PinkDot 2012 – Where are those who preach Love?
I found it very touching to see the Humanist Society (who believe being good without god) supporting the Freedom to Love. At the same time, it’s so disappointing that there was not a single church (whose founder said “by this all men will know you are my disciples, that you love one another”).
People who do not subscribe to a religion, or who do not believe in the divine/deities, often get stereotyped as immoral, materialistic people who have no reason to do good. Humanists (http://humanist.org.sg/) are people who do not subscribe to a religion, or who do not believe in the divine/deities, yet believe in being/doing good, simply for the sake of being good.
I believe in the Christian God. I love the parable the founder, Jesus Christ, told, when he summarized the essence of Christianity :
The Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25 – 37 (NIV))
25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”
27 He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’[a]; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b]”
28 “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”
29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
30 In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite(a member of the religious class), when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan (a member of a group that religious leaders considered ‘ungodly’), as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii(ancient currency) and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’
36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”
37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”
Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”
In Singapore’s context today, the majority of lesbian,gay,bisexual or trangender (LGBT) people “ have experienced verbal or physical abuse, ranging from derogatory name-calling to sexual harassment and physical assault.” (June 17, 2012 Straits Times “Many gays, transgender people teased, bullied: Survey” by Candice Neo http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_811916.html )
To any LGBT person at PinkDot yesterday, where the Humanist Society banner stood, where not a single church banner stood it was clear who loved, who supported the freedom to love, who was their neighbor. As a believer of Christ, I was deeply disappointed.
Yes, there were many Christians who turned up at PinkDot, in their own personal capacity, to support family and friends. Christians who reflected the love of Christ. Yet, I’m quite certain, none of their churches officially thanked and commended them for their love and support. Like Jesus, who was condemned by the religious authorities of his own community for healing the sick on the holy days, or hanging out with the community’s outcasts, I’m sure Christians who support the Freedom to Love have faced similar disapproval. I’m so glad there are such Christians who have chosen love over religious self-righteousness/unquestioning faith. I’m sure their LGBT friends deeply appreciate their love too.
What do I hope for at next year’s PinkDot? I hope we will see banners from all the different religious groups, showing that their messages of love, compassion, kindness, justice does not extend only to straight people, but people of all colors of the rainbow.
Sorry, but that’s quite a load of nonsense. I see no problem with there not being any Church banners about considering that the Church, rightfully, does not support homosexual unions.
And i think it strange that a Humanist society can exist in a state that practices systematic and institutional racism without appreciating how it compromises their purported support of the ‘freedom to love’.
This is a typical case of Humanism being a corollary of the system – at least in Xingapore. You could say that Humanism, at least in the Xingaporean context, is a racially elitist organisation, when one considers these glaring oversights.
As for these so-called ‘pink-dotters’, it is quite telling that they are up and about speaking up for their right to do down, or get on top, of their same-sex neighbour, but are generally unconcerned when it comes to human rights issues – hence, the absence of most of them when it comes to other demonstrations at Hong Lim.
“For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.”
—Romans 1:26-27 (NKJV)
“Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.”
—1 Corinthians 6:9-10 (NKJV)
“Knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine,”
—1 Timothy 1:9-10 (NKJV)
I am so sorry, for Christians, it is very clear.
I am not a holy person … and i have my troubled issues. But it is very clear and it is very abhorrent in the eyes of the Lord.