A Gay Church In Malaysia? What’s next?
(Oyoung Wen Fen and his partner Angel posing for a chinese magazine)
I have been wanting to write about the so called Gay Church that the Metropolitan Community Church from the US is going to set up in KL in the year 2010. I know of people reaching out to the gay community, with the hope of helping them get out of their lifestyle. But they don’t condone their practices or behavior.  But this so called “pastor†Oyoung Wen Feng is different. He is a self-confessed gay who is cohabitating with a gay partner who is from Puerto Rico with a feminine name of “Angel.†And further more, they are going to get married soon. They believed and approved of same-sex marriage. I don’t know how they interpret the Bible to justified themselves with their lifestyle and behavior but I’m definitely sure the Bible does not approve of such act. These are the people who give Christianity a bad name and a wrong perception to the world in general. And I really wonder where did he get his doctrine from. These are the people who twisted the Word of God for their own benefit and purpose. I remember John Lennon once said that, ” Religion is good, but it is the people who interpret it that is bad.” I guess he meant people like Oyoung Wen Feng.
Hey, it’s ok to start a Church that has the burden to reach out to the gay community, after all, Jesus did say that it is not the healthy who needs a doctor, but the sick, - but not a Gay Church that endorsed gay lifestyles. You don’t go to a doctor to let the doctor tell you it’s ok to be unhealthy. You go to a doctor to seek healing - you want to get well.  And to be that person for God to use to reach to the gay community, you, yourself must be a reformed person, one who has been transformed be the power of God. One who has walked out of the gay practice and lifestyle. You must be a testimony for God, so that you can proclaim that God can transform lives. Or else how can God use you to bring these people out from their present lifestyle. In the same senario, just imagine a pastor who is a drug addict, starting a drug addict church, reaching out to the drug addicts -and telling the congregation, ”hey, it’s ok to get high, I just got high too before I stand here and preach.”Â
No, it’s not ok! You have to get yourself right first. You have to let God help you get out of your present lifestyle, God does not approve of such act, in fact God detest it. This is not of God. There is no where in the Word of God that says it’s ok to practice gay lifestlye or same-sex marriage. Be a new creation! Say goodbye to the old lifestyle and start a new one with God.
Anyway, I have friends who are gay but I don’t condemn them, neither does God condemn them just because they are gay. He still loves them and wants them to come back to the Truth.  He wants them to come back to His arms not into the arms of their partners. As the saying goes, “God loves the sinners but it is the sins that he hatesâ€Â God loves you and me, no matter who or what we are and God will forgive all your sins. After all, Christ Jesus died for you and me and the entire human race, whether you are gay, drug addict, alcoholic, lawyer, doctor, engineer, prime minister or just a housewife.
By the way, there won’t be a Gay Church here in Malaysia – read below an email that was forwarded to me.
Shalom!  Â
Good News! Good News! I couldn’t wait to share with you a piece of good news! The Gay-church is not allowed in Malaysia! Please share this good news around. Your prayer and efforts against the Gay-church is not in vain. Do keep up the struggle.  Â
Today Sin Chew reported about a comment by Tourism Minister Tengku Adnan. I purposely scanned the news for your reference. Let me translate it:Â Â
“Tourism Minister Tengku Adnan says that the government will strictly ban the first gay pastor from setting up the Metropolitan Community Church, which is meant to serve the homosexuals, Lesbians, bisexuals, as well as the transsexuals.  Â
Today when he was asked about Oyoung Wen Feng plans to set up the Metropolitan Community Church in Malaysia in 2010, he says that the government will ban such a plan from coming to pass, because Malaysia is a country that is suitable for all in a normal family to visit.   Malaysia is a multicultural country; all citizens are abiding by the laws, and are submitting to their respective religious doctrines.  Â
In Malaysia, should anyone being convicted of homosexual acts, the highest punishable sentence is 20 years in jail, or to be caned.”  Â
Many Christians are disappointed with The Star. It has given prominent columns to the Gay-church twice. It would be good if somebody could represent the Churches and ask for an equal coverage by publishing our official statement. Could someone tell me is the top Editor Mr. Wong Chun Wai a Christian?   The Association of Christian Youths Malaysia is still heading a group of pastors about this Gay-church issue. Please pray for us.  Â
Thank you and God bless you.
Rev Allen Tan
If a doctor is sick doesn\’t mean that he can\’t heal the sick. The root of the problem is that we think like this : because he is gay, everything he teaches is wrong. Certainly we do know that this statement is injustice to them. They are not given a chance to be heard.
(this raises one controversy… if you think you are right and he think he is right, then who is right ? God knows) . Perhaps we should listen first.
To me, homosexualism is rather emphasized more of a shame than sin.
It is still a sin though, but come on, we are humans and we can\’t avoid sin. AND I don\’t mean that we should take this matter lightly too. Be it lying, adultery or stealing.. they\’re sin too. And should we be stopped from the working for God when we are sinners ourselves? Grace is what has been given to us.
For this matter we can only leave the judgement to God. Succumbing to some pastor\’s method which by trying to \’stemming\’ things into his way will only cause more damage than saving more lives. I believe we shouldn\’t put effort that much on stopping things that is such could be but we should question and improve ourselves.
Regards,
Jason
p.s: Googled and found ur blog on this topic. just dropping my 2 cents. and i\’m straight btw.
Here we are talking about a pastor who teaches or approved of same-sex marriage and that goes without saying that it’s ok to practice a gay lifestyle. We are talking about a pastor of a church, not some gay club. We are talking about is it Biblical? Is it a Christian practice? Is it ok with God? Answer: Certianly not. The doctor as you mentioned could be sick and yet he could still heal the sick. Of course he could - but not to tell them it’s ok to continue to stay unhealthy. Example: how can a person who is addicted to drugs, tell another person that its not right to take drugs and you should quit - but it’s ok for me to take it? Or how can a gay tell another that he should not continue his gay lifestlye - but it’s ok for me? Is that helping the other person?
Yes it is not good to embrace the sin. But that doesn\’t give us the right to tell them what do they must do. PLUS, having a pastor who confessed that he is gay, doesn\’t mean that he encourages people to be gay. He\’s only NOT AGAISN\’T homosexualism BUT encourages people in other areas like love or faithful to thier partners. That is our second flaw when we come to hear \’gay\’ and \’pastor\’ together.
I may sound like I\’m defending him but I actually just want to leave the impression that we should be more gracious towards people around us. Put ourselves in their shoes, and think from their perspective with our idealism aside. Then we may understand better their situation before we engage and judge them.
Thank you for your time reading and replying my comments.
Regards,
Jason
I do understand your view. I am not perfect myself to judge him, neither have the right to throw the first stone. I am speaking from a Christian point of view. I am speaking on Christian Principles and Teaching. We cannot interpret the Bible for our convenience. We cannot interpret the Bible to justify our behaviour. If he and his church thinks that it’s ok with God, that means the rest of the churches in this world are wrong. And we have been teaching the wrong Christian theology.
Do you think that homosexualism or same-sex marriage is ok with God? If I confessed that I am a drug addict, does it means I can go on and live a drug addict lifestlye just because I confessed I am one? Does that means I don’t need to change? Does that mean God will say it’s ok son, continue with what you are doing? And the authority will not arrest me if I am found with drugs cause I have confessed? Does a murderer who confessed to a murder will go free just because he confessed to the crime? NO! Confession does not mean you are innocent. You still need to change and repent. You need to get it right again with God and with men.
Jason, I was a drug addict before, and when I was on drugs, I think it’s ok to take drugs, and of course, I will not be againts drug users as I myself is one. And furthermore, my friends are mostly dugs addicts themselves. But after when I quit drugs, I go back to reach out to my friends and help them to give up their drugs habit. I give talks on drug’s awareness and I always tell people to understand how a drug addict feels and always put themselves in their shoes and not to judge them. But I am not there to tell them that it’s ok to let them continue to be a drug addict. I try to help them get out from their habit or from their drug addiction lifestyle. I understand the hardship of a drug addict and at the same time I too, understand the ecstasy of being high. And I understand the pain of going through a “cold turkey” withdrawal. I understand them, that’s why I can identify with them. But before I can help them, I, myself must set the example. I have to quit first. You have to be the example before others can listen or follow.
We are all sinners in one way or another. We are weak. When sin increased in our lives, God’s grace increased even more. He is the God of grace. But should we continue to live in sin so that God’s grace will increased? Certainly not! We have died to sin - we cannot continue to live in sin. Unless you think what you do is not a sin. When we were baptized into union with Christ Jesus, we were baptized into union with His death. We are set free from the power of sin, sin has no power over us.
BTW - have been to their website? If you are a Christian, then check it out, and if you are not, then you might have a different perspective about Christianity.
I respect your hardships and experience for going through the 15 years of being a drug addict. And I really do respect you for being able to break free from it. Not only that, you have a strong belief and you continuously help others through your experience.
In contrary, this is a different situation. The homosexualism might be a complex situation, as to me Romans 1:24-27 is like God punished humanity with these sinful desires. Not only sinful, but it is shameful. Sodomy(an act to degrade another men) and being sodomized(being degraded) has become a lust. This is a God’s punishment. Rather, they might no longer have desire for opposite gender intimacy. Maybe it might not be possible for them to have feelings for opposite gender too. Celibacy? that’s the best answer to escape anything regarding sexualism but it can be too selfish depending on situations. My point is, they might be trapped with the given choices. To be able change, it must be God given.
Anyhow, I’ve visited Oyoung’s site before. Heck, I don’t understand a single chinese character and babelfish or google translator isn’t that accurate with the grammar. Anyway, in one of his interviews Oyoung defined homosexualism is not about sex. It’s about love. They are saying some sort of like the relationship between King David and Jonathan is homosexualism.(Don’t stone me, just put it this way for now). I do find their definition of love are actually deep. BUT I dissaprove the physical intimacy between same sex. EWW.
Same sex marriage do sound sick, but hey, it’s a pledge to love someone for the rest of his/her life.
Yes, I’m a Christian. Just don’t stone me.
Regards,
Jason
p.s : YOU’RE A COOK? I LOVE FOOD!
I know it’s a different situation all together and i know homosexualism might be a complex situation.
Yes I read that about the David and Jonathan, and Ruth and Noami relationship thing in their website. That’s exactly what I mean. They chose to pick up these passages to interpret it as a homosexual and lesbain relationship. Please google for Metropolitan Coommunity Church, NY and you can read more about them and their beliefs.
In one of his interviews, he admits that he had sexual relationship with men. And remember he was also married to a woman before for 9 years. And now he is cohibitating with this “partner” - whom he is going to get married. And he is a pastor!
By the way, I don’t think Christians will go around and condemn the gay people. The church is always open to them - in fact to everybody. No body will be turned away. But don’t use the church or God in that matter to cover up for what you are doing and say that it’s ok.
I know of a self-confessed gay who came out from his homosexual life a few years ago. He gave his life to God. He got married to a wonderful lady,and they have two children together. Today he is pastoring a church. But he does not condone homosexualism. in fact he is helping others to come out of it. He does not preach that it’s ok to have same-sex marriage.
You see, when you surrender your life to Christ, the Bible says, you are a new creation, the old has gone and the new has come. Paul considered all things as rubbish, all as mere gabbage, when he comes in faith in Christ Jesus. He forgets what is behind and struggles for what is ahead.
Don’t worry, no one is going to stone you. And yes I was a chef. Love to cook. Cooking can be very creative. That’s why there is a different between a chef and a cook. A cook is someone who just cook, like a housewife. But a chef is a cook who is creative and can improvised and created dishes. haha!!!! God bless you Jason.