Religous and Racial Harmony in Singapore, does it truly exist?
Recently it seems, one of bens good friends got himself a girlfriend. She is a malay. Not that i have anything against them. Their group of friends have problems accepting her. So then, the question of, would you accept your good friend's girlfriend of a different race arises. Let's exclude the angmohs. Reason being you would probably be in awe of your bud's incredible luck for landing an ang moh. What if she is an indian, malay, china chinese(not a diff race, but diff kind), african, filipino, etc etc... Would you readily accept her into your circle as your best friend's new love, or keep your reservations to yourself.
I find there's a great deal of religious tolerance but not a significant amount of harmony. Many people do not think much of cracking funny jokes about some of our fellow countrymates. i really wonder how they would feel, if they hear these jokes. I find there are many chinese who either dislike or detest malays, like for example, my mom said, bring anything home but a black. This is especially true for the higher earning families and the hard-working chinese. Who do not think much of the malay's "slacker" attitude.
What's worse? In our society today, there is a growing amount of religious extremism. When we come to this topic, the first group which comes to mind are muslims, BUT, the muslims in singapore are rather tame. Its just sometimes you walk on the roads, you see some muslim women garbed in black clothes, and covered from head to toe(a la afghanistan during the time of the taliban) and it kinda scares you to see such people, wondering if it's just their beliefs or is it something more. That's not the point, the point is, there is also another group of people, who are rather extreme religiously, or starting to at least. They are christians. SOME christians are so extreme in their "scouting" for new converts, they turn many people off. I have heard stories of the going ons in SOME churches about how they lambast other religions. If you believe in this or that you will go to hell.
Why can't we just leave the other religions to believe in what they feel is logical. Hey, to each his own. Every religion has its own ideologies of what is right or wrong, on heaven and hell. I feel every person should practice his/her own religion to his/her best ability. Christians believe by doing so and so, you will go to heaven. Buddhists believe by doing so and so, you will get a better life the next time around or even go to heaven. So let each other believe.
There is so much violence in the world today. I really wonder what goes on in the minds of those terrorists. By killing so many people again and again, even children, what are they trying to say, what is the message that they want to bring across, to the whole world. To let President Bush know what they won't be bullied? Or to let the people know that they want to be able to continue to practice their extremist religions. Maybe they should begin to realize that they USA is going to stay a super power for a very long time to come. The only thing that these wars are going to bring again and again is the loss of innocent lives. The terrorists should realize this, President Bush should realize this. Is there not a peaceful way to resolve all this suffering(a la Gandhi)?
1 comment:
As long there are differences, conflict will exist. These usually arise because people have to make "a" choice. Emphasis is given to the letter "a" because they have to make only one choice - Would you accept someone who worships two gods? Ponder on this.
Racial Harmony is often like a the surface of the sea. Its calm on the surface but when you look below there're so many different types of fishes and marine life populating it - Harmony is often bonded on the surface by a more general purpose like working hard to support your family, trying to make sure you pass your exams well etc. And these issues do not place any emphasis on racial issues. But when you look deeper that's when the issues of cultural beliefs start to conflict with one another.
There can never be perfect harmony as long there are different things in the world but we can still live in peace if compromises and acceptance are part and parcel of our lives - which is the state as you see now.
Post a Comment