Of faith and friendship

desiderata.truth

I seldom write on faith and religion, especially on a particular religion, for I believe if you are a "small man", do not venture into territory where angels fear to tread. I will only take part in discourses in general relating to faith, which has been always a "personal" matter of each individual's heart.

Two news-related items prompted me to make it an exception, and today's piece may rufffle some feathers, but writers must necessary ruffle some feathers, if not some hides, so here goes.

Mackzulkifli, my new friend whom I have not met but he has addressed me as among his brethren, and I have responded calling him "brudder", so I guess calling him my "friend" is a natural progression in goodwill.

Mack in his post today titled The scarlett letter and Inter Faith Commission (Visit him at BrandMalaysia.com) recalls some of my sentiments which I expressed in one Conversation hotly discussed at Screenshots following the Government's announcement of its decision to "postpone" the formation of the IFC. Mack had listed some features of what faith is about. Among others, Mack said said: "We really need to make friends, otherwise, we will have too many commissions to take care of our animosities, which is the fundamental reason to have a Commission in the first place."

I concur also with Pak Lah's reiteration on March 24, 2005, as reported by theSun last Friday, that the government's decision to postpone the formation of the IFC should not be seen as a setback to enhancing and promoting inter-religious understanding among the various religious groups. He added that the government had taken into account the views of all parties, including those who supported as well as those who were against the formation.

In the Conversation I referred to earlier, I here recap some of my viewpoints: that all religious groups could carry on their dialogues in any forums or channels, whatever name they wish to call it, IF RoundTable, Initiative, Forum or Commission, I really don't care. What I am afraid of is that when a group tries to involve the top national leaders into any initiative, often it raises the endeavour to a political baby, hence "attracting" questionable band-wagoners. I had posed the question: do you really need the Prime Minister or his deputy to be involved, do you want to see a Tun,Tan Sri, Datuk Seri, or their spouses to feature prominently among the IFC, or are these initiators aspiring to join the ranks of those with honorifics preceding their names beyond the normal Encil or Dr.? All too often, the common man already feels so small attending functions featuring too many of these titled personages, would we want to add one more?

Hey, remember, faith is a highly personal "matter of the heart", don't institutionalise it too much. We already have the temple, the church, the masjid -- let's not add more legislation to our already much "legislated" life! We just have too many such bodies, I won't name them lest I ruffle more feathers and hides -- they include many half dead ones too, mainly associated with just one or two dominating figures who treat it as their personal domain instead of promoting the organisation's expressed cause.

I wish to join Mack's expressed wish to see the formation of a Friendship Commission, at a personal level in our daily living.

A group of media friends and I have been meeting once a month at dinner to chat, yak, pick brains, whatever. It's just meeting up away from the work environment, and although most were involved in media-related, we sometimes "coopt" a friend or two from outside the media, like a banker,a scientist or a diplomat, as our guests. I have even brought a Malay consultant, though he could not join the "main meal", he lingered for some two hours at after-dinner drinks.

To these mates, I had once composed a poem to mark the occasion, done in a jiffy of ten minutes, yes, that quick when a writer has his inspiration, which follows:

Just Friends


A generous spread on a round table

Juicy lamb, roasted to a golden sheen

Oyster-sauced kailan, teased with Chinese wine

Healthily washed dwon with vintage Le Cordon Bleu

But what's all these food and drinks worth?

If not for the boisterous crowd

Of back-slapping mates dating back a decade

And new friends welcomed as our guests

Growing richer and wiser with passing years

Like good old wine, Chinese or French

So cheers to hearty and sincere company

The meal might just as well be mere entree

Or one main course

Or just desserts

It matters not really the dish

What's really cooking, whetting

Is your presence, old chap,

Camaraderie

Among just

Friends.

I write this "With malice towards none, and charity towards all for the common good."