Lina Joy: More Views?

Found a report by Associated Press here on the decision of Lina Joy's case delivered yesterday.

At the end of the article, it stated:
"Leonard Teoh, the lawyer on a watching brief for the Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism, said it is now up to the legislature and the government to resolve the religious quagmire.

"Our next process should be the political process. We are going to talk to the prime minister, to our politicians. In the interest of racial and religious harmony, something needs to be done. People like Lina Joy should not be trapped in a legal cage, not being able to come out to practice their true conscience and religion," he said."

Interestingly, just a few minutes ago, I received an SMS update from The Star alert stating:
"31/5 Federal Court's decision on Lina Joy's appeal not a political one, Govt did not assert pressure on the judges in any way, says PM/STAR"
- I wonder what prompted this statement..


There are pending cases of families being torn apart, children taken away from parents and wives virtually abducted on the ground that one party was a Muslim and therefore not permitted to marry, live with or cohabit with persons of other religions. One of which involves a Hindu truck driver Magendran Sababathy who filed a suit alleging that Islamic authorities had illegally detained his Muslim wife. He said Islamic officials raided the couple's home on April 28 and took away his three-year old daughter telling him that his marriage under Hindu rites is illegal.

"All these cases are disturbing and reflect the rising Islamisation in the country, regardless of the price to national unity and interracial harmony," said Lim Kit Siang, parliamentary opposition leader. "The secular basis of the Constitution is being eroded relentlessly," he said. "Many people beginning to feel helpless."


There are many issues at hand and there are, again, more questions than answers...What can and should the church do in times like these?