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2 Malaysian Muslims stir anger with church article
By JULIA ZAPPEI, Associated Press Writer
46 mins ago
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – Malaysian authorities are investigating two Muslims who sparked complaints after they pretended to be Christians and took communion at a church service to research a magazine article, officials said Tuesday.
The investigation poses a fresh challenge for the government in its efforts to reduce religious friction in this ethnic Malay Muslim-majority country, where religious minorities have complained that their rights are being sidelined in favor of Islam.
A churchgoer filed a police complaint last week after reading an article in the monthly Malay-language Al-Islam magazine written by a contributor who described how he attended a Roman Catholic Mass with his friend and hid his Muslim identity.
The writer said they were trying to confirm rumors that Muslim teenagers were being converted to Christianity in Kuala Lumpur's churches every Sunday. He described how they tasted communion wafers to blend in with the crowd, but found no evidence to support the rumors.
He also criticized portions of the ceremony and said Christians have strayed from the true faith.
Rev. Lawrence Andrew, the editor of the Herald, the Catholic church's main publication in Malaysia, said the men had "insulted the Christians" through their actions.
"For us, this is a very holy matter," Andrew told The Associated Press. "They have shown disregard, disrespect. ... So we are very upset about this."
Norshamsinor Baharin, the assistant editor of Al-Islam, said the magazine did not want to make any statement for now. Al-Islam writes about Islamic teachings and news.
Police federal crime investigations head Mohamad Bakri Zinin said officials were investigating whether the two men had caused religious disharmony — a crime that carries a prison sentence of up to five years.
Joachim Francis Xavier, the Catholic man who filed the police complaint, said the men had been irresponsible and that their actions could cause religious tensions.
"If everyone starts to intrude into each other's services and write about it, there will be chaos," said Xavier, who is not a member of the church that the men attended.
He noted that non-Christians were welcome to attend church ceremonies, but that they cannot take communion. The magazine article also indicated the men had spat out the communion wafer because they took a photograph of it partially bitten.
Christian, Buddhist and Hindu minorities — who comprise about one-third of Malaysia's population — often say their constitutional right to practice religion freely has come under threat from Muslim-dominated authorities. The government denies any discrimination.
Religious disputes include a court battle between the Catholic church and the government over a 2007 order banning non-Muslims from translating God as "Allah" in their literature. The government says its use would confuse Muslims, but Christians say the ban is unconstitutional.
By JULIA ZAPPEI, Associated Press Writer
46 mins ago
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – Malaysian authorities are investigating two Muslims who sparked complaints after they pretended to be Christians and took communion at a church service to research a magazine article, officials said Tuesday.
The investigation poses a fresh challenge for the government in its efforts to reduce religious friction in this ethnic Malay Muslim-majority country, where religious minorities have complained that their rights are being sidelined in favor of Islam.
A churchgoer filed a police complaint last week after reading an article in the monthly Malay-language Al-Islam magazine written by a contributor who described how he attended a Roman Catholic Mass with his friend and hid his Muslim identity.
The writer said they were trying to confirm rumors that Muslim teenagers were being converted to Christianity in Kuala Lumpur's churches every Sunday. He described how they tasted communion wafers to blend in with the crowd, but found no evidence to support the rumors.
He also criticized portions of the ceremony and said Christians have strayed from the true faith.
Rev. Lawrence Andrew, the editor of the Herald, the Catholic church's main publication in Malaysia, said the men had "insulted the Christians" through their actions.
"For us, this is a very holy matter," Andrew told The Associated Press. "They have shown disregard, disrespect. ... So we are very upset about this."
Norshamsinor Baharin, the assistant editor of Al-Islam, said the magazine did not want to make any statement for now. Al-Islam writes about Islamic teachings and news.
Police federal crime investigations head Mohamad Bakri Zinin said officials were investigating whether the two men had caused religious disharmony — a crime that carries a prison sentence of up to five years.
Joachim Francis Xavier, the Catholic man who filed the police complaint, said the men had been irresponsible and that their actions could cause religious tensions.
"If everyone starts to intrude into each other's services and write about it, there will be chaos," said Xavier, who is not a member of the church that the men attended.
He noted that non-Christians were welcome to attend church ceremonies, but that they cannot take communion. The magazine article also indicated the men had spat out the communion wafer because they took a photograph of it partially bitten.
Christian, Buddhist and Hindu minorities — who comprise about one-third of Malaysia's population — often say their constitutional right to practice religion freely has come under threat from Muslim-dominated authorities. The government denies any discrimination.
Religious disputes include a court battle between the Catholic church and the government over a 2007 order banning non-Muslims from translating God as "Allah" in their literature. The government says its use would confuse Muslims, but Christians say the ban is unconstitutional.
