I agree wholeheartedly with Bewildered ('Double Standards Of Malaysian Anglican Leaders') that the recent outburst by local churches, namely the Anglican communion and the members of the National Evangelical Christian Fellowship over the appointment of an openly gay bishop - Canon Gene Robinson - within the Anglican church of America smacks at nothing more than hypocrisy and self-righteousness on the part of our local churches.

Was it absolutely necessary to come out with such a public denouncement of the latest development which is seen by many other theologians and clergy as a positive step forward?

What about the many other more urgent and serious issues that the churches should tackle in our society and the world today from corruption to Aids, poverty and preferential love for the marginalised?

Why did the NECF not condemn the US-led invasion into Iraq where so many innocent people lost their lives as a result instead of trying to cause a hullabaloo over one individual, way up in North America?

Whilst both the Christian groups wasted no time to distance themselves and attack the new gay bishop by saying that such a thing will never happen in Malaysia, can both the institutions swear upon the Good Book right here and now that there are absolutely no priests or pastors within their present clergy who might be secretly gay or harbouring homosexual or even bisexual tendencies?

What's all the big deal about then, boys? There is nothing to be proud about your statement.

The only consequence to this is that such tainted and bigoted views speak very little about Christian tolerance - and may do more harm than good in spreading homophobia and hatred among the faithful rather than in promulgating the all-encompassing compassion of Jesus Christ.

I am reminded of a passage right now in the Bible when a prostitute used expensive oil and perfume to clean and anoint the feet of the Lord. This greatly inflamed the hypocrites of Jesus' day.