Remember Ahok & Pastor Koh.

These are real lives with real families. They are not celebrities, flamboyant politicians or billionaires that the world's spotlight is always shining on with excessive glare. They do no bathe in the limelight. They work and sacrifice quietly away from it. 

Missing pastor Raymond Koh and jailed Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama ("Ahok") collectively stand as a shining testimony on what they believe in. 

In my book, they come closest to what Christ has commanded, "To love one another."

For Ahok, he has given much more to Caesar than anyone can ever imagine. He decided not to appeal. His wife in tears said that her husband has dropped the appeal for the "good of the nation and of the country." 

She continued, "I know this is not easy for all of you, let alone myself, to accept this reality. I want to thank all of you who have been supporting me, for all the prayers, cards with well wishers, letters, books and even the candlelight vigils...Let us show that we believe God is sovereign and in control of every nation’s history. We show that we are people who believe in God Almighty who loves his people, who will surely uphold truth and justice for all people."

And it has been 100 days now, and Pastor Koh is still missing. His wife, Ms Liew, is worried because it reports that she claims that the "police chief is "diverting" the focus of investigations into her husband's abduction to Mr Koh's alleged attempts to convert Muslim youth."

She lamented: "The victim is being investigated? Why? How will this help find him or bring his abductors to justice? The question of whether or not he was proselytising Muslims keeps on coming up...all this "Christianisation" smoke is to divert attention away from the abduction and the abductors, to blame the victim. This feeds into the story told by those trying to excuse this abduction - that Raymond deserved this because he tried to convert the Muslims." 

She pleads, "What my children and I want most of all is the release of my husband safe and sound, and for the abductors and their accomplices to be brought to justice."

Lesson? Just one.

It is about the cries of love. The love for husbands treated unfairly, persecuted for their faith and yet, standing tall as an example for all - never giving up. 

It is also about faith and hope, not so much in religious rituals, organizations or authorities, but on the simple acts of humanity, assisting the poor, protecting the weak and sacrificing for those at the fringes of society. 

Pastor Koh and Ahok have done their part ceaselessly to help those who are forgotten and discarded by the wayside as the world plunders through towards blind ambition, covetousness and self-enrichment.

And most importantly, it is about the love of families, of wives who stand by their husbands, and of children who miss their father dearly. 

These are the priceless treasures of society that deserve our preservation and protection, that is, the acts of forgiveness by Ahok despite being treated unfairly for his belief. And Pastor Koh’s acts of charity to the drug addicts, broken youths and HIV sufferers in society.

The world needs more of these people, not less. The world needs to let them continue their work, not incarcerate or abduct them. And the world needs to be inspired by their unassuming character and pass on their legacy, not crush or suppress it. 

They don't live to be popular, but to make a difference. They don't desire to be rich or powerful, but to help a life. And they don't wish to hog the limelight, but to do to one of the least of them without any fanfare.

Veronica Tan could not control her tears as she read out her husband's letter to drop the appeal. And Ms Liew and her children have been crying silent tears for their loved one to return to them.

These are real lives who pray and yearn for the exercise of simple virtues from society like justice, understanding and mercy. 

And I repeat, this is not about religion, at least not the way the world sees and uses it. 

This is on the contrary about the common bond we all share, whether religious or irreligious, godly or godless. It is the bond that holds us all together. It is the bond that unites families and friends as one. It is the unity of love, hope and sacrifice. No one however how high up the echelon is exempted from this common bond. 

So, let's hope that the society will reach their hands out for another and take this journey together towards a world that is united by this common bond - and not divided by their differences. Cheerz.

The blasphemy verdict of Ahok.

Basuki, or Ahok, is jailed for two years. He has to serve it immediately. That is, no bail pending appeal due to fear of him being a flight risk. And the sentence exceeded the Prosecution's recommendation of two years' probation. 

The Jakarta governor's crime? Blasphemy. He happened to have referred to a verse in the Quran while telling his constituents last September that they should not be misled by opponents urging Muslims to reject a non-Muslim leader." 

Ahok is a Christian and a Chinese. That's double minority in a largely Muslim majority nation. 

One political analyst Tobias Basuki has this to say about the verdict: "(the verdict was more a result of) politicking by the elites from various political parties who hate Ahok and who have been deprived of government projects because of Ahok's strict style of governing."

After the verdict was passed, crowd of hard-line Muslims cheered and shouted, "Allahu Akbar!" It means "God is great." 

Lesson? Just one. I have to admit that there is a lot I do not understand about religion. 

I therefore seek deeper understanding with Ahok's verdict that many of his supporters have lamented as harsh, manifestly excessive and politically motivated. 

In fact, a human rights group chairman Hendari said, "The verdict has proven the blasphemy (law) is prone to misuse by certain parties...It was a trial by the mob, which is actually against the rule of law."

Alas, during my secondary school days (in the 80s), I was taught religious studies, and I chose Christianity, that is, the four synoptic gospels, which talked about the life of Christ. 

At the same time, I was also a member of a relatively large charismatic Church where this God of mine is further illuminated as the Creator of the Universe, a God of love, an omniscient being of mercy, hope and compassion. 

For me, the religion taught in school and preached over the church pulpit tallied well, or is coherent. They were mostly congruent, consistent. 

They talked about a relatively uncomplicated God, who acted with predictable grace and wisdom, and rewarded his believers with eternal bliss and rest. 

Then, I read about religion in the papers, and seen (and experienced) it applied in the world outside the sterile classroom and the pristine pulpit, and things get much more complicated, muddled and even mind-boggling.

In the world, in raw reality, in politics and even in the offices of religious institutions, God takes on a different interpretation (or manifestation) from the one I was accustomed to in school and church. 

Strangely, this God becomes less clear or defined. He is less predictable in his storied ways. Divine love in the world out there is layered with man-made conditions. Mercy has a different agenda - more political rather than ecumenical. 

Compassion is selective. His divine blessing appears to be more nepotistic, manipulative and opportunistic than fair, just and equitable. And even his judgment and wrath seem to have a god-for-hire feel where they become a means to a very self-centric end. 

I was once told that religion separates us from the animals. To believe in omnipotence, and to ceremoniously subject our will to a higher purpose effectively distinguished us from our four-legged friends. 

But, to be honest, I can't be sure anymore. That distinction seems more contrived or self-delusional than believable. 

Yes, dogs do not repent, cats do not take communion, and wolves can't sit still to listen to a sermon for three hours straight, but neither do they act in the way we humans have acted when we ride on the triumphalist chariots of our own religious interpretations. 

Let me end with what the formidable Mark Twain has to say about religion (not that I agree with him entirely):-

"I have a religion--but you will call it blasphemy. It is that there is a God for the rich man but none for the poor.....Perhaps your religion will sustain you, will feed you--I place no dependence in mine. Our religions are alike, though, in one respect--neither can make a man happy when he is out of luck." Cheerz.