Taiwanese Activist Cleric Speaks Out on Current Crisis Presbyterian Church in Taiwan, General Assembly, 23 August 2006
True Love for Taiwan By C. M. Kao, Translated by David Alexander
Mr. Shih Ming-te has promoted a “million persons sit-in to depose President Chen”. My thinking on the matter is as follows:
1. Persistent Resistance to Temptations I remember that after Shih Ming-te was released from prison he often said, “We must endure suffering and resist temptation.” This statement moved many people deeply. But now, several years afterwards, many say to me, “Shih Ming-te has degenerated. He is besotted by drink and sex. Twenty years ago you refused to turn him in for a reward of three million Taiwan Yuan. For protecting him, you were imprisoned for four years and three months. Do you regret it?”
My response to the question is, “I have no regrets. I protected Shih Ming-te out of love for Taiwan. It is my honour to suffer for the love of Taiwan. This is the truth.”
Yet for love of Taiwan we must resist many temptations. We must resist the temptation of “money”, because greed is at the root of all evil. We must resist the temptation of “wine and sex.” Many heroes and scholars have thus been ruined and have betrayed their countries. We must also resist the temptation to scramble for personal advancement. If politically prominent persons fail to resist these temptations, then even if we had a hundred presidents, there would be no way to save Taiwan.
2. Persist in the Rule of Law
For forty years under a single-party system and the white terror we endured lives of exploitation, suffering, and fear. In order to protect the human rights, dignity and sovereignty of Taiwan’s 23 million residents, many who loved Taiwan risked their lives to advance “democracy, freedom and the rule of law.” Many people were imprisoned for decades, and many died for this cause.
Today, we have attained a high degree of “democracy, freedom and rule of law.” Now, under the law, we can file suit against “kings, princes and the government itself.” We even have the structures to recall the president. Last spring the Pan-blue alliance of parties attempted the recall of President Chen. They did it through the legal means within the legislature. But their motion did not pass. President Chen remains in office until the year 2008. Although many people are not satisfied with the result of the recall motion, yet we still must respect the norms of a democratic nation and accept the outcome of the vote. We must persist in the norms of democratic rule of law as beneficial to the majority.
3. Continue to Love Taiwan
Many people who join the “Depose President Chen” movement do so out of love for Taiwan. But their action intensifies conflict between “blue” and “green” political alignments, ethnic division and social disorder. Further, it spurs politicians intent on selfish gain and opens a crack through which China exploits to oppress Taiwan and apply pressure on Taiwan’s people.
I sincerely hope President Chen will be transformed by this baptism of fire, and will humbly confess his sins and repent. For the sake of life and concern, may he come to depend upon the One true God as the protector of the human rights, dignity and sovereignty of Taiwan’s people. May he proceed by true love to reform Taiwan’s internal security and reform, renew Taiwan’s education, bring prosperity to all Taiwan’s people, and care for the weak sectors of Taiwan’s society.
I call on thousands and ten-thousands of Taiwan’s people, at home and abroad, to pray daily, calling on God to give us wisdom to discern the true from the false and the good from the evil, that we might pursue righteousness, justice and true love.
2006.8.23
This is an unauthorized translation, by David Alexander, of the Chinese original, which can be found at
http://www.pct.org.tw/news_pct.htm?strBlockID=B00006&strContentID=C20 06082400003&strDesc=Y&strPub=&strASP
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