National Defense University senior lecturer Ridzuan Tee's inflamatory call for Muslims to covertly enter churches questions his integrity and credibility as an educator.
KOTA KINA BALU: Controversial senior lecturer Ridzuan Tee’s suggestion to Muslims to disguise themselves as Christians and sneak into churches to monitor the sermons is a call from a person who lacks spiritual belief in his new found faith, said a Sabah activist Jo Nandu.
To begin with, Nandu said, there is no need to surreptitiously enter the church because the premise is open to all and is a place of worship, a sanctuary and architectural delight.
Hence, Malay Muslims or anyone for that matter are not be prohibited from entering a church building.
In fact everyone is welcome to offer a prayer or two for their wellbeing and if in the process they experience a “change of heart” then its God’s will.
Nandu said Chinese convert Tee’s remarks, as such, begs a question about his integrity and credibility as an educator “because from a tolerance point of view, this is obviously an attempt to provoke unnecessary hatred and jeopardise inter-faith harmony.”
“There is no reason to disguise themselves just so that they can enter the churches. He (Tee and any Muslim) can just enter any of the churches.
“In the eyes of God, it does not matter how well you dress. God can see you even if you wear a 10 inch thick coat!
“But to accuse Christians as perpetrating activities such as mass Christianisation is flammatory,” he said.
Nandu said Christians in Sabah have never attempted to Christianise a Muslim.
Muslim group deceiving natives
In contrast, he said there were many dubious attempt to Islamise folks in the interior.
He cited the incident where 300 Pitas villagers were deceived into accepting a so called “government aid” of RM100 ringgit but it turned out to be a scam to convert them into Islam.
The Islamists group doing the conversions, Nandu said, is being led by Uztaz Mohd Fadli Yusof, who has been seen all over Sabah’s interior spinning deception.
“But has there been a Pastor or Christians that who went over to the peninsula to convert Muslims?
“Despite being agitated by Mr Kiasu himself, Ridzuan Tee does not need to ask other Muslim or Malays to disguise themselves to enter the churches.
“He can do it himself and I believe he will be most welcome by any church in Malaysia for that matter.
“But he, having urged Muslim to disguise themselves, shows that he is a coward ,” said Nandu.
Nandu claimed Tee, alongwith Perkasa, Isma and Perkida were all out to slander and mock Christians because the wider the racial and religious gap the easier it is for Umno-Barisan Nasional to win and rule the country.
“The deeper the discord (in racial and religious) the easier for Umno-BN. It’s nothing more than politically motivated statements.
“Ridzuan Tee is just another less important man paid to provoke inter-faith sentiments,” said Nandu.
Spying is ‘dishonest’ in any religion
Another concerned Catholic, Morelas Michael wondered at the logic of Muslims spying on Christians.
“I don’t understand the logic of them (Muslim) spying on us but I say why not. Let them do it and see what they can get.
“The church is far different compared to the mosque where they can annex horrible things in their homily.
“Christians, all they do is pray to God (and ask), even to bless their adversaries and commit to God for solution. That’s all,” said Michael.
Meanwhile Hezekiah Asim, a pastor at the Baptist Church here however finds Tee’s call to “spy” both “dishonest and unfriendly”.
Although he has nothing against Muslims visiting the church, he said Tee’s suggestion made the church sound like a “weird organisation”.
“Every religion teaches us to be honest. There is no honesty in a person when he or she disguises themselves.
“I think Ridzuan (Tee) is so desperate to do something for his religion that he does not care (about) the situation of other beliefs.
“He just wants to achieve what he wants,” Asim said.
Asim said there were some Muslims who visited his church but they were “open minded and friendly”.
“They call themselves Muslims and not a Christian,” he said.
Asim also said that to his knowledge, no Muslims have converted in his church although he has heard of instances in other churches where Muslims had embraced Christianity.
“They convert because they want to and not by force”, he added.
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