缅甸继1988年由僧侣及民主派人士率领要求民主化的起义以致流血事件后，缅甸的僧侣便似乎与政治运动保持距离。没想到经过19年的沉寂后，缅甸的僧侣又再上街示威，要求恢复民主，令世界各地同情缅甸的人们，又再次对缅甸的民主掀起新希望。
去国缅甸与柬埔寨等佛教国家的人都知道，这些国家的人们对宗教的热诚。这些国家的人们生活得再清苦，他们也会把积蓄捐献给庙寺。因此，在缅甸和柬埔寨的郊区，我们往往会看到在简陋的亚答屋社区里，每个数公里便出现一间堂皇的佛庙，而街上往往出现许多为神庙筹款的活动，由此可见佛教和僧侣在缅甸等国人们心目中的地位。
也因为如此，因此当这些脱离凡尘的僧侣，成群结队的离开寺庙，愤而走上街头请愿的时候，他们也激发和带动全国饱受独裁军事政权镇压的人民走上街头，向政府施压要求民主了。
缅甸僧侣的民主行，不禁令人省思宗教领袖与政治的关系。两个星期前，八打灵一个新冒起的基督教组织主办了一个题为《耶稣政治化吗？》的英语讲座会，请来多个基督教的牧师和平信徒分享观点。
这讲座会出现好几个令人耳目一新的回应。一个基督教慈善团体的工作者批评有关讲题不恰当， 该讲题应该是《耶稣有多政治化？》，而不是《耶稣是否政治化？》他接着把他身在大马五大宗教理事会里，面对州政府和地方政府惨痛经验提出来。他说：“现在基督教会连教堂扩建都面对地方政府的刁难，我们怎还能说基督教会应与政治脱离？”
在听众回应的环节，一些基督徒批评教会对政治的冷漠，他们说他们对国内政治的认识仅来自经常报道亲政府新闻的英文媒体，他们批评牧师从未在政治意识方面开导信徒。
另一个信徒则批评他的教会曾经主办爱国禁食祷告会。该教会的信徒为国家每一个政府部门和决策机关祷告，这包括内阁、上下议院、国阵每一个成员党，但是当轮到在野党时，就有人反对为在野党祈祷。他说：“难怪我们的在野党这么不效忠和没效率！”引起众人哄堂大笑。
许多出席该讲座会的基督徒，都是英文教育和保守灵恩派的信徒。我端坐在该讲座里，聆听每一个人的言论。我对这些虔诚信徒对政治的醒觉和批判，感到既惊讶，又感动。我期待他们不会沦为讲而已，而会有所行动。
日前在律师公会所举办的针对牵涉首席联邦大法官公信力的《公正之行》里，该公会主席安美嘉说：“当律师开始行走的时候，就表示有问题了。”
同样的，当缅甸的出家人冒着生命危险走上街头的时候，也表示他们国家大有问题。马来西亚有许多虔诚的各宗教信仰的信徒，我们什么时候能走出狭窄的宗教圈子，以更宏观的角度和宗教情怀，去参与维护国内司法公正、民主与自由的运动呢？
（28-9-07）
“马来西亚有许多虔诚皠?各宗教信仰的信徒，我们什么时候能走出狭窄的宗教 圈子，以更宏观的角度和宗教情怀，去参与维护国内堏?法公正、民主与自由的运动呢？”
we can’t even have inter-religious forum.
When Marina Mahathir organised a multi religion prayer session for TDM, she received criticism (as reported by the Sun)
No chance in Malaysia.
2 Sundays ago while out for a run,I was troubled in the spirit with 2 things:-
1) I asked God if I had gone over board by posting something on NEP in my blog, especially I have put the caption “New economy policy – fruit or poison?”. I was so shocked to get a reply “It’s MURDER”.
2)I thought about Dr.Sun Yat Sen in 1900’s how he had given himslef to his country selflessly for a democratic China. He is so well loved & respected by every Chinese & honoured him as the father of China. Likewise Ghandi in 1940’s, the marching father of India.
Like it or not, nations look to their own national leaders as of fatherly figure. And a father should always give himself selflessly to his offsprings & treats them equally.
I am so troubled when I see my country under that light. We the non Malays offsprings of Malaysia have been so ill treated by their national father for so many years. Some even had the nerve to say “if you don’t like it, you can leave the country”(please don’t blame the Malays, blame the father who lead the country!)
What kind of national father are we having???How is our country ever going to become an advance nation by 2020??
We the non Malays are being made like fatherless!
My personal conviction is that all Christians should be actively involved in working & striving hand in hand with all others irrespective of race & religion together for a stronger & better Malaysia.
If you are a lawyer, you should have joined “the march for justice”; if you are a DAP member then join in of a under the DAP banner; so on and so forth.
We do have a national crisis right at our doorstep!
So God please hear your people’s cry! Amen!
looking at the photo of the dead monk in the river in yeserday’s NST, I feel it is time to use force to oust these tyrant.
these people seized and kept power since 1962 and now murder civilians and monks to keep their power can only understand one thing – FORCE.
The UN has ordered a series of police action through history – Korea and Bosnia are some of the examples. The United States also intervened in Somalia as well.
the most powerful son -in-law (in Malaysia, anyway) act of releasing pigeon is nothing more than a gimmick. It will not help a bit to these brave people in Myanmar.
how the heck we allowed them into ASEAN in the first place? in our cluster, economic consideration supersedes humanitarian issues; sice we seems to have this restrain on “intervening in other country’s inernal affairs”
a wrong is a wrong, whether or not it is in or outside of your man drawn borders, as in the eyes of GOD, murder is murder; injustice is injustice.