Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Help CF: Government, Politics, Patriotism

John Chung and Dr. Goh Chee Leong

From HELP CF Blog:

Be politically aware – you’re not too young to be.
The students are the conscience of the country – Chee Leong
As citizens, we are in touch with politics every day of our lives. The university students of other countries rose. We can because we’re idealistic. The important thing here is that your passion is not lost.

Recognizing the authority of the government doesn’t mean we follow (blind allegiance). In Paul’s age, the people respectfully disagreed with the government. “You have the right to have the law that I can’t preach but I can choose to disobey that law because of God’s law. You would have to put me into prison but hey, I choose to submit to God’s law”. Here’s principle against God’s law. Stand up when you need. We love the country, yes, we do.

When I’m patriotic, I’m loyal to the country and I fight for the people. When you respect the government, the authority, you do things within the boundaries of the law. Martin Luther King Jr. was a politician. His ministry was politics. His ministry naturally flowed out to his politics.

Very few people have convictions to get into politics. How can we be salt and light to the world when we don’t know our world? You must be aware to be sent. Know what’s happening in your country and in the world – not for knowledge’s sake but for ‘making difference’ sake.

The church was complacent when it came to World War 2. Many Christians closed one eye when they knew. Don’t play ignorance. Open your eyes and respond.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Just to add to the conversation on Christians involvement in politics. One observer said that the phenomenon growth of Christianity in Korea was because the Church was closely engaged with politics.


"Christianity also grew rapidly in Korea as it became closely identified with the Korean independence movement.

Some native Christians were imprisoned by the Japanese for pro-independence activities, including refusing to worship Japan's emperor. Missionaries were seen as supporting the movement."

May be that's one reason why there are 16,ooo Korean missionaries around the world, because their forefathers were willing to pay the price.


However like all things in life, especially spiritual life, we need to be balance. Many believers become sidetracked when they are too involved in the affairs of the world that they forget that they are to please their commanding officer (2 Tim 2).

As bond-slaves of Christ, we do ALL things with a missional intent. So be involve, actively participating in the development of the community. But remember our greater motivation and calling in life is to establish the Kingdom of God, which is to be full of peace, mercy, justice, equality, and many other positive traits.

My 3/4 cents ... receipt please! :))

(Btw, you can read the whole article in my blog)

Anonymous said...

Bringing the missional dimension of peacemaking and solidarity with our nation closer to home, perhaps we could practically stand by our fellow Malaysians who share a muhibbah, multicultural, mutually-respecting vision of Malaysia when sectarian, ethnocentric forces seek to pull it apart? :D