Is Singapore changing its mind about homosexuality?
2 September 2007
Singapore has always been known to be a country with a strict government where it is not easy to get away with practising vices. The government has a good image of being clean and having a firm grip on law and order. I see this as a blessing for Singapore and she has prospered over the years.
As Christians in Singapore, we tend to be very complacent and assume that Singapore will always weather the storm of external influences and maintain its moral compass. We feel comfortable just holding on to our own belief system and we see little need to help the country maintain its moral compass. However, I think the climate is changing in Singapore. With increasing globalization, the Singapore government will start to face more and more moral and ethical issues. Being a secular government, it will naturally focus on practical considerations. It is our responsibility as Christians to speak forth the wisdom given to us by God.
The most prominent issue that has surfaced recently in Singapore is the issue of homosexuality and how the Singapore law regards homosexual acts as criminal. There appears to be a concerted effort by homosexual activists to pressure the government into decriminalizing homosexual acts. This current effort to confront the law also appears to be part of a wider agenda by activists to advance their cause in Singapore, not unlike what has already happened in countries like the USA. If we observe the progression of their agenda in recent times, we should have noticed that there is this pattern.
First, we started to read in literature, see in movies and dramas, and hear in forums that being homosexual is natural, i.e. you're born with it. For example, they may suggest something like this: that being homosexual is as natural as being born into your race. The activists will also try to convince people that since this is the case, there should be more acceptance of homosexuals and less discrimination. You often hear them link their cause to racial equality. The argument is that just as we should not discriminate against any race, we should also not discriminate against homosexuals. They talk of respecting diversity, i.e. being homosexual is just being different and all differences should be tolerated.
There is also an attempt to try and normalize homosexuality in the public's mind. The media plays a very important role in this. Their trick is to repeat a statement often enough so that people will start to believe it. We find many TV programmes and movies from the West repeating this message that homosexuals are normal people carrying out very normal lives and we should not condemn homosexual behaviour. The use of humour in the media also causes people to laugh at situations involving homosexuals and so lead people to take homosexuality more lightly. We also see more and more attempts at holding public events like parades, picnics, and forums involving large groups of homosexuals. This is aimed at getting the public to recognize their presence amongst them and to ultimately accept them as part of normal public life.
The next stage in their agenda is to decriminalize homosexuality. This will cement their case that homosexuality is normal. The activists will try to exercise their political muscle by reminding the government that homosexuals are generally quite talented and thus wealthier than average. Therefore chasing the so-called "pink dollar" makes economic sense.
The whole agenda hinges on the activists' ability to convince people that homosexuality is normal. This is their main message. The activists also try to convince people that scientific research has already proven that homosexuals are born that way and it is not a lifestyle choice. This may sound very compelling but it is not proven conclusively. As Christians, we already know clearly from God's Word that homosexuality is a sin and that God wants us to turn away from it.
So what should be our response to this homosexual agenda in Singapore?
First we must be crystal clear in our understanding from God's Word that homosexual acts are sinful and detestable to God. We must never doubt God's Word and compromise on this issue to accept homosexuality as a normal lifestyle. Since we also know that all men are sinners and that we ourselves are sinners saved by the grace of God, we should see homosexuals as sinners in need of a Saviour. We must reach out to them with the Gospel to lead them to salvation.
Even as we strive to reach out to homosexuals with the Gospel, we must not shy away from speaking up in Singapore about the sinfulness of homosexuality. We must speak up so that people in Singapore will not be led astray on this issue. We must continue to do this even if people think this is discriminating against homosexuals. We know that we are not discriminating against them because we preach the Gospel to everyone and our desire is to direct people away from sin and towards a holy God.
We must pray for the Singapore government that they will stand firm on this issue and not decriminalize homosexual acts in Singapore. We must pray that the government will continue to be used by God to prevent lawlessness from increasing in Singapore.
From the Council and Diaconate
Kay Poh Road Baptist Church
.......................................................................................................................
2 September 2007
Singapore has always been known to be a country with a strict government where it is not easy to get away with practising vices. The government has a good image of being clean and having a firm grip on law and order. I see this as a blessing for Singapore and she has prospered over the years.
As Christians in Singapore, we tend to be very complacent and assume that Singapore will always weather the storm of external influences and maintain its moral compass. We feel comfortable just holding on to our own belief system and we see little need to help the country maintain its moral compass. However, I think the climate is changing in Singapore. With increasing globalization, the Singapore government will start to face more and more moral and ethical issues. Being a secular government, it will naturally focus on practical considerations. It is our responsibility as Christians to speak forth the wisdom given to us by God.
The most prominent issue that has surfaced recently in Singapore is the issue of homosexuality and how the Singapore law regards homosexual acts as criminal. There appears to be a concerted effort by homosexual activists to pressure the government into decriminalizing homosexual acts. This current effort to confront the law also appears to be part of a wider agenda by activists to advance their cause in Singapore, not unlike what has already happened in countries like the USA. If we observe the progression of their agenda in recent times, we should have noticed that there is this pattern.
First, we started to read in literature, see in movies and dramas, and hear in forums that being homosexual is natural, i.e. you're born with it. For example, they may suggest something like this: that being homosexual is as natural as being born into your race. The activists will also try to convince people that since this is the case, there should be more acceptance of homosexuals and less discrimination. You often hear them link their cause to racial equality. The argument is that just as we should not discriminate against any race, we should also not discriminate against homosexuals. They talk of respecting diversity, i.e. being homosexual is just being different and all differences should be tolerated.
There is also an attempt to try and normalize homosexuality in the public's mind. The media plays a very important role in this. Their trick is to repeat a statement often enough so that people will start to believe it. We find many TV programmes and movies from the West repeating this message that homosexuals are normal people carrying out very normal lives and we should not condemn homosexual behaviour. The use of humour in the media also causes people to laugh at situations involving homosexuals and so lead people to take homosexuality more lightly. We also see more and more attempts at holding public events like parades, picnics, and forums involving large groups of homosexuals. This is aimed at getting the public to recognize their presence amongst them and to ultimately accept them as part of normal public life.
The next stage in their agenda is to decriminalize homosexuality. This will cement their case that homosexuality is normal. The activists will try to exercise their political muscle by reminding the government that homosexuals are generally quite talented and thus wealthier than average. Therefore chasing the so-called "pink dollar" makes economic sense.
The whole agenda hinges on the activists' ability to convince people that homosexuality is normal. This is their main message. The activists also try to convince people that scientific research has already proven that homosexuals are born that way and it is not a lifestyle choice. This may sound very compelling but it is not proven conclusively. As Christians, we already know clearly from God's Word that homosexuality is a sin and that God wants us to turn away from it.
So what should be our response to this homosexual agenda in Singapore?
First we must be crystal clear in our understanding from God's Word that homosexual acts are sinful and detestable to God. We must never doubt God's Word and compromise on this issue to accept homosexuality as a normal lifestyle. Since we also know that all men are sinners and that we ourselves are sinners saved by the grace of God, we should see homosexuals as sinners in need of a Saviour. We must reach out to them with the Gospel to lead them to salvation.
Even as we strive to reach out to homosexuals with the Gospel, we must not shy away from speaking up in Singapore about the sinfulness of homosexuality. We must speak up so that people in Singapore will not be led astray on this issue. We must continue to do this even if people think this is discriminating against homosexuals. We know that we are not discriminating against them because we preach the Gospel to everyone and our desire is to direct people away from sin and towards a holy God.
We must pray for the Singapore government that they will stand firm on this issue and not decriminalize homosexual acts in Singapore. We must pray that the government will continue to be used by God to prevent lawlessness from increasing in Singapore.
From the Council and Diaconate
Kay Poh Road Baptist Church
.......................................................................................................................
