DPM Wong is right, all should be mindful of Singapore's secularism

DPM Wong is right, all should be mindful of Singapore's secularism

I REFER to last Friday's article, 'Questionable takeover but crucial service'. In it, the Bishop of the Anglican Church in Singapore, Dr John Chew, argued that the women who took control of the secular group, Association of Women for Action and Research (Aware), performed a 'crucial service' to Singapore by highlighting the 'revisionist sexuality norms' that were purportedly taught by Aware in schools.

Let me state unequivocally at the outset that I respect all religions and people with religious beliefs. However, the statement, by a leader of the Christian community, is somewhat misleading.

The themes that were advocated in the programmes conducted in schools focused mainly on the virtues of abstinence and the proper use of contraception to prevent the spread of sexually transmitted diseases among teenagers.

To claim that 'mainstream society at large would be grateful for the... vigilance of the Christian community' equates to saying that our secular society should adhere to the beliefs of a narrow segment of a vocal religious minority.

Much has been said about how the group of women seized power and was booted out at the recent extraordinary general meeting. I believe the lessons to be learnt have been well-articulated by Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng - that we have to be tolerant of people with different opinions, and people with different religious beliefs, including those who are not bound to a particular religion.

After all, our society is made up of people from a multitude of religions as well as non-believers, people of different races, and people who are straight and those who are gay. As we continue in our quest to be an inclusive society, let us all be acutely mindful of our differences, but even more conscious of the glue that binds us together as Singaporeans.

Vincent Tan

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