Taiwan Church News

3269 Edition

October 20 - October 26, 2014

Headline News

Against Vote Buying: Don't Sell Out Our Children For Money

Reported by Chiu Kuo-rong

On October 18 at Suang-lien Presbyterian Church, a conference, titled - "No Vote Buying To Purify Election; Realize The Kingdom Of God To Strengthen Democracy", is held by Church and Society Committee of three PCT presbyteries: Chi-hsin, Taipei and Hsin-chu, discussing about how people should act against the vote buying in the impending Taiwan super-election due at November 29.

Why the church should stand against vote buying practice in Taiwan election? Rev. Cheng Kyo-chung, pastor of North Gate Presbyterian Church and former member of parliament, laments some church elders indeed ignorantly bought votes for particular parties in the past elections, even though it is usually deemed inappropriate within majority church community. Rev. Cheng solemnly says, based on biblical teachings: man has dignity and human rights, once we sell our vote for temporary profits, it equals to betrays the well-beings of our future generations.

Rev. Shen Jun-chen, pastor of Ton Ming Presbyterian Church in Keelung City, comments with strong evidence that KMT(the Chines Nationalist Party) in his parish has already consolidated her voters by whatever necessary means, be it economical benefits or anything related short-term interests, even long before the election takes off officially. The church has not only to advise her members refrain from any vote buying, but should positively act to stop the unlawful, said Rev. Shen.

Rev. Cheng Jeng-ho, pastor of Tong Shau Presbyterian Church, said he was once warned by his KMT-inclined congregation members: better not to talk about politics on the pulpit, as everything should be compliant to the law. But, law of what? criticized Rev. Cheng. Don't they know Jesus was crucified according to the laws set up by contemporary Roman empire and Jewish Sanhedrin? "Church should proclaim the truth based on the Bible, not from the human laws", stressed Rev. Cheng.

Translated by Peter Wolfe