Partisan voting
Word has it that someone (or several someones) is going around Yahoo! Messenger telling people to vote for Andrew Tan (pic) in the Malaysian Idol contest because he is a pastor's son. Further research has revealed that Andrew is the second son of Pastors David and Sunflower Swan from the church Tabernacle of David in Kuala Lumpur. (If you are confused -- as I was -- and are wondering why his surname differs from that of his parents', it's because his father's actual name is Tan Suan Chew.)
This reminds me of all the hoo-ha last year surrounding the fact that Guy Sebastian, one of the 2003 Australian Idol contestants (and the one who ultimately won the contest), also happens to be a professing Christian. Back then, Darren of Living Room wrote:
In the last three days I've received four separate emails (actually they are more like chain-mail emails) asking Aussie Christians to unite in support of 'our Guy'. I don't know the original writers of any of these emails -- but they all are from Christian people (some from pastors) around Australia passionately urging us to forward the email to as many people as possible... These emails don't encourage people to vote for Guy if you think he's good - but vote for him because he's a Christian.
I really dislike this kind of thinking. Vote for someone just because s/he is a Christian? That smacks of reverse discrimination -- the opposite of people refusing to vote for someone simply because s/he IS Christian.
Besides, blindly voting for someone just because they share the same belief system as yourself, not caring whether they're a good singer, bad singer or so-so singer? Where is the integrity in that? I maintain that it's okay to encourage others to listen to the fella sing and ask them to vote for him if they feel he deserves to win; but I don't feel easy about asking people to vote for him, sight unseen (and voice unheard), out of a partisan feeling. That's almost like rigging the votes.
Christians say, "Oh, wouldn't it be so great if a Christian would win the contest?". I say yes, of course, but only if the contestant were to win on his/her own merit, rather than because s/he is Christian per se. To me, the ends don't justify the means, and I don't believe God is glorified if a Christian contestant wins just because lots of Christians voted for him/her out of some kind of stand-with-the-brotherhood mentality. Especially if it turns out that this Christian doesn't have what it takes to be the Malaysian Idol. Far from glorifying God, that would be an embarrassment, pure and simple.
Frankly, although Andrew can sing, I don't think he has the charisma that a world-class singer needs to have. His music is nice -- and I choose that insipid word on purpose -- but it doesn't have a "pull" and doesn't give listeners any sense of the personality behind the voice. Yes, he seems like a nice enough guy. "Nice", however, is not the way I hope to describe the future Malaysian Idol.
My money's on Jac ;) -- literally, too. I've been liberally voting for her. Hey, it's only 50 cents per SMS! :D