Proselytism in Schools a Cause for Concern in Singapore

Proselytism in Schools a Cause for Concern in Singapore

by Alvin Leong Bai Ran (The Straits Times Forum, 6 Aug 2005)

Singapore has prided itself on being a melting pot where people of different religions and cultures live together in harmony.

However, a sizeable portion of the Christian population engages in activities like Proselytism, Evangelism and Attacks on Evolution. Proselytism and Evangelism often include verbal assaults on other religions.

I am a secondary school student and have often seen people promoting their religion within the school. While they are free to believe in their faith, what they are doing is against the very Pledge they recite every morning, and an affront to the work our ancestors had put in to establish this nation.

Our ancestors put aside their differences, worked together and built this country through friendship, trust and tolerance, something these 'missionaries' are threatening to undo.

Should there be some religious influence on government decision-making? Nay! I say. The United States has already let religious authorities affect its bureaucracy. Now, half the schools in the country do not teach evolution and that the Earth is about 6,000 years old, despite the scientific evidence.

Are we to devolve to that level?