Aug 28, 2006
Barred Believer Sues Pastors for Defamation
By Ben Nadarajan

A DIFFERENCE in opinion over theology has escalated into a church-goer suing his pastors for defaming him in church.

Mr Lim Seng Hoo, a member of the Calvary Pandan Bible-Presbyterian Church since 1996, claims its leaders - senior pastor Tow Siang Hwa and pastor Quek Suan Yew - have tarnished his reputation.

In March, the church's Board of Elders barred the 50-year-old businessman from all church services for six months, when the threat of a lawsuit against them looked imminent.

The dispute arose from a translation of the Bible, the King James version, which the Pandan Gardens church has used for 27 years.

Over 20 English versions of the Bible exist. Some of the more widely used ones here are the New International and New Jerusalem versions.

Mr Lim, who read theology in a local bible college, believes the King James Bible - widely thought by theologians as the most accurate - is not as perfect as his pastors claim.

He made his view known to 60 church members following church service in July last year, by handing out copies of a petition for a public debate on the issue; he also e-mailed other church members.

Stinging responses came from the pastors via e-mail, church bulletins and sermons, which he felt hurt his standing as a businessman and a devout Christian.

In his statement of claim against the pastors, he said they had repeatedly run him down in church in front of people with whom his firm may have business dealings. His company distributes metrological instruments to the region.

In their written defence, the pastors, who have hired Harry Elias Partnership to represent them, said any damage to Mr Lim's reputation had been brought about by himself and that their actions had 'no consequence on his trade reputation'.

Mr Lim, who will be represented by Mr Chia Boon Teck and Ms Jamie Seah of Khattar Wong Partnership, claims his church friends have shunned him and discriminated against his four children.

He told The Straits Times that taking up a civil suit was a 'last resort', especially since he regarded senior pastor Tow as a father figure.

In the course of the dispute, he said, the insults had grown sharper. He listed some made by the pastors, which he felt caused him 'serious injury'. In particular, he was upset at being likened to Satan and referred to as an 'evil and sinister enemy'.

Senior pastor Tow said in his written defence: 'It is the teaching of the Bible that any attack on the members of the church and the pastors would be seen as a satanic attack, as Satan is the mastermind behind all disturbances within the church.'

He added that as senior pastor and church founder, he had to shield his flock from incorrect, divisive doctrines.

Mr Lim is also asking the court to quash his suspension from church, which he alleges was aimed at stopping him from presenting the church's accounts, which he audited.

He also claims to have found 'questionable' flows of about $450,000 from the church funds to the pastors.

Pastor Quek said Mr Lim had broken his vows to the church to submit to its leaders and not raise divisive issues.

In a statement to this newspaper, church elders said he failed to attend six counselling sessions following his suspension.

The statement also said it was a 'very sad day' when a church member took to suing his own pastors: 'Such an action is against the clear teaching of Jesus Christ in God's Holy and perfect Word.

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NAS 1 Corinthians 6:1

Does any one of you, when he has a case against his neighbor, dare to go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints? 2 Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is judged by you, are you not competent to constitute the smallest law courts? 3 Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, matters of this life? 4 If then you have law courts dealing with matters of this life, do you appoint them as judges who are of no account in the church? 5 I say this to your shame. Is it so, that there is not among you one wise man who will be able to decide between his brethren, 6 but brother goes to law with brother, and that before unbelievers? 7 Actually, then, it is already a defeat for you, that you have lawsuits with one another. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be defrauded? 8 On the contrary, you yourselves wrong and defraud, and that your brethren. 9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, 10 nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God.

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Indeed it seems that, more and more, the unthinkable are happening. God's Day must surely be near. Let's hope and pray that this will not happen more and more in our churches. Such a bad testimony to the world and a big blow to the weaker ones amongst this church's congregation...