filed a complaint with the state. The Oregon attorney general’s office soon launched an investigation against the Klein’s as the state’s non-discrimination laws prevent public accommodations from being denied to any individual on the basis of “race, color, religion, sex [or] sexual orientation.”

    But Klein states that he regularly serves homosexuals. He believes that there is a difference between serving homosexuals in general and having to personally facilitate same-sex ceremonies, which is an act of participation.

    “I have customers come in almost on a weekly basis that are homosexual,” he said. “They can buy my stuff. I sell stuff. I talk with them. That’s fine. … This was not the first time we’ve served these girls.”

    “We were being asked to participate in something that we could not participate in,” Klein’s wife, Melissa, noted.

    Some Christians believe that being a part of a same-sex event violates the biblical command in 1 Timothy 5:22 not to be “partakers in other men’s sins,” as well as the command in Ephesians 5:7, “Be not ye therefore partakers with them.”

    In February, a judge with the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries ruled that the Christian bakers are guilty of discrimination for declining to make the cake, thus moving the matter into the sentencing phase. The Kleins had expressed concern prior to the ruling that if they were forced to pay a fine for declining the cake over their Christian convictions, the penalty would “definitely” bankrupt the family.

    In April, Alan McCullough, an administrative judge with the bureau, recommended a fine of $135,000, with one of the women receiving $75,000 and the other $60,000. Prosecutors had sought damages of $75,000 each.

    The two women, who have been identified as Rachel Cryer and Laurel Bowman, submitted individual lists of just under 100 aspects of suffering in order to receive the damages. They included “acute loss of confidence,” “doubt,” “distrust of men,” “distrust of former friends,” “excessive sleep,” “discomfort,” “high blood pressure,” “impaired digestion,” “loss of appetite,” “migraine headaches,” “loss of pride,” “mental rape,” “resumption of smoking habit,” “shock” “stunned,” “surprise,” “uncertainty,” “weight gain” and “worry.”

    But the Kleins told the court that they too had suffered because of the attacks that they received over their desire to live out their Christian faith in the workplace. They stated that they endured “mafia tactics” as their car was vandalized and broken into on two occasions, their vendors were harassed by homosexual advocates resulting in some businesses breaking ties with them, and they received threatening emails wishing rape, death and Hell upon the family. As a result, they had to close their business and move it into their private home.

    This week, the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries accepted McCollough’s recommendation and fined the Kleins $135,000.

    “This case is not about a wedding cake or a marriage,” the final order, written by Commissioner Brad Avakian, read. “It is about a business’s refusal to serve someone because of their sexual orientation. Under Oregon law, that is illegal.”

    The Kleins told commentator Todd Starnes that they are disappointed by the order and plan to appeal.

    “We were just running our business the best we could—following the Lord’s example,” Melissa Kelin stated. “I’m just blown away by the ruling. They are punishing us for not participating in the wedding.”

    Aaron Klein vowed to fight Avakian in court.

    “This man has no power over me,” he said. “He seems to think he can tell me to be quiet. That doesn’t sit well with me and I refuse to comply.”

    Sweet Cakes by Melissa had served Cryer and Bowman for all other orders at their bakery, and even considered the women to be their friends.

    Source: http://christiannews.net

  • Malaysian Court Orders Return Of Allah CDs To Sarawakian Christian

    Malaysian Court Orders Return Of Allah CDs To Sarawakian Christian

    PUTRAJAYA, June 23 ― The Court of Appeal today ordered the Home Ministry to return the eight compact discs containing the word “Allah” to Jill Ireland Lawrence Bill within a month, chalking a win for the Sarawakian Christian after a seven-year legal battle.

    “Consequent to our order in affirming relief, we will grant application by applicant that the publication be released within one month,” Datuk Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat, the judge heading the Court of Appeal’s three-man panel, said.

    The other judges are Datuk Seri Zakaria Sam and Datuk Abang Iskandar Abang Hashim.

    Jill Ireland’s lawyer Lim Heng Seng later confirmed, however, that the government can still apply for a stay of the order to release the CDs.

    But Lim said any application for a stay will be contested.

    “They can always apply on the grounds they are asking for leave to appeal to the Federal Court and the court will decide whether there are special circumstances to deny Jill Ireland the right to use her CDs.

    “She has been denied long enough, since 2008. So it will be contested if they ask for stay. Jill Ireland should be allowed to have her CDs,” he told reporters after the court’s decision, adding that the Melanau native from Sarawak needed the Christian materials for her personal study.

    Government lawyer Shamsul Bolhassan confirmed that he will have to wait for instructions on whether to file an appeal.

    Rev Dr Justin Wan, the president of SIB Sarawak, expressed hope that the case will finally be settled when the CDs are returned to church member Jill Ireland.

    “We will go another round until they complete (it),” he said when asked about the possibility of the government filing an appeal at the Federal Court and again withholding the CDs.

    The government had previously applied to keep the CDs despite a High Court defeat and pending the outcome of the appeal today.

    On May 11, 2008, the Home Ministry confiscated eight CDs bearing the word “Allah” from Jill Ireland at the Sepang airport upon her return from Indonesia, prompting her to file for judicial review in August the same year against the Home Minister and government of Malaysia.

    Last July 21, High Court judge Datuk Zaleha Yusof ruled that the Home Ministry was wrong to detain the CDs based on a point of law, also ordering the government to return the CDs and pay RM5,000 in legal costs.

    But the Home Ministry appealed on July 22 against the ruling, while Jill Ireland filed an appeal on August 18 as the High Court did not address constitutional issues that were raised in her judicial review application.

    Jill Ireland had sought declarations that it is her constitutional right to import publications in the practice of Christianity and that she is entitled to use the word “Allah”, among other matters.

     

    Source: www.themalaymailonline.com

  • Why A Devout Catholic Is Fasting During Ramadan

    Why A Devout Catholic Is Fasting During Ramadan

    As the executive director of Interfaith Worker Justice, a national organization that builds power with workers through faith-rooted organizing and advocacy, my faith and values are what ground me and call me to do this work. I’m Catholic and feel deeply connected to my faith, which has been a constant presence in my life, and is the core to who I am.

    I know that the joy, hope and love I feel within my faith is no different from the joy, hope and love others experience within their own faith tradition. I feel this way because we share a set of common core values, such as respect, dignity, dedication, sacrifice and love.

    It is because of these shared values that I’ve decided to join my Muslim friends as they fast from sunup to sundown during this holy month of Ramadan. I also join them in embracing the blessings one receives during such an important time of fasting, charity, prayer and introspection.

    Fasting during Ramadan is not just about fasting from food but also from the things that can take us away from being our best selves, such as gossip, insults, lies, negativity & disrespect for others. Ramadan helps us look inward by challenging and encouraging us to be better people, by being more conscious and aware of our place in the world and how we relate to those around us.

    In my Catholic tradition I have fasted many times and have seen the benefits of choosing to go without in order to focus on what’s inside. Fasting helps make space for other things to come into greater focus, such as a deeper connection with those less fortunate, a greater emphasis on my relationship with God and being more disciplined about the choices I make.

    Similarly, fasting during Ramadan is as much about filling ourselves with prayer, empathy and love as it is about fasting from the things that separate us from our true nature. It is through Ramadan’s intentional sacrifice of food that we are fed an abundant spiritual buffet.

    Ramadan also gives us an opportunity to be more charitable to others. But it’s more than just about giving alms to the poor — it’s about broadening our awareness and understanding of the systems that make and keep them poor. More importantly, it is about deepening our connection with those less fortunate.

    We practice real empathy and compassion by reaching out and seeking to understand why people struggle, and acting on it. “Why are they hungry?” “Why are they homeless?” By asking these questions we also challenge ourselves to think of what we can do: “How can I do the most good for the most people?” “How do I impact the real problem and make ongoing change happen?”

    Fasting and Prayer

    As someone once told me; “Fasting without prayer is just going hungry.” How true! Many Muslims pray fives times a day, and especially during Ramadan. Prayer feeds the soul and helps sustain the meaning behind the fast.

    Several years ago, I was walking through the Minneapolis airport and saw a young airport worker go into a corner and pull out a small rug to pray. He wasn’t trying to draw attention to himself, but he caught my eye anyway. I was moved by his act of devotion, discipline and love. I then asked myself, “Why don’t I do that?” “Is my faith enough of a priority that I go out of my way to pray to make room for it?” Inspired by the young Muslim man’s public display of faith and prayer, I began to pray the Chaplet of the Divine Mercy at 3 p.m everyday, regardless of where I was. Now I also include my morning prayers, Rosary and evening prayers each day. The young man’s powerful example has inspired and challenged me to deepen my own faith and be a better Catholic.

    It is through sharing experiences and practices that we discover we have more in common than we have differences. One of the many values that we have in common is a shared sense of respect for workers and the value of the work they produce. Across faith traditions, the teachings are clear: respect workers and treat them fairly, as we would want to be treated, or even better. Kind of sounds like a golden rule doesn’t it? For good reason, as we all do better when we all do better.

    So as I begin Ramadan in honor of the values that it represents, I am filled with humility and gratitude for this blessed opportunity to deepen my relationship with God and those around me. It will give me chance to turn down the noise and focus on what’s most important in my life and once again, help me to be a better Catholic.

     

    Source: www.huffingtonpost.com

  • Francis Micah Law: Not A Mistake For My Father To Bail Amos And Offer Second Chance

    Francis Micah Law: Not A Mistake For My Father To Bail Amos And Offer Second Chance

    So in the recent weeks I’ve been bombarded with many questions about Amos Yee in regards to my father, Vincent Law.

    “Why did your dad do it?” “Have you met Amos?” “How do you feel about the allegations that Amos made against you dad?”

    Not wanting to jeopardise my reputation for fear of my future, I had decided to stay silent. However, after reading Amos’ latest post, I feel it is time my selfishness came to an end. Amos claimed that nobody but himself knew what was going on? Well, now there’s me.

    So let’s begin with “Why did you dad do it?”

    My dad did it because he saw a brilliant boy who needed a second chance. He didn’t care for the publicity, he wasn’t “jealous” that Amos was getting all the attention. All he wanted was to help Amos out of his predicament.

    In many ways, my dad treated Amos almost like a son. While he may have seemed hard on Amos in front of him, my dad stood up for Amos in more ways than one. Whenever the press questioned him, he would never put Amos down, always painting a positive portrayal of Amos in hopes that that would improve the public opinion of Amos. I’m not saying that my father is right in raising his voice at Amos, but he did it because he cared for him and wanted to fulfil is role as a bailor. Part of my father’s conditions as a bailor was to keep in contact with Amos every 24 hours, which, I must add, Amos wasn’t very compliant to.

    There was once Amos came over to my place, he stared long and hard at a luggage tag in the shape of those green aliens from Toy Story 2. Convinced that Amos really liked it, my dad would look through every shop he passed by that might sell the luggage tag. While he did manage to find and purchase a figurine, he never had a chance to give it to him because Amos had already gone and broke his bail terms.

    Which leads me to the next question, “Have you met Amos?”

    It was about 9 in the morning on the first Saturday after my father had bailed Amos out. I was awoken by loud discussions coming from the living room. Annoyed by the noises I opened my door, and, lo and behold, it was Amos Yee in his pyjamas sitting on my couch.

    I still remember his first words to me after we introduced ourselves to each other.

    “Hey Francis, your father is a great man. He bailed me out of jail!” With a wide grin on his face.

    After I had brushed my teeth, I returned to the living room to see that my brother was receiving the same greetings I had just a few minutes ago.

    “Hey Frederick, your father is a great man!” he repeated.

    After-which we all sat down and had a chat about his plans for the future as well as our personal thoughts on education and film. I would say we all had a pretty good time. In that space, we all respected each other’s opinions which I was something I really appreciated.

    Just before he left (and stared at the luggage tag), he turned around and said, “You know Vincent, I wasn’t so sure about this before, but this was quite nice. We should do this again sometime.”

    So yes, I have met Amos.

    And of course, “How do you feel about the allegations Amos made against your dad?”

    I would be lying if I said I wasn’t angry. In fact, I had half a mind to take legal action against him as well. That’s my father he was defaming!

    Then again, no one makes the best decisions when they’re angry so I decided to calm down before taking any further action.

    Disclaimer: Before reading this next portion, I would like you to know that I am not using this post to promote my faith. Everything I’m writing is merely my opinion and you have every right to disagree with me.

    After I taken a step back and looked at the situation in its totality, I decided there really was no point in me retaliating in anger.

    In his post, Amos referred to Mark 3:29. Well, let me quote two passages in the Bible that explains my reaction to his allegations.

    Matthew 5:44 “But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you”
    Mark 12:31 “The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

    As a Christian myself, I believe that responding in love instead of hatred would not only be a more peaceful solution, but a more constructive one as well. I could take legal action against him, get him and the media to apologise and so forth, or I could just forgive him and find an alternative solution to protecting my father’s reputation.

    Once again, I’d like to stress that I’m not trying to impose my faith on the reader through this post, I’m merely stating my side of the story that wouldn’t be complete without including my beliefs.

    At the end of the day, no man is perfect, my father included. We all make mistakes and bad choices. However, my father’s choice in bailing Amos out was not a mistake. I firmly believe that he was right to offer Amos a second chance and I fully support my father in this matter.

    I hope that this post clears the air up a bit on the issue pertaining to my father’s tenure as Amos’ bailor. If anyone has any questions regarding what I said above, please do not hesitate to contact me.

     

    Source: Francis Micah Law