Cash for Conversions? Malaysian Christian Church Raided Over Alleged Muslim Conversion 'Bribes

Are Christian organizations carrying out "covert missions" to convert Malaysian Muslims to Christianity by offering bribes, including cash, food and housing? This is exactly what some Malaysian newspapers are reporting following a government raid on a local, Christian church.

But, while Christians are being looked at with a skeptical eye, so are authorities. According to the Associated Press (via Fox News), "Malaysian Christian officials have accused Islamic authorities of unlawfully entering a church and harassing guests at a community dinner."

These issues came to a head last Wednesday when the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) allegedly joined police in raiding a multicultural dinner at the Damansara Utama Methodist Church in the city of Petaling Jaya. According to sources, the group was accused of trying to convert Muslim guests to Christianity.

While it is not technically illegal, at the federal level, to engage in proselytizing Muslims, the majority of the nation's states have laws against it. Despite these sometimes confusing regulations, it is plainly stated that it is illegal for individuals to convert from Islam. While the details on these police actions are still murky, it appears that issues of religious freedom lay at the heart of the debate. AFP has more on the raid:

Around 30 Islamic religious and police officials entered the church compound in Selangor state without a warrant and began taking videos and photographs, Daniel Ho, senior pastor for the church, said in a statement.

They subjected guests to "undue harassment" and took down the details of the Muslims present before leaving, he said.

Officials said they had "received a complaint" about the church but otherwise gave no reason for the raid.

Although the details are tough to piece together, some Malaysian newspapers have expounded upon these events and provided more information. Debra Chong of The Malaysian Insider writes:

In its frontpage story titled “Sogok wang gadai akidah” [“Cash bribes faith pawned”], Berita Harian reported that certain organizations were hiding behind the guide of welfare aide and offering all manner of monthly cash allowances of at least RM1,000 to hard-hit Muslims and their families in an attempt to turn them into Christians.

While the newspaper didn't name any of the organizations or churches that were allegedly involved in these actions, it showed a picture of a woman and claimed that she had admitted receiving aid from a local church. The paper cited two interviews with “Adazhan” and “Jasmine” -- individuals who purportedly received aid and took part in these programs, writing:

“Each participant is promised a ‘new life’ by the organisation’s leader who portrayed himself as a ‘saviour’ if he follows the arranged programme, including changing his religion.”

Of course, this "new life" could very well be a spiritual one, as Christianity promise a new "birth" should one accept Jesus Christ and follow his teachings. But, it seems critics may be charging that this "new life" was more rooted in money, food and the like (items these impoverished Muslims needed to survive).

Jasmine, who was allegedly detained during the church raid, apparently told the newspaper that the Muslims who participated in the church's program were not allowed to believe in the Prophet Muhammad. Instead, they were asked to embrace Jesus' teachings.

With only nine percent of the Malaysian population being Christian and 60 percent defining themselves as Muslims, the former religious group is certainly a minority group.  In a statement, Hermen Shastri, General secretary of the Council of Churches of Malaysia, said that the raid sets "a dangerous precedent and makes a mockery of the sanctity of religious places" and that it caused "undue trauma to all guests of the different ethnic communities."

Due to the intriguing religious dynamics in Malaysia, it is difficult to assess the situation. That said, this will certainly fuel some debates about faith in the Southeast Asian country. In America, like many other nations, proselytizing and converting are freedoms that all citizens enjoy. In Malaysia, though, the situation is much more complicated. This raid could signal the beginning of a more intense crackdown on Christianity in the region.

(h/t Weasel Zippers)