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COOS pastors galvanising church members to support new AWARE team

SNAblog

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http://kentridgecommon.com/?p=2741

Playing with words and a controversial precedent

By Kelvin Teo ⋅ April 27, 2009

The writer would like to acknowledge TheOnlineCitizen as the news source.

SINGAPORE - It has now emerged that two pastors at the Church of Our Saviour (COOS) sent out emails calling on church members to join AWARE and support the new Exco members. Mr Shawn Tay, a pastor with the Choices Ministry responsible for ministering to homosexuals made an explicit call in his email message to all responsible females to sign up for membership with AWARE immediately, and also to attend this all-important EGM so as to vote against changing the Constitution.

Interestingly, Mr Derek Hong, senior Pastor of COOS, has corroborated Dr Thio Su Mien’s earlier revelation that homosexuality should be cast in a negative light as opposed to a neutral one. Quoting TheOnlineCitizen, Mr Derek Hong made a beckoning call to other women in their church to support their sisters in the new Exco. He sees the move by the new Exco as a necessity to ensure that the nation does not cross the line drawn by God.

Thus, what we are witnessing is a collective ethos shared by new Exco, their mentor and COOS in particular, with religious undertones. As for the takeover, the spokesperson of the church went on categorically state that “There is no church connection. The church is not at all involved in secular affairs”.

Perhaps, COOS can be given the benefit of the doubt for the first part of the statement because this takeover may be a voluntary action instigated by church members, but not necessarily one that is sanctioned by the church. However, the second part of the statement is a contradiction in the highest order, and to call a spade a spade, a mere play of words.

An email issuing a general call for emotional support for the current members of the AWARE Exco is markedly different from an explicit email calling on church members to join an organization, attend the general meeting, and vote against constitutional changes. That is already a damning evidence of COOS’ attempt to be involved in secular affairs. In other words, this is already an explicit move by the church to influence the outcome of events within a secular organization.

The words by the COOS senior pastor Mr Derek Hong on ensuring that the nation functions according to the principles of his religion may be the catalyst for the setting of a new precedent. Suppose in this hypothetical example, a Buddhist organization functions pretty much like AWARE in organizing sexuality programs that hold a neutral stand towards homosexuality. As we all know, Buddhism is a major religion in Singapore with 42.5% of Singaporeans practising the religion as compared to 14.6% for Christianity. Now, a Christian entity begins to find issue with the sexuality programs organized by this Buddhist organization, and sees the necessity in Mr Derek Hong’s words to ensure that “the nation does not cross the line drawn by God”. Would we see an organized takeover of the Buddhist organization by this Christian entity a la AWARE in this hypothetical scenario? If there is such a takeover, there could be consequences as far as inter-religious relations are concerned. A controversial precedent, no?

What we have witnessed here is a clear cut and organized attempt by a church to influence the events within a secular organization like AWARE. A precedent could be set, which may have ramifications on a multi-religious society such as Singapore.

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SneeringTree

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That's why I say they are playing with fire. I hope they get burnt, and that self-righteous smug look on their faces are destroyed!
 

newyorker88

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Hmmm.....



so the Church is trying to influence the works of a NGO? If they want, they should set up a new society, not go and grab power.

I think it is high time that the church ought to show some restrain before it start inviting more bad media, and controvery about them.
 

commoner

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for a organisation which many are UNAWARE of, capturing the media and cyberspace and religious institutions for past weeks, it is no longer between the Old Guard and New Guard,,,,,

it has escalated,,,,,,,

The COOS has become the backing for the New Guard,,,,

The Old Guard has summoned the cyberspace,,,,,

Who will win, and who will lose,,,,

A New Fight, A New Battle Plan, A New War

Who will be the Last Woman Standing,,,,
 

commoner

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how did John and Paul die?
from the epistles according to TeeKee?

and you think God is interested in organising a Coup and a counter-strike in Aware?

God is busy with the poor and lost and the hungry,,,,
 

newyorker88

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please read the bible to know about God?

As if the bible is written by GOD himself. Jesus never wrote it, Neither did Buddha wrote the sutras.


Care to explain the church DECISION to stop teaching reincaration? In AD 553?

Wasnt it WRITTEN by people who choose to write and change it to SUIT their power hold?
 

The RealTuaKee

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God is interested in fighting gay's influence..


Oooooooo.......read the fictitious book called the bible to know god's mind when there are ample scriptures and examples in the fuck-type book of yours where the players do not even know what the fuck was in god's mind n the purpose of his so called actions.

Like what many have expressed: if the bitches from COOS do not like what is happening in AWARE, go set up your own organization to deal with what u called are sins n problems of society.
 

bellepepper02

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That's why I say they are playing with fire. I hope they get burnt, and that self-righteous smug look on their faces are destroyed!

Actually, they're quite well-covered by the Maintainence of Religious Harmony Act. This act says that they can't engage in subversive or political behaviour, "while, or under the guise of, propagating or practising any religious belief".

This group is denying that they are propagating religious beliefs. They're saying their anti-gay stance has nothing to do with their religion, that in fact, these are their secular beliefs. But perhaps the emails sent out from the church can be used to prove the religious nature of their beliefs.
 

Tiu Kwang Yew

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My opinion is that this AWARE saga is not about religious issues, it happens that the new council members are christians but they are singaporeans.


Pastors asking members to help may be to let AWARE be AWARE--pro-woman, pro-family, pro-singapore, --this is a good thing for singapore and females as a whole.

But now, they turn into religious issues.

Did PAP really debate gay rights becos gays will always be around, why let AWARE be the scapegoat?

AWARE is not PAP, is not govt, even if they object and accept gay rights, the public will have no say, if AWARE does accept gays overtly, is AWARE doing service to the country ?

Ivory tower people said gays should be appreciated, why so-called PM loong dares not meet the gays and discuss.

It is the PAP govt that must face the truth--favor gay rights or not, this is the answer.

Aware saga is not about gays nor religion --it is right to say pro-woman, pro-family, pro-singapore to safeguard the future becos if casinos are up and running, AWARE will be put to good use if people chairing are serious about the mottos.
 

myfoot123

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Damn it!!!! War between the Secular vs fundamentalist will take place on 2 May 2009. If fundamentalist wins, Singapore is screwed big time.
 

SneeringTree

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so lky memoirs not written the old fart himself.

it's false i supposed by your standards?

LKY's memoirs can be corroborated. The crux of the matter is whether a text can be independently verified to be the truth. LKY's memoir would pass this test.
 

cleareyes

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please read the bible to know about God?

I have read the bible and not a single line or verses stated in any book so declare that anyone who follows God should take over another organisation.

But there is a verses in the Bible that all should be aware:

beware of false prophets......
 
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