Were you there?

On Apr 24, 2008, the MDA fined Channel 5, a sum of 15K for breaching rules for airing “Find and Design” show where incidentally a Gay couple and their baby was shown. A fine was expected since their Nominated MP raised this issue in Parliament for the Christian Right, although it would otherwise be unnoticed. The Government of course had to respond to the allegations since it was raised and since it was a breach irrespective of the mitigation, the law must be applied especially since another channel was fined earlier for showing a Lesbian kiss. The wording from MDA for the fine highlighting the “promotion of a gay lifestyle” was rather ironic almost as if to say that “don’t blame us, we are just doing our job”, for how would a gay couple living a monogamous relationship taking care of a baby be reflective of a Hedonistic Promiscuous “lifestyle” which the Mainstream churches has created in its image of a gay lifestyle. How could a few gay couples amongst the 95% straight couples challenge the family unit? It doesn’t, but it does force us to question our perception of gays as sinners and this is so troubling since we based our entire perception of gays on our interpretation of the bible? What if we have been wrong? Heavens forbid! “Lets not think about it” is the general attitude. This was followed by a Police raid at the Gay sauna on 25 Apr 2009, where the 74 year old attendent sustained bruises after being man handled by a much younger Police Women who insisted on entry to the private men's club. It was alleged to be a spot check and several DVDs were apparently taken as evidence.

(Mark 14:56 NKJV) For many bore false witness against Him, but their testimonies did not agree.

(Acts 6:13 NKJV) They also set up false witnesses who said, "This man does not cease to speak blasphemous words against this holy place and the law;

(Mat 12:34 NKJV) "Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.

It appears that the complaints by the Christian Right again triggered off some harassment to keep in line and not to go out of order. And they tried to do it with Jesus, and His disciples, always following them around, asking difficult question, see whether there were the smallest fault which they can used. And if the fault could not be found, then it would be made up. Although the Religious leaders worshipped the same God, when God Himself came down from heaven, they used all the tricks they could against Jesus and His disciples. Jesus always escaped from being cornered, and even though they tried to capture Him, they could not until the time was right for Jesus to die for us. Jesus called the Pharisees, a brood of Vipers, who were already condemned and judged. They were cunning and evil words and thoughts coming out, even though they were the most religious and law abiding, and knew the bible intimately. Jesus saw through their heart, and their evil intentions. There are many groups such as FOC, and Exodus, outwardly moral, and religious, but inwardly cunning using all means to come against the Gay Community. They called themselves ex-gay but they are actually anti-gay, twisting the scriptures, and scientific records, and using rhetoric repeated often to put down the gay community.

(Isa 58:4 NKJV) Indeed you fast for strife and debate, And to strike with the fist of wickedness. You will not fast as you do this day, To make your voice heard on high.

The Liberals got it incomplete, when they said that Homosexuality is an issue of Justice and Basic Human Rights. This is correct in a secular sense, but in a biblical context, this issue is about injustice and not only about justice. The bible seldom condemns us if we are not pro-active in pursuing a sense of fairness and equality amongst all people - to take care of the weakness and most vulnerable in society, to defend those who have been taken advantage of. This is bad enough, but far worst is to become the agents and the catalyst for injustice. I don't believe that the bible condemns us for walking pass the beggar and not helping out, but gross injustice is perpetrated when we start abusing and harassing the beggar. Christians are not supposed to join in the majority and persecute the weak and minorities. How could a righteous God answers our prayers, when the same hand then causes injustice is raised up to God to ask for answered prayers? As people of Faith who worshipped the God of Grace and Mercy, we are to stand in the gap and to protect and stand with the gay community. Instead, we become their greatest antagonist.

(Isa 59:1-4 NKJV) Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, That it cannot save; Nor His ear heavy, That it cannot hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear For your hands are defiled with blood, And your fingers with iniquity; Your lips have spoken lies, Your tongue has muttered perversity. No one calls for justice, Nor does any plead for truth. They trust in empty words and speak lies; They conceive evil and bring forth iniquity.

In the recent United Methodist General Conference 2008 in USA, the Conference voted 55 to 45% in favor of maintaining their anti-gay position. When you vote, you are raising up your hands to a particular cause or position. I believe today, the entire Methodist Church as a whole is implicated and when we voted, we have taken upon iniquity. Our hands become filled with blood of those who died because they were bashed up because of their sexuality, of those who had taken their own lives because of the church' condemnation, of the suffering of many in the GLBT community whop had suffered pain, isolation, rejected because of the the Christian Church. The guilt is upon our hands. They could have not voted on it, but when they did, they enter into and become part of injustice instead of being part of the solution. Apparently, the vote came through because of gifts given to the African and Asian Christians in the name of "hospitality" bordering on corruption. As Isa 59:3 says "Our lips have spoken lies". They went out of the way, to speak forth lies to get the votes. Evil were conceived in their minds and it brought forth more pain and suffering .

As Christians, we are supposed to act in the total opposite, to call for justice against any discrimination against the gay community, nor did we plead for the truth that being gay is a given. The Anti-Gay movement led by Christians continually speak out lies against the Gay Community. When we claim to be Christian, we act on behalf of Christ. However, when we as a community of faith, do the opposite and not stand up to the ideals that Jesus fought for until His very life was taken from it by the religious majority, but instead stand on the side of those who persecuted Him, we have lost that precious connection to know the heart of God. And when we see the Cross of Calvary, where Jesus sufferred and died, facing the abuse of the religious right, were you there to see His suffering, to feel the depth of pain yet mingled with the depth of love. Are you willing to be there, to stand beside Jesus, willing to go to the Cross, to stand up and plead for justice and truth. At the Cross of Calvary, the majority deserted Jesus, but you know, those that Jesus ministered to, the Outcasts were weeping and crying. They cried, for they loved Jesus and felt the pain, the anguish of Christ who loved them so when non would stand nor plead for them.

(Isa 53:4,5 NKJV) Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.

Were you there when they crucify the Lord? Where Jesus carried our transgressions, pain, sorrow, sufferings and torments, so that we can have redemption. His redemption is the gift of eternal life, but also a life here on earth of hope, well being, and fulfillment doing the works of Christ in proclaiming His Kingdom to the hearts of many. As Christians, we are supposed to plead for justice, to carry the burden for those who cannot defend themselves, to stand beside and on behalf of them. Christ ultimately stood on our behalf at the Cross of Calvary that we may be relieved from suffering that was due to us as sinners. On earth, Jesus stood alongside the outcasts of the community - the widows, the poor, the lepers, the tax collectors - those who were considered outcasts those days. It was rumored that even gays or scantity dressed men were part of Jesus' movement and they also fled when the authorities clamped down of Jesus. Jesus did not stand beside the rich, the powerful, the religious majority who went out of their way to kill Him. He identify with those whom the religious majority despised.

Were you there when they crucify Jesus? Are you willing just like Jesus, to stand up and plead the cause of those who were outcasts.It impacts all. For when Jesus died, He died for all whether we were rich, poor, or the religious even though He associated Himself with the outcasts of society and it was they who first received Jesus willingly into their hearts. When we stand up for the Gay community, we are at the end standing up for our own salvation, justice, dignity and freedom. On the contrary, when our hands became that which encouraged the Authorities to put lashes on Jesus' back (just as the religious right - the Pharisees did), then our own standing before man and God will be tested until one day it seems that God will not hear us despite our loud outward praise and worship. When we voted for the continuation of injustice against the gay community, when we do not stand up against the National Council of Churches in Singapore as they condemn gays and urged the Government to put gays in prison, we became the Roman Soldiers that add the strips to Jesus back. Jesus suffered at the cross, and today, He too weeps for the state of His Church. Let us put down our prejudice and fear, and chose this day to stand alongside Jesus, and willing to be crucified with Him that others may live. Surely, as our eyes and vision focus on the cross, we begin to see the great agony and pain He bored for us that we also will bear for others. For we love because He first Loved us. We know we have reached the point of Grace, when we proclaim grace with the heart, mind, soul of Christ. His feet, becomes our feet. His hands, our hands, and His eyes, our eyes. His heart of compassion, His heart of Grace, becomes our heart - once hardened by law, now becomes soft to grace. Were you there when He rose again from the tomb.

Were you there when they crucified my Lord

Were you there when they crucified my Lord
Were you there when they crucified my Lord
O sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble
Were you there when they crucified my Lord

Were you there when they nailed him to the tree
Were you there when they nailed him to the tree
O sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble
Were you there when they crucified my Lord

Were you there when they pierced him in the side
Were you there when they pierced him in the side
O sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble
Were you there when they crucified my Lord

Were you there when the sun refused him in the side
Were you there when the sun refused him in the side
O sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble
Were you there when they crucified my Lord

Were you there when they laid him in the tomb
Were you there when they laid him in the tomb
O sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble
Were you there when they crucified my Lord