Monday July 2, 2012

Open your eyes to abuses

I REFER to Wong Chun Wai’s article “Pastors are mere mortals” (Sunday Star, July 1) in which he gave sound advice to Christians: “The faithful should stand firm in their belief in God, but they must not be afraid to question or even challenge their religious leaders if they are wrong.”

The sad fact is, Christians tend to give unquestioning obedience to their religious leaders with the mistaken belief, to quote Wong’s words, that “disagreeing with these human beings means questioning God.”

That is why we have “pay, pray and obey” Christians who prefer to close their eyes and ears to the shenanigans and abuses committed by their religious leaders so as not to offend them and God.

How often have I heard this refrain from Christians: “My offering is for God. If the priest abuses the funds, he will have to answer to God.”

The faithful closing their eyes to the wrongs committed by their religious leaders allows the rot to take root. The church eventually becomes a “dictatorial theocracy” and the priest or pastor assumes absolute power to use church funds with impunity.

It is unfortunate that the church allows priests who have completely lost their passion for the priesthood or are spiritually dead, to continue serving His flock. Try complaining to his superiors. They fall on deaf ears. Write to the church journals. Your letters never see the light of day.

It amuses me when Christians tend to be very vocal over abuses by politicians but dumb to the abuses taking place at the very door step of their church.

ANTHONY JOSEPH

Muar, Johor

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Monday July 2, 2012

Open your eyes to abuses