Society for Truth and Light

Hong Kong's Society for Truth and Light made the local headlines, yet again, when it was announced this week that the Christian anti-gay group has won a Hong Kong government contract to advise teachers on how to teach 'human rights and anti-discrimination' in the classroom.
Yes, you read that right.
Amnesty International, Hong Kong branch, has now written to Hong Kong Government and asked for a detailed explanation: AI's letter.
This is not the first time the Christian lobby group has made the headlines.
Legalized prostitution? They're against it. (Much better to leave the business to the criminal element to run and profit from.)
Legalized betting on football matches? They're against it? (Much better to leave the business to the criminal element to run and profit from.)
Same-sex sex? What do you think? Yes, they're against it. (See Stephen Vines' opinion piece of 7 October 2005 in [Hong Kong] Standard).
Under the Brits, the Catholic church and a gaggle of Protestant churches ran and operated many of the primary and secondary schools in Hong Kong. (Hence the Victorian morals of many of the locals.)
The establishment about ten years ago of the Society of Truth and Light was a new development, however. And it looks like it has since adopted a strategy previously elaborated by the Christian Right in the freedom-lovin' USA: lobby; produce opinion polls; be media-friendly; and sit on Government committees. Like this one in 2002: Legislative Council Bills Committee on Prevention of Child Pornography Bill.
Like their American bretheren, this local Christian lobby is always ready with a dial-a-quote. That's not so surprising when you know this Christian lobby group is headed by Choi Chi-sum (蔡志森). Its general secretary, Mr Choi's previous work experience was in print and TV. Currently, Choi is also consultant of the Hong Kong Journalists' Christian Fellowship; Executive Committee Member of the Hong Kong Press Council; School Manager, China Holiness Church Living Spirit College. That's if the Hong Kong Baptist University-hosted website for the Hong Kong Association of Media Education (HKAME) is at all up-to-date.
Truth and Light has its own website. Sadly, it wouldn't let in Mister Bijou, and the Google cache was not forthcoming either. Go figure.
Mister Bijou is not surprised the Christian lobby group got the contract. It has friends in high places: Hong Kong's new Chief Executive, Donald Tsang Yam-yuen. A devout Catholic, Tsang, soon after taking office, expressed his displeaure that TV coverage of local horse racing was provided by the local government service, Radio Television Hong Kong. And soon after that, it was announced that RTHK would drop the horses.
Stay tuned!