by Rev Silas Wong, Treasurer, UUHK

This is the article I shared with the Blessed Minority Christian Fellowship (BMCF) lately. The content relates to my trip to the International Council of Unitarians and Universalists (ICUU) Conference in New York (as delegate for UUHK) and the history of Unitarian Universalism. Sorry, only in Chinese language.

基恩家書（二O一四年二月） 黃國堯

紐約的天氣雪冷時晴，冬日之美景盡現。剛巧舊曆新年來至，我就如遊子般書寫今次家書，以慰藉在遠方的親友。這次來美參加尋道會的國際會議（ICUU ), 遇到不少友善同志的牧者及信徒領袖，也遇上了同志的弟兄牧友，實在喜出望外。UU (Unitarian Universalist) 起源於特蘭西瓦尼亞（Transylvania），現為羅馬尼亞的一部份，卻為昔日匈牙利的領土。由於十六世紀宗教改革，他們卻因自成一派（不接受三位一體，祗信獨一的上帝）地不受天主教甚至抗羅宗（Protestant), 亦即改革派的基督徒的接納而被迫逼。然時至今日，全世界各地都有UU的成立。我在離開傳統教會服事後，便遇到在港成立尋道會的前宣道會弟兄，於是便與他們結緣。他們的存在對我而言便是如LGBT信徒受排斥和傷害，甚至被判為異端，重則被火燒死，輕則打入冷宮。然他們視同志及跨性人士卻情同手足，令我動容。若果要我說三位一體重要抑或獨一真神重要，後者無疑才是信仰的重心，不過透過主耶穌貫通新舊約的時代和聖靈的入住及更新。我想三位一體這教義充滿著奧秘，連神學家也不易理解，我們卻去對不接受者大反特反，如對耶和華見證會及猶太教等的討伐，這是否有點矯枉過正？！

然而，我想更重要的，除以認識獨一真神外，對人類尊嚴和差異者的尊重豈不更為重要嗎？！我想大部份所謂正統的教牧信徒對同志及跨性社群都誤解重重，更常恃勢凌人，凌辱傷害同志信徒不計其數。他們所傳講的所謂愛心是與真實的情況背道而馳，我們難道能視而不見，還要跪地求饒嗎？！因此，為免我們也陷入律法主義的漫漫長夜，我們不得不起來對抗。當然，對抗同時也可以對話，但如在戰爭之中也可進行談判，關鍵便在雙方的誠意。例如現在本港正進行性傾向歧視的立法討論，結果便視乎大家有多少體會和珍視對方，若果各持己見的話，那麼兩敗俱傷便在所難免；故此豁免條例才在考慮之例。

在這馬年新春中，唯願我們自己不自相殘害，也不為反抗傳統教會而彼此動刀兵。我們是君子，不是暴民，不是講佔中要玉石俱焚。我們乃是講道理和道德，但不是祗有你講沒人講的那種自以為是的作風。在此祝大家馬年靈命一馬當先，性傾向立法馬到功成！

by Alex

Starting 3 September, we are very pleased to have the interfaith minister Peter Lloyd to lead a series of monthly UU worships for us.  The theme of the first one is Forgiveness.  I enjoyed it a lot.  Thanks Peter for putting together this fantastic worship service.

Only after the worship did I find out that, incidentally, the theme of the September issue of Quest is forgiveness!

Quest is a monthly publication of the Church of the Larger Fellowship, a "church" serving isolated UUs worldwide.

The format of Quest is two sermons followed by other content.  Needless to say, both sermons are on forgiveness.  What struck me most, however, is a short story told by Kate Braestrup.  Kate's two children were badly burnt in an explosion caused by the gasoline Kate's cousin George, an adult, used to ignite a pile of backyard brush.  Those few simple yet astounding words from one of her burnt child Zach to George, who was blaming himself, fully illustrates the divine quality of forgiveness: "It's all right, George.  We love you."

Kate's final remark is so true: "If you are living in love, you are in heaven no matter where you are. May heaven hold you. May you always, always, live in love."

This story and the two sermons in this issue of Quest beautifully complete our worship service.

Read Quest September 2011 here

跨宗教牧師 Peter Lloyd 開始為尋道會帶領一系列 UU 崇拜。第一次崇拜的主題是「寬恕」。我十分有得著；感謝 Peter。無獨有偶，Church of the Larger Fellowship (CLF) 出版的月刊 Quest 九月份的主題也是「寬恕」。CLF 專為世界各地沒有教會可去的 UU 個人及家庭而設。它的月刊都有兩篇很好的講道。今次最令我感受深刻的反而是 Kate Braestrup 牧師鈙述的事件。她的表親喬治，大人，用汽油點燃後院樹枝堆時，發生爆炸，燒傷她的兩名孩子。當喬治非常自責的時候，她兒子的一句話最令人明白寬恕的神聖，他以燒傷了的手搭在喬治的肩上，安慰說：「沒事的。我們都愛您！」

讓我們記取 Braestrup 牧師的一番話：只要你心中有愛，無論身處何方，你就是在天國裡。願你常活在愛中，願天國擁抱你。

二零一一年一月十六日，尋道會與橄欖山（由聖公會牧師及前立法局議員馮智活牧師創辦）在馬丁路德金日前夕合辦「從馬丁路德金到今天香港民運」紀念聚會。

馬丁路德金（1929-1968）是美國黑人、牧師、博士、民權領袖、諾貝爾和平獎得主，以非暴力不合作運動，爭取種族平等，被捕三十次，並多次入獄，最後被刺殺身亡。美國定一月第三週一為馬丁路德金日，是全國公眾假期。

聚會當日，播放了短片介紹他的生平事跡，他扣人心弦之著名「我有一個夢」演說，及他的最後演說。在討論時段中，馮智活牧師分享了他對香港民主運動的一些獨到體會與見解：
（一）馬丁路德金作為社運領袖最令人折服的氣質就是自我犧牲的精神。他的名句「如要犧牲，願那是我」和「可能要流血，但要流的是我們的血」，最令人敬佩。這難能可貴的精神是今天的民運領袖所應該響往與仰望的。馮牧師點名舉例說 Malcom X 及司徒華便具有此高貴特質。
（二）今天香港的民運缺乏一個清晰的中心。像馬丁路德金時的黑人人權問題，或零三年香港基本法廿三條立法時能號召五十萬人上街抗爭的，所有人都關心及願意為之付出的核心課題。
（三）今天香港民運在塑造議題上欠缺清晰。例如貧富矛盾，實在是一個嚴重而逼切的社會問題。但社運界未能簡單、清晰、有效地將此向香港市民解釋，於是未能凝聚關注，無法動員。
（四）香港民運界內部存在私心，互相利用，也欠缺求大同存小異之包容精神。不團結，又何來成功？從基督徒的角度看，香港民運界正急需一份愛鄰如己、無私奉獻的基督精神。

On January 16, 2011, the eve of Martin Luther King Day, Unitarian Universalists Hong Kong and the Mount of Olives (founded by Rev Fung Chi-wood, Anglican priest and former legislator) organized a memorial gathering titled "From Martin Luther King to the Democratic Movement of Hong Kong." 

Rev Dr Martin Luther King Jr (15 Jan 1929 - 4 Apr 1968) was an American clergyman, a prominent leader in the African American civil rights movement, and Nobel Peace Prize winner. He is best known for the advancement of civil rights in the United States using nonviolent methods. He has been arrested for 30 times and finally got assasinated at an age of 39. King is a heroic leader in the history of modern American liberalism. The third Monday of January is the public holiday in USA devoted to Dr King. 

In our memorial gathering, short videos were shown of his life story, the famous gripping "I Have a Dream" speech, and his final speech "I've Been to the Mountaintop." During our discussion session, Rev Fung shared his incisive observations and reflections on the present situation of the democratic movement of Hong Kong: 
1  The most admirable quality of Dr King is his spiritual quality, namely, the spirit of self sacrifice. "River of blood may have to flow before we gain our freedom," King addressed, "but it must be our blood." It is this noble spirit that today's democratic leaders in Hong Kong should aspire. Rev Fung named Malcom X and Szeto Wah among those rare examples who possess this remarkable spiritual quality. 
2  A clear unifying central issue is lacking in the present democratic movement of Hong Kong. During the time of Martin Luther King, the terrible human rights conditions of African Americans in the United States served as a unifying issue. In Hong Kong, back in 2003, the impending national security legislation under Article 23 of the Basic Law had successfully recruited a massive half million demonstration. Such a central issue which could unify the spirit of Hong Kong citizens is now missing.  
3  The present democratic movement in Hong Kong is unable to shape a focus to unify the attention of the public. For example, conflicts between the rich and the poor is a serious and pressing social problem. But the social movement sector has not been able to present a simple, clear, and effective message to the people to draw their interest and recruit them to action. 
4  Self-interest is commonplace within the pro-democracy community of Hong Kong. They often utilize each other. Tolerance of different ideas is also lacking. Without unity, how can the democratic movement succeed? From the Christian point of view, the democratic movement of Hong Kong is in need of the spirit of love and the spirit of selfless giving of Jesus Christ.

Shocked and saddened by 8 HK tourists losing their lives, and 1 is critically injured, now still in the ICU.  So close to us HKers, as many of us travel occasionally and the Philippines is among our popular destinations.  www.uuhk.org has changed its look, and a thread is added to the forum, for mourning.  May the dead rest in peace.  May the injured recover soon.  May the families be comforted and supported.   

Let us reserve a minute of silence to remember the dead, the injured, and their families!  We are star dust, yet so precious and valuable.  Let us reflect seriously on our short and fragile being.  Let us treasure our only life and feel deeply with our only body.  Let us live life to the full, to actualize ourselves.  Give thanks to Nature for our existence, and use our life wisely to love and help our fellow Humans. 

Take care!


Share with you a UU way to mourn. 

Listen to Spirit of Life here
Spirit of Life, come unto me 
Sing in my heart all the stirrings of compassion 
Blow in the wind, rise in the sea, 
Move in the hand, giving life the shape of justice. 
Roots hold me close, 
Wings set me free, 
Spirit of Life, come to me, come to me.

I often consider my life to be a journey of Truth-seeking.  As such, I explore a wide range of worldviews, including various world religions and atheism.  With Unitarian Universalists Hong Kong (UUHK), I have paid eye-opening visits to the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Bahai community in HK.  This time, on May 8, 2010, we visited the Zoroastrian community.

Because of the impending visit to a stranger religion, I have done a little homework.  To my surprise, members of this little-known religion have made major contributions to the British colony in her early days.  More surprisingly still, this small ancient religion has a profound influence on a hugely popular religion in the West, namely, Christianity.  Some biblical scholars maintain that, in the Gospel of Matthew, the magi from the east visiting the baby Jesus were Zoroastrian priests.  The reason, they say, for inclusion into the narrative the then prestigeous Zoroastrian priests is to enhance the creditability of Jesus as the Messiah.  Also, the Bible is full of Zoroastrian concepts: God/Satan, Heaven/Hell, Angels/Archangels, Judgment, and Bodily Resurrection.  (1)

On the day of visit, when I arrived at the Zoroastrian Building in Causeway Bay, I could spot the symbol of Faravahar on the outer wall (figure 2).  The soft-spoken and very friendly priest Homyar explained to us the basics of his religion.  The founder was Zoroaster (628-551 BCE); his name appeared in Nietzsche’s famous “Thus Spoke Zarathustra.”  Zoroastrianism was the national religion of Persia and the most influential religion in the Middle East at the time of Jesus.  Its main God is Ahura Mazda, “Ahura” means creator, “Mazda” wisdom.  Good thoughts, good words, and good deeds are her three basic principles.  The scripture is Avesta, mainly accounting the life and teachings of Zoroaster.  Fire is believed to be the earliest creature, symbolizing God’s eternity and mercy; therefore, all their temples have an ever-lite sacred fire.

Regarding adherents’ current religious practices, every member will wear the symbol of Faravahar, the guardian angel, as a necklace.  They don’t smoke, for smoking blasphemes the fire.  Every youth will pass through an adult ceremony, in which (s)he will start wearing a white underwear with a small pocket in the middle of the collar (figure 3), a symbol of keeping good deeds done every day.  The religious identity is inherited and they do not accept converts.  Their children are encouraged to marry within the religion.  Women married to outsiders will be considered as leaving the religion, men marrying outsiders have not this problem.  Priesthood is also inherited, passing only to sons.  Homyar joked that he has a daughter and so his line of prienthood has been cut off.

The origin of HK Zoroastrians can be traced back to the 17th century, when Muslims conquered Persia.  Some Persian Zoroastrians fleed to Mumbai, India, where they were called “Parsee,” meaning a people from Persia.  After the Opium War, they followed the British colonists to Hong Kong.  More famous figures included Sir Hormusjee Naorojee Mody, a co-founder of the University of Hong Kong.  The Mody Road in Tsim Sha Tsui was named after him.  Jehangir Hormujee Ruttonjee was the founder of the Ruttonjee Hospital.  The Star Ferry was started by Dorabjee Naorojee Mithaiwala.  Parsees also helped establish the HSBC Bank and the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.

After the introductory lecture, Homyar guided us to visit the prayer hall, the center of which is the sacred fire fed by sandalwood (figure 1).  Homyar stressed that they worship not the fire, but God through the fire.  Afterwards, we took a fifteen minutes walk to the Parsee Cemetery in Happy Valley, which was built as early as 1852.  Celebrities’ names such as Sir Hormusjee Naorojee Mody and Jehangir Hormujee Ruttonjee can be found there.  At present, however, there are only about 200 Zoroastrians in Hong Kong (only about 210 000 in the whole world) and they have been largely forgotten by the rest of Hong Kong.

This visit added an important piece to the jigsaw puzzle of my life, linking together fragments such as the Star Ferry, the University of Hong Kong, the HSBC, and Christianity.  It forced me to reflect deeply whether Christianity is really that special and sacred, as many of her core symbols were merely borrowed from earlier religions.

Articles related to Zoroastrianism from Universalist Herald:
http://www.universalist-herald.net/2Interf.html 
http://www.universalist-herald.net/Magi.html 


我一直覺得自己的一生是一趟追尋真理的旅程。所以我對不同的世界觀感興趣，包括世界各大宗教和無神論。以前跟尋道會探訪過包括東正教和巴哈依教等世界宗教在香港的群體，大開眼界。今次，於一零年五月八日，跟她拜訪香港的瑣羅亞斯德教群體（又稱「祆教」（音軒，意即天示之教）或「拜火教」）。

因為將要拜訪這個對我來說新奇的宗教，事前找了一些相關資料。原來這個鮮為人知的宗教的教徒在香港開埠時期有著舉足輕重的貢獻。更出乎意料之外的，這個日漸式微的古老宗教原來對基督宗教影響深遠。有學者認為馬太褔音中從東方來探望嬰兒耶穌的幾個博士很可能就是祆教的祭司，並且推論馬太褔音的作者之所以將祆教祭司寫入馬槽故事之中，是希望借助這些當時德高望重的人物建立耶穌作為彌賽亞的可信性。除此之外，《聖經》原來還充滿著祆教的觀念：神與魔鬼之爭、光與黑暗、天堂與地獄、天使與天使長、最後審判、身體復活等等。(1)

拜訪當天，來到銅鑼灣善樂施大廈（外語名稱正是 Zoroastrian Building），在外牆已看見祆教的標誌 Faravahar（圖 二）。招待我們的祭司 Homyar 向我們講解該教之基本。祆教的始創人是瑣羅亞斯德（又譯查拉圖斯特拉，公元前628－551年）。尼采名著《查拉圖斯特拉如是說》就是用了他的名字。這宗教是波斯的國教，亦是耶穌時代中東一帶最具影響力之宗教。它的主神是阿胡拉·瑪茲達（Ahura Mazda，Ahura 意即「創造者」、Mazda意「智慧」）。祆教的三大基本教條是：好的思想、好的話語、好的行為。該教的主要經典是《阿維斯陀》，主要記述瑣羅亞斯德的生平及教訓。他們認為火是神最早的創造，象徵著神的絕對和至善，所以神廟必有長期點燃的聖火。

說到他們的宗教生活，祆教標誌 Faravahar 可說是守護天使，每個教徒都會作頸鍊帶在身上。他們不吸煙，因為褻瀆火。教徒一代傳一代，基本上不接受外人信教。青年在成人禮時會穿上一件白色短袖內衣 （圖三），胸前有一小袋子，象徵盛載每天的好行為。家庭鼓勵子女教內通婚，女子嫁給教外人便算離教，男子娶教外人則無問題。祭司制度是世襲的，只傳男子，Homyar 笑言他有一個女，所以斷絕了承繼。

至於香港祆教教徒的來源，可追朔到公元七世紀，伊斯蘭教征服波斯，部分堅信祆教的波斯人，於是移居印度許孟買。這些人在印度被稱為巴斯人（Parsee），即來自波斯的人。鴉片戰爭後，巴斯人隨英國人來港。香港比較著名的巴斯人有香港大學創辦人之一的麼地（尖沙咀的摩地道便以他命名）、創辦律敦治醫院的律敦治、天星小輪前身九龍渡輪公司的創辦人 Mithaiwala、滙豐銀行和聯交所的創辦成員等。此外，香港旭龢道和碧荔路也以祆教教徒命名。祆教在香港曾被稱為「白頭教」，因為祭司是戴上白帽的。

講解後，Homyar 帶我們參觀祈禱禮堂，內有檀香木聖火（圖 一），這個火，可說是崇拜的中心。但 Homyar 強調他們並非拜火，而是透過火敬拜神。之後，祭司帶領我們步行十五分鐘到達位於跑馬地的巴斯人墓園。該墓園早於一八五二年建成，可以找到一些香港開埠名人如麼地和律敦治家族的墳墓。但時至今日，香港現有祆教教徒只有約二百多人（世界祆教教徒亦只有約廿一萬），在社會上幾乎已被人遺忘。

這次探訪及相關的資料搜集讓我感覺自己的人生砌圖多了一片重要的碎片，將一些零星的片段串連起來（基督教、香港大學、天星馬頭…），亦令我深思基督教是否真的特別神聖，因為她的核心象徵只不過是自然地承傳自更早的其他宗教。


1 Ken Vincent, ‘The Zoroastrians,’ Universalist Herald, Nov/Dec 2009, p. 21.  (download "zoroastrians.jpg" below)