A Hong Kong pastor facing prison preaches the sermon of his life in front of his accusers.
A Baptist pastor in Hong Kong turned the stands of a Hong Kong courtroom into his pulpit, quoting Scripture and calling for justice in the name of God after he and 8 other activists were charged with crimes related to their involvement with pro-democracy protests.
Chu Yiu-ming recounted his testimony of finding hope in Christ after a bleak childhood and defended his calling as a minister to fight for human rights, dignity, and care for all people.
He told the courtroom, “We have no regrets. We hold no grudges, no anger, no grievances. We do not give up. In the words of Jesus, ‘Happy are those who are persecuted because they do what God requires; The Kingdom of heaven belongs to them!’”
An English translation of Chu’s remarks to the court was printed in full in the Hong Kong Free Press.
The 75-year-old pastor told the courtroom in Cantonese, “We strive for democracy because democracy strives for freedom, equality, and universal love. Political freedom is more than loyalty to the state. It professes human dignity. Every single person living in a community possesses unique potentials and powers, capable of making a contribution to society. Human right is a God-given gift, never to be arbitrarily taken away by any political regime.”
200 Christians gathered at a nearby church to pray for a favorable verdict.