During election campaigns, candidates always like to link up with religious groups, through which they try to persuade the public that they are "endorsed" by the gods.
Temples and churches have become increasingly busy receiving candidates during campaign periods, while religious celebrities have been invited to call on their followers to vote for certain candidates.
More unbearable, however, are the rumors in some religious groups about "instructions" from the gods, saying a certain candidate has been "appointed" to take over the presidency.
Some religious charlatans have even claimed that a certain candidate's victory is the "will of the heavens." Such nonsense endangers religious faith.
Concern about political and social developments is a responsibility of the pious. No religious groups can stand outside of it because the development of religion is affected by politics and government policies. Therefore, it is the responsibility of religious groups to show their concern for politics.
But a religious circle should know where to draw a line. Otherwise, it is easy for them to become a tool of politicians.
Not to draw a clear line between religion and politics will do no good for the development of religious faith and only serve to confuse the populace instead.
From the martial law era to the end of the 1980s, the Presbyterian Church called on its believers to support a strong and powerful opposition party that, to a certain degree, has had a positive contribution to Taiwan's democratic movement.
Since the 1990s, Taiwan has enjoyed more space for political activities. The public is also becoming more capable of self-determination. Today's fierce media competition has also made it impossible for candidates to hide their capabilities, public life and even private activities.
Whether religious groups should declare their support for specific candidates deserves a rethink.
Taiwan's political figures have never been honest. They can make up many excuses to cover up their obvious lies. Religious faiths stress honesty. Therefore, it will be difficult for a religious group to claim innocence if a candidate it endorses is found to be dishonest.
As a result, it could become a tool used by the candidate to fool the electorate. Given that many such cases have occurred in the past, religious groups should take care not repeat those mistakes.
Furthermore, with media competition and increasingly easy access to information, the voters do know who is the best candidate.
That many people decline to give their opinions in the polls does not mean they do not know which one to vote for, but that they are still considering their choices. It is also possible that they are not revealing their choices because they have a different candidate in mind than recommended by their religious groups or at their workplace.
A healthy society should offer its people a free political space.
Religious leaders should take the lead and set an example by allowing their followers to make their own political choices. Even if they choose a candidate not favored by the majority, their choices still need to be respected.
Since each of the candidates claims to "love Taiwan the most," telling believers to vote for "the one who truly loves Taiwan" does not mean anything.
Religious groups should not openly recommend a candidate because they should allow room for followers with different political views to participate in political activities. If a religious group does not allow such a freedom, it will violate the principles of religion.
Lo Chun-gi is a pastor of the East-Gate Presbyterian Church in Taipei.
With escalating US-China competition and mutual distrust, the trend of supply chain “friend shoring” in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and the fragmentation of the world into rival geopolitical blocs, many analysts and policymakers worry the world is retreating into a new cold war — a world of trade bifurcation, protectionism and deglobalization. The world is in a new cold war, said Robin Niblett, former director of the London-based think tank Chatham House. Niblett said he sees the US and China slowly reaching a modus vivendi, but it might take time. The two great powers appear to be “reversing carefully
As China steps up a campaign to diplomatically isolate and squeeze Taiwan, it has become more imperative than ever that Taipei play a greater role internationally with the support of the democratic world. To help safeguard its autonomous status, Taiwan needs to go beyond bolstering its defenses with weapons like anti-ship and anti-aircraft missiles. With the help of its international backers, it must also expand its diplomatic footprint globally. But are Taiwan’s foreign friends willing to translate their rhetoric into action by helping Taipei carve out more international space for itself? Beating back China’s effort to turn Taiwan into an international pariah
Typhoon Krathon made landfall in southwestern Taiwan last week, bringing strong winds, heavy rain and flooding, cutting power to more than 170,000 homes and water supply to more than 400,000 homes, and leading to more than 600 injuries and four deaths. Due to the typhoon, schools and offices across the nation were ordered to close for two to four days, stirring up familiar controversies over whether local governments’ decisions to call typhoon days were appropriate. The typhoon’s center made landfall in Kaohsiung’s Siaogang District (小港) at noon on Thursday, but it weakened into a tropical depression early on Friday, and its structure
Taiwan is facing multiple economic challenges due to internal and external pressures. Internal challenges include energy transition, upgrading industries, a declining birthrate and an aging population. External challenges are technology competition between the US and China, international supply chain restructuring and global economic uncertainty. All of these issues complicate Taiwan’s economic situation. Taiwan’s reliance on fossil fuel imports not only threatens the stability of energy supply, but also goes against the global trend of carbon reduction. The government should continue to promote renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power, as well as energy storage technology, to diversify energy supply. It
RSS