Why are more of us getting religious???

[MarrickG]

It happened to me once when my teacher tried to get me to attend her church gathering (one of the mega ones). I decline her offer and told her my observation that I do not understand.

I noticed that before the church session started, the Pastor had arrived in a merc (HE was wearing a suit and said to be staying in a bungalow) while most of the churchgoers would arrive in bus (I noted some of them are elderly citizens). During the session, the church leader would constantly remind its people to donate money to the church so that it could do more of God's work. It then announced proudly to everyone about the various countries that it had visited to do missionary work and helping the poor (The pastor seems to be travelling to different countries weekly).

Do you see the irony of this? Isn't there also poor people in Singapore, why must go overseas? If they really want to help the poor then why the pastor is staying in bungalow and driving big cars and taking from the HDB dwellers?

Listening to Pinkie's speech the other day, he said he noted that more and more are getting feverously religious. Did he ask himself why? Why are Sinkies feeling empty inside despite the materialistic gain over the years? Are Singaporeans feeling lost within the society that MIW had created? People normally would only seek divine help when they themselves are feeling helpless. Are we all feeling so?

His speech touched on the materialistic gains within the country, from kampong to city, but he did not touch on any plan to enrich the country’s culture or its people’s heart. Despite the difference in various religion, there must be some common areas that every Singaporeans can share, MIW should have worked on those areas to bind the country together.

Timely reminder

PRIME Minister Lee Hsien Loong's wide-ranging National Day Rally speech was illuminating and timely because it did not shy away from sensitive issues. I applaud him for emphasising the importance of religious harmony and, among other things, highlighting the problem of aggressive proselytisation.

Over the years, I have heard of more incidents of teachers, nurses and doctors who proselytise.

I vividly remember that 25 years ago, when I was in Primary 3, I had an English teacher who would often 'share' Bible stories in class and teach the pupils, who were multiracial, to sing Christian songs.

When I was in junior college, I had classmates who persistently invited me to their churches, even after I told them I was a Buddhist. Such encounters with evangelists continued unabated right through my undergraduate days in university.

In recent years, I have also come across Christian forums where people who identified themselves as teachers proudly wrote about sharing the Gospel with their students.

My anecdotal account suggests that people who proselytise often do so by taking advantage of their relatively high position of power - for example, teachers, doctors and employers - and the kindly tolerance of others.

While such evangelists may think they are 'helping' others, I would like to remind them of the old adage: 'Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.' What would they think if others told them they were praying to the wrong god, living life the wrong way and would never find redemption?

It is imperative that proselytising in public spaces, particularly schools, hospitals, libraries and workplaces, be prohibited or at least strongly and explicitly discouraged.

Whether one is a Buddhist, a Christian or an atheist, it is not an open invitation for evangelists to prey aggressively on one. Rather, the multi-religious society here should be seen as an opportunity for everyone to learn from one another the core principles of all humane beliefs, such as love, empathy, tolerance and kindliness.

Harvey Neo

 

[Einfield]

For the same Religion, one can teach a evil man to do good, the same book can also be use to teach a good man to do evil.

Since Man is evil in nature, religion is the tool they use as WMD.

 

[cheekenpie]

MIW or men-in-white-robes, all try to send us on a guilt trip.

The only common thing we share is greed. And our greed prevents us from enjoying the success of others.

My car newer than yours, my house bigger than yours.... only in religion my god is you god, the same god. Thats why its so powerful ... and dangerous!

It happened to me once when my teacher tried to get me to attend her church gathering (one of the mega ones). I decline her offer and told her my observation that I do not understand.

I noticed that before the church session started, the Pastor had arrived in a merc (HE was wearing a suit and said to be staying in a bungalow) while most of the churchgoers would arrive in bus (I noted some of them are elderly citizens). During the session, the church leader would constantly remind its people to donate money to the church so that it could do more of God's work. It then announced proudly to everyone about the various countries that it had visited to do missionary work and helping the poor (The pastor seems to be travelling to different countries weekly).

Do you see the irony of this? Isn't there also poor people in Singapore, why must go overseas? If they really want to help the poor then why the pastor is staying in bungalow and driving big cars and taking from the HDB dwellers?

Listening to Pinkie's speech the other day, he said he noted that more and more are getting feverously religious. Did he ask himself why? Why are Sinkies feeling empty inside despite the materialistic gain over the years? Are Singaporeans feeling lost within the society that MIW had created? People normally would only seek divine help when they themselves are feeling helpless. Are we all feeling so?

His speech touched on the materialistic gains within the country, from kampong to city, but he did not touch on any plan to enrich the country’s culture or its people’s heart. Despite the difference in various religion, there must be some common areas that every Singaporeans can share, MIW should have worked on those areas to bind the country together.

 

[saratogas]

So if both equal Muslim or equal Christian pray to their own GOD for help in $$$ ... Who will get rich first?

The secular government will get rich first because it can get $$$ from both sides... HEEE.

 

[Ah Guan]

The world is more religious because people want to seek "spiritual balance" in this rapidly modernising age

Of course, there are many crooks out there who play on this demand and make money out of it

 

[cheekenpie]

I think i read somewhere where someone complain pinkie never mention the indians. They feel left out .. all this talk about christian, chinese family values, muslim, malay unique identity... indian leh??

 

[cheekenpie]

a comment in TOC. * chop, not me!

32) Fireblade on August 17th, 2009 3.32 pm

Racial Harmony, my a***,
Did anyone notice the glaring omission of one of Singapore’s racial groups from the PM’s ND Rally? This can hardly be an oversight, as I’m sure the PM has multitudes of advisors on hand to tell him if his speech is balanced or not.
As a Singaporean, I feel it is my duty to know about all the races who live her,…their issues, their sensitivities, their achievements and failures. How can we be multicultural if we are not interested in the people we share this island with.
However, the lack of mention of one racial group, can only lead to growing unhappiness amongst that group. Singapore Indians, even if you were not mentioned, we are not the unwanted minority. There are other fellow Singaporeans out there who feel that we are still a part of this society, even if the PM sees it fit not to include any significant mention of us in his speech.

 

[jw5]

Because life on earth is getting tougher.