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I refer to the letter 'Allah' issue: Zulkifli Noordin is spot on .

I am one of those in the majority of Malaysians who follows the ‘Allah’ issue without any mental baggage of blind loyalty to any particular religious dogma. I am also not a great fan of Zulkifli Noordin or his antics or outrageous publicity stunts.

However, I am inclined to agree with the writer of the above letter that Zulkifli's suggestion of an 'ulterior motive' among Christians is worthy of a second thought.

Having spent 11 years of schooling in a Christian mission School and another 20 years in an overwhelmingly Muslim-dominated staffed government-linked corporation, I consider myself blessed with the contrasting exposure to both religious environments at different times of my life.

While the Christians never gave up trying to convert me in the 11 years, the Muslims never even once tried to impose their faith on me in the two decades that I worked as a colleague with them. Muslims were, however, ready to enlighten me on any aspects of their faith but only if and when I asked them.

At the end of each sincere briefing, they never failed to add as a footnote that what they had said was merely their humble interpretation of the Holy Quran and God (or Allah ) may reveal Himself to people of other faiths in his Own way. The humility never escapes me and invariably fills me with a sense of profound respect for Islam in its regard for other faiths.

On the other hand, Christians, whether close acquaintances or total strangers, were completely obsessed with saving my ‘forsaken’ soul or so it seems. Recruiting others into their church is their way of 'validating' their existence.

It's as if they are doing what comes as naturally as 'breathing not realising it's suffocating to others. Their credo can be summed up as ' saving a soul a day keeps the flames of hell away'.

Therein lies the 'ulterior motive' Zulkifli Noordin must be referring to albeit in his own theatrical style. They see it as their divine mission to frighten you into their religious stable.

Islam acknowledges respect for other religions but the current Pope even angered Protestants worldwide recently by denying they are Christians unless they are Catholics.

Respect begets respect and if and when that prevails there will be no basis for suspicions of ‘ulterior motives’. As a bonus, there will then be one less issue to politicise.

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