“If moderation does not take centre stage, extremism will take the place and we will all be dragged into it, it comes from the basis of religion, race or groups.”Abdullah Badawi

‘Moderation’ has been dragged off the stage, kicking and screaming, for years now and he sits in the first row a witness to it all and he has the cheek to ask, “Tell me the truth” – what truth do you want to see and hear?

“Truth” has but one version.

“Uncle Lim, what the heck is wrong with the last sentence? To Christians, Jesus is the son of GOD! How can he utter such remarks during Christmas celebration?” iweepformalaysia

Yes, who is the father of Jesus? It is not Joseph but God. Some look upon Jesus is God himself in human flesh.

Jesus or Yesus or Isa in the Koran (in which Mary is mentioned seven times and more times than she is mentioned in the Christian Bible) is a servant of God (unlike Mohammad who is the Messenger of God).

The Jews look upon Jesus (remember, Jesus was a Jew) as a very good rabbi and not The Messiah – whose coming is predicted in the Torah or in the first five chapters of the Old Testament. Today some 2,000 years later the Jews are still waiting for their messiah.

Jews, Christians and Muslims are People of the Book. Abdullah Badawi being a Muslim sees Jesus in the manner his faith teaches him to do. There is nothing wrong with that.

Here’s something that non-Muslims may not know. Both Christians and Muslims expect the return of Jesus. Sounds familiar? Mohammad died but Jesus or Isa to Muslims is not dead.

To: U32

This is because Article 3 (1) of our Constitution has been given an ambit and a meaning that, I submit respectfully, not intended by the draftsman. A small window was left open as a result of the less than perfect drafting.

Similarly with Article 11(4). The objective of defending the special position of Islam [accorded to it under Article 3(1)] in our Constitution translates over the years into what could be characterized as unbridled ‘enthusiasm’ to check the growth of other religions.

It is about religious bigots among our politicians filling up the ‘gaps’ left in the Constitution.

But I don’t think he meant to be insensitive. I think he was trying to reach out to Christians, that there is a lot in common between the two faiths. But what do you expect from Abdullah Badawi? He needs a new speech writer.

The reason why Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world has been widely acknowledged by Christians – the reason being the fact that in Islam you cannot convert out once you’re born a Muslim or once you become a Muslim. You find religious persecution in many Muslim countries. Malaysia included.

“There is plenty wrong with that if the propagator of islam hadhari does not know the difference between the Jesus of The Bible and the Jesus in Islam.”

I’m sure he knows. You can give that to him. I’m a Christian and I’m not insulted because I can understand where he’s coming from with that statement and where he’s going. Would you come as an honored guest and insult your host? Not likely. His approach was not meant to be exclusive but inclusive.

Even among Christians, of which I’m one, there is a difference between the historical Jesus and the spiritual Jesus. Muslims regard Jesus as one in a long line of prophets and that Mohammad was the last of the prophets. That is a statement of faith and history. Why history? Because Jesus was believed to have been born some 2000 years ago and Mohammad some 600 years later(?).

“There is also no necessity to bring Jews into the picture when talking about Jesus.”

Why not?? Jesus was a Jew! Abraham was as much a prophet to Christians and Muslims!

Judaism which is 3,000 years old, Christianity 2,000 years old and Islam 1,400 years old share the same Old Testament prophets of the Christian Bible, the Torah if you’re a Jew. It is important that we give ourselves the perspective needed to understand why Abdullah Badawi being a Muslim said what he said and in the manner he said to a Christian audience celebrating the birth of Jesus to whom Jesus was God in human flesh, to the Jews a rabbi and to Muslims another prophet.