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Written by Balach Hussain
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Tuesday, 26 April 2011 19:56 |
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(A letter from Balach Hussain published in Today on April 26th, 2011)
I REFER to the letter "Secularism at its extreme can be intolerant" by Sanjay Perera (April 18). He said that "to say that your motivation and values must be based on a secular humanism, whatever that means, before it can be allowed in public is not only hard to verify but smacks of intolerance of one's personal beliefs".
As a representative from the Humanist Society (Singapore), I would like to clarify that secular humanism is a human-centred life stance that affirms human beings have the right and responsibility to give meaning and shape to their own lives.
Far from being intolerant, it promotes an ethical life style based on reason, tolerance and compassion.
It is a myth that "spiritual" values are incompatible with secular humanist values. Many people in the world today are non-religious but consider themselves spiritual. They are capable of living an ethical life without belief in God, and are tolerant of different views whether in the areas of religion, political beliefs or cultural practices.
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Last Updated on Tuesday, 06 September 2011 22:52 |
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Written by Paul Tobin
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Monday, 29 November 2010 08:18 |
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In the article “Making Faith Cool”, published Section D of the Saturday 27th November 2010 edition of the Straits Times, it was written in the standfirst that religious groups are “determined not to lose a generation to godlessness, especially now with youth gangs in the news.” Senior reporter Lee Siew Hua also wrote in the article that “what is at stake” is the potential of losing the youth to “cynicism, violence and even fanaticism”.
These remarks may be misconstrued as prejudice against those without any religious affiliation. The last census in 2000 shows that roughly 15% of Singaporeans do not have any religious affiliation. Her suggestion essentially claims that this group, “the godless”, are cynical and prone to violence. As a society for non-believers, the Humanist Society (Singapore), rejects such suggestions.
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Last Updated on Tuesday, 06 September 2011 22:53 |
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