Snatch Alert
One residents’ committee in Subang Jaya responded to the snatch theft menace by placing this signboard at a “hotspot” within its area. The committee plans to place 10 more similar signboards in other “hotspots’ in its residence. |
One of the hottest issues in our nation these days is snatch theft. A seem-ingly petty menace to the public for a long time now, it finally became major news with the shocking death of Nanyang Siang Pau clerk Chong Fee Cheng, 37, who died as a result of such an attack, leaving behind a husband and two young children.
But as we condemn the perpetrators and clutch our bags more tightly, has it crossed our minds to empathise with the snatch thieves? We may have given a casual thought that some of them may have been driven to the crime out of desperation, but we believe the issue is far deeper and more complex.
Field Not Fair
Think of the system by which a large section of our world is run. Laissez faire capitalism promises a level playing field for all. But all is not fair or level. A manager of a large corporation earns perhaps 100 times more than a manual labourer. The children of the rich have access to better education and hence better jobs, further aggravating the already uneven distribution of income. A misfortune that hits one generation of a family may subject many subsequent generations to hardship. In the inter-national arena, “free trade” favours the wealthy, developed nations. And so on.
Compare this with the biblical standard: “And when they measured it by the omer, he who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little. Each one gathered as much as he needed.” (Ex. 16:18) It is a well-known fact that the world has enough food and resources for all its inhabitants, if only the resources were evenly distributed.
It is not too much to argue that some of the snatch thieves (and other criminals) are victims of the system in some ways. We are NOT here condoning the actions of these thieves; neither are we calling for a socialist revolution. But the point is that sin is not just personal; it is structural or institutional. By focusing on personal sin alone, we miss the big picture. Many of those who commit personal sins (the perpetrators) against others (the victims) are themselves sinned against by their victims, albeit in a less direct manner by the victims’s participation in and silent acquiescence to a system that “pushes” the perpetrators to sin.
While we cannot totally extricate ourselves from evil systems as long as we live in this world, we need to ask ourselves: What are we as Christians doing about it?
The Difference Two Men Made
Some Christians hold the belief that the Bible does not endorse attempts to overhaul the world systems. A case often quoted is that of the Apostle Paul. It is argued that Paul did not oppose slavery, a social evil. He accepted it as part and parcel of his world. Paul commanded slaves to be obedient to their masters in everything (Col. 3:22, Tit. 2:9), to respect and fear them (Eph. 6:5), and to try to please them and not talk back to them (Tit. 2:9) even if their masters were harsh (1 Pet. 2:18).
But even though Paul did not openly challenge the system, he did so subversively. He commanded slave owners to be compassionate towards their slaves. “And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.” (Eph. 6:9) “Masters, provide your slaves with what is right and fair, because you know that you also have a Master in heaven.” (Col. 4:1) Paul was hammering home the point that in Christ, the “relationship equation” had changed.
No longer were slaves to be treated as mere property; they had value and dignity as human beings. In his epistle to Philemon, Paul asked the latter to welcome back his recently converted runaway slave, Onesimus, but “no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a dear brother” (verse 16a). This seems like a small matter to us, but not so in those days when the punishment for runaway slaves was crucifixion! In his own quiet ways, Paul pulled off a major coup d’état on society’s prevailing structure. And it took time before the full implication of the gospel was realised.
In 1788, William Wilberforce, a British Member of Parliament, introduced his first anti-slavery motion in the House of Commons. The motion was defeated. Wilberforce brought it up again every year for the next 18 years until the slave trade was finally abolished in 1806. Wilberforce continued the campaign against slavery itself, and the bill for the abolition of all slavery in British territories passed its crucial vote just four days before his death on July 29, 1833. As a result, 800,000 slaves, chiefly in the British West Indies, were set free.
It is universally acknowledged that Christians first espoused the concepts of human rights, democracy and others. When God created human beings, He gave us dominion over the whole earth. We are His stewards. We cannot claim that structural evil is outside the locus of our responsibility.
Another cause for inaction is the idea that until Jesus returns, the world system will necessarily be evil. Instead of fighting the inevitable, it is felt that we should just wait for Christ to establish His Kingdom on earth.
It is true that not all evil is meant to be overcome until the last day. But this is no excuse not to do what we can. And considering all that Christians have achieved in the past, we ought to be encouraged to keep up our efforts. This is especially true in an age of democracy and universal suffrage, as compared to New Testament times.
Today, even ordinary people can create waves in the social and political arena. Being in a minority is no hindrance. It has been said: “God and I; we are the majority.” Moreover, history has attested that any interest group is often more effective as underdogs. Remember that Christendom began to decline only after it became the established religion of Europe.
Still others insist that we should not get involved in politics at all. Indeed politics is a dirty word. But Christians can clean up politics and use it as a vehicle for God’s glory.
There is also the misconception that we should avoid interfering with matters in the public realm because it is not right to impose our views on others. Isn’t this the essence of “the separation of Church and State”? Actually, no.
In the beginning, the concept was designed to ensure free participation in politics by all parties. It was stipulated that there should be no established state religion to interfere with this process. Each individual has a right to hold his views and to “lobby” for their acceptance. As Christians, we too have at least an equal voice before the law and the electorate. Besides, it is not always possible to separate private and public matters. The two go together.
Get to the Root
Following a spate of recent snatch cases, the authorities have, among others, proposed an increased presence of police personnel and heavier punishments for the perpetrators, and also asked the public for more suggestions. All these preventive measures have their value, but do they address the root cause of the problem? Aren’t we just replacing one crime with another? Crack down on illegal VCD vendors and many of the now jobless traders turn to other unsavoury ways to fill their rice bowls.
Albert Einstein once said: “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different outcome.” The truth is that Jesus Christ alone is the answer to all of society’s ills. He is the answer to personal sin. Only biblical ethics can produce a truly moral society.
But Christ is also the answer to structural sin. Only biblical justice can produce a genuinely equitable society, economically and in other ways. Christians must not relinquish the solemn responsibility of societal transformation to other people. Communism has failed, and so have many other ideologies. The Church holds the key to a renewed society.
It is probable that many readers of this editorial are the overall “beneficiaries” of a system that is in some or many ways unjust. So the next time you clutch your handbag containing your valuables, think about this: Are you merely holding on to your bag, or are you also holding on to a system that enables you and your children to enjoy a prosperous life (and possess all those items in that bag) but deprives the same to your potential bag snatcher and his children?
Don’t we live in a great country? We know that we do. Be thankful, and let’s make it even better. Let’s make it a country where every person has a secure place under the sun. If you have a relevant suggestion, please share it with us. |
