Lina Joy
I recognize the name not because I studied it, but because I have read in the papers about her and for some time during Sunday morning when the liturgist of my church requested all members to pray for her. I can only associate the name with a legal trial in Malaysia on the freedom of religion and no more other details are in my record book.
Strangely enough, I rarely hear of anyone speaking about her or the details of her story. Even then, her name would be briefly mentioned and then quickly brushed aside, just like any other chat we would have about any trivial national news in the papers. I do not know the full account of her story but I do know that she is appealing in the Federal Court, the highest court in the Malaysian Judiciary System, for her freedom in religion until I did a little research on my own regarding Lina Joy.
In a nutshell, Lina Joy is a Malay and under the Malaysian Federal Constitution, a Malay is defined as someone who practices Islam. She converted to Christianity in 1990s and has made a public statement by going through baptism rites in 1998. She has therefore asked the authorities to remove the word ‘Muslim’ in her identity card. *When this was refused, she filed an action in the Malaysia civil court in 2000 to seek a declaration under the Federal Constitution of Clause (1) Article 11 which guarantees that every person “the right to profess and practice his religion”.
(*Another issue which was raised by the counsels, was whether the National Registration Department has the right of refusal to accept Lina Joy’s application to remove the word ‘Muslim’ in her identity card under Regulation 14 of the National Registration Regulations 1990)
Today she is appealing for the recognition of her conversion in a country that carries the very Constitution, being the supreme authority, which defends the freedom of religion and gave Malaysia a democratic tag. But Lina Joy’s conversion becomes a national issue that needed to seek the intervention of those who serves the country in the name of justice. Lina Joy’s case will set a new precedent in the Malaysian Court for the freedom of religion and the issue on human rights. A freedom given by God. It will also mark an act of faith in Lina Joy for accepting and believing in God even if it means that she may have to lay her life down.
In John 15:13 “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends”. Jesus called us to stand up and to uphold one another. The greatest joy Lina will have is the support of all Christian, coming together supporting her in prayer, being with her in this battle, a battle not hers alone but ours as well, standing up for her as we all belong to the family of Christ.
Please pray for Lina Joy as she battles through in the civil courts and for standing as a witness for God and for us all.
*adapted from the case of Lina Joy v 3 Others in the Malaysian Bar Online*
Strangely enough, I rarely hear of anyone speaking about her or the details of her story. Even then, her name would be briefly mentioned and then quickly brushed aside, just like any other chat we would have about any trivial national news in the papers. I do not know the full account of her story but I do know that she is appealing in the Federal Court, the highest court in the Malaysian Judiciary System, for her freedom in religion until I did a little research on my own regarding Lina Joy.
In a nutshell, Lina Joy is a Malay and under the Malaysian Federal Constitution, a Malay is defined as someone who practices Islam. She converted to Christianity in 1990s and has made a public statement by going through baptism rites in 1998. She has therefore asked the authorities to remove the word ‘Muslim’ in her identity card. *When this was refused, she filed an action in the Malaysia civil court in 2000 to seek a declaration under the Federal Constitution of Clause (1) Article 11 which guarantees that every person “the right to profess and practice his religion”.
(*Another issue which was raised by the counsels, was whether the National Registration Department has the right of refusal to accept Lina Joy’s application to remove the word ‘Muslim’ in her identity card under Regulation 14 of the National Registration Regulations 1990)
Today she is appealing for the recognition of her conversion in a country that carries the very Constitution, being the supreme authority, which defends the freedom of religion and gave Malaysia a democratic tag. But Lina Joy’s conversion becomes a national issue that needed to seek the intervention of those who serves the country in the name of justice. Lina Joy’s case will set a new precedent in the Malaysian Court for the freedom of religion and the issue on human rights. A freedom given by God. It will also mark an act of faith in Lina Joy for accepting and believing in God even if it means that she may have to lay her life down.
In John 15:13 “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends”. Jesus called us to stand up and to uphold one another. The greatest joy Lina will have is the support of all Christian, coming together supporting her in prayer, being with her in this battle, a battle not hers alone but ours as well, standing up for her as we all belong to the family of Christ.
Please pray for Lina Joy as she battles through in the civil courts and for standing as a witness for God and for us all.
*adapted from the case of Lina Joy v 3 Others in the Malaysian Bar Online*
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