Are Singaporeans better off without a religion?
I’ve previously written about the Singapore Humanist Meetup group http://www.meetup.com/Singapore-Humanism/ http://www.facebook.com/inbox/readmessage.php?t=1025459935567#/group.php?gid=41667702434&ref=ts
At the next meeting on the 30 July, we’re going to have fun/exploratory debate on the topic
Are Singaporeans better off without a religion?
i thought i’ll open a dialogue here as well.
hoping to hear from all sorts of people. The liberals. The conversatives. The fundamentalists. The extremists. The confused. The religious. The scared. The depressed. Josie Lau supporters. Gays persecuted by religion. Lesbians helped by religion. Lawmakers. PAP members. Opposition members. Christians Buddhists Jews Taoists Muslims Hindus Cultists Sikhs Egyption mythologists. EVERYONE =D
I’ll start the ball rolling
Singaporeans are better off WITH a religion
1. Religion provides hope of a better life where it’s hopeless to hope for better in this life.
2. If not for the promise of heaven and threat of hell, who would donate to charity and take care of the poor?
3. Without religious leaders to listen to and obey, we’ll only be left with the State to listen to and obey.
Singaporeans are better off WITHOUT a religion
1. Singaporeans are stressed enough worrying if we’re gonna pass this exam, get that job, get that promotion, have kids, pay bills, etc…… we don’t need an added worry of whether we’re gonna get to heaven
2. The main excuse that is used and accepted for having no freedom of speech/demonstrations etc etc in Singapore will be gone!
3. We might actually be able to do away with illogical laws.eg. 377A
DISCLAIMER:!!!!!
This is a fun, light-hearted post that is meant to generate discussion. I do NOT intend to be offensive, and if you do find it (or any comments) offensive, please 1st. Tell me what about it is offensive 2nd. Go to another website. I do NOT intent to incite racial / religious conflicts .
One of the best things about having this blog & joining discussion groups (Humanists, TEDx, InteresThink etc ) is the meeting/hearing of many interesting & intellectual discussions/people.
7 Responses
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For religion
1. Religion helps to cement society. Especially for a nation like Singapore, with hardly any history and not much cultural roots, it provides a reason for people to be united.
Against religion
1. We’re stressed enough having to listen to the State without the need for an additional voice to have to listen to. And what happens when the 2 clash? Who should we ultimately obey?
2. It encourages wishful thinking.
heh. What’s so bad about wishful thinking?
(and that’s a geniune question, not a rhetoric/sacarstic question)
somethings are just impossible. Also, people start to think that God will just make things happen, so they think they just need to pray more, instead of taking concrete action.
My stand on religion is pretty clear. In fact my stand on everything is pretty clear.
Moderation and balance are crux to everything and anything. But where exactly is the line, that is debatable and is very dependent on both context, situation, and the individual.
Extremes in any directions are undesirable, regardless if it is “good” or otherwise. (Yes, this include doing good deeds. It can be “not a good thing”, if one does too much good – being sufficiently selfish to keep oneself sane, happy, and healthy is just as important as doing good for the well-being for all.)
Atheism or anti-theism can be good because they advocate critical thinking and minimize biases by removing religious values. They also encourage humanity to be more self-reliance as there is no safety nets, and to value life and everything else even more, because there is only this one life. Atheism allows one to truly experience and value life, love, friends, family, pain, joy, everything because u recognize that there is only one chance in life. It can also encourage one to be more responsible for one’s life and actions because there is no one for you to blame, and no redemption for any mistakes you made – what you do define you as a person, every single deed reflects who you are, there is no one to wipe off all your sins, everything mistakes you made follows you for the rest of your life, and it will bring it with you to your grave. This make one think carefully before doing anything.
However, atheism may not be suitable for everyone. The other extreme could similarly be so, as such, one become a cynic, a nihilist (not necessarily a bad thing, but depend greatly on how to react to this belief).
Similarly, religion also have its own advantages and purposes. Religion can motivate people to live a more meaningful and more socially contributing life. It in a sense can both unite and divide the people, just like any ideologies. Religion can comfort one when one is down, a crutch in a sense, but not necessarily bad. Because they are very powerful psychological support in which encourage people to do things which ordinarily they would not have done. They keep people going when they would not have otherwise. They push people to take risks (in both positive and negative ways) in which they would not have otherwise. And of cuz improve the general mental and psychological health of the people.
The negative points are religion polarize people into factions, just like any ideology (aka u are adding 1 more reason for conflicts). Even though religion can also encourage critical thinking, however this thinking is constrained and biased by religious beliefs or values (however, a humanistic approach can minimize this problem). And like all crutches, relying too much on religion will bring about many issues that I do not need to explain further.
The crux of my argument is that neither is better. It really depends on context, situation and the individual. Atheist might argue that whatever religion can do, man can achieve the same through rational thoughts or other means (aka psychological support, morality, etc). And theist might argue that without religion, there are no foundations, no sense of belonging, etc.
The fact is religion in my opinion is just a tool, like a walking stick. Some may feel that the walking stick is a burden, and they rather cast it aside and trek without it – lighter, so makes the journey easier. However, some may feel that it is a useful tool, one can lean on it when going upslope making the journey an easier one – but you have to carry it around while holding up one of your hand.
So one can’t conclusively say which is the right choice? It boils down to personal preferences, and one’s idea of an easier and more fruitful journey.
The extreme cases in the above analogy would be like…
One cast away the stick, but found out halfway through the journey, you do not have the strength to scale the hill – and the journey ends because overestimated your ability, and underestimated the difficulties.
One leans on the stick throughout the journey as if one would fall without the stick, and spend the entire journey in a very stressful walking posture, and giving up on numerous routes which would have been possible if u free up both your hands.
So the key is moderation with respect to ur own ability and desire.
Let us be practical enough to deal with this thread of Mathia Lee. Be practical enough meaning in our daily 24/7 living lives do we really need or need not religions?
Eterna2 said it is a helping tool with conveniency in our daily living lives. I think I agree with the idea. Seeing my grand-daughter growth & development. I ask myself… was she born with religion or not? Does she need one or not? Isn’t the mother & father are likely her god(s) till she is independent enough for her own choice. We relatives are like her angels? So how do we bring her up to have her own independent & creative thinking toward her own life-journey or shall the parents or we impose her with our adults beliefs? Look around us, is there anything arising phenonmena not depending upon conditions?
Today with button global connection & fast changing pace as well as cultural evolution, humankind rely almost 100% on science & technology products. We have taken for granted & enjoy the fruits of science! What is that indicating or hinting to us in general sense of humanity either with or without religion on earth?
Why do mankind need religions in the first place? Out of fearness of unexplainable nature phenomena or something else due to unknown or we are just big babies? Suppose when we want to climb a simple ladder in existing life of say 10 steps ladder, where do we start with? 2nd or 3rd or 4th step ahead or right on top? We seem to know a lot of things or others around us but our ownselfhoodness! Each of us is just a drop in an ocean, don’t we?
http://fora.tv/2008/08/19/Would_We_Be_Better_Off_Without_Religion
Just to share. Interesting debate in 2008 “Would We Be Better Off Without Religion?”
Would We Be Better Off Without Religion?
http://fora.tv/2008/08/19/Would_We_Be_Better_Off_Without_Religion
Interesting debate