🧵 View Thread
🧵 Thread (29 tweets)
i'm still thinking about my recent tweet about christian conservatives. i'd very much like to not give a shit about America's politics, but i'm also constantly reminded about how often it becomes a frame of reference for politics everywhere else, including Singapore
as far as i can tell, Singapore is a secular state. there's no official religion, and we're proud of our 'multi-racial, multi-religious, multi-cultural' society. there's an inter-religious organisation, and they do adorable things like pray over trains together. https://t.co/h1ehlgovgC
in 2015, PM LHL said in a speech that "Singaporeans are becoming more religious, and taking their faiths more seriously. This is in itself positive, because religious faiths are strong anchors for good morals and caring communities."
"As our society develops and becomes more diverse, from time to time religious issues will overlap with social and moral questions. For example, LGBT issues, or dealing with income inequality. On such issues religious groups will have their views, and yet they are not just..."
"...religious issues, because they are also subjects of public policy, or social policy. In such an environment... the govt must take a watchful, prudent and hands-on approach. it's got to be neutral, secular in its approach, and it has got to be pragmatic in solving problems."
The percentage of Christians was about 12.7% in 1990, to 14.6% in 2000. The 2015 census reported 18.8%. I'm sure it's risen more since. That's roughly 1 out of 5 Singaporeans who probably have a surprising (to others) amount of interest in what's going on in Christian America
In 2008, a study found that nearly half of Christian leaders in SG were 'wary of inter-faith talks'. Some said they would be hesitant to collaborate with a non-Christian leader to run a charity drive because 'it would lead to the perception that "all religions are equal".' https://t.co/2RvP1LXLnL
One speaker last year was an American, Lou Engle. He made a bunch of Islamophobic comments, so there was police reports and investigations by the govt. This is his twitter account today. Which brings us back to abortions in Singapore. https://t.co/oZDpQayVGm
Abortions in Singapore have been legal since the 1969 Abortion Act. Women would have to submit requests to an authorization board. In 1974, they were made accessible to anyone with no need for approval. This was part of the govt's family planning programme.
😩 i really gotta come back and finish this thread sometime https://t.co/D32lXgRxX2
in a Culture War™️ news update, a Christian pastor has started a petition, TODAY, asking for a total ban on abortion in Singapore, as well as a ban on contraceptives such as IUDs. they added the Bible quotes to make sure you understand that this is about religion. https://t.co/ucNDdXnx26
[[ 3:16 Church, Norman Ng, abortion, roe v wade ]] https://t.co/tk2bv2bfcR
"God is doing a mighty work in the nations right now. He has just reversed a, a terrible law in one of these other countries and we believe that the breakthrough can come for this nation as well. I think all of us know what we're talking about here, right?" https://t.co/uNqhW49zK7
one thing you should know is that the local church is concerned because a significant number of young christians don't see a problem with abortion. https://t.co/F0lHKUJjIm
this group goes on regular "remember the unborn" prayer walks in public parks in matching t-shirts, someone should let spf know 🙏 https://t.co/83RrIskKs7
https://t.co/bFTs7bO1d7 https://t.co/aoeB27A2af
on counselling: https://t.co/J8UfgVOwYf
“Therefore, should there be any petitions to challenge this in the future, I hope that all will be relatively eloquent in narrating the context of abortions through public health lenses.”thx alvona but i hope there are no such petitions 🤞 https://t.co/vzQl4Kt8Gu
hm i wonder why shanmugam suddenly posted about this 🤔 https://t.co/Xc8wpoaAMn
Vincent Chia, sex and abortion panel https://t.co/y6Q3DBhiB9 https://t.co/KvN9Lig4z4
thir/st https://t.co/IkcgLYg7uc https://t.co/60ylcdKoCH
"If you think we are immune to these ... forces by virtue of our ... multi-racial and multi-religious society, you have not being paying attention.SG has long been used as a launchpad to the rest of Asia by predatory Evangelical fundamentalists."https://t.co/NNjnAoSyei