Video by Pastor Rony Tan Making Fun of Buddhism and Taoism Got Him into Trouble with ISD
The Singapore’s Internal Security Department (ISD) has reportedly interviewed Senior Pastor Rony Tan for his contentious videos posted on the website of the Lighthouse Evangelism independent church.
Pastor Rony Tan was questioned regarding his insensitive remarks, which the the Singapore’s Ministry of Home Affairs said were “highly inappropriate and unacceptable as they trivialised and insulted the beliefs of Buddhists and Taoists”.
The case came to light after YouTube videos of his sermons were widely circulated on local forums and websites. Many netizens voiced their concerns and unhappiness over the way Pastor Rony Tan made fun of Buddhism. Pastor Rony Tan was seen in the videos conducting interviews with a former Buddhist monk and nun and making insensitive remarks about the central tenets of Buddhism such as reincarnation, meditation, nirvana etc.
After the incident, Pastor Rony Tan posted the following statement on the church’s website last evening, apologising for his insensitive remarks.
“I realized that my presentation and comments were wrong and offensive. So I sincerely apologize for my insensitivity towards the Buddhists and Taoists, and solemnly promise that it will never happen again.”
Pastor Rony also made this urgent appeal.
“I have received a number of emails from people who have been saddened and hurt by the testimonies of an ex-monk and an ex-nun. I realized that my presentation and comments were wrong and offensive. So I sincerely apologize for my insensitivity towards the Buddhists and Taoists, and solemnly promise that it will never happen again.
When we have received those emails, we immediately removed the video clips from our website. I urge those who have posted those clips on the YouTube to remove them as well.
After reading the frank views from those emails, I was also prompted to tell my members not only to continue to love souls, but also to respect other belief and not to ridicule them in any way, shape or fashion.
Let’s put our goal to build a harmonious Singapore a top priority.”
Pastor Rony Tan’s YouTube Video on Buddhism Previously Posted on Lighthouse Evangelism independent church’s Website
Unfortunately a quick search on YouTube continues to yield the controversial videos.
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Wayang Blogger
[...] Wayang Times [...]
> Unfortunately a quick search on YouTube continues to yield the
> controversial videos.
Actually it is Rony Tan’s accusers who are keeping the videos up. They are using it to drum up support for further action against him.
I feel the ISD should have come down harder on this pastor. remember the recent 2 Singaporeans jailed for handing out flyers ?
A pastor should be brought to court and made an example.
we need to respect others, however frankly speacking, it will be very difficult for all the religion preachers as each religion will claim that itself is the only correct religion
we do need LOVE and Patience
Rony Tan reminds me why I never considered converting to Christianity. Even today I feel insulted when people say “I thought you were a Christian”.
personally i think it is better to forgive, but never forgot for there are good lessons to learn from this episode.
This pastor has gone way out of line. Maybe he needs some entertainment for his flock and has to resort to some deceitful ways to make Buddhism look dumber than Christianity. THose two fakes were high ranking Buddhists nun and monk? Hell no, judging from the way they described Buddhism, I think their knowledge on it is worse than a 5 year old. This action by Rony is totally deceitful and dishonest. Crap,
I wonder why a religious teacher will preach by putting down other religion, instead of their real teaching. There is so much to learn in Buddhism that buddhist monks and nuns will not have the time to teach their followers by putting others down.
Rony Tan makes people think that Christianity does not have adequate depth or he hasn’t learn enough to make him fit to preach others.
Mr Rony Tan, human like tiger, (which you commented in your video) kills when they are hungry. Human kills for food, greed, pride, ego and when annoyed. You tried killing other religion & our country’s harmony with your inability to think of consequences (or you don’t care about the consequences).
I trust Jesus doesn’t mean to have his teaching taught this way. I believe all religion teaches people to be good, just that the successor/s distaught the truth somewhere.
Spend more time learning Mr Rony Tan. I believe you made Jesus cry with your ignorance.
Mr Rony Tan does not represent us other Christians who are humble, sensitive and ever so respectful of our friends who are non-Christians. Ask him how long he has been a Christian and he would reply that he has not long been one in contrast to us who are the fourth generatons, and still counting, of warm loving Christians residing in Singapore. To me he has truly been disqualified as one.
This two ex-Buddhist will suffer because they demage they telling lied about Buddhist teachings, what they telling on stages when that Pastor interviewed, all they told and said is make rubbish for Buddhist. BuddhaDhamma 2553 years appeared in this world but that two ex-Buddhist how old of them.
They used the Buddhst life many years, then now they go to believe the other religions, after that they compalainted Buddhist is not good or Buddhist fake of religion.
All of us can see in fact, this two ex as evil. This two ex very danger human and may be they can’t sleep well because bad things will disturbing them because of silly.
Perter Cheng
38 Point-by-point Clarifications of Misconceptions
in Pastor Rony Tan’s Vids can be seen @
http://tinyurl.com/ygerfp3
Why the double standards?
While I agree that there is no necessity to mock other religions when you preach the gospel of Jesus Christ, I can’t help but think that a double standard exists in Singapore. I am referring to the recent and ongoing uproar caused by Pastor Rony Tan of Lighthouse Evangelism church in Singapore. His video-recorded interviews cum testimonies of ex-Buddhists and Taoists have angered many Singaporeans and landed him in trouble with the authorities.
Why do I say that a double standard exists in Singapore? Well, I recall that when the Da Vinci Code movie and book were popular here, it upset many Christians like myself and caused many of us to question our faith. It also caused many non-Christians to believe that the whole Christian faith was a hoax. Yet, the authorities did nothing about it, though I am sure many Christians voiced their concerns and hoped that the movie and book would be banned.
To make matters worse, well-watched documentary TV channels took advantage of the movie’s popularity and aired documentaries (such as the Gospel Of Judas) here that further undermined the Christian faith. These documentaries, the movie and similar publications said many things which Christians regard as blasphemous. For example, they disputed the death and resurrection of Jesus, a fundamental truth of Christianity, and said that He had sex and hence children with Mary Magdalene.
So I can’t help but think that it is somehow okay to “mock” or “test” Christians here, but not believers of other faiths. (Don’t get me wrong. I am not saying that it is right to mock other religions.) No one doubts that such movies and books would never be allowed in Singapore if they were undermining, say, Islam. Can you imagine what would happen if a Da Vinci Code type of movie and book about the Muslim faith were to be screened and sold here?
So why do the other faiths here seem to enjoy more protection than the Christian faith? Were the movie, documentaries and books permitted to be shown and sold in Singapore because Christians here were not vocal enough, that is, we did not protest in the streets or call for the death of Dan Brown? Must it come to that before we are heard? Didn’t the religious harmony bill speak loud enough for us?
Perhaps we are seen as more tolerant, less volatile — hence it’s okay to push the boundaries when it comes to content that undermines and mocks the Christian faith.
I really hope that in future, Christians here can enjoy the same amount of protection the other faiths here enjoy. Let’s be fair.
siao. btw, dan brown wasn’t from singapore! STUPID.
That’s besides the point. You obviously don’t read well. I’ve sent the same letter to PMO via reach. I’ll post their response on my blog if they do respond.
You talk as if questioning one’s faith is a bad thing. Questioning one’s faith or beliefs is a good way of re-evaluating your beliefs which may strengthen them or make you lose them. Is not questioning authority or dogma what you would preach?
Why would ppl be non-christians if they thought Christanity wasn’t a hoax anyway? Anyway christians are Christians precisely the same way they view a non christian view being a hoax. You have no control over the opinion of others, you and I have the right to believe what we want to believe to be true or what we believe to be false.
Rubbish! There are definitely books, novels or whatever that question the other faiths in Singapore. It just happens that Christians make the most noise when their faith is criticised or misrepresented. Ironically the popularity of such ”anti-christian” media is due to the free publicity christians create over a little book. Anyway Christian media is so widespread that I can safely say every general and specialised bookstore in Singapore has a Christian corner. Why do the Muslims, Buddhists, Taoist, Hindus or Freethinkers not have their special corner? Oppression? Due to the exclusively of Christianity (as we most other faiths), I can safely say many Christians books would be otherwise critical or somewhat offensive to other faiths. Shall we then ban them all? Can I demand the Bible/Quran/Tao De Jing to be banned for being ”blasphemous” or against my beliefs? Of course not! Its like saying we should ban the Origin of Species just because it contradicts Genesis, the existence of Adam and Eve or orignal sin.
I think you are using the Christian double standard here. There is no religion as vocal as Christianity in Singapore which makes a fuss over every little thing. No other religion does their evaganelising as forciful and outspoken as Christianity does in Singapore. Calling yourselves more tolerant, less volatile than other faiths has to be a joke. If a Buddhist evangeliser (if one even exist) ever makes fun of Christianity, I seriously doubt christians would just stand there and offer their other cheeks. Fortunately the Buddhist and Taoist communites here are Christ-like enough to forgive and forget.
And here comes Rony Tan again bashing any group of people….
The ex-monk and ex-nun were all fate.Same with pastor Rony Tan. He is preaching EVIL to his members. And does he knows that God is watching. Just don’t know why people alway lost their mind when they THINK they are so close with god?
Anything to do with extreme arrogance and the wholesale view that everything else is wrong save one’s own view has no place whatsoever in a multicultural, and multi-religious society.
The government has taken the prudent and well-timed step to intervene and chastise anyone who disturbs the very fabric of peace and prosperity in Singapore by advancing a facetious and simplistic lop-sided debate.
People like Pastor Rony should be removed from the national discourse on important issues for the nation as he has nothing to contribute save bigotry and small-mindedness