Well, it looks like politicians are not the only ones, in their pursuit for status and recognition, who have damaged their integrity in the process. It appears that the practise is also found to be prevalent among the Malaysian clergyman.
In a report by the Star on the 6th August 2005, Christian organisations are following in the footsteps of the Cabinet in banning the use of unverified "honorific titles". The Council of Churches Malaysia (CCM) has actually called on the public "to help churches by reporting to CCM anyone who goes around carrying bogus titles at official fuctions." The statement from the CCM came in the wake of allegations that several prominent pastors in the Klang Valley and Johor had bought their doctorates from unrecognised universities.
“The CCM holds in disregard those in spiritual office who use or print titles on name cards that have not been verified or recognised by the respective churches,” said Rev Shastri (CCM General Secretary).This clearly puts a stain on the reputation of the relevant churches as well as the guilty "prominent" pastors - as their moral authority is severely diminished. I would go to the extent of suggesting that the Christian organisations suspend, demote or even sack these pastors, should they be found to have wilfully obtain these "qualifications" to mislead as these individuals will bring disrepute to the churches and the Christian community.
National Evangelical Christian Fellowship (NECF) secretary-general Rev Wong Kim Kong, said that the movement was against the use of bogus doctorates. He said pastors and church leaders must ensure that their titles were obtained legitimately from reputable institutions or organisations.
To obtain a list of some of these dodgy institutions of "higher learning", read my earlier post.
I recommend that the CCM expose these fraudsters and charlatans. Publish their faces and names in the newspapers. I know of some con-men (may God wipe out the memory of them from under heaven) who go around cheating money from small and poor congregations.
ReplyDeleteExpose these swindlers so that none will fall for their tricks.