Christians seething in silence

Anti-Semitism in Malaysia has pushed Christians to a corner and put their leaders in Pakatan Rakyat and in Barisan Nasional in a fix.

COMMENT

While there is now a freewheeling attack against Pakatan Rakyat leader Anwar Ibrahim for his alleged support of Israel, many Malaysian leaders, either in the Barisan Nasional or in the opposition, are not aware that the strong anti-Semitism in Malaysia is putting the Malaysian Christians in an awkward position.

Anti-semitism in Malaysia is a problem and we need to take a sober look at the issue if we truly believe in a just, transparent, and honest national policy on racial and religious integration.

We are being very hypocritical with our attitude when we speak of Malay special rights and go into racial extremism and religious radicalism in the fashion of Perkasa.

We’re supposed to be a peaceful, heterogeneous society promoting inter-racial and inter-religious tolerance and harmony in the name of 1Malaysia.

We are serious about going for interfaith dialogues, legislating the Racial Relations Act, having freedom of religion and so forth.

But the strong anti-Semitic attitude is stoking feelings of resentment and frustration among the already beleaguered Malaysian Christians.

Why the anti-Israel stance? Why the resentment and frustration?

We need to understand clearly that Christians have strong spiritual ties to Israel, ties that go back 4,000 years to Abraham.

Christians in a quandary

Even before the birth of Ishmael and Isaac, the divine covenant between God and Abraham, which would be inherited by his Abraham’s descendants through Isaac, was instituted, as recorded in Genesis 17:4-7: “As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you. I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come…”
Then there is also the commandment for believers to bless, and not to curse, Israel!

PAS’ stance that the very existence of Israel is “haram” puts the Christians in a very awkward position, even more the Christian politicians in Pakatan Rakyat who are in a quandary as to what they should do, or what position they should take, vis-a-vis their spiritual obligations.

How would a parliamentarian in the BN or in a possible Pakatan government decide in a call for votes to censure, or worse, condemn Israel?

Would not a punitive action on a wayward Christian MP be considered a form of religious persecution?
Anwar is taking the balanced approach to the problem by proposing recognition of both Israel and Palestine, perhaps partly for peace in the Middle East.

But PAS is spewing derision and BN is wasting no effort to go on a feeding frenzy at Anwar’s “blunder”
Meanwhile, the Christians in their forgiveness and forbearance restrain from voicing out their regret.
And so, the world knows little or none of their continued frustration.