Editorial: The Christian church’s “Flora Expo Syndrome”

["Taiwan Church News" <enews@pctpress.org>]

      Taiwan Church News

      3056 Edition

      September 20~26, 2010

       

       

      Editorial: The Christian church’s “Flora Expo Syndrome”

       

      Translated by Lydia Ma

       



      As Taiwanese people celebrated Moon Festival this week, those 
living in southern Taiwan 

      had to pick up the pieces in the aftermath of yet another 
typhoon that resulted in severe 

      flooding in Tainan, Kaohsiung, and Pingtung areas. In recent 
years, every typhoon has 

      become a reminder of the severe consequences accompanying 
climate change.

       



      Sensing this global trend, activities that raise awareness of 
environmental protection have 

      sprung across Taiwan. However, policymakers in Taiwan’s 
capital, Taipei City, seem 

      oblivious to the importance of environmental protection and 
have proven their point through 

      meager funding allocated to such events.

       



      Overall, our national leaders seem to have more important 
things on their minds – such as the 

      Taipei International Flora Exposition set to begin at the end 
of the year. In fact, Taipei Mayor 

      Hau Lung-pin just increased the budget for this exhibition from 
NT$5 billion to NT$12 billion 

      and it’s been reported the increase bypassed city council 
altogether. Hau’s lavish spending 

      over this expo at the expense of more important matters has 
already drawn criticism and 

      complaint far and wide. 

       



      In the frenzy of getting ready for this international exhibit, 
its impact on Taipei’s local 

      environment and ecology has been shrugged off along with the 
rights of residents who live 

      near the venue when the latter were forced to evacuate the area 
to make way for a temporary 

      new building. Frankly, the city could’ve worked with residents 
to promote local culture and 

      ecology instead of shooing them away to make way for this 
international event.

       



      There are more effective and economical ways for Taipei to win 
international acclaim. If Mayor 

      Hau had only spent a fraction of the money he spent on this 
expo to push through some 

      legislations promoting the environment, such as limiting the 
use of plastic bags or promoting 

      programs that encourage Taipei residents to volunteer in local 
cleanups, he would’ve 

      transformed Taipei into a world-class enviro-friendly city in 
no time and garnered international 

      acclaim with a lot less money, hassle, criticism, and 
unsustainable policies. As it stands right 

      now, his prospects for re-election are hanging in the balance 
after bungling many details 

      related to this exhibition, including lack of financial 
transparency and gains that are too short-

      term to satisfy.

       



      In the same manner, how can we forget the income disparity 
between the rich and the poor in 

      Taiwan? It is yet another symptom of the “Flora Expo Syndrome”. 
According to reports, the 

      budget allotted for this exposition is many times more than the 
budget of entire townships or 

      cities in southern Taiwan, many of them still struggling in the 
aftermath of this Typhoon Fanapi.

       



      However, Taipei city government is not alone in exhibiting this 
“Flora Expo Syndrome”. Our 

      churches demonstrate they suffer from it too when they are too 
“far-sighted” to see the needs 

      of those nearby, when there’s lack of financial transparency, 
or when there’s excessive and 

      arbitrary admiration for foreign megachurch pastors and their 
church grown strategies. 

       



      Every church has its own unique qualities and gifts given by 
God. It’s a shame many good 

      ministries begun by churches are cut short or abandoned when 
churches decide to emulate 

      models they’ve heard some megachurch pastor advocate that 
worked for him or her. We find 

      that these models wind up being non-sustainable when they can’t 
be lived out or adapted to fit 

      Taiwan’s unique culture and people.

       



      Likewise, as we try to wrap our minds around the 8.22–fold 
difference in disposable income 

      between the richest and poorest in Taiwan – the widest gap to 
date, we can’t help but notice a 

      similar phenomenon within and between our churches. How wealthy 
churches can assist cash-

      strapped churches has become an important issue for churches to 
ponder seriously.

       



      As Christians and Taiwanese society are reminded of this “Flora 
Expo Syndrome” in their 

      pews and their cities in the upcoming months, let’s not forget 
that Jesus once said, “Not even 

      Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these 
lilies in the field.” Let’s keep in mind 

      that a lot of things of this earth that glitter and shine, may 
amount to less than a flower’s worth 

      in Jesus’ eyes. 

       

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