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AL JAZEERA recently ran an interesting story which struck a chord here in Malaysia. At least that’s how I see it. The international news network received a video, shot by an independent flim maker in Bagram Afghanistan.The video was recorded last year. It showed a group of US servicemen and a military chaplain talking about the need to “spread the word of God” among the locals.

Nothing wrong with that you might say. And I agree. But when the servicemen are Christians and the local populace are made up of Muslims then it becomes something else, as the al Jazzera report tells viewers. The group of staunch Christian military men, led by the chaplain also spoke of distributing bibles, translated into local Afghan languages or dialects to the masses. Hence the soldiers were accused of protelyzing--spreading their religion to people of other faith. In short, wanting to convert Muslims into Christianity.

The US military immediately issued a denial when the story was aired by Al Jazeera. They say it has always been their policy to “stay away” religious issues. They are against protelyzing and certainly do not encourage their personnel to “turn preacher” and go around spreading their religion or belief to people of other faith. The US military commander in Afghanisitan accused Al Jazeera of being “irresponsible”. The network retorted by defending it’s report. Incidently the commander, the Al Jazeera correspondent and the film maker who shot the video are non Muslims.

Anyway Al Jazeera also “reminded” viewers of a report last year of a US marine who paid money to Iraqis who were trying to turn Muslims to become Christians. The US marine was “ immediately reprimanded ” by the military.

I never doubted the US military policy against protelyzing. But like everywhere else, there are extremists in the US military. In this case Christian extremists. Perhaps “extremist” is too harsh a word to use. But the point is, there are people in the US military who are “religiously overzealous.” And in their “overzealousness” they protelyzise. And giving away free bibles which have been translated into local dialects is just one way of spreading their belief to people of other belief.

Which brings us to Malaysia. Translated version of holy books has always been an issue for us. Especially among Muslims/Malays. And the controversy over the issue of the word “Allah” to describe God in Christian journal and bibles in Bahasa Melayu is still “raging”. There are Muslims /Malays who say they “fear Muslims getting confused” by that. But what they actually fear is Muslims “converting to Christianity after reading bibles in Bahasa Melayu”.

In Indonesia journals, magazines and holy books of all religions in Bahasa Indonesia are sold or distributed freely without anyone raising an eye brow. Christian sermons in Bahasa Indonesia are televised. All that in a country with the largest number of Muslims in the world.

Back to our beloved country. As for the non Muslims in Malaysia, well, we hear of their “concern” when their children are required (or “forced’?) to wear songkok and tudung at events in school. Making it more “fearsome” when there are Quran recital in the event.

The “concern” is in reality “fear’ of what they see as efforts by the authorities to protelyzise. Simply put, effort to make their kids Muslims.

To me, by reading bibles in Bahasa Melayu do not make a Muslim convert into Christianity . Like wise donning songkok and tudung will not make people leave their religion and embrace Islam. If one strongly believe in one’s religion, nothing will make one leave the religion of origin. so to speak. A believer will always be a believer.

We do not hear of Muslims in Indonesia “abandoning” Islam just because of translated bibles and Christian sermon in Bahasa Indonesia on TV. The Muslims in Jordan and the Middle East remain strong Muslims although the Pope paid them a visit recently. It’s all in the heart my friend, it’s all in the heart. (By MOHSIN ABDULLAH/MySinchew)

(MOHSIN ABDULLAH is Editor-in-Chief, News and current Affairs, ntv7 & 8TV)