OMG, Pastoral Mis-Messengers Desi'd Would Like ...

To Gift a Poem, by Post-end, Ms Patience is also a pretty virtuous damsel, seldom in distress.

I always subscribe to the dictum Don't Shoot The Messenger!
Like journalists or bloggers who cary the bad news, and the recipeints are from the Government, especially highly-sensitive, UMNO bench. But when it comes to false prophets, I lay a 11-foot pole between Desi (and loved ones) and such misguided teachers.

Normally tis is one territory I won't venture into on weak dies, and I dare ruminate on such lofty things on Sundays when I'm more up (or down) to it.
But I can't resist copying&pasting from The Star today, page N8, headed:

Pastor under probe

Police act on complaints against independent church


KUALA LUMPUR: The pastor of an independent church here is being investigated by the police following allegations of intimidation, deception and wrong teachings by several of its former followers.

Church bodies are also outraged over claims by the pastor that female members can be made more attractive and have better physique through his “miracle healings.”

The church, which allegedly has RM62.9mil in its accounts, has been under scrutiny by the Council of Churches of Malaysia (CCM) and the National Evangelical Christian Fellowship (NECF).

The two church groups confirmed that they had received complaints from members including receiving the recording of a sermon by the pastor, which was “clearly against the proper teachings of mainstream church groups.”

The church, originally set up in Banting in 1986, now occupies the whole floor of a building here.

Sentul OCPD Asst Comm K. Kumaran confirmed that a report was lodged on July 12 and that the police have begun investigating the case.

He said the case had been classified under Section 298A of the Penal Code, which involved causing disharmony, disunity or feelings of enmity, hatred or ill will or prejudicing the maintenance of harmony or unity on grounds of religion.


United front: Former members of the independent church with copies of the police reports they filed against the pastor and the church.
NECF secretary-general Wong Kim Kong also confirmed the complaints, saying: “The church in question is not a member of NECF or any other mainstream Christian body.”

A CCM official expressed concern at the goings-on of the church, which claims to have 1,000 members.

The pastor, in his 50s, is said to have been sacked from a mainstream church several years ago for making sermons which went against the teachings of the normal church bodies.

In their police reports, the ex-members claimed that family members were not talking to one another, women were made to strip “to confirm” that God had given them a better, fuller figure and followers were asked to drink seven to eight cans of carbonated drinks to cure sore throats.

“My son still talks to me on the phone, but he doesn’t visit. Our daughter-in-law and grandchildren don’t visit us,” Theodore Tan, 64, who also lodged police reports, told The Star.

Liza Yeong, 50, said she did not visit or even answer phone calls from her parents or sisters for the 10 years she was with the church.

“If anything bad happened, even though I wasn’t involved, the pastor would single me out, scold me and ask if I had talked to my relatives,” said Yeong.

Belinda Chong, 47, said women were constantly promised better, fuller figures, larger breasts and firmer buttocks by the pastor who would call out at random to female church members before praying over the specific body parts.

The women would then go into a room and strip in front of 15 other women members who would act as witnesses while another woman member inspected the particular body parts to confirm that God had bestowed the miracle upon them.

“Whatever he said, you had to believe. If you did not, he would scare you by saying that God would punish you,” said Chong, adding that even a 70-year-old grandmother was asked to go on stage to get her breasts “lifted”.

Former member Seong Hon Siong said the group of 40 ex-members approached the media with their complaints because they still had family members attending the church.

The allegations from the former members were backed up with recordings of the pastor’s sermons, which included statements that the pastor himself was the Son of God and that members should not mix with those who were not from the church.

Much of the recordings also concentrated on berating church members and the promise of hell if the members did not do as the pastor directed.

A check with the Registrar of Societies on the organisation revealed that the church had RM62.9mil in funds as of Aug 31, 2006, with contributions from members totalling RM5.7mil from Sept 1, 2005 to Aug 31, 2006.

The Star checked the premises on the night of July 31, during one of the sermon sessions.

A middle-aged man and a burly church member greeted this reporter at the lift door and said the church elders and pastor could not be disturbed because sermons were going on.

When this reporter tried to move towards the assembly hall, the burly church member prevented him from entering. The building security guard then escorted this reporter out.

Church members declined to respond to the allegations despite repeated calls.

DESIDERATA: Desi's personal thanks 2 K.W.MAK the reporter who wrote the above piece and whom I had the privilege to be acquainted with for a year -- a Y&A and gritty and forthright newshound (IMHO-lah!:) in deed/indeed.

Ah, hear follows the poem:

Questioning Mind

They talk in many tongues
Preaching salvation
And monopoly of the Truth

Breathing hellfire
On those who'd not stay
To sing the same saccharine song

You're a traitor to the Cause
If you should raise just a murmur
of any question

You'd die a thousand deaths
If you'd doubt the Elder's tongue
Or God forbid,
Challenge the wisdom of his Word

So remain a meek lamb
Another number in his obedient flock
Or else, bid farewell
Jump off this wagon quick
So that Heaven has one more
Vacancy to dwell.

(c)Chong Yen Long

PS: To the mainstream church leaders, humble Desi would like to pass on an appeal:
In your zealousness to spread the message of salvation, can you please lessen the threat of damnation by fire, brimstone and HellA to win new sheep to thy flock. Even as one brought up in a Christian home environment (many Elders think Desi quite q LOST soul, hence a wasted spirit:), I sometimes cringe; so what sort of reaction do you expect from fellow Malaysians of other faiths listening in? Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, et cetera. My basic belief -- If you are a Muslim, Buddhist, Christian or Hinduism, be a GOoD Muslim, Buddhist, Christian or Hindu-lah.
May the good Lord shower blessings to All.
~~ Amen.