'I eagerly wait for the day when a real preacher who can really deliver a talk about how wonderful their religion is without throwing bricks at others faith.'

'Christians sinful' remark by TV personality raises ire

Mokhsein Abdullah: Two wrongs do not make a right. So let's not fall into the trap of people claiming to represent Christianity and blame Islam. This ‘joke' of a so-called TV personality does not represent Islam.

The fault lies with the TV stations for allowing people like her to come and talk live on TV with their narrow-minded personal viewpoints, supposedly representing Islam. The authorities responsible for Islam in this country have a responsibility to severely censure her and withdraw whatever ‘tauliah' given to her as a punishment for this idiotic statement.

Here's something that may need further probing. From what I understand, every state has its own Jabatan Agama Islam which is responsible for approving the so-called ‘penceramah bertauliah'. In the case of religious speakers who appear on TV, which is beamed to all states, who gives these speakers their ‘tauliah' to preach nationwide?

Anonymous_4196: I am a Christian for 30 years. I attended community churches both locally and in England (for four years) and I can tell you, Siti Nor Bahyah Mahamood, that Valentine's Day is not a part-Christian festivity and celebrations. Nor do Christians observe Valentine's Day celebration.

One thing we Christians agree with you is that we also discourage immorality, including lying and giving false facts.

YF: Now to correct the misguided comments from Siti. Firstly, Valentine is not of Christian origin and it is not borrowed from the pagans. In fact, the church is against it.

Secondly, Valentine's Day originated in the 18th century with no involvement from the church or its history whatever. Thirdly, Christianity does not promote pre-marital sex, which you have erroneously associated with Christianity.

Black Mamba: A sweeping statement from a graduate of Al-Azhar University tells you the kind of Islamic students they churn out. If you can't differentiate between a secular practice and a religious one, I suggest Siti Nor Bahyah takes up comparative religious studies instead of just Islamic before you make any comment on other faiths. At the very least, check it out with a Christian friend or Google, which will give you a host of answers.

Rayfire: I will eagerly wait for the day when a real preacher who can really deliver a talk about how wonderful their religion is without throwing bricks at others faith. It happens not only her case, but in other religions as well.

But she seems to take it a step further in hitting at the Christianity faith without substantial evidence. Valentine is now commercialised and for your information, ‘maksiat' does not happen only on this V-day.

Take a look around, incest cases for example, where did the religion go wrong in this matter. So ultimately it is what goes on in your mind - you can preach to kingdom come to all and sundry but if it doesn't sink in, no one can help.

Faith is something personal and does not come by force. The person must believe wholeheartedly. If you just ask them to follow the books blindly, you are going to end up worse.

Jane Priya: There are no biblical basis for Valentine's Day. Valentine's Day is not a religious day and is not observed by Christians. Most of the material surrounding Valentine's Day is stuff of legends.

I think public personalities who appear on mass media and do talk shows should have the responsibility to conduct proper research and be well informed about the subject under discussion, and not just make general statements.

2CTS WORTH: Can I say that Islam and corruption is synonymous? Can I say that Islam promotes violence? No, I don't say these things nor do I think these things although I see around me rampant corruption and violence committed by the unsavoury portion of people who profess to follow Islam.

Siti, you judge because you think you are a perfect human specimen. My three advice to you is: grow up, study about Christianity, and take a good look at yourself in the mirror.

Kee: Sebagai seorang Islam, saya amat khuatir dengan peningkatan konservatisme agama seperti yang ditunjukkan oleh individu ini. Apakah salah kita menghormati antara satu agama ke satu agama lain dan membebaskan setiap agama dari sesuatu persepsi negatif?

Sudah tentu saya menganggap Islam sebagai agama yang terbaik bagi saya tetapi saya tidak boleh memaksa orang lain untuk mengakui bahawa agama saya adalah yang terbaik. Apakah orang lain buta untuk melihat bahawa penganut Islam juga merupakan mereka yang banyak terlibat dengan gejala seperti merogol anak sendiri, membuang anak sendiri, tikam menikam, bunuh membunuh dan sekian banyak lagi gejala yang cukup merungsingkan?

Bagaimanakah agama lain ingin menghormati agama kita jika kita sendiri tidak menghormati agama orang lain? Kepada individu yang menganggap diri sebagai pendakwah ini, anda memalukan saya sebagai orang Islam.

Avvai: I am a Muslim and I do believe in Jesus (Nabi Isa) because he is a prophet. I have even read the Bible; no where does it mention about doing 'maksiat'. No churches celebrate Valentine's Day.

I really don't know where this women gets her idea that doing 'maksiat' is a Christian tradition. Every religion teaches us to be good and do good. It's us humans who do sin and tarnish the name of our religions. Muslims have been labeled terrorists because of some purported followers of Islam.

Siti Bahiyah should apologise to the Christians and gets her facts right. As a Muslim, I am very ashamed of her and the other dumb ustaz on the show. Memalukan agama sendiri .

Anonymous_5fb: Islam dan Kristian (termasuk Katholik) sebenarnya mempunyai asas yang sama. Buku-buku suci kedua-dua ugama ini, iaitu Koran dan Kitab, ada menyebut Nabi Muhammad dan Isa, Adam dan Eve, dan lain lain.

Saya pasti semua ini ada diajar oleh instituisi-instituisi pengajaran ugama masing-masing termasuk University Al-Azhar. Jadi, sungguh hairan saya mengapa Ustaza Siti macam tidak tahu langsung apa itu ugama Kristian yang sebenarnya. Jadi, ketegangan di antara kedua-dua ugama ini sejak zaman dahulu sebenarnya disebabkan oleh umat masing-masing kerana tidak dapat persefahaman.

Ustaza Siti seharusnya berlajar daripada Tok Guru Nik Aziz (kalau tidak salah, dia juga pernah belajar di University Al-Azhar) dimana Tok Guru pamer kepandaian beliau dan sering dilihat makan bersama dengan sami-sami Buddha, Pastor Kristian dan guru-guru ugama lain. Jadi, sebenarya Islam bukan masalah tetapi segelintir umatnya.

It is definitely something very wrong with Islamic education (where all Malays are compulsory to go through) and Islamic authorities that managing Muslim affairs, either the Umno-led government admitted or otherwise.

When you have a system that is rigid and restrict development in people's thinking process, coupled with policies that caused racial polarisation and the perspective they look at things, then you tend to get people like this woman. This woman is a victim of the environment that created by such flawed system.

Please calm down, fellow commentators. Anger and hatred won't solve the matter. It is nothing to do with Islam, but the system.

Geronimo: It is sad to note that your heart is full of hate. In any case, as a Catholic Christian, I would like to take this opportunity to wish you love on this Valentine's Day and may your heart be equally filled with the grace of love for your fellow human beings.

As a senior citizen, my advice to you is not to be judgmental on people, especially if you don't understand what the other faiths are all about just as I would not like to comment on any anything relating to your faith. So, please, live and let live.

JBGUY: The problem with some Muslims in this country is that a vast majority of them have no understanding, let alone knowledge, of other religions. This is due to the myopic view of our government that Muslims who learn about other religions are likely to desert their faith in favour of other faiths.

It is totally abhorrent of the government to think that the Muslims in this country have weak faith in their own religion. That is why the history books are doctored to only focus on contributions of Malays and a large part revolves around Islam.

Keturunan Malaysia: As I am writing now, an Egyptian reporter in the city square in Eygpt said that in the next 24 hours or so, the Egypt that I visited may take another turn, for better or for worse.

It is not about religion nor race. It is all about a bad regime and the millions of Egyptians calling for freedom and justice. There, Muslims and Christians stand shoulders to shoulders. Here, we have people plying their jokes way ahead of April Fool's Day.

TWHot: This case will enable us to gauge the government's ability or readiness to walk the 1Malaysia talk. In the meantime, can someone please advise the home minister to place her under the ISA to 'protect' her from the ‘angry' masses who may cause harm to her.

Show the same concern as they have shown to MP Teresa Kok.

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