Malaysian Insider (http://www.themalaysianinsider.com)
Evangelical group calls church split ‘wild allegations’, 12 August 2011
by Boo Su-Lyn
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 12 — Malaysia’s main Christian evangelical group has said it does not have to defend independent evangelical churches from “wild allegations”, denying there is a split among Christians over attempts to proselytise Muslims.
The National Evangelical Christian Fellowship’s (NECF) denial came after The Malaysian Insider reported that mainstream churches are disappointed with some independent Christian groups for being too assertive in sharing their faith with Muslims and other religious communities.
“Why should I defend the group? There’s no proof!” NECF chairman Rev Dr Eu Hong Seng (picture) told The Malaysian Insider heatedly yesterday.
“There is definitely no split in the church,” he stressed.
Eu pointed out that such allegations were not brought up when the Council of Churches of Malaysia (CCM) and the NECF met last Tuesday in Penang during the Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM) meeting.
The inter-denominational meeting occurred before the controversial Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) raid on a thanksgiving dinner in the evangelical Damansara Utama Methodist Church (DUMC) in Petaling Jaya last Wednesday night.
Asked if independent Christian churches shared their faith with Muslims openly, Eu said: “I don’t think they share openly.”
After being pressed further on whether such groups proselytised Muslims at all, he replied: “They always share. Anyone shares the message. They share the message.”
In a statement to The Malaysian Insider this evening, Eu clarified that "people of all religions share their messages with others when asked and Christians are no exception and should not be singled out.
"No one is forced to accept the message that is shared. There is definitely no coercion, undue influence nor misrepresentation," he added in the statement.
Eu also said the bishops and heads of all the churches have always had a good working relationship and a great respect for each other. "A lone dissenting voice is not a sign of discord and the Malaysian Church is mature enough to accept differing views," he noted.
Eu earlier said he received phone calls from various churches expressing concern with The Malaysian Insider report.
“You guys ought to guard your reputation. You used to have a reputation where you are truthful; now, you are as good as Utusan (Malaysia),” he said, referring to the Umno-owned Malay newspaper.
“This split among Christians — people can tell this is a lie,” added the senior pastor of Full Gospel Tabernacle.
Lawyers for 10 of the 12 Muslims who attended the dinner at DUMC were informed that Jais was now investigating the incident under section 4 of Selangor’s Non-Islamic Religions Enactment 1988.
The section makes it an offence for a person to “persuade, influence or incite” a Muslim to be inclined to any non-Islamic religion, become a follower or a member of a non-Islamic religion or forsake or disfavour Islam.
Christians comprise 9.2 per cent out of Malaysia’s 28.3 million-strong population, according to the latest census.
According to Vatican statistics, Catholics comprise 3 per cent. Protestants, who include Anglicans, Lutherans and Presbyterians, among others, make up the majority at 6 per cent, while the minority are independent evangelical groups.
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