Participants: Lincoln Steed (Host), Amjad Waryam
Series Code: LI
Program Code: LI000349A
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00:26 Welcome to Liberty Insider.
00:28 This is a regular program bringing you information, 00:33 insights, discussion, 00:35 and analysis of religious liberty 00:37 events in the United States of course but around the world. 00:41 My name is Lincoln Steed, editor of Liberty Magazine, 00:44 and my guest on this program is Amjad Waryam Alam, 00:48 pronounced badly but I hope close enough. 00:50 No, good to see you're doing fine. 00:52 You did a good job now. 00:54 You know, you're many faceted individual. 00:58 You minister, an evangelist, a singer, 01:04 and a literature evangelist, 01:05 someone who has great experience 01:08 as a dedicated Christian, 01:09 selling Christian related materials door-to-door 01:14 in at least two countries I know in Thailand 01:17 and now in the United States. 01:20 What did you discover in Thailand 01:22 when you were contacting the communities 01:25 because, you know, Thailand like many countries is 01:27 a majority religious group 01:29 and in Thailand it's Buddhist, 01:33 I'm sure, right? 01:35 Thailand, yeah, it's a Buddhist country. 01:36 So how did you find the receptivity 01:39 for another religious viewpoint? 01:41 Of course Christianity but it could have been any other. 01:45 You know, religious liberty argues 01:47 that you should have perfect freedom on that 01:49 but social realities mean that they were hurdles. 01:51 How would you deal with that? 01:53 I think when those years I was there I felt 01:57 that the Buddhist people are very open, 02:00 I felt that they were open to listen. 02:02 Only thing when I had a challenge 02:05 was the language barrier. 02:06 See English is not there, 02:08 you know that English connects too many countries 02:11 and many people, you know. 02:13 Thailand had Thai language and the Thai people are, 02:18 they work in their own language. 02:21 You had trouble picking up Thai? 02:22 Yeah, we do have. 02:24 I learned little bit, you know, 02:26 to get by and also to introduce our books, 02:29 our publications, you know, to canvass them and, 02:34 but the problems were not there. 02:37 There was no problem approaching them 02:39 and I went to some of the churches, 02:42 some of the businesses, some of the, 02:44 like local event on the street. 02:46 Now where were you based when you were there? 02:48 I was in Thailand Mission 02:50 for Seventh-day Adventist headquarter 02:51 like in Thai, Bangkok. 02:53 Oh, Bangkok, that's what I was thinking. 02:56 Now, I know Bangkok fairly well, 02:57 I've been there maybe half dozen times. 02:59 And I think Thailand... Beautiful, big modern city. 03:02 It is. Vibrant alive. 03:03 Oh, beautiful landscaping and people. 03:06 They have grown over the period, you know, 03:08 they have grown a lot. 03:09 And even I see 03:11 Seventh-day Adventist church is grown there. 03:14 And I was a publishing, 03:16 before I became a publishing director 03:18 I was a colporteur. 03:20 I used to go and... 03:22 Books salesman or door-to-door. 03:24 Yeah door-to-door. 03:25 Our first approach used to be a health one 03:28 and then we end up in introducing Bible stories, 03:32 children books, or adults or Steps to Christ, 03:35 and Great Controversy. 03:37 I imagine even I touch some of the schools, you know, 03:39 and sold Great Controversy, you know, to many of them. 03:44 So you say, you found no resistance 03:46 to Great Controversy. 03:48 There were some places but it was not bad. 03:52 It was okay. 03:53 The good advantage could have been better 03:57 if I would have known the language 03:58 but it takes time, you know. 04:00 Did you find in Thailand a general knowledge 04:04 of the larger world, where they, 04:07 like Great Controversy even have an interest 04:10 that it implies that you're curious 04:11 about the history of religion in the western world? 04:16 I see one thing for sure, 04:17 you know whoever get to provisional 04:20 if they have just understood the idea and also the, 04:26 that they become Christians and they become, you know, 04:32 very good follower of Jesus Christ. 04:35 And one thing is another thing I found that the challenge 04:40 they have is the religion of course. 04:42 The sensitivity is there. 04:44 The Buddhist people are very strong in their religion too. 04:48 But it's still the Christianity when they see it, 04:55 it is very different than other places. 05:00 But one important factor I want to bring them. 05:03 The Buddhist people believe in the education system 05:07 what we Seventh-day Adventist have. 05:09 Our schools are full of Buddhist students. 05:12 We have a combined international school. 05:15 Do you think it's connected to Buddhism 05:17 or what is it a national attitude 05:19 that they expect quite away? 05:23 Like religion wise? 05:26 Well, let me tell you what you triggered in my mind. 05:30 Most westerners are familiar 05:32 with what became a movie the King and I. 05:36 Yeah. 05:37 And it's sort of a character, 05:38 but they don't generally realize 05:40 that was based on a real king 05:41 and I wish I could remember his name 05:44 back about 100 years ago. 05:46 And this was at the period when the imperial powers 05:49 were pushing against other, you know, particularly in Asia, 05:54 other independent countries that they overwhelmed. 05:57 But Thailand was never colonized... 05:59 Yeah. 06:01 And the major reason was that the king 06:03 and I think others around him 06:04 but then particular that king celebrated in 06:06 that musical recognized the value of education 06:10 for all of his people. 06:12 His leadership was good. Right. 06:14 And I think he laid the foundation 06:18 for very progressive society today, 06:21 whether it derived just from that 06:23 because I know that was his view. 06:25 You're right because his leadership was, 06:28 he promoted education, he promoted education. 06:31 But did it wasn't because of him personally 06:33 or was that already part of the mindset of Buddhism. 06:38 I don't think so 06:39 but it's an interesting connection. 06:42 They're opened to Christianity, they're open to other religion 06:46 but the reason is this 06:47 that there are lot of western tourist school. 06:50 That's a tourist place. 06:52 I feel, you know that people go for holidays. 06:56 Their tourist industry is very, very strong, you know, 06:59 there're people like I have seen planes full of white 07:04 and other people, you know, coming in the country, 07:08 and then they speak English. 07:09 You know, that English is 07:11 and they want to, you know, learn. 07:15 It's an interesting country though 07:16 because very few people I think have a strategic view 07:22 where other countries are. 07:23 But Thailand sits just below Vietnam and for years 07:27 there was a bloody war that the US was involved 07:31 with millions of people killed. 07:32 It's right on the border with Thailand 07:33 remains stable and open. 07:35 On the other side Myanmar 07:39 where there was a very oppressive system. 07:45 Not very religious but it was down on all religions 07:48 but where today 07:49 there's persecution of the Rohingyas, 07:53 a Muslim minority in Myanmar. 07:58 So there's intolerance, military regime there, 08:02 it continued all around. 08:04 And ongoing war and yet Thailand 08:05 was this cultural island of bliss 08:08 and modernity and openness. 08:11 Openness is that, I think they always wanted to grow. 08:15 You know, they wanted to build this country. 08:17 They wanted to always take it to the highest level of, 08:20 you know, and they wanted to grow their economy, 08:22 you know, that time. 08:23 And it helped. 08:25 You know, they welcome people from all over the world 08:27 to come in Thailand and work. 08:29 There are many, many foreigners and many nationality 08:32 you'll find in there. 08:34 And that gives us lot of opportunity 08:36 to sell them books, you know, give literature evangelism 08:40 and, that's why we have our churches there too 08:43 and they are grown, you know. 08:45 So you had a good experience even though 08:46 there was a language barrier. 08:48 Going door to door... Oh, yeah. 08:49 ..and you didn't see overt religious conflict, 08:55 religious liberty was functioning quite well. 08:57 No, no, no there was no much problem 08:59 and even we had in fact we have a hospital. 09:03 People are actually, you know, believe in seven day. 09:07 Many places even in Pakistan and in Thailand, 09:10 that in seven day they will be healed. 09:13 They do not understand 09:14 what is Seventh-day Adventist means. 09:17 You know, but they say if they come to the hospital 09:20 seven day is the last day. 09:21 Well, that is a good model. 09:23 Remember Jesus went around healing people 09:25 and then He taught them. 09:26 You know... 09:28 We've got to take care of people's immediate needs. 09:30 There's no good saying 09:31 God loves you in all the aspect. 09:32 You know, continue to heavy diseases and live badly 09:36 and that we don't care a long as accept, 09:38 of course it's a holistic approach. 09:41 Yeah, that's one thing is we say 09:43 that our approach to health 09:50 is a very good approach 09:51 because some health publications 09:54 and our hospitals and our clinics, you know, 09:58 those give lot of opportunity for us to touch the people 10:02 or touch the heart of people for the love of Jesus, 10:06 you know, he has shown us. 10:08 Now I don't know 10:10 if you remember not very long ago, 10:12 long term king of Thailand, was it Bhumibol? 10:17 Think that was his name. 10:19 He died. 10:20 Yeah, he just not long ago recently. 10:22 Few months. 10:24 He was a good king. Yes. 10:26 It always struck me that the reverence the Thai 10:30 showed to their king was pretty much like a religion. 10:33 He was connected to the people. 10:35 He was in their heart, you know, 10:36 that and this is the reason they have lot of respect 10:41 for their leader and for their king. 10:43 And you never came across, we know the reason why you 10:48 or anyone in your role would criticize the king 10:50 but we were aware that was a total no, no 10:53 if you appeared to malign the royal family, 10:57 whatever bad things would happen. 10:59 No, not in generally. 11:00 But, you know, it's still a country. 11:02 Little bit things happen anywhere and... 11:06 They may have a little bit of a constitutional crisis 11:08 with the Prime Minister Thaksin, 11:11 I think who was involved in some nefarious dealings 11:16 but still it's a very stable country. 11:18 There was a trouble in the government 11:20 and a lot of things changed, you know, they also had their, 11:23 you know, problems which also took the country down 11:29 but they are still coming up and but things happen. 11:32 You know, it's as other countries. 11:34 Oh, yeah. 11:35 The world is the dynamic place, nothing is static. 11:37 Yeah, nothing is static. 11:38 But I think good underlying characteristics 11:41 of government organization and of religious attitudes 11:44 they will continue through the dislocations of the moment. 11:49 One thing is as I say again and again one thing, 11:53 one thing because all other things are happening. 11:56 They are very respectful, you know, 11:59 that whenever you go meet people, 12:01 they say sa-wat-dii kha they join their hands 12:03 and they will give you lot of respect 12:06 and they show humbleness that's what I saw. 12:11 Yeah, good. 12:13 And that gives us a chance to talk to them 12:15 and to push them and tell what we wanted to tell. 12:19 Yeah. 12:21 Did you... 12:22 I know you're a singing evangelist, 12:23 you didn't sing in Thailand, did you? 12:25 Singing, no in Thailand because mostly 12:29 as I said people speak Thai language 12:31 and my Thai was very little. 12:36 But I'm sure you could order a good meal 12:37 in the restaurant there? 12:39 Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. 12:40 Sure, sure. 12:42 I love Thai food. 12:43 Stay with us, we'll take a short break now 12:44 and after that we'll be back further with Amjad 12:48 to discuss religious liberty in his personal experience. 12:52 Thank you so much. |
Revised 2017-04-03