your say 'Will the Barisan National or Umno learn that this siege mentally does not work anymore? No. That's why we have Pembela.'

Pembela: Christianity biggest 'threat' to Islam

Md Imraz Muhammed Ikhbal: Islam is a beautiful religion of Allah and it is indeed under siege in this country, not by the Christians or any other religion but rather by the perverse and chauvinistic ideologies embraced by the deviant followers of Islam the likes of Pembela.

The decline of Islam today is a direct result of majority of Muslims failing to internalise the true teachings of Islam but rather focused purely on its rituals. Many observe their prayers diligently but display the most non-endearing behaviour completely opposed to the virtues advocated by Islam.

It pains me to see so many Muslims in power today taking bribes, spreading fitnah (lies and slander), betraying trust, oppressing the weak, dividing mankind, proclaiming self-supremacy and condemning/blaming other religions for their own shortcomings.

None of these are the teachings of Christianity and neither are they Islamic teachings either. Pembela is no defender of Islam, they are a liability to my religion and a sheer embarrassment to my race.

Docs: Umno/BN's way of staying in power is by creating a "siege mentality". For example, MCA urged the Chinese to vote BN to prevent another May 13, Umno scares the Malays to vote Umno as Umno can prevent the Chinese from allegedly trampling Malays rights.

The Christians were asked to vote Gerakan to prevent PAS from making Malaysia an Islamic state. This used to work in the past with the older generation Malaysians but the younger, more informed ones have wised up to this BN antics.

Perkasa was created by Umno to fight for the "imaginary" loss of Malay rights eroded by the Chinese. Unfortunately Umno loss control of Perkasa, which result to the near total loss of Chinese voters. At the same time, the Home Ministry championed the ‘Herald/Allah' issue to gain Malay support, resulting in the awakening of the Sarawak Christians.

Will BN or Umno learn that this siege mentally does not work anymore? No. That's why we have Pembela.

SusahKes: I don't know whether to feel sorry or angry with these jokers. Maybe I ought to feel sorry, because you know they are made up of a bunch of idiots when they rent a large hall but only 10 percent to 20 percent of the space is occupied. And probably some of those who attended were there just to make the numbers.

And what about the last Perkasa meet held in Kedah? Even Dr Mahathir Mohamad appeared embarrassed that only 800 people showed up instead of the 30,000 predicted. And who is this Ann Wan Seng, another Mohd Ridhuan Tee Abdullah wannabe?

Ferdtan: The photograph tells all. There are no large audience in the huge hall. At most only 30 to 40 people were there, including the press. No one is interested in what the speakers are saying, especially from the shameless Chinese convert, who should be bridging the gap and misunderstandings between the races of different religions.

Instead, he spits 'venomous mistrust' into religious harmony. Our life on Earth is a borrowed one; and no matter who you are - a king or a religious man - you have to meet your Allah on Judgement day.

Quigonbond: Just as when nobody in the right mind and with sufficient unbiased knowledge is finding it ludicrous that Islam could in any way be under siege in Malaysia, Pembela does it again.

I wonder where primary and secondary education in our schools have gotten its leaders who can't even think straight. We've been Islamised for the past decade with conversion disputes, increasing powers of syariah courts over civil courts, more mosques, restrictions on churches and other places of worship, competition between Umno and PAS, etc, where's the sign of Islam under siege?

We are a Muslim majority country. If the Muslims refuse to accept the ‘brand' of public administration of the current Muslim leaders, then perhaps it is those Muslim leaders' political career under siege, not Islam.

Just as Umno is not synonymous with Malays, neither is Umno synomymous with Islam. Please get over this superiority complex.

Anonymous: I think it is more like Christianity under threat by Islam. First they restrict the number of churches we can build, next churches are not allowed to be "grander" than the nearest mosque.

Then they ban Al Kitab and the term ‘Allah', now they say we want to have a Christian king (Agong) and Christian PM. I wonder what kind of drugs they are on.

Think: Christianity is actually one of the smallest contributing factor to the NGO Muslim Organisation in Defence of Islam (Pembela)'s alleged decline of Islam in Malaysia.

There are other bigger contributing factors such as the exposure to the Internet and education. And this is not something should be considered bad or wrong, but rather should be seen as a sign of progress and hope. The rise of education in science, philosophy, psychology, critical thinking and such, makes one to start to think for themselves about their own beliefs as to whether if everything thought through it is right or wrong, outdated or applicable to the modern age.

And the No 1 biggest contributing factor to the decline of Islam in Malaysia is due to the action of individuals, groups and NGOs that represent Islam in a negative perspective and in the manner they conduct themselves in wanting to control others and blame everyone else for their own faults and failings.

M'siaKiniFan: I don't think this ‘Christianity is biggest threat to Islam' is actually directed to us. Instead, this is for the rural people. Umno aims to manipulate and to exploit the poorly informed rural folks - over and over again.

If you ask my Muslim friends, they would be angry if you say they are confused Quran over the Bible because of the word ‘Allah'. It really doesn't makes any sense.

Black Mamba: Initially Pembela chief Yusri Mohamad blamed the DAP for threatening the position of Islam in Malaysia, now it's the Christians, next it will be the Buddhists then comes the Hindus, followed by the Sikhs.

Is Yusri so weak in his own faith that he is afraid of his own shadow? He is akin to a dog chasing after its tail not knowing its body and its tail are one.

Ttloo: By accusing Christianity as the biggest 'threat' to Islam, Pembela is reviving the crusade in Malaysia and is causing concern to Malaysians.

'Threats' as stated by Pembela is nothing more than Christians defending their rights as guaranteed in the federal constitution. The Christians with due respect to the Muslims did not ask for anything else that will convert Muslims. Neither did they ask to be Agong or prime minister.

David Dass: This is paranoia. In fact, this is politics disguising itself as paranoia and a clever attempt to try stop Christians asserting their constitutional rights.

Christians are not a threat to Muslims. Christians may not evangelise amongst Muslims. If they do, they break the law. And they can be called to account. So what is all this song and dance about?

The lodging of police reports over threats of physical violence made by Pembela is construed as at attempt to spread Christianity as is the filing of court actions. Petaling Jaya has become the centre of 'conversion' activities? Where is the evidence of Christians trying to convert Muslims? And 'other threats to Islam include globalisation, liberalisation and pluralism'.

Who are these people? Where do they come from? What is their agenda? They say that there is a move to amend the constitution. By whom and for what purpose? The Muslims I know are not so insecure in their faith.

Onyourtoes: Our values, our beliefs, the god we pray to, and our culture are ours to sustain and to propagate. How successful and how enduring we are would depend on the continued relevance and vibrancy of the things we hold dear.

It is pointless to keep harping on been threatened by others. Usually when things become irrelevant and archaic, they just die, some suddenly and some a lingering death. Please think of the implication for making accusations and publishing newspaper headlines like this.

If it is the other way round, I wonder what would have been the consequence of that person who makes such an accusation.

Cannon: There are many religions in Malaysia. Why pick on Christianity? In what way(s) exactly is Christianity a threat to Islam, as alleged. What proof can Yusri adduce?

If non-Malays and non-Malay bumis are converting to Christianity, what has that got to do with Pembela? Malaysians should stand firm and not allow a tyranny of the minority to meddle and impose their religious preference on others. Faith is personal matter between the believer and God, it is none of Pembela's business.

Flabbergasted: One point I wish to make is that the long standing social pressure for conformity amongst Malays has meant that Pembela and the Islamists have little to fear within Malaysia.

I know of many who have quietly walked away rather than go through the aggravation and threats involved in an uphill fight to defend individual rights in Malaysia. The many Malays who have felt they cannot conform, mainly for reasons of religious belief but some for sexual disposition as well, are not in Malaysia.

I very much sympathise with them, because it is sad to see a culture that cannot accept diversity in one's own community. It is a reflection of the self-confidence and maturity of that society and community.

Faz: This is red herring at its best. Five hundred years of colonisation by the Christian Portuguese, Dutch and British had failed to convert the Malay masses, and 53 years after independence, suddenly the Malay masses are under threat of Christianity. Is this a joke or another concerted effort by Umno to frighten the rural Malay folks to support them in order to cling on to power.

So folks, disregard the blatant lies. To the Islamic missionaries and Islamic religious authorities, keep the dakwah alive to educate Muslims on the proper teachings of Islam. Please remember that Prophet Muhammad was the messenger of Allah to bring the teachings of Islam to the people and not to make sure everyone is Muslim. The latter is Allah's will. Wallahualam.

Geronimo: You can do your worse, Yusri, and be rest assured no Christians in this country is going to fight you. We prefer to be like the Christians of Roman times, marching into the arena singing hymns to await our fate with the lions.

As with regards to the Bible issue, why don't you go to Sarawak and Sabah and tick off the Christians there instead of being so macho here in Semananjung. Islam under seige, that's a laugh.

In actuality, it is Christianity under seige - covert operations and committing sacrilege in a church, burning the churches, confiscation of Bibles, stamping and serial numbering the Bibles, the inability of building churches in proper surroundings, etc. Be careful, Yusri, God is watching you.

Gerard Samuel Vijayan: How can 10% to 12% of the population be a threat to 60% of the population?

Given that Christians cannot preach or convert Muslims as mandated under the federal constitution and state laws; they cannot use the term ‘Allah' in their worship; they cannot publish the Al-Kitab in Malay; they cannot build churches and chapels indiscriminately; they cannot display their religious symbols openly; they cannot even bury their dead because of the scarcity of public land for cemeteries; and to compound all this they do not get any state funding and most of their priests and pastors are foreigners who are subjected to immigration controls.

So how can they be a credible threat to Islam unless Muslims themselves are weak in their faith and more interested in material things, power and pleasure? Frankly, Christians have no time for conspiracies and collusion, they have a wider mission to spread love, compassion, understanding and tolerance to believers and non-believers alike.

Patriot: It is very obvious this campaign is to drive fear into the Muslims and not to support the opposition, be it PAS or PKR. Most Muslims are not buying this frantic and 'life threatening' attempt to retain overall power and unequivocal control.

I, a non-Muslim, have lived in my neighbourhood of majority Muslims for 25 years, and we have co-existed in peace and harmony, and most of all, love for each other. I consider my neighbours as exemplary Muslims showing much of tolerance and care.

I believe the majority of the Muslims are put off by so much paranoia and the desperate vote-buying attempts by Umno. Come on, a religion that is practised by hardly 10 percent of the population is now considered a big threat to the national well-being?

Non-Muslims should not fall into their trap. Keep your emotions under control.

Paul Warren: Now that the Chinese bogeyman has been unable to unite the Malays, maybe the Christian bogeyman can. Yes, the bogeyman can!

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