Righteousness and Justice for Whom?
On Sunday (19 May 2013), Pastor Lawrence Khong of Faith Community Baptist Church posted the following status update on his Facebook page.
Later on, responding to apparent criticism against his status update, Pastor Khong made the following comment.
While I can still agree with Points 3, 4 and 5 of Pastor Khong's status update, I take issue with the other points and with his subsequent comment.
Firstly, this court case or trial is one of Kong Hee and the five other City Harvest Church (CHC) leaders, not one of the church or Christianity. What is before the court is whether these six individuals have intentionally misappropriated funds that were entrusted to them. Just as how the court case against Mingyi was not a trial of/against Buddhism, this court case against Kong Hee and the other five is not a trial of all churches and Christians; a trial against the "body of Christ", it is not. Pastor Khong should not muddy the waters by trying to "religionise" the case.
Of course, it is perhaps inevitable that detractors of CHC's methods and theological teachings, and of Christianity in general would see this court case (especially if a guilty verdict is awarded) as validating their criticism and suspicions. But the fact remains that this is a court case brought against individuals, not against a church or a religion. This is a distinction we need to make and remember.
Secondly, although Pastor Khong tries to appear neutral and unbiased, it is perhaps evident that he wishes for the court case to have a certain outcome. He says he is only "just praying for righteousness to prevail and for justice to be administered fairly". But this begs the question of what would he deem a righteous, just and fair outcome? The acquittal of Kong Hee and the five others? What is left unsaid sometimes say more than what was said.
Lastly, Pastor Khong says he does not condone wrongdoings (so he agree that what Kong Hee and the others did were wrong?), so if the court delivers a guilty verdict against Kong Hee and the others, would he step up to speak out against their wrongdoings, just as how he has spoke out against the "homosexual agenda"? Or would he keep quiet? Or would he perhaps argue that what they did is legitimate in the eyes of God and that He would exonerate them eventually? We shall see, I suppose.
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4 comments:
Is there no such thing as innocent until proven guilty which should apply since that is a human right
Kong Hee is part of the body of Christ. A significant and vital part in fact.
He is the under shepherd, almost sitting in the seat of Christ, a mouth piece of God, almost god, because God doesn't communicate like any of his living creatures or like normal people so pastor kong became God's mouth.
He is the church's pillar or main character in the religious plot or the church he birthed. The followers agreed to be part of his vision and moulded themselves to his teachings or his understanding of the bible.
To at this point severe the neck, or the proxy head or his significant and preeminent's role from his church or the church he built or the universal church of god is to be doctrinally dishonest or self deceiving.
Judge him, the head of his church, and as a consequence, not judge the entire body is equivalent to sending your head to jail and living your body at home - assuming you have been convicted of corruption or crime. Is that possible?
theonion,
I believe I did not say the principle of "innocent till proven guilty" should not apply in this case. I have been very careful with my words. For example, I only say "if a guilty verdict is awarded", not "when a guilty verdict is awarded".
That said, based on what have been presented so far, the probability of a guilty verdict appears to be quite high. Even Pastor Khong admits that it "won't look good for City Harvest".
The question is if a guilty verdict is awarded, would people abide by it?
Anonymous (21/05/2013, 15:04),
I cannot determine with certainty whether you are being serious but if you are and Pastor Khong is indeed as influential as you say, well, I suppose the body cannot live when the head has been decapitated (unless a new head spawns).
I was never a big fan of Lawrence Khong, who claims that he is an anointed "apostle" of Christ, without anything as much as proof that the bible validates this. Then again, I guess that birds of the same feathers flock together, since he is a friend of Kong Hee. Whatever his purported neutrality, he has indirectly suggested that he is wishing that Kong Hee will get acquitted so that nobody will blame the church. Who is he trying to kid? The case is a case of charges concerning embezzlement, and a legal case against individuals, not institutions or religions.
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