Society for Truth and Light

Edit links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by TableManners (talk | contribs) at 02:33, 17 August 2007 (Removing "references" that require specialist knowledge...moving to talk page.). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

The Society For Truth And Light (Chinese: 明光社) is a Christian conservative hate group "concerning social ethics, media behaviour and sex culture" in Hong Kong. It was established in May 1997 and is led by Choi Chi-sum, an outspoken far right evangelical.[citation needed]

The group advocates homophobia by inducing moral panic in Hong Kong society and is taunted by its liberal opponents as "moral terrorists" and "moral Taliban" because of its self-perception of being on the moral high ground and labeling those who held opposite views as immoral, and abusing its close link with the authorities to crush the opposition.[citation needed]

History

The Society of Truth and Light in Hong Kong was established in 1997 to combat pornography and violence in media.[1] It positions itself as "conservative" and labels itself as an advocate against the so called "trends of radical libertarianism, feminism and extreme individualism".

Under the slogan of encouraging "active participation" in "social matters", a strategy utilized by Christian Right in United States, members of the group have infiltrated the establishment such as the Obscene Articles Tribunal. It has received funding from government departments such as the Television and Entertainment Licensing Authority of Hong Kong SAR Government, totaling HK$750,000 (approximately US$100,000) since 2001.

Controversies

Because of the existence of patron-client relationship between the group and the establishment as stated above, the group utlises its lationship with the censorship authorities, such as the Broadcasting Authority and the Television and Entertainment Licensing Authority, to pursue its organisational goal and mission.

'The Fairy Tale of Autumn'

In the past, the full length version of award-winning Hong Kong movie 'The Fairy Tale of Autumn' had been broadcasted on local television broadcaster without any issue or complain.

However when it was being broadcasted on TVB Jade Channel in 2007, a priest affiliated to the group, lodged a complaint to the Broadcasting Authority on the "vulgar language" in the movie; and the time for broadcasting is when the parent will not be at home for parental guidance. The Authority has accepted his view without any deliberations, without any public hearings, and classified the film as "obscenic". TVB yielded into pressure from the establishment and removed the scene which contains vulgar language. The ruling of the Broadcasting Authority provoked an outcry from the public, calling it 'stupid', 'complete absence of common sense', 'attacking the freedom of expression'. In return the group, which is an official partner and backed by the Authority, by created a massive signatory campaign which over 1000 persons writing in standardised letter prepared by the group, in order to show support the ruling by the Authority.

The Legislative Council later held a meeting to discuss this decision of the Authority. The group and Christian fundamentalist groups are those who defending the decision of Authority in the session. Despite the lobbying effort made by the group, the Council passed a motion on 'strongly urging Broadcasting Authority to reconsider its position'. However the Broadcasting Authority, backed by the group and other fundamentalist Christians, refuses to back down.

RTHK TV Programm: 'Gay Lover'

A Christian Priest had made a complain to the Broadcasting Authority on the so called "biased" view of the TV documentary Gay Lover, produced by Radio Television Hong Kong, which focus on the difficulties face by of same-sex partners as well as the issue of same-sex marriage in Hong Kong. The Broadcasting Authority ruled against RTHK, which provoked public outcry in the judgement against RTHK is unfair and made without regarding the common sense and interest of the public. The group, acted in its usual bullish manner, initial a signatory campiagn in support of the decision by the Authority. This authority and fairness of this ruling is now being challenged by a judicial review, which is currently underway. reference4 reference reference2 reference3

Gay Rights

The Society for Truth and Light opposed the decriminalization of homosexual public sodomy in Hong Kong.[2] General secretary Choi Chim-sum also commented on the decriminalization by stating:

What the people are worried about is that indecent acts in public places are inappropriate. It's not about whether hetero or homo sex is involved. Whoever is involved in such acts should be punished and it shouldn't become someone's talisman[2]

'Human Rights' Education

In October 2005 the society won a contract to produce teaching materials for the education of human rights in schools. It was being awarded by the then Education and Manpower Bureau (now the Education Bureau) of the Hong Kong SAR Government.

The course itself attracted widespread criticism and protest, including a hunger strike by an expatriate teacher who was against the society's homophobic stances which assimilated into the course content. Besides this the major points of criticism towards the course content include[3]

  • The misrepresentation of the concept of human rights - the course claimed human rights were not a "basic right and freedom to which all humans are entitled", but only as a goods/services that has to be "exchanged" by the fulfillment of "personal" or "religious" responsibility "towards family and the society". Per the course content claimed, those who do not fulfill these requirements (e.g. respect towards parents) have no right to "enjoy the benefit of human rights".
  • Course tutors were inexperienced and incapable to deliver the course, and they have no prior knowledge to the "human rights" concept prescript by this course.

Fund Raising Campaigns

According to the official papers submitted by the society for the permission of public fund raising campaigns, it plans to raise a total HK$13 million (approximately US$1.6 million) in year 2007, where 70% of the fund raised will be spent on capital investments such as "establishing new offices" for the group while the remaining will finance the payroll of its staff and executives.[citation needed]

8/24 Court Case on Age of Consent

In August 2005 the government has lost the case Leung T C William Roy v. Secrertary For Justice, where the applicant had requested a judicial review by the High Court on the law related to age of consent on gay sex (which was being set to 21 at the time), on the ground that the provisions in the Section 118c, Crimes Ordinance is discrimatory and against the Basic Law of Hong Kong.

However under the pressure of several "pro-family" groups,[citation needed] including The Society of Truth and Light and several of its umbrella groups, the government has decided to appeal against the ruling on the ground of "public health", clearly a stance has been taken by the group.

Eventually the appeal was being turned down by the Court of Appeal[4] and the government has been ordered to pay the cost.

References

  1. ^ HONG KONG: Truth and Light stirs emotions on sleaze and rights issues by Norma Connolly, South Morning China Post, October 21, 2005
  2. ^ a b As quoted by Hong Kong court ruling a victory for gay rightsCuesta, Anthony 18th July 2007
  3. ^ Pearl Report - The Truth Of Truth Light Society, 4 December 2005, TVB Pearl Channel
  4. ^ "High Court Judgement, Leung T C William Roy v. Secrertary For Justice (CACV317/2005)".

External links

Pearl Report - The Truth Of Truth Light Society by TVB Pearl channel (on YouTube)

List of Truth-Light Society Past Action

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Society_for_Truth_and_Light&oldid=151737844"