If there is a theologian or enlightened one among you out there, please show me where I have misunderstood or failed to understand this.
I have, in the past 2-3 years, come across various speakers (read: preachers and pastors) whose messages I have struggled to make sense. Some of these involve “prophecies” and I have made an entry on this before, in particular in relation to Nalliah and his misguided “prophecies” about the recent Australian federal elections. Others involve healing and “giftings” which frankly, sound just like some medicine sellers to me.
My problem is this. Whenever I tell someone about my difficulties with understanding (let alone accepting) these teachings, one of the responses I get is “don’t worry, I used to be like that too”. Is time the impediment to a clear understanding? Does understanding come with the passage of time alone? Are those who do not agree with such teachings “behind the 8th ball” somewhat?
Ok – maybe it’s pride but that’s not the point. The point is to provide an explanation, not a sagely and condescending “you will understand in time” response. If one truly understands, surely one can explain? I think the next time I get this response I will hold this person down and insist on an explanation and suggest that no matter how much time passes, he/she doesn’t understand either. That person has merely stopped questioning and accepted everything. That is not understanding. That is quitting. That person has simply thrown up his or her hands and say I give up, I’ll just accept anything. Is this understanding?
Day: January 8, 2008
To Cure Malaysian Racist Government
Shaffie Salleh was the Higher Education Minister of Malaysia. I’m not sure if he still is. Hopefully not but fat chance.
Late in December 2004, he vowed to keep University ITM ethnically pure – ie all Malays – and generally keep Malay population in Malaysian universities not less than 55%. Those were racist things to say, surely? Anyone made any noise? Not really, except Kit Siang. When he did, HE was accused of raising sensitive racial issues. That works only in Malaysia, where Malays can and do say anything they wish but if a Chinese or Indian say or do anything either in response or to point this out, he/she would be accused of carrying out a racially motivated act.
Why are Malay leaders so racist and non-tolerant? I’m really confident that it has everything to do with being a spoilt child. For too long now, the Malay has been told he is special, that he deserves more wealth, more opportunity and more good things in life generally. He has been told that these are his birthright in Malaysia, that he doesn’t need to work for them.
How does one straighten out a spoilt child? I know the cane works. So what is the equivalent of this cane? It has to hurt. It has to remind that spoilt child that every time behaviours resembling a spoilt child are acted out, the pain from the cane would invariably follow. Sort of like a Pavlov effect.
For now, I can think of nothing that resembles the cane more than a straight talking media. I know the baggage that publications like Star and Sun carry, but what is the worst case scenario? Is it that these companies risk losing money by risking their licence if they point out a racist act every time one of those UMNO buffoons commits one? But surely government investment agencies now hold significant shares in these companies so that they too hurt? I recall the Sun recently took steps to privatise its shareholding. So maybe it has more to lose. But is the future of Malaysia too insignificant a benefit to risk such loss?
What other means are available to deal with this spoilt rotten child, if not the media? There must be something out there? Something to inflict pain, so that the lesson is learned. Something to tell buffoons like Shaffie Salleh and others in his herd that they and their behaviours are “unasseptable”…
Ante 