Thousands of Singaporean Christians wear white to support traditional marriage

Yahoo News Singapore ^ | 30 June 2014 | Yahoo Newsroom

[rjbemsha]

Over 6,400 Christians dressed in white on Sunday afternoon to attend a special “family worship” service conducted by Singapore’s Faith Community Baptist Church (FCBC), according to organisers.

The service was held at a full-house Suntec Convention Centre and led by FCBC founder and pastor Lawrence Khong, who earlier called on his followers to wear white over the weekend to protest the annual Pink Dot gay rights rally on Saturday.

Khong, who supports keeping a Singapore law that criminalises sex between men, released a statement on Friday pointing to the Pink Dot movement as a “decline of moral and family values".

[rjbemsha]

Despite the increasing number of people participating in Pink Dot annually, Singapore remains a largely conservative society.

In a survey on social morality released by the Institute of Policy Studies earlier this year, 78.2 per cent of respondents said sexual relations between two adults of the same sex was wrong, and 72.9 per cent did not agree with gay marriage.

“Pink Dot is right to protest for greater freedom and equality. I respect their push for greater inclusion,” said FCBC member Teo Yee Nam ahead of the Sunday service. “But I feel they have to be mindful of society’s stance on the traditional grounds of marriage.”

The campaign to wear white was originally started more than a week ago by Singaporean Muslim teacher Ustaz Noor Deros, who asked Muslims to avoid Pink Dot and instead don white garments for Ramadan eve prayers on Saturday nig.

[stanne]

Maybe we could get THEM to cross the border instead

[entropy12]

They won’t come here. Every 6th Singaporean is a millionaire.

[Vigilanteman]

I did not know it was THAT high, but I knew it was high. That's what you get when you combine industriousness with conservative values.

[entropy12]

Oh yes, highest concentration of rich of any country is in Singapore. I visited there in March of this year and it is an amazing city-state. 3.5 million citizens + 2 million foreign workers on 2 year work-visa’s. There are no unemployment benefits, not needed I guess, with more jobs than adult citizens. Also no food stamps or other welfare for working age citizens. Combine that with low corporate taxes and industrious people and the results are for all to see.

[Vigilanteman]

Singapore is also serious about enforcing their borders despite nearly a 100% employment rate. Repeat violators can get caned before being deported. Serious lifetime scarring on your butt tends to be a very powerful disincentive to not apply for a proper visa.

[entropy12]

I felt so safe strolling streets in Singapore. There is virtually no crime. I saw sign posts everywhere saying “Singapore has death sentence to drug dealers”.

And you are exactly right about Singapore’s immigration policy. Foreign workers receive a 2 year work-permit only if there is a job opening for which a Singapore citizen is not available. Workers are careful to cause no violations since the jobs there pay better than other places. AT the end of 2 years, the worker must re-apply for a new work permit.