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![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif?v=92) disjecta | |
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Again..please help spread the message!!! Spotted on facebook by Gwee Li Sui.
CHRISTIANS AGAINST AWARE TAKEOVER! Today at 21:27 You should not be this conflicted about the AWARE debacle. It appears that a few churches have already taken the opportunity to preach on the issue of homosexuality from the pulpit. Some Christians have also been rattling on about it being time to make a stand and be counted for what one truly believes. So this is me making a stand right here. I have been a Bible-believing Christian for 25 years now. I want first to acknowledge fellow believers who, like me, are shocked, angered, and saddened by the takeover and feel that their faith has been hijacked and their views ignored. I know that a lot of such affected Christians are out there. There is also another group which may not agree with the new team's tactics but admires its fervour or sympathises with it for the heat it has been getting. But, most of all, I want to address a crucial third party: Christian women who have been encouraged to stand up and be counted for their beliefs. I wish to appeal to their good sense in these last hours. You may be one of these and have even joined, or are planning to join, AWARE to help swing the votes in favour of the new ex-co on Saturday. Especially if I am describing you, please read on! Yes, there are times when a Christian needs to make a courageous stand – but, in every event, always ask yourself: For what cause is this? What context does it serve? The current scenario is not one where we are being asked what our beliefs on certain issues are or whether Christianity and homosexuality are compatible or we are being mocked or discriminated against. It is a simple context where a group of well-meaning Christians infiltrated a secular organisation in order to be in a position to dictate their own values in its daily running. In this light, what a Christian may feel about issues like homosexuality is besides the point! As a secular body, AWARE rightly cannot have a vision that treats women from different backgrounds through the outlook of just one religious system. Indeed, I dare say that an appropriate Christian response is to resist the actions of these Christians. Just as God gave every person free choice and the opportunity to believe, we ought to support the sanctity of this right for others to make up their own minds and live their own lives. Just as we do not force the Christian faith down someone's throat against his or her will, we should not take over a non-religious organisation for the single purpose of making others unlike us behave as we believe. To do this would be a gross misapplication of the message of Jesus. If you support the new ex-co's actions, be aware that you are sending a string of possibly irreversible wrong signals to every Singaporean. Consider carefully whether you are willing to shoulder the responsibility of damages that would affect the longstanding good work of Christians in Singapore. Since the government has chosen not to be involved in the matter so far, whatever happens will be seen clearly by all as the response of particular sectors of society. Here is my short list of obvious implications: [1] Support the new ex-co, and you are effectively saying that you condone its quasi-corporate act of infiltration, with related strategies of secrecy, disinformation, moral coercion, and fear-mongering. You are saying that you support its less-than-Christian covert moves more than traditionally Christian ones like dialogue, open engagement, honesty, and clarity. [2] Support the new ex-co, and we will go down a slippery road with wide-ranging repercussions for all. Don’t believe for a moment that the manoeuvring will stop here. What this invites others to see is that infiltration is the most effective way for small groups of like-minded individuals to seize power quickly -- and where will this end? What is to stop any religious or ideological group from doing the same to any social institution at every level? In the long run, who do you think loses? [3] Support the new ex-co, and you potentially make light of the freedom that is God’s gift to every human being. Against your best intentions, you may send out instead the message that we Christians think that we know better than everyone else and that we are willing to outflank, overpower, and overwhelm if we do not get our way. [4] Support the new ex-co, and, if they stay and behave as predicted, you will be directly responsible for undoing the trust that many Christians have taken years to build with their non-Christian friends. This is a trust built on mutual respect. You will have made the Gospel of Christ more difficult to hear for years to come because people will think that they know what it is about. You will have created a new generation of Christ-haters. This matter, in short, is not to be treated lightly. Jesus tells us all to be "wise as serpents, and harmless as doves". There are times to be passionate and helpful in a gungho way, but this is not the time. Christians can be wrong about many things too. So please, by all means, pray for the AWARE debacle to be resolved amicably and for Christians in AWARE, but do not, in the name of our common faith, go in blind support of other Christians because you are Christian! Yours Truly, Gwee Li SuiTags: aware, chrisitianity
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| From: (Anonymous) |
Date: April 30th, 2009 06:21 pm (UTC) |
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Re: This is very saddening
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Christians, please don't forget that Singaporeans comprise not just the Christians alone. There is a 70% of Buddhists, Taoists, Muslims, Hindus and other religious faiths.
If you think that you can muscle your way through in the name of whatever you believe in, don't forget that the rest of the other Singaporeans can also do the same to you.
Moreover, Malaysians and Indonesians may not take it too kindly when you succeed in turning all Singaporeans into Christians.
Remember, if you do not live and let live, then be prepared for others to do the same to you. Everyone can play the same game.
Yes, you are right. It may be too late to regret then.
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From: evilstorm |
Date: May 1st, 2009 01:00 pm (UTC) |
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Re: This is very saddening
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Those are straw man arguments.
If your child is homosexual, firstly, good luck trying to change that (hint: it involves seriously traumatizing them, and it probably won't even work), and secondly, if they suddenly spring a marriage proposal on you, that says more about how your relationship with them is absolute shit rather than their moral state. Also? Not everyone minds if their child comes home and does that. Just because you think it's bad doesn't mean everyone else does, so why are you trying to interfere with the way OTHER parents raise their kids?
And if a child thinks premarital sex is neutral, they're more likely to seek information on it--information such as that regarding contraception, and thus are less likely to get pregnant. It's the kids who've been brought up to think it's bad, bad, bad, that get the terrible guilt and shame, who're too embarrassed to think straight or act intelligently, who then in a moment of heat and stupidity do something that they later regret.
Your morality involves hurting other people for no goddamn good reason at all, and thus is inherently flawed.
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| From: (Anonymous) |
Date: May 1st, 2009 03:51 pm (UTC) |
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This is indeed saddening!
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This is indeed saddening, Shame on you...it's there no more morality, self-respect and value. Do your thing in private for all you want, do not get innocent children involved. You think it is normal to have young lesbians and homosexuals lobbying for your selfish desire. Darren Sim, So, you finally admit it, the issue is actually on same-sex marriage and you said it is OK? Gwee Li Sui, Sure you are a Christian? Which church are you from? Who do you think you are that you are speaking on behalf of Christians. Well, this one Christian doesn't agree with what is not biblically correct. Please read your Bible again and ask God for forgiveness.
And all this is not about religion but a society issue.
BTW, why are you linked to Yawning Bread, Alex Au!!! So, what is the old AWARE really about????
Listen to this on TODAYonline - Guided or misguided?
on the section On what the Old Guard say - response from Ms Deeksha Vasundhra, former programme manager of AWARE: Quote: "During class, trainers use the word partner instead of husband for instance, so that lesbian students do not tune out, said Ms Vasundhra. Ditto for homosexuality, which is not defined as abnormal so students do not feel excluded." Unquote.
Since when has such subject become a requirement in school? Really strange!
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| From: (Anonymous) |
Date: May 2nd, 2009 01:01 am (UTC) |
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This is saddening indeed
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To gradtheory
I don't judge a person's sexual orientation as moral and immoral. Contrary to what you think, I have many homosexual friends and I work in an environment where I interact with them. I have absolutely no other feeling except to accept and love them as they are. But, that does not mean that it has to be a part of my life and definitely this cannot be morally correct when we are introducing such orientations to young students who have yet to be guided carefully by their parents and teachers especially in the matter of sex and marriage and this could hinder the healthy growth of a child's mentality towards such issues.
At this age, children need their parents' love and guidance the most, and even discipline. It is the parents' job to look after the welfare of their children until they become of legal age. Maybe, some parents have failed in their task but I can tell you that in Singapore, unlike in other countries (and I had lived abroad before...)...most parents do have a deep concern on their children's welfare. The CSE programme may run counter to what parents are teaching to their children at home and this would, in fact, cause confusion in a child. The moral is that we must have a sense of honesty, integrity, responsibility and accountability.
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| From: gradtheory |
Date: May 2nd, 2009 11:42 pm (UTC) |
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Re: This is saddening indeed
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Anon,
let's deconstruct your arguments.
1) You said 'I don't judge a person's sexual orientation as moral and immoral.' and 'that does not mean that it has to be a part of my life and definitely this cannot be morally correct when we are introducing such orientations to young students who have yet to be guided carefully.'
by the very logic of the above argument, you are already passing judgment that homosexuality is immoral.
2) 'this cannot be morally correct when we are introducing such orientations to young students who have yet to be guided carefully by their parents and teachers especially in the matter of sex and marriage and this could hinder the healthy growth of a child's mentality towards such issues.'
You are presupposing that 'healthy growth' of a child's 'mentality' includes only heterosexuality, and implicitly, that the introduction of homosexuality as a concept to school going children is 'unhealthy'. Secondly, that through exposure one is encouraged into being 'gay/lesbian/transgender', meaning it is a choice of choosing to be gay or not.
first off, Not everyone thinks of homosexuality as unhealthy or bad. There are different people with different beliefs, religious or not, that views this as good/neutral/bad. By hindering teaching of homosexuality to students, you are effectively blocking out those whose beliefs are neutral or accepting of it. I understand there are always diverse views out there, but not exposing them to this is not a practical approach because the point is it does exist. By taking a neutral stand it is the balance between the positive/negative view because it does not impose judgment and allows room for debate and discussion.
secondly, based on the World Health Organization and the Royal College of Psychiatrists, there is no scientific evidence that one's sexual orientation can be changed, which implies that this is not a choice or a disease which can be cured.
i agree that the guidance, love and discipline of parents is important in a child's development. However, i disagree that teaching the CSE programme, if it really does cause confusion to the child and run counter to what parents are teaching, is a bad thing. kids and teenagers are exposed to different ideas on a daily basis, some of which i am sure run counter to what their parents have taught them. We cannot protect them from everything, however, it is my belief that in the open debate between parent and child that clears up any confusion and foster better communication between both. Moreover, what about those parents who approve of what is being taught in schools to their kids? By not doing so aren't we also effectively marginalizing their views as well? As I said previously it is impossible to please everyone, which is why neutrality is quite possibly the best approach for all sides.
Lastly, I do not see the link in your argument of how teaching homosexuality in CSE would (as i presume you are implying) undermine a child's 'honesty, integrity, responsibility and accountability'.
on an aside, this quote 'I can tell you that in Singapore, unlike in other countries (and I had lived abroad before...)...most parents do have a deep concern on their children's welfare.' is a sweeping statement of others. Please refrain from passing judgment on the rest based on your personal experiences with some. And to clarify, I am a Singaporean working overseas.
My apologies to disjecta for prolonging this debate with Anon poster on your personal blog. I promise to refrain from doing so henceforth.
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