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The Churches once were so powerful, above the law of the land always maintaining the high moral ground above the common, proclaiming judgment and condemnation upon the Gay community. Yet their reputation has taken a big setback over the last 10 years from the sexual abuse by priests, sexual expose by politicians and pastors such as Ted Haggards, Loren Cunnigham, George Rekers, Mark Sanford, John Ensign. There are storms of justice and judgement where the strong has fallen by the mouths of babes. Perhaps, the flood has reached Singapore. There are darker rain clouds ahead. On 24 June 2010, in Brussels, in a probe of sexual abuse, the house of Archbishop Godfried Danneels was raided. Even the graves of two former archbishops were searched as if they would take their secrets to the grave. Meanwhile, in Washington DC, the US Supreme Court ruled on Referendum 71 that those who were against gay marriage were not entitled to special rights to keep their identities secret. It was not a right of free speech as the referendum was a legislative act. The anticipated news of the investigation results on City Harvest hang like dark clouds over the churches in Singapore. Justice and judgement have a way of haunting and exposing us.
Our voices and calls for justice may matter very little, for the Churches are always correct and right for the faithful. Why should we have any pity when they have 1 billion supporters in the Catholic Church, and 33,000 ardents fans of CHC. Even Pastor Rony Tan who apologized to the Buddhists thought it fair play to continue spreading hate and prejudice against gays. Pastor Derek Hong of Church of Our Saviour still advocates his Choices/Exodus ministry proudly as if his intrusion into the secular Aware was just a past memory. Despite a fallen reputation, the Pope still calls same-sex marriage "insidious and dangerous". To the faithful, the church is never wrong. In Singapore, we see loud forums condeming the strong fund raising antics of Pastor Kong, and the lifestyle of Pastor Sun. A Blog pastor calls it as kicking Christian in the teeth when one is down. Some have called these agitators to “shut up, and sit down” arguing that the matter had nothing to do with them, nor have they contributed to the church building fund. Yet, when we go beyond the mountain of religion into all sectors of society and business , it becomes a public matter. The New Apostolic Reformation (NPR) championed by the mega churches in Singapore to conquer (or Transform) the red dot is indeed a two edged sword. We have the likes of Rev Ed Siloso in City Harvest calling for "the transformation of cities and marketplace" for Christ. For him, the market place is a combination of business, education and government thus propelling the church or the kingdom of God right into the very heart of secular space and public opinion. The market place became central to the ministry of City Harvest.Ed Siloso preached that we are to bring the kingdom of God, to the Government, to the "gates of Hades" he preached! Jesus he said did not work for charity, He worked for a living. Likewise, City Harvest is presented as a market place pioneer, ie not only a charity or a church but a business, an entity of political influence, a school, a church, a media company etc. to bring down the secular gates of hades in SG. We could no longer consider or judge City Harvest only as a Christian Church. The "Lost" is not only souls, but for CHC, the restoration of the rule of God on Earth and Singapore. This would be particularly troubling to the Government in a multi-religious Singapore where religion is considered a private matter. Unlike the Christian Right appearing suddenly into the secular, to take over Aware, "We were there" many years ago in CHC. Were you there 10 years ago when they weeded out Gays at CHC, intimidated them in public, and shamed them. They made fun of gays, and called upon the services of Sy Rogers to exorcise the gay spirit from them. They still invite Sy to CHC every year to spread sexual confusion. Many Gay Christians left never to return to any church. I still felt the chilling sense of the memory of the events. We are all accountable. The harm that we did as a church community against the weak and vulnerable can seldom be forgotten. In Brussels, even the graves of their Bishops were not safe. The Christians in Referendum 71 wanted to hide their identities so that they could cause harm without being accountable. We may hide behind a church or “orthodox theology”, or insist on our rights of majority opinion, yet justice can never be denied. There has been a lot of preaching about love, and we do need more love to recognise the common humanity in each, and respect the dignity of others. We are a slave to Love, in being a slave to Christ who first loved us. Yet, love without standing up for justice against those who practise injustice is irreconcilable especially when it relates to our own GLBT community. Freedom would not come if we do not first begin to love ourselves and our peoples. The DNA of CHC was loving God wholeheartedly and loving people fervently. I suspect Gays were an exception. God’s love for us demonstrated in action, in Christ death and resurrection. However, we have concentrated on our own ability to love, but not on Christ’, the author of Love, made perfect in God’s amazing grace and mercy. When we focus on Christ, His love, His Grace, His mercies, His cries for Justice for the outcasts and the despised, we begin to know the heart of God and be one with Christ. It is a matter of the heart, for which there can be no law. Jesus never condemned gays, but we made it a major point of contention for we were so law minded.We say we love God, but we often worship the law and become the pharisees and hypocrites who were against Jesus and the works of the ministry. It is the very letter of the law that now returns to judge us. (Mat 17:5 NKJV) While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!" (Mat 17:6 NKJV) And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid. The Law never passed away, but judgement was covered by the mercy seat. Christ is our mercy seat. Will the mercy of God covers us, or do we seek to justify ourselves until humbled by the turn of events. Will the churches now show mercy after the series of events and investigations in Singapore, or would they soon return to proclaiming hell and fire on the GLBT community? It probably matters little after they had lost their reputation. Many Gay Christians have their lives and faiths taken away by the church, totally humbled. Their faith, their lives totally deconstructed, laid bare and naked. Yet, when we have nothing, humbled and exposed because of our sexual orientation, that the grace of God is made perfect.We can't do much except to pray for a flood in Singapore, a flood of God's justice to rain down, and the walls and gates of our lives restored and for proper closure, judgement and healing. The darkened skies look ominous as we wait for the verdict of the investigation of the churches financials in Singapore, no longer as a church but judged as a business ....yet we are called to forgive them that we too may receive mercy.
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