"Cibai, cost me £61 to renew my passport"
Those were the words in BC's FB status that got him into big trouble. BC bowed to pressure and deleted them because a preacher (I hope BC wasn't trying to be sarcastic by calling him that) from Malaysia who happened to be his "friend" reprimanded him in public. The preacher commented, "B, watch your words, you're a Christian!"
I winced in disgust reading the comment.
It's this type of person who encourages the stereotyping of Christians. That they are infallible. That their sin will encourage the sinning of other sinners.
It's this type of person who thinks only Christians have the moral high ground. What if another person of a different faith uses the same words as BC? I guess it's alright for him then, because he's doomed for not becoming a Christian anyway. Really?
It would be impertinent for me to think about the preacher as hypocrite. Christians, like other homo sapiens on this planet are not allowed to express their feelings with words of their choice. Only biblical words I suppose.
We live in an imperfect world. When we judge others, we run into the danger of thinking ourselves as righteous. More worryingly is not knowing where to stop. What's the next inappropriate word after cibai? Stupid dumb-dumb? Or even uttering the word "bloody" would get a Christian lynched next time by Mr Righteous Preacher's court of law? Tell me what Christian is that and I'll stay a million miles away from this freak.
"Cibai" is Hokkien for "cunt". It is rude, unprofessional and ungentlemanly. That's about it. If I had to reprimand BC I would probably go along these lines and in a private message. BC may have younger "friends" who see him as role model, that I would consider what he said as understandably inappropriate. But that's about it.
The Christianity I grew up in teaches me to do good to others as they would to me. It teaches me as an imperfect human to be always forgiving, loving and charitable to another human being. On that note, I wonder what we Christians think about embarrassing another Christian brother in public. Isn't that rude, unprofessional, ungentlemanly and inappropriate too?
You tell me.
2 comments:
Very thought provoking, Yap. I agree that the very public way of taking someone down is poor form. To me, it feels like triumphalism -- making a statement, rather than a genuine interest in helping a friend take the right actions.
I also feel it is a mistake to shame someone with the phrase 'you're a Christian'. It doesn't really link the rebuke at the actual values of kindness, graciousness, restraint... By saying 'you're a Christian', it implies a greater concern with image and straight obedience.
Well said.
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