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The laws of man and God

Published

12 years ago

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~ By Howard Lee ~

The ongoing legal case on the five members of City Harvest Church created quite a stir in our community, partly because it rings a similar tone to earlier high profile cases of charities mingling with the law, such as the National Kidney Foundation, Youth Challenge and Ren Ci, but also because it has attracted a ground's up response from CHC's members.

Some of these responses found their way into the comments on TOC’s pages. A number are apparently from members of CHC, speaking out in support of the five, but there were also non-members lending support or seeking clarifications. Others were evidently less supportive, to the extent of deciding them guilty when judgment has yet to be passed, based on their perceived sincerity and actions of Kong and his compatriots.

I will not comment on these views, or those counter-accusing the media and the Commissioner of Charities for publishing the case as a guilty verdict, interesting though that might be. What I am keen to explore is the conversations that are going out for or against the five charged with financial misconduct.

At the core of it, we see members of CHC voicing their vote of confidence in Pastor Kong Hee and his team, asking why the government needed to interfere with CHC's activities when members have willingly donated to the church, and accepting that such donations will go towards funding the church's more secular-facing activities.

These voices, however, will not do much to silence the opposing voices, those who believe that CHC has manipulated its agenda among its members, to gain their support for activities that they do not see as having any evangelical content at all. The provocative music videos of Kong's wife, Sun Ho, rest squarely at the centre of these views.

A few – and perhaps too few – have pointed out that the charges levelled against CHC were based on the rule of law, and possibly policed and enforced more strictly, in the wake of the NKF saga.

The COC can be seen as doing its duty, applying the same principles, even if not the same measures, to regulate the charities it assumed under its charge. Some have drawn parallels between this incident and the clampdown on the Catholic Church during Operation Spectrum, but I believe that would achieve nothing more than stoke the flames of injustice, when in this case, justice has yet to run its full course. The injustice of the Internal Security Act needs to be addressed, but there is no current evident to suggest this is a factor against CHC.

At the very base, this case is about CHC toeing the legal line as it currently stands. It has nothing to do with what CHC supporters say are their collective trust in Kong and the other four to do with their money as their good faith sees fit. Their rationale is that, so long as the congregation approves it, and their leadership approves of it, they are free to do as they will.

In a religious setting, it is not hard to see why this can take place. Christians, both Catholic and Protestants (and I dare say any other religious group as well), view their leaders as chosen by God. Their words are effectively gospel, and to doubt that amounts to betrayal of the leaders and shakes the foundation upon which their own faith is built.

Is it a correct belief? No one else can really decide for the believer. But it is clear that while we can say church leaders determine the directions of moral conduct as they deem right to propose to their followers, they must in turn follow the real-world, secular framework that they exist and operate in.

This CHC case is about the laws of man, not the laws of God.

While the laws of God are mortally subjective – we follow by faith, but we will never know if they have been interpreted correctly by mortal leaders until we meet our maker – the laws of man are not. Kong and CHC know these laws and are bound to obey them. They need to suffer the earthly consequences if evidence convicts the five. That is an inescapable fact. No amount of good work, even if done in the glory of God, will change that.

But this is not to say that secular and moral laws will never meet. In no modern, open society, even the most secular ones, has religion not had an impact on the formation of the laws of man that bind their human populations. Neither has it been the case where the two positions do not contest for influence. The debates on issues like euthanasia, abortion and gay marriages are prominent examples.

From my woefully short religious education, I have gathered that living a God-centred life requires us to constantly evaluate and navigate the best path we need to take to exist in this world, while keeping our eyes on heaven. No simple feat, and even the best of us would have faltered. There are areas of alignment in the laws of God and man that we should follow and encourage, areas that are essentially harmless to follow, and areas of conflict that we should openly and actively seek to address and change.

When the CHC five made decisions with their church's finances, which of these three areas were they navigating in?

At some point in time, an argument should be made about how our charities sector is defined, and perhaps policies need to be revised. There is room to explore gaps between charities of service, where donors expect their donations to be put to use for the service of the disadvantaged, and charities of mission, where donors contribute to advance the interests of the organisation they belong to. This needs to addressed, but not for the case of CHC, and not today.

The writer is a Catholic.

 

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Ng Eng Hen: Dust clouds likely caused armoured vehicle collision during Exercise Wallaby

Dust clouds limiting visibility likely contributed to the collision between two Hunter vehicles during Exercise Wallaby, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen explained in his parliamentary reply. 12 servicemen sustained mild injuries, but safety measures prevented more serious outcomes. A formal investigation is ongoing to ensure further safety improvements.

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1 week ago

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16 October 2024

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SINGAPORE: Low visibility caused by dust clouds was identified as the likely cause of the collision between two Hunter armoured fighting vehicles (AFVs) during Exercise Wallaby last month, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen said in a written parliamentary response on Tuesday (15 October).

The incident, which occurred in Queensland, Australia, on 24 September 2024, resulted in mild injuries to 12 servicemen.

Dr Ng’s statement was in response to a parliamentary question from Mr Dennis Tan, Workers’ Party Member of Parliament for Hougang SMC.

Mr Tan asked for details on the accident, specifically its cause and whether any lessons could be applied to enhance training and operational safety within the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF).

The collision took place during a night-time movement of Hunter AFVs at the Shoalwater Bay Training Area.

The vehicles were returning to base when one rear-ended another. Dr Ng explained that the dust clouds generated by the AFVs’ movement significantly impaired visibility, might likely contributing to the accident.

The 12 affected servicemen sustained mild injuries and were promptly taken to the nearest medical facility.

None of the injuries required hospitalisation, and all 12 servicemen were able to rejoin their units for training the next day.

According to the minister, adherence to safety protocols—such as wearing seat belts and protective gear—played a crucial role in limiting the injuries to mild ones.

Following the incident, a safety pause was immediately implemented, with all drivers being reminded to maintain proper safety distances, especially when visibility was compromised.

Troops were also reminded to adhere strictly to safety protocols, including the proper use of safety equipment, Dr Ng added.

The safety lessons from the incident were shared not only with the affected units but also with other participating groups in the exercise, as well as units back in Singapore, through dedicated safety briefings.

Mr Tan also asked about the broader implications of the incident. In his response, Dr Ng said that a formal investigation had been launched in accordance with SAF’s safety incident protocol.

The investigation aims to assess the circumstances more thoroughly and identify any further measures that could be taken to enhance safety.

Dr Ng shared that recommendations arising from the investigation will be implemented where necessary.

Exercise Wallaby is SAF’s largest unilateral overseas exercise, and the 2024 edition began on 8 September, running until 3 November.

The exercise involves approximately 6,200 personnel, including 500 operationally ready national servicemen.

The exercise has been conducted at Shoalwater Bay Training Area in Queensland since 1990, and it is a key part of SAF’s overseas training program.

The Hunter AFV, one of the vehicles involved in the collision, is a state-of-the-art platform jointly developed by the Defence Science and Technology Agency, the Singapore Army, and ST Engineering.

It replaced the SAF’s aging fleet of Ultra M113 AFVs in 2019, which had been in service since the 1970s. The Hunter is equipped with advanced features, including a 30mm cannon, a 76mm smoke grenade launcher, and an automatic target detection and

tracking system designed to enhance operational effectiveness. It is also capable of traveling at increased speeds and covering longer distances, making it a versatile asset for the SAF.

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Government to “carefully consider” Lee Hsien Yang’s demolition application for 38 Oxley Road

The Singapore Government will “carefully consider” Mr Lee Hsien Yang (LHY)’s application to demolish the house at 38 Oxley Road. LHY announced his intent on Tuesday morning following the recent death of his sister, Dr Lee Wei Ling, reaffirming his commitment to honour his parents’ wish for the house’s demolition.

Published

1 week ago

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15 October 2024

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The Singapore Government has indicated that it will “carefully consider” Mr Lee Hsien Yang’s (LHY) application to demolish the family home at 38 Oxley Road.

LHY, the youngest son of Singapore’s founding Prime Minister, the late Lee Kuan Yew (LKY), announced his intention to apply for the demolition in a Facebook post on 15 October 2024, following the death of his sister, Dr Lee Wei Ling, on 9 October.

The announcement marks a significant development in the ongoing saga over the fate of the historically significant property, which has been at the heart of a family dispute since LKY’s passing in 2015.

In his will, executed in December 2013, LKY expressed his desire for the house to be demolished “immediately after” Dr Lee moved out of the property. Dr Lee, a prominent neurologist, had been the last remaining resident of the house.

LHY reaffirmed his commitment to carrying out his father’s wishes, stating, “After my sister’s passing, I am the only living executor of my father’s estate. It is my duty to carry out his wishes to the fullest extent of the law.”

He added that he would seek to build a small private dwelling on the site, which would be “held within the family in perpetuity”.

LHY also referenced his brother, Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s (LHL) remarks in Parliament in 2015, when he was Prime Minister, stating that upon Dr Lee’s passing, the decision to demolish the house would rest with the “Government of the day.”

In response to media queries regarding LHY’s announcement, a spokesperson for the Ministry of National Development (MND) acknowledged the intended application and emphasised that the Government would “carefully consider issues related to the property in due course”.

The spokesperson also highlighted that any decision would need to balance LKY’s wishes, public interest, and the historical value of the house.

The house at 38 Oxley Road, where key decisions about Singapore’s path to independence were made, has been a focal point of public and political discussion.

The future of the house became contentious in 2017 when LHY and Dr Lee publicly accused their elder brother, LHL, of trying to preserve the house against their father’s wishes for political reasons.

LHL denied the accusations, issuing a Ministerial Statement in Parliament, where he also raised concerns over the preparation of their father’s final will. He clarified that he had recused himself from all decisions regarding the property and affirmed that any government action would be impartial.

In 2018, a “secret” ministerial committee, which was formed in 2016 to study the future of 38 Oxley Road, proposed three options: preserving the property and designating it as a national monument, partially demolishing the house while retaining the historically significant basement dining room, or allowing complete demolition for redevelopment. LHL accepted the committee’s conclusions but stated that no immediate decision was necessary, as Dr Lee was still living in the house.

In a statement conveyed by LHY on behalf of Dr Lee after her passing, she reiterated her strong support for her father’s wish to demolish the house. “My father, Lee Kuan Yew, and my mother, Kwa Geok Choo, had an unwavering and deeply felt wish for their house at 38 Oxley Road to be demolished upon the last parent’s death,” the statement read.

She added, “He had also appealed directly to the people of Singapore. Please honour my father by honouring his wish for his home to be demolished.”

Despite selling the house to LHY at market value in 2015, LHL’s stance regarding the house’s preservation became a public issue, especially after the family disclosed that the Government had raised concerns about reinstating the demolition clause in the 2013 will. The ministerial committee had reviewed the matter, but a final decision was deferred until now.

The fate of 38 Oxley Road remains to be seen, but the Government’s decision will likely have lasting implications for the legacy of the Lee family and the conservation of Singapore’s historical landmarks.

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