A Buddhist's curse to Islamists' bigotry

A Buddhist's curse to Islamists' bigotry

by Asoka Weerasinghe, Canada (Asian Tribune, Bangkok, Thailand, 15 Feb 2006)

Asoka Weerasinghe reminds the Muslim world, the blasting of The Bamiyan Buddhas in the Bamiyan Valley, Afghanistan, by the Islamic fundamentalists in 2001, that stood for 23 centuries.

- The 2300 years old Bamiyan Buddha, before they were destroyed by the Afghan Talibans

He poses a pertinent question, "I wish the Muslims who are furious over these cartoons and rampaging blazing the Danish Embassies had the same sensitivity when the Talibanis blasted to smithereens the Bamiyan Buddhas that stood for twenty-three centuries in the Bamiyan valley, which hurt me to my core as a Buddhist."

In a letter to The Editor, Asian Tribune Asoka Weerasinghe writes, "And if I am expected to cultivate religious tolerance and be respectful of others religions, then I expect others to do the same towards my beliefs as a Buddhist."

In his letter he further reveals his frustration and anger, "by writing a therapeutic The Taliban Trilogy and not going around burning places, and country flags which most nationals feel is their sacred country symbol."

The full text of the letter written by Asoka Weerasinghe is given below:

___________________________________________________________________

The Editor

Asian Tribune

Sir:

While I do not condone the insensitive cartoons of Islam’s Prophet Muhammad in a Danish paper and reproduced elsewhere in a paper in France and Canada, I wish the Muslims who are furious over these cartoons and rampaging blazing the Danish Embassies had the same sensitivity when the Talibanis blasted to smithereens the Bamiyan Buddhas, that stood for twenty-three centuries in the Bamiyan valley, which hurt me to my core as a Buddhist.

Let me remind the Muslims who seem to be so angry about these cartoons that my knife cut both ways, and just not one way. And if I am expected to cultivate religious tolerance and be respectful of others religions, then I expect others to do the same towards my beliefs as a Buddhist.

I took my frustration and anger by writing a therapeutic The Taliban Trilogy and not going around burning places, and country flags which most nationals feel is their sacred country symbol.

Here is the first poem of the Trilogy.

The Bamiyan Buddhas

"We are Buddhas of the Bamiyan,

for twenty-three centuries

we have stood tall in the sun,

gigantic, gazing benevolently

from our homes in the mountainous terrain

as wars raged during the centuries

across the Afghanistan plains,

but then we were not harassed

and were left alone.

And now the Islamic Taliban leader

Mullah Mohammad Omar says

we should be blown up and destroyed.

And we are aware that Buddhists

around the world are shocked and annoyed.

But, why, why, why? we tend to ask

"the statues violate the tenets of Islam

as laid down in the Koran"

the Talibanis say in a hurry.

But then Islam entered the valley

only in the ninth century,

and we cannot agree

and have difficulty to comprehend

the intended vandalizing spree.

Praise! Our eyes were carved

and we saw the busy stream

of weary travelers

and mostly merchants often tired,

pitching their tents and wired

at the end of a camel caravan

when the nights set in on Bamiyan valley

with a sky of an indigo parchment really

for the stars to be pasted and twinkle.

In the morning

we would see caravans parade

criss-crossing to trade

along the Silk Route,

some with silks from China

others with glassware from Alexandria,

bronze statues from Rome

and carved ivory from India.

Accompanying the caravans,

Buddhist monks came and went.

Carved in the cliffs were monasteries

where yellow-robed monks spent

their time in meditation.

The valley was devoid of lush trees.

When Buddhism was thriving,

there were festive rituals. The silk canopies

were decorated with pennants striving

to add colour to the occasion.

Today, the Bamiyan valley

is an austere place.

The monks and pilgrims

went away many centuries ago

without leaving a trace

after Islam took over the valley.

The rock carvers draped us

in Hellenistic togas with deep folds

and ridges that were straight

inspired by the invading soldiers

of Alexander the Great.

Our faces were painted gold

and our robes with bold

colours of red and blue.

The reason for the two colours

we just don’t have a clue.

But we looked impressive

yet so despondent and vulnerable,

but still we were able

to survive the hostile onslaughts

of factions that fought.

We were alright for twenty-three centuries

having been sculpted, inspired

by the invaders

but now faced death and destruction

by the Talibani marauders.

In early March

in the year two-thousand-and-one

we were attacked and hit by

an anti-aircraft weapon.

We were inanimate to defy

so lost part of our legs

and then parts of our faces.

Later on March ninth

our lower bodies and soles

of our feet were drilled with holes.

The Taliban soldiers stuffed

them with sticks of dynamite,

and about an hour after noon

they blew us to dust

and out of their sight.

The blast was greeted soon

with the Islamic rally’s bestcry of "Allahu Akbar", "God is greatest"

by the Talibanis who witnessed.

By then the civilized world was in shock

by this dastardly act, a knock

on the belief that religions can co-exist.

It was an act of Islamic religious bigotry

and perhaps a

Fundamentalist medieval brutality.

Among the Buddhists

there is revulsion at the thought

that the Talibanis think the act was fine,

and they stand condemned in the eyes of mine

and that of the civilized world."

- Asoka Weerasinghe - Canada

Asoka Weerasinghe, originally from Sri Lanka, is an award winning published poet, who has won the University of Wales Eisteddfod Poetry Award, Sri Lanka Literary Award for Poetry, the Newfoundland and Labrador Arts and Letters Gold Medal for Poetry, Gloucester Arts Board’s Arts Award 2000 for Poetry and The City of Ottawa Appreciation Award for Arts and Culture 2003. He is also the Co-founder of the Gloucester Spoken Art Poetry and Storytelling Series in Ottawa.

The Buddhas the Taliban destroyed

The Buddhas the Taliban destroyed

by Khaled Ahmed, Islamabad, Pakistan (Daily Times , 27 Nov 2005)

In 2000, the Taliban destroyed two 5th century AD statues of Buddha in Bamiyan. One was 114 feet tall, the other 163 feet tall. It took 21 days to do the job.

The Taliban’s plan to destroy the statues was carefully detailed. The regime commissioned Arab, Sudanese and Bangladeshi demolition experts, as well as Chechen sappers, to do the job. Pakistan’s Al Rasheed Trust published a memorial calendar celebrating the deed.

The religion ministry in Islamabad said there was nothing wrong with what the Taliban had done. The world was stunned.

The two Buddhas were cut into the Hindukush (Hindu-killer) range which, according to Ibn Battuta, was so named because so many Hindu votaries died trying to reach Bamiyan in ancient times.

The great Chinese traveller Hsuan Tsang saw them in 642 AD and noted their brilliant reflection from a distance. The smaller Buddha was Maitreya and the taller one was Rocana.

There were 2,000 high caves all around the statues, many of them painted with parables from the life of Buddha like the ones in Dun Huang in China and Ajanta in India.

There was a big temple at the feet of the Buddhas which was destroyed during the Muslim rule. The Buddhas themselves were pockmarked with periodic artillery fire from below. Aurangzeb used artillery on them in the 17th century.

Earlier, Mahmud of Ghazna, arising from the neighbourhood, had left them intact while destroying the temple of Somnath in Gujarat in India in 1024 AD.

Maitreya is based on the root mtr meaning friend. This is the ‘kind’ Buddha whose cult is widespread. Rocan is pronounced rochan and is exactly the Persian word roshan, meaning shining. Many Hindus take the name today and write it Roshan, at times confusing us.

It is quite possible that Hindu families have adopted Roshan as a sign of their pluralist beliefs. The Parsis of course take the Persian name, Roshan. Our greatest Muslim squash player was called Roshan Khan.

Two great Parsi women have lived in Pakistan. Late Maki Qureshi was an internationally recognised poet. Her polyglot sister Roshan Dhunjibhoy, converted to Buddhism, arose as a broadcaster of note in Germany and ran an NGO in Lahore before settling in Thailand.

Roshan’s Parsi parents perhaps never thought that they were naming her after the bigger Buddha of Bamiyan. It seemed Rocana claimed his own, before he was destroyed by the Taliban.

Maitreya is the future Buddha, a Buddha who will be reborn in a period of decline to renew the doctrine of the founder of Buddhism. Maitreya is believed to be a bodhisattva, one who refuses entry into nirvana, a transcendent state free from suffering, out of a compassionate desire to help others.

At present, he is believed to reside in Tushita Heaven, where he awaits his rebirth. Although various calculations exist, this rebirth is expected to occur in 30,000 years.

Maitreya is revered in China, Korea and Japan, which accounted for so much international hatred for the Taliban and Islamabad’s religion ministry.

Afghanistan was once a great seat of Buddhist learning. It was the kingdom of the Kushanas, the great Buddhist dynasty which ruled Pakistan’s north-western region too. The Afghan war unleashed the mujahideen on this great country.

The great heroes of the Afghan war have sold Afghanistan’s archaeological treasures to private parties in the West. Some items from the Bamiyan site have fallen in the right hands and therefore been saved.

If the religious parties come to power in Pakistan, its museums too will be vandalised and sold to buy guns. Pakistan’s ancient history is that of Buddhism, called Gandhara civilisation. The textbooks in Pakistan have already played it down. In a way, we are ready.

Pakistani villagers unite to save Buddhist site

Pakistani villagers unite to save Buddhist site

by IANS, Islamabad, Pakistan (Nov 20, 2007)

Residents of a village in northern Pakistan have come together to protect an ancient Buddhist site, asking a mine owner to stop using dynamite as this was putting the relic at risk.

Image of a similar Buddha fresco destroyed in Swat, Pakistan

'We will never let anyone destroy it,' Dawn Tuesday quoted Inayat Khan, an elder of Babozai village as saying.

The Kashmir Smast, as the site is named, dates back to the fourth century. It comprises a series of natural limestone caves situated in the Babozai mountains in the Mardan Valley of the North West Frontier Province (NWFP). Smast is the Pushtu word for cave.

According to the 1897-1898 gazetteer of Peshawar district: 'The name may be derived from the fact that the gorge here is fairly and picturesquely wooded, and this may have suggested Kashmir'.

Inayat Khan said that a man named Habibullah Khan had got the mines near the site leased in his name and constructed a road to make them accessible.

When the residents of Babozai village protested, Habibullah agreed not to use dynamite in the area but he had now broken the pact.

Some 300 villagers had also marched to the site to demand that the mine owner stop blasting in the area.

Inayat said that since the site was the property of the local people, the government should take it over to ensure its proper protection as smugglers were active in the area.

He also claimed that a local of the area had recently found an extremely rare bowl with a lion's face at the site and had sold it for Rs.2.20 million.

The gazetteer described the site thus: 'There are three chambers in the limestone rock, of which the first two open into each other, and the third is reached by a winding flight of steps.

'The length of the first two chambers from the entrance is 322 feet, and the height of the first about 60 feet, and the second about 100 feet. The width of the first cave is 81 feet and of the second 90 feet, and between them is about 40 feet.

'The third cave is 80 feet high, and above 80 feet in diameter, with an opening in the roof which admits light and air, so that the air throughout is pure.

Militants in Pakistan destroy priceless Buddhist sculptures

Militants in Pakistan destroy priceless Buddhist sculptures

by PTI, Islamabad, Pakistan (Nov 13, 2007)

In a repeat of the horrendous vandalism that destroyed the Bamiyan Buddha statues in Afghanistan in 2001, militants in northwest Pakistan's troubled Swat valley have destroyed one of the oldest and most important Buddhist sculptures, second in importance in South Asia.

Despite repeated requests by Pakistani archaeologists to the local authorities to protect the seated Buddha and other sites, especially after the first attack, no action was taken.

"In fact, militants were able to carry out their work in broad daylight," said President of the Asia Society, Vishakha N Desai in an article in Lebanon's Daily Star newspaper.

Dating from around the beginning of the Christian era, and carved into a 130-foot-high rock, the seated image of the Buddha was second in importance in South Asia only to the Bamiyan Buddhas, Desai said, adding that the attack was the second one in less than a month.

Despite repeated requests by Pakistani archaeologists to the local authorities to protect the seated Buddha and other sites, especially after the first attack, no action was taken, she said.

"In fact, militants were able to carry out their work, drilling holes in the rock, filling them with explosives, and detonating them in broad daylight," she said.

"They did this not once, but twice. The first time, the image escaped heavy damage because of the militants' incompetence. The second time, they were more successful, destroying not only the sculpture's face, but also its shoulders and feet. As if that were not enough, there are now reports of a third attack," she said.

Another Buddha destroyed

Another Buddha destroyed

by Vishakha N Desai, Islamabad, Pakistan (Daily Times, Nov 5, 2007)

Despite repeated requests by Pakistani archeologists to the local authorities to protect the seated Buddha and other sites, especially after the first attack, no action was taken. In fact, militants were able to carry out their work in broad daylight.

An ancient stone carved Buddha image destroyed in Swat, Pakistan

The world watched in horror when Taliban forces destroyed the monumental Buddha statues in Bamiyan, Afghanistan in 2001. Political and cultural leaders from around the globe condemned the attacks. Offers of help poured in. Everyone asked: will the world be ready next time? Alas, the answer is a resounding “no.”

In northwest Pakistan’s Swat valley, armed Islamist militants recently attacked one of the oldest and most important sculptures of Buddhist art. Dating from around the beginning of the Christian era, and carved into a 130-foot-high rock, the seated image of the Buddha was second in importance in South Asia only to the Bamiyan Buddhas.

This, moreover, was the second attack in less than a month. Murtaza Razvi has pointed out that the image that was attacked was not in a remote area. In fact, it was next to the central road that runs through the valley.

Despite repeated requests by Pakistani archeologists to the local authorities to protect the seated Buddha and other sites, especially after the first attack, no action was taken. In fact, militants were able to carry out their work — drilling holes in the rock, filling them with explosives, and detonating them — in broad daylight.

They did this not once, but twice. The first time, the image escaped heavy damage because of the militants’ incompetence. The second time, they were more successful, destroying not only the sculpture’s face, but also its shoulders and feet. As if that were not enough, there are now reports of a third attack.

In 1995, I travelled through the Swat valley to study the area’s Buddhist treasures. Carved in the cliff side or protected in small beautiful museums, these remarkable objects were the pride and joy of local Muslims, followers of the faith for more than a millennium. As a non-Muslim, Indian woman, I was able to travel through the region without any fear and received warm support from local residents. People of all stripes welcomed me, and were often willing to take me to important Buddhist sites.

Today, little over a decade later, the atmosphere is so poisoned that neither local community leaders nor the local police came forward to protect these monuments or claim them as their own. Even sadder is that while Pakistani newspapers widely condemned these attacks and criticised local officials’ indifference, there has been almost no coverage in the international press.

Can it be that after the Iraq war, and the dismaying images of looting at the National Museum in Baghdad, we have lost our capacity to be outraged? Or is it that we have become so inured to bad news surrounding the war on terror that we have no desire to know more?

There is a vast number of important Buddhist sites in Swat and other areas of northwest Pakistan. At this point, all of them are under threat of destruction, thanks to the influential voice of the Islamist leader Mullah Fazlullah, whose father-in-law, Sufi Mohammad, founded one of the extremist orders.

This order was responsible for bringing more than 10,000 jihadi fighters to Afghanistan to fight alongside Taliban soldiers against the United States in 2001. While Mohammad is believed to be languishing in a regional jail, Mullah Fazlullah operates with impunity, using the radio to spread a message of hatred and intolerance.

It is time that the world community not only registers its outrage against such destruction of cultural treasures, but also joins those Pakistanis who are desperately trying to pressure their government to preserve — for their sake and ours — their pre-Islamic cultural heritage. If the world does not act this time, we risk losing one of the most precious legacies of early Buddhist history.

------------------------

Vishakha N Desai is President of the Asia Society.

Cambodia cracks down on evangelicals

Cambodia cracks down on evangelicals

by ABC Radio Australia (July 18, 2007)

Phnom Penh, Cambodia -- The Cambodian government has clamped down on Christian groups and is seeking to limit religious activities by other non-Buddhist organisations, which it says disrupt society.

A directive from the Ministry of Cults and Religions states that "Christians are prohibited from visiting people's houses ... knocking on the door and waiting to say 'the Lord has arrived'."

Distribution of religious literature will also be confined to churches, which now must be approved by the ministry before they can be built.

Government officials say while the ruling applies to all non-Buddhist groups, it is aimed at curbing Christian evangelical influence in largely Buddhist Cambodia, amid reports of children being tricked into converting with cakes and free clothing.

Why is church seeking donations door to door?

Why is church seeking donations door to door?

by Lim Shien Wei (The Straits Times Forum, 20 Dec 2006)

Recently, I was approached at home by a young teenager soliciting donations. He claimed to be from City Harvest Church.

I was surprised as, according to the church's website, the church has total assets of $65,903,000 as of last year, a figure which has been increasing since 2003. Last year, it received $24 million in donations.

Why does the church require its members to go door to door to ask for donations?

MEGA CHURCH: S'pore's booming multi-million dollar church and its charismatic leader," But I don't get mega pay"

MEGA CHURCH:

S'pore's booming multi-million dollar church and its charismatic leader," But I don't get mega pay"

by Chang May Choon and Andre Yeo (The Electric New Paper, 27 December 2005)

This church gets big bucks in donations
Million-Dollar sums are routine for this church.

Last year alone, City Harvest Church (CHC) received $25.2 million in donations and spent $21.6m on operations, administrative work, charity work, mission support and staff salaries.

The church has built a $47m church and is in process of building another, costing between $40m and $45m. It is also eyeing a plot of land for a 3rd church. But its charismatic founder Rev Kong Hee is shunning money for himself.

Rev Kong told The Electric New Paper he has removed himself from the CHC payroll since 1 November 2005 to help the church save money. He revealed his last drawn salary was $8,000 a month. He's still the chairman of the CHC management board, and still works 16 hours seven days a week. But he is senior pastor on honorary and voluntary basis. "It's only right that I should lead by example and help cut cost by not being in payroll."


The biggest expenditure last year was $4.79m on operations and $4.78m on wages for 137 staff members. The church now employs 160 staff. Rev Kong said salaries are pegged closely to that of Ministry Of Education, as many teachers are known become church workers after leaving the education profession.


CHC also offers 13th month bonus and annual increments following guidelines set by the National Wage Council. For instance, staff will get a 2 per cent increment next year, said Rev Kong. "When an organisation gets big, we need capable people (to run the organisation), so we need to be able to pay them well. They can do it for religious reasons but what about their families?"

Heightened concern over the accounting of money from donations arose from the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) saga. The church garnered its fair share of critics after it moved out of its modest premises in an old cinema in Katong to the $47m one in Jurong. There have also been Christians who criticised him and his wife, pastor-turned-pop singer Sun Ho, for her showbiz career and their snazzy lifestyle - they live in a million dollar apartment in town.


Rev Kong said they manage because he still earns royalties from the sales of his books and sermon tapes, and dabbles in motivational speaking. He said he travels twice a month to speak at international conferences, and in the US, he can be paid around US$5,000 ($8,300) to lecture for an hour. The money used to go to CHC, but is now addressed to him.


He said his wife, Sun, who is now based in Los Angeles with their 11-month-old son to pursue a English pop music career, brings home enough royalties from performances and album releases. She also opened two boutiques - Skin at Marina Square and Ed Hardy at The Heeren - this year, and he helps out whenever he can. "From day one it's been my ultimate dream to do this (religious work) for free. It's a wonderful feeling."


So how does City Harvest Church (CHC) remain transparent and accountable to its members? And how does it ensure proper governance and prevent funds from being abused? Rev Kong acknowledged that 'religion deals with a lot of money', but said CHC has always strived to be transparent. "We talk about transparency on two levels. First, we make sure there is no wastage of money on projects of no benefit, and we fulfil the mission of the church."


"Second, we make sure our paid staff are not abusing their rights." Rev Kong said he does not micro-manage, but he chairs a management board of 10 people that oversees other sub-committees that run the church. He also works with a board of trustees, an appointed external auditor and a top law firm.

CHC is run like a multi-million dollar business, with a human resource department, a finance department and an IT department. It also has a website that has an online religious bookstore, a secure credit card donation service, radio broadcasts of its sermons and four live webcasts of its worship service every weekend. The church holds an annual general meeting once a year, and posts its audited financial statement on its website.


Rev Kong said some church members - especially a highly vocal group comprising CEOs, bankers and entrepreneurs - act as watchdogs and will be quick to respond to any sign of abuse.
"People vote with their feet. Singaporeans are not dumb." Questions were raised when Rev Kong's wife, Sun, embarked on a secular music career in 2002, and there was talk of the church funding her showbiz venture.


But Rev Kong said the audited accounts proved otherwise, and anyone can log on to the CHC website to view its financial statement. They have to run a tight ship because they can't expect church members to give generously all the time, he said. "There is a bit of donation fatigue and we cannot go to the public. We can only rely on our congregation but they are committed to other charities as well."


Checks are in place, say religious groups


Religious groups said that they monitor their finances closely to prevent abuse.


Some, like New Creation Church, even hire armed guards to transport money to the bank. New Creation does not have its own building yet. It rents the Rock Auditorium in Suntec City Mall where its 12,000-strong congregation meet every Sunday.


Honorary secretary of its church council Deacon Matthew Kang said its accounting system monitors and approves budget proposals submitted by each department. All purchases $500 and above must be substantiated with a minimum of two quotes for cost comparison. Purchases $100,000 and above are subject to a tender system.


The church also engages an external auditing firm to monitor the way money is collected. Said Deacon Kang: "We select members who are financially sound and, while on counting duty, they are required to leave their personal belongings aside and wear pocket-less aprons."


At the Tian De Gong Taoist temple, cheques are signed by the president and counter-signed by the treasurer to ensure transparency. All eight members of the temple's committee are volunteers.


Perdaus is a voluntary welfare organisation which runs three madrasah centres, childcare centres, before-and-after school care centres and youth programmes. Its president, Mr Masagos Zulkifli Masagos Mohd, 42, said they have a 13-member executive committee. All are volunteers. Because there are so many people involved, there is less chance of an individual abusing his or her position for monetary gain, he said.


And this is open to scrutiny at the annual general meeting or through the executive committee members. Expenses must be recorded and accounts are audited annually by an external auditor and submitted to the Registry of Societies. He added they raise their own funds, most of which come from school fees from their madrasah and childcare centres. Said Mr Masagos: "Proper governance is something we have always been concerned about because some of our funds comes from the public. Our reputation is at stake."


P/S:
The City Harvest Church (CHC), located in the western part of Singapura, and the New Creation Church (NCC), located in the southern part of Singapura, are 2 of most notorious Charismatic churches belonging to the Theistic Religions. They present 2 big threats to the survival of the Buddhist in Singapura due to their fundamentalist and extremist nature towards Buddhism. They also embarks on huge Proselytism outreaches to Buddhist youth to crack their faith. We, Buddhists, must wake up ourselves to these Challenges from Theistic Religions for our survival.

Booming church collects $25m a year in donations

Booming church collects $25m a year in donations

by Chang May Choon and Andre Yeo (The Electric New Paper, 27 December 2005)

Building a multi-million dollar place of worship is not something new for City Harvest Church (CHC).

4 years ago, CHC spent $47.6 million on a church which boasts world-class design and facilities at Jurong West St 91. The current building is housed on a 3,500 sq m plot of land.

But the congregation has since doubled to 20,000, so a 2nd church, which will cost between $40m to $45m, is needed. Yet, CHC founder pastor Rev. Kong Hee said that at the rate its congregation is growing, it may need a 3rd church. CHC launched its building fundraising drive for the 2nd church in September 2005. It aims to raise $12m to 15m by February 2006.

Rev. Kong Hee said the campaign continues for 6 months, breaks for 6 months, then starts again. Such a cycle prevents donor fatigue, he added. This means the church will collect about $2m a month for the building fund for 6 months, or a monthly average of $100 in donations per church member.

"We have to be sensitive to our members. There's only so much they can give," said Rev. Kong. So far, the biggest contribution to the building fund is $250,000 from a couple. When ready, the new church will cost about $40m to $45m, said Rev. Kong. The land was bought three years ago - a 3,000 sq m plot worth $7m in Jurong West St 74 - and architects have been appointed to draw up plans.

But Rev. Kong, 41, thinks it may still be too small to accommodate the church's rapidly-growing congregation, so he is looking to buy another bigger plot of land. CHC moved its weekend English services to a rented Singapore Expo hall on 10 December 2005 to accommodate the huge numbers that turn up. Other services continue to be held in the Jurong premises. The hall sits 7,000 people, while its own auditorium can only accommodate a maximum of 2,300 people.

"Expo is only interim. We hope to find a bigger place, but nothing is available yet," said Rev. Kong. For the current building, a family had donated close to $1m. That building, which was first featured in The Electric New Paper in 2002, has some of the best facilities anywhere. Having a permanent building helped the church attract thousands of new members.

Said Rev. Kong: "When you have a permanent facility, people will feel more at home so they would want to join our church." It's still a rarity among churches with a $583,000 fountain, a 1,700 sq m pillar-free underground auditorium with a 3m thick ceiling, and a sound console which was then the largest in the world. It also has the world's most advanced fire evacuation system, which sucks smoke out of the building in a fire.

Functional New Church.

The proposed new church, however, is 'nothing very exciting', said Rev. Kong. "We already have a nice titanium facade and a nice fountain, so we don't need (for the new church). It saves money. This building will be more functional." He said he originally planned to include a wedding chapel with stained glass and an organ, which can sit 500 people, but it has to be shelved due to lack of space. If all goes well, construction will begin late next year and the church will be completed by 2008.

P/S:

The City Harvest Church (CHC), located in the western part of Singapura, is 1 of most notorious Charismatic churches belonging to the Theistic Religions. It presents 1 big threat to the survival of the Buddhist in Singapura due to its fundamentalist and extremist nature towards Buddhism. It also embarks on huge Proselytism outreaches to Buddhist youth to crack their faith. We, Buddhists, must wake up ourselves to these Challenges from Theistic Religions for our survival.

Preaching religious intolerance undermines Singapore's harmony. Stop it

Preaching religious intolerance undermines Singapore's harmony. Stop it

by Lester Lam Yong Ling (The Straits Times Forum, 21 Apr 2006)

I refer to the letter "Proposing medical treatment along religious lines is unprofessional" by Mr Cho Jia Cai (ST Online Forum, April 18).

I was shocked to read about this seminar, which leads to more questions.

There has been rampant evangelism recently which lambasted other religions. Many believers of different faiths are disappointed with the actions of these Christian evangelists who do not care about the religious sensitivities in Singapore.

The post-911 world has seen a lot of action to rein in hatred preaching. Singapore is no exception, with the setting up of Inter-Racial Confidence Circles to promote understanding among the different races and religions.

The government emphasises a lot on religious harmony as Singapore comprises many people of different races and religions. The ideal of our forefathers, including the late Mr S.Rajaratnam, is that Singapore be a democratic nation regardless of race, language or religion.

There should not be any action to destroy the very foundations of our nation. However, the speaker's words at the seminar showed otherwise. Preaching intolerance shakes the religious harmony the government has been trying to build.

The speaker also did a great disservice to the thousand-year-old traditional medical therapies. These had served people well and they still do before the advance of modern western medicine.
Many westerners have also given the thumbs-up on the benefits of these therapies. It is very unfortunate that the speaker discouraged people to try out these therapies on the basis that these are non-Christian.

She also gave an unconvincing reason that these therapies stem from Shamanism. Even if these therapies have their roots in the religion, there is no reason to discriminate against them just because it is another religion.

I understand that a permit is needed from the police for speaking in public. The speech had elements of religious intolerance. Why did the police allow the seminar to be held since 2003?

There are rules for making speeches at Speakers' Corner to protect racial and religious harmony. Why was this particular seminar allowed to carry on? This brings forth another question. How can we allow hatred and intolerance to be preached? Can the authorities look into this?

All Singaporeans have a part to play to preserve the basic values of this nation. I am proud to be in Singapore where we do not have discrimination because of our race or religious beliefs.

We have to protect the ideals of our forefathers to build a safe and harmonious Singapore society.

Singapore : Proposing medical treatment along religious lines is unprofessional

Proposing medical treatment along religious lines is unprofessional

by Cho Jia Cai (The Straits Times Forum, 18 Apr 2006)

I attended a talk on Easter Friday at YMCA titled Spiritual roots of medicine and alternative therapy. Being a first-year medical student, I was intrigued and hoped to find out more about the basis of spirituality in promoting healing.

Instead, the speaker started lambasting at the other religions and alternative therapy, saying that Shamanism is the root of Celtic beliefs, African witch doctors, Taoism, Buddhism and Hinduism.

On alternative therapy, she denounced acupuncture as traditional Chinese medicine having gotten its roots from shamanism in which rituals required needles to be poked onto a human body to expel evil spirits. She said Christians should know better than to take the Traditional Chinese Medicine Biomedical double degree from NTU.

In addition she told the audience that alternative therapy may work, but it was not the right thing to do and that Christian doctors should know better than to suggest the treatment to patients because yoga stems from Hinduism and Taiji comes from Taoism.

I got the impression that anything non-Christian is wrong. Listening to the talk was not only distressing, it was also traumatising.

I believe that as a patient, I would want to receive the best health care treatment possible, be it alterative or conventional therapy. Fracturing the range of treatment options along religious lines is not only unprofessional, it is narrow-minded as well.

If Singapore wishes to become a health care hub, such ideas are simply unacceptable. I cannot believe how it is possible that in present day Singapore, people can openly conduct such seminars that infringe on religious sensitivities.

And the worst thing is, this seminar has been conducted yearly since 2003. May I know which body regulates such talks and seminars, or can anyone register a venue and just say whatever he or she wants?

Singapore : Doc asked patient to pray

Doc asked patient to pray

by Alvin Choo Weng Kee (The Straits Times Forum, 4 Oct 2005)

The letter, 'Should teachers seek to convert pupils?' (ST, Oct 1), reminded me of an incident at a specialists' clinic in a hospital some years ago.

I was consulting an oncologist on the outcome of a CT scan. Grim-faced, he told me the bad news: my cancer had returned.

Fully aware that I was not a Christian, the doctor asked me to kneel with him and pray. This made me even more distraught because the conclusion was that conventional medicine had run its course and divine intervention was needed.

At that critical moment, I felt that faith and medicine should not have been dispensed in the same prescription.

Singapore : Isn't Boys' Brigade just a CCA?

Isn't Boys' Brigade just a CCA?

by Ong Swee Seng (The Straits Times Forum, 4 Oct 2005)

The letter, 'Should teachers seek to convert pupils?' (ST, Oct 1), struck a chord with me.

Some years ago, my son was studying at Sembawang Secondary School when he joined the Boys' Brigade. Without my knowledge, the instructors/teachers in charge would take the members to church to attend worship services, and study the Bible.

Finally, one day my son told me he wanted to become a Christian.

I wonder whether the Ministry of Education and the school principal were aware of this.

Singapore : Should teachers seek to convert pupils?

Should teachers seek to convert pupils?

by Thio Sin Loo (The Straits Times Forum, 1 Oct 2005)

I am writing this letter because of some questions posed to me by a friend's daughter, a Primary 6 pupil studying in a local school.

This girl corresponds with her teacher on MSN Messenger and one day while I was surfing, she started asking me about Christianity and Buddhism. I found it strange that she would ask me these questions and not her parents.

Apparently her teacher had been asking her to attend Saturday worship services by The Rock, a Christian church based at Suntec City. A Buddhist, she replied that her parents would probably not let her go for the service.

The teacher told her it was not up to her parents to decide, that she was free to make up her own mind, and kept pressing her to go for his church's service.

I find this disturbing in many ways. For one thing, I feel that teachers should not be communicating with their students on such a personal level outside school. A teacher-pupil relationship should always exist within the parameters of education and the school.

Secondly, I am shocked that the teacher is encouraging his pupil to disobey her parents and listen to him instead. This is not the kind of approach our educators should adopt for impressionable teens.

Thirdly, teachers, as educators and authority figures to be respected in school and in society, should be the ones to inculcate tolerance and respect for other cultures and religions.

As most teachers are young educated adults and they form a large percentage of Christians in Singapore, are they allowed to impose their personal values, morals and principles on their pupils?

Is there any restriction or guide that regulates the relationship between teacher and pupil outside the parameters of the education system?

Are teachers allowed to go on MSN Messenger to communicate with their pupils on any issue and topic?

I would like to know the Ministry of Education's stand on this matter.

Proselytism in Schools a Cause for Concern in Singapore

Proselytism in Schools a Cause for Concern in Singapore

by Alvin Leong Bai Ran (The Straits Times Forum, 6 Aug 2005)

Singapore has prided itself on being a melting pot where people of different religions and cultures live together in harmony.

However, a sizeable portion of the Christian population engages in activities like Proselytism, Evangelism and Attacks on Evolution. Proselytism and Evangelism often include verbal assaults on other religions.

I am a secondary school student and have often seen people promoting their religion within the school. While they are free to believe in their faith, what they are doing is against the very Pledge they recite every morning, and an affront to the work our ancestors had put in to establish this nation.

Our ancestors put aside their differences, worked together and built this country through friendship, trust and tolerance, something these 'missionaries' are threatening to undo.

Should there be some religious influence on government decision-making? Nay! I say. The United States has already let religious authorities affect its bureaucracy. Now, half the schools in the country do not teach evolution and that the Earth is about 6,000 years old, despite the scientific evidence.

Are we to devolve to that level?

The next tsunami coming to Sri Lanka will be a religious one

The next tsunami coming to Sri Lanka will be a religious one

by Christian Eckert, Hamburg, Germany (The Lanka Academic, May 22, 2005)

While traveling through Serendib, the island that was once quite rightly compared with paradise on earth, the now Tsunami shattered Sri Lanka is crossing a great gap of grief.

Few Weeks ago my colleague Laith Ganhewa and myself were almost equally shattered, towards the end of our three week trip to Sri Lanka, as we came upon the more or less disguised, in parts also massive and direct attempts of Christian fundamentalist groups in converting mostly native Srilankan Buddhists and Hindu tsunami victims they claimed to rush to selfless aid into reborn Christians.

I have been coming to Sri Lanka regularly for the past 25 years. My respect for the culture of this nation is great, as I have always felt greatly welcomed by its friendly people. I found it easy to move around with Sri Lankans of different ethnic groups and beliefs, as I in return easily accepted the "Sri Lankan way of doing things".

Through the years I visited, it was always my observation that although there were different religious groups, they all lived in harmony.

But this time it was totally different story. I felt sorry, angry and helpless when I got to know about this. What more has this country got to go through?

I was a Tsunami victim in Sri Lanka caught up at the Light House in Galle on the 26th of December. I witnessed agony, pain, the sheer tragedy of the Sri Lankans who were victims of the Great Wave with my very own eyes. But what touched my heart most was, with all their personal tragedies, they still reached out to help ? me, a disorientated, ragged and ripped, half naked foreigner. Something I'll never forget. This is the true kind of hospitality that makes Sri Lankan culture so very unique to the world.

After walking for four days from Galle to Colombo, I landed at the German Embassy. Hats off for the German Embassy staff! They did everything humanly possible to get us Germans back home as soon as they could manage. Returning back to Germany, I was determined to return to Sri Lanka to help - as soon as possible. To give help to the country that helped me in the hour of my need. It was in this context of Tsunami Aid for Sri Lanka in Germany, that I bounced in to a small man, yes, disabled, but active like a red ant-his name: Lalith Ganhewa.

Lalith, is a Sri Lankan born journalist, living and working in Germany for the past 30 years as a producer, broadcaster and as a journalist. He is soft-spoken, but clear and straight - the voice of Sri Lanka; sometimes getting very critical and loud when he goes on air lending his voice to the listeners of the Germany public broadcasting station Radio Multikulti.

Together with another Tsunami victim who was in Sri Lanka at that time, and few others we formed a foundation to help Sri Lanka.

Due to the partly chaotic situation, the difficulty of getting objective and question less information from the affected areas, Lalith and I decided to go ourselves - to check who is who and who needs to be helped.

It was during these travels around the island - all in all 3480 kilometers in 20 days, checking into 18 different projects, collecting first hand information on sight, of Help Projects 100% managed by natives; from childcare to environmental projects; from Tsunami camps in the south to the camps in the North East. We more or less stumbled upon these above-mentioned accusations.

It was our driver, B. who asked us, whether we would know of a NGO group named "Scientology".

We both looked at each other, surprised. We knew: there are some famous Hollywood movie stars who follow this strictly money-orientated "belief". We also knew that for instance that Scientology is banned in Germany as a sect. By German law they cannot have Bank accounts, rent houses, or engage in public work. German companies can sack employers if they are found to be Scientologists. The German Central Intelligence Service is allowed by Law to monitor and screen each and every activity of Scientologists on German soil. And some say, they do it elsewhere, too.... So we know: Scientology means trouble.

And our driver, B., says "There are these guys and girls, the later even dressed in yellow Saris, all of them Americans, well dressed, who came into my village and asked for Tsunami-Widows ... To re-marry them. And many were happy so they may leave to USA for a better life".

Of course, I asked myself - but why a poor widow?

It was Lalith, who saw through their hidden intention. He explained to me; by marrying a Sri Lankan widow, they are eligible to stay in Sri Lanka with a resident visa. This gives them the legal freedom to build up their sinister operations from a private house, with out getting exposed to the public.

Similar things happened, when Scientology stepped in to Germany. Marriage brought them German citizenship. They cannot be expelled easily. The German Govt.. had a tough time with them fighting legal battles to finally ban them.

We thought it strange and just one more of the obnoxious schemes we ran across on the search for the "clean" projects we want to help. That is a totally different story, though. We later met Mr. D.S. a well-known businessman in the south, his reputation flawless. He has been helping his people, effective and fast. And he too, told us about this temporary housing area, where the Baptist Church of Omaha is ruling a strange region. He took us to a Tsunami Camp where we met a young woman, who had lost her beloved sewing machine in the tsunami. For her it was the income source for her family. The young woman was approached by members of this obscure church. She was told to attend services and masses for one week and pray to the Lord to give her a sewing machine.

A week later, after she had attended the services, she got a brand new sewing machine, worth 25,000Rs (US$250).She was told, that other needy things, too, could appear in that way, if she would keep up attending the Christian masses and bible reading hours. This reminds one of the Steven King Bestseller "Needful things - in a small town", doesn't it? And: it?s a deeply immoral way, of gathering "sheep" for the Christian Church.

D.S. sent us to a Buddhist Monk, living in Galle. He had more stories about these un-ethical conversions. We paid him a visit in the Buddhist Temple. He showed us pamphlets, by the Christian group "The sword of the lord", from Tennessee USA printed in Singhalese and Tamil and English.

The pamphlet claimed that the people would be better off, if they would give up Buddha, who is constantly alliterated as a reincarnation of the Satan himself. He collected the leaflets from four different Tsunami camps he used to visit to bless the Buddhist Tsunami victims in these camps by chanting Pirith the traditional religious chanting performed in Buddhist homes and religious functions.

The monk said the Christian group who was in charge of these camps to do "humanitarian work" complained to the police about his presence and the way he publicly defended Buddha in his preaching in the Camps. - the Sri Lankan Police in return warned him and now he is no longer allowed to visit those camps due to an order. Strange world, isn't it?.

It seemed to me that Sri Lankan Human Rights organizations and foreign Conflict Management Organization who cry loud in regular intervals of human rights violations and fundamental right abuses seems to be deaf, dumb, dead silent; and most certainly - absolutely inactive on this issue.

On the way back, we noticed some posters - in Singhalese - pasted everywhere in between Hikkaduwa and Galle: "Stop the religious Tsunami" they read. Underneath, we found smaller posters of the Scientologists inviting to "readings" in certain private houses in Galle.

In another camp, a man in his 30s, with two kids told us, that a foreign aid group was registering "T-victims" for new houses. When the man wanted to register for a house, they told him to bring proof that he was from the area, and a victim. They told him the easiest and the quickest way would be to get an affidavit from a native Christian father. When the man went there, the Christian priest told him point blank that he does not know him at all, but if he could come to church everyday at least for the next two months or so, then he would be willing to issue a letter. The man gave a second thought and stayed in the camp with his two children.
We also had a chance to talk to a man from Mirissa directly under pressure from Christian fundamentalists. Mr. CT lost his wife in the Tsunami. He has a child of five years. Christian groups visited the camp he stayed in and distributed gift packages along with a native Christian priest several times.

Later he was asked to visit the house of the native Christian priest where prayer meetings and Bible readings were held. To each meeting there have been about eight families, he says. At the end of these meetings one was given money and gifts. CT took the gifts and the money as he needed them. Later CT came to know to that the Christian Priest who?s in charge for the "sheep"-gathering was a former Buddhist monk. Let's call him "Sunil".

Sunil has been successful converting 32 families from Mirissa who followed the call of the Christian?s god. Whose followers find it necessary to trick people into their belief. According to CT - the organization in charged of these gift packages is the Ingo World Vision, a well acclaimed NGO in the western world?s consciousness.

CT confessed to us that his inner conscience did not allow him to attend the prayer meetings further and when he stopped going to Sunil's house, first his followers nagged him to attend the meetings and later put pressure on him demanding to return all gifts and money given to him. Now CT stays in a Buddhist Temple far away from Mirissa, because he couldn't cope the pressure by Christian fundamentalists, who threatened to beat him and his child.

Even in the North East , behind Tiger lines, I saw a number of a abandoned Hindu temples - and very large gatherings of open air Christian masses.

Later that trip, back in Colombo, we were invited to a meeting to tell our experiences to the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief of the UN Commission on Human Rights. Mrs. Asma Jahangir, was at that time on an invitation by the Government of Sri Lanka. Lalith and I told what we saw in front of the committee and what we had spoken about with our witnesses. We refused to give the identity of our informants, as I will not do so in this article. Simply for the reason, that we are not convinced that the "state" of Sri Lanka ever was - nor still is - capable of protecting a witnesses; or even had measures to protect people, when this would be needed.

Badly.

The Special rapporteuir thanked us for our efforts - and for our report. And when Mrs. Asma Jahangir left the isle after travelling around for a week, she acclaimed (in short):" Don't you worry ´bout a thing, the people stick to their belief - if they really believe; and after all, they're helping, bringing money into the country."

She may even be right, you know. Yes it's true, strong Buddhists will not desert their belief - ever. But Mrs. Jahangir forgets that not all people in Sri Lanka are as strong as she may think these days.

In fact most people we met, were the affected ones, full of worries, badly in need of help in every way, mentally down and out. And that?s exactly where those missionary converters grab their catch - and obviously succeed. And it's not fair to think of these people, them being victims - again, as weak believers.

The temptations put in front of them, they're just too big, larger than the life they have to lead - against the background of the utter catastrophe and social as well as moral destruction that has been brought unto this land by the Tsunami.

I was surprised about the comment of Mrs. Jahangir I later read in a newspaper, I think it was "The Island". Being a UNHR rapporteuir, she seems to have totally over looked the states of the victims and the environment in which such conversations are taking place in. Further I wonder how she managed to come to such a conclusion in such a short visit, when it took us so long to gather first hand information. In Most cases witnesses told us of their experiences but were afraid to speak about these experiences on camera.

It should be mentioned that if the UN Commission was serious to find out facts, in my opinion they should have first appointed an independent secretive commission to probe whether unethical conversions take place in Sri Lanka rather than sending Mrs. Jahangir first, like the Santa Claus dashing through the snow riding the snow sledge ringing jingle bells.

On the other hand it is high time the leading Buddhist monasteries and organizations leave aside their often narrow minded differences and Ego trips to join forces in the one unifying task: to protect Buddhism. Not with aggressive or violent acts but in deeds in harmony.

Showing why Buddhist have no reason at all to desert their belief. It is also high time the Buddhist monks stepped out of their comfortable temple homes and visit the poor villagers in their dwellings and not wait until they come to the temple. It is high time that the often-rich Buddhist monasteries spend their wealth to uplift the living standards of the very poor. In order to succeed, the rich Buddhists must quickly close this poverty vacuum of the poor Buddhists, which has become the play- and breeding ground of fundamental Christian groups; and as we must remember, they're only visiting Sri Lanka.

If not, if they stay and keep on doing what they're doing, I predict that in a few years the Buddhism will only exist in form of a weak minority in Sri Lanka. The same applies to the Hindus of Sri Lanka. And sooner or later, the Muslims. An exaggeration? Well, now Christian South Korea used to be a Buddhist country, too - only three generations ago...

I find the religious conversion acts performed by the fundamental Christian groups in Sri Lanka are most disgusting, humiliating and disrespectful to humanity, to Sri Lankans and their heritage. I am sure neither the Christian's Godfather, the Son, nor the Holy Ghost nor Jesus nor the Pope would have nor will approve of such unmoral acts.

Since I'm back, I keep asking myself: isn't Sri Lanka strong enough anymore, to get rid of these so-called aid groups who have a different agenda on the back of their minds?

Sri Lanka is a nation with a written history of 2500 years. Its rich culture is built on the Buddhist philosophy. This Buddhist culture is the backbone of Sri Lanka. Every Sri Lankan living in Sri Lanka should realize, that letting someone foreign destroy its native Buddhism means destruction to Sri Lanka itself.

Christianity: Is It Self-Destructing?

Christianity: Is It Self-Destructing?

by Stan Grimes, San Francisco, USA (Nov. 21, 2004)

This crazy world of ours is near destruction, but is it because of some wild collective self- fulfilling prophecy? Do we want to self- destruct? Have we been taught the need to self- destruct? I wonder.

The last election made me worry even more. The so-called moral majority won comfortably. We all know the statistics. A great many of the moral majority is made up of evangelical Christians. This large group of believers, along with many other Christian belief systems, preaches the second coming of their Christ. The prelude (or perhaps a parallel) to this second arrival is basically the destruction of the world. Could the collective power of suggestion by Christians lead to the end of this earth? I say that it's possible.

If we consider the Muslim belief, which counterbalances the worldwide Christian movement, the possibility of self-destruction seems quite likely, if not inevitable. Muslims believe that by murdering those of the Western culture (considered devils) they will be assured some high position in a mythical hereafter. Christianity has always been a religion that proselytizes, knocking on the doors of nonbelievers and even enemies trying to convert them to the way of Christ. Because? Christianity has always taken a monolithic stance or a monotheistic stance. This stance has always been considered arrogant by other religious systems, thus, a natural source of tension between paradigms.

Buddhism cannot be included. Their beliefs have been somewhat diluted over the course of centuries. Fact is, Buddhism may be our saving grace, if such a thing can exist. After all, they do not necessarily believe in an afterlife. Their belief hinges on the mind of the individual, finding the path to Enlightenment. With any fortune or karma, mankind will look inward to discover his/her salvation. Hinduism? Hinduism is so steeped in tradition and the idea of reincarnation that they can barely keep their cows fed.

Did Christians make up their minds hundreds of years ago (actually thousands) to self- destruct? It seems quite possible to me. It may seem ludicrous to some, but how close was Hitler to creating the Third Reich? How close were the Romans to complete world domination? All that it takes is a charismatic leader, one that has bamboozled his/her citizens convincingly. One person can set a nation to war. Imagine what millions of citizens can do. They can destroy a world.