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CONTROVERSY over ‘Singapore Health Promotion Board: FAQs on Sexuality’
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Liberal Islam, Lesbianism and the likes of it.
Question: Dear Prof, could you share about what we should do with this new development called liberal Islam which is now supporting the lesbian movement?
Answer: We must adopt a comprehensive and systematic strategy in dealing with such phenomenon which would inevitably affect our children’s faith and social lives. Here are my recommendations:
1) Scholars and religious teachers (asatizahs) must speak up and write against these ideologies and practices. They are obligated to explain to the public the true meaning of what Islam is and sexuality as defined by the Quran and Sunnah. When the scholars and asatizahs are silent about these issues, corruption will spread like wild fire.
2) Parents and school teachers must be made aware of these challenges. They must detect early signs of waywardness from their children and students. Give advice, send them to proper religious classes and seek help from counsellors, if necessary. Win over the hearts of the misled youths and explain to them what’s right with knowledge and wisdom. All social issues must be dealt with at home, if not, in schools.
3) The youths must assist scholars, asatizahs, parents and teachers to spread the message of true Islam in all media platforms. They have the power of technology in their hands and could play the crucial role of alerting groups and movements that are spreading the ideologies of liberal Islam and lesbianism and all other ideologies. Make the pure message of Islam viral to cleanse liberal Islam and lesbianism from the hearts of the faithful.
Together, we will stop these developments in their tracks through education and reasoned arguments.
https://www.facebook.com/syed.m.aljunied.7?fref=ts
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Straits Times Breaking News
NUS prof’s comments on lesbians spark protests from past and present students
9:26 PM
A Malay Studies academic at the National University of Singapore (NUS) has drawn protests for referring to lesbianism as “cancers” and “diseases”, sparking concern from the university.
Associate Professor Syed Muhd Khairudin Aljunied from the NUS Department of Malay Studies had posted a note on his Facebook page last week to outline his take on liberal Islam, which, he noted, is now supporting the lesbian movement.
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TODAY
Archbishop reassures Catholics on Church’s stand on marriage, family values
SINGAPORE — The Roman Catholic Church in Singapore will continue to engage and work with the authorities to “ensure that the marriage institution and family values are upheld”, said Archbishop William Goh.
In a statement posted today (Feb 24) on the Church’s official newsletter, Father Goh also said he is “exploring the setting up of support groups to assist those who are struggling with same sex attraction and their loved ones who have difficulty accepting them”.
His comments came days after the Catholic Church urged constructive dialogue between opposing camps of the online resource on sexuality put up by the Health Promotion Board, when the National Council of Churches of Singapore, in contrast, had called on the board to review the FAQ.
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While noting that the Church “views every individual as unique and precious in the eyes of God, regardless of his/her sexual inclination”, Father Goh added that the Church’s position on the matter of LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) relationships “has always been consistent; that sexual activity outside of a heterosexual relationship is not in accordance with the laws of creation”.
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Top Tweet
Simon Thong Singapore mother objects to Singtel sponsored kissing contest: men kissing men, women kissing women http://weehingthong.wordpress.com/2014/02/05/singapore-health-promotion-board-faqs-on-sexuality/ …
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YAHOO! NEWS SINGAPORE
Singapore Christian parent takes issue with SingTel for allowing two women to kiss in public contest
By Peace Chiu | What’s buzzing? – 7 hours ago
A mother, who professes to be a “faithful Christian”, has taken to the social media to criticise local telco SingTel for endorsing a “kiss-a-thon” contest which saw two women “kissing” in public.
According a post on The Real Singapore (TRS) by a reader called Esther, the contest, organised by SingTel and HOT FM 91.3, took place at The Cathay over the weekend of 8 and 9 February.
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IT should be remembered that, while Singapore is way ahead in technology and education, values tend to be relatively conservative, and this woman’s outburst is not a minority voice. Indeed, she may be speaking up for the ‘silent majority”!
She said, “My husband on the other hand seems to be enjoying the sight of 2 ladies kissing. He told me 2 girls kissing is okay but 2 guys kissing is not okay, this is so ridiculous! I had a full day of fight with him because of this.”
*Is it okay for two girls to kiss? Why not for two guys?
Read what she wrote in the article:
The Real Singapore
DEAR TRS, I AM OFFENDED BY SINGTEL FOR ALLOWING 2 LESBIAN KISS PUBLICLY IN THEIR CONTEST
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YAHOO! NEWS SINGAPORE
Singapore church’s anti-gay lifestyle ‘guide’ leaked
By Chiu Peace | Yahoo Newsroom
Yahoo Newsroom – A guide to support the Section 377A of the Penal Code, believed to be written by senior pastor of Faith Community Baptist Church (FCBC) Lawrence Khong, has been leaked. (Screengrab of YouTube..
“I am young and single. I am writing because I shudder at the way society is going today.”
“I have homosexual friends. I do not discriminate against them. I care about them. But I do not support their alternative lifestyles.
“I wish to register my point of view that gay and lesbian behaviour is unnatural. Same sex marriage is wrong. It must not become the norm in Singapore.”
These excerpts are just some of the ways readers of a guide on how to support Section 377A of Singapore’s Penal Code are taught to write to a minister or the government feedback unit REACH.
A leaked copy of the guide, which is believed to be written by senior pastor of Faith Community Baptist Church (FCBC) Lawrence Khong, has been circulating online.
The contact email addresses provided in the guide are to persons working in LoveSingapore, a movement chaired by Khong which involves several churches including FCBC.
Under Section 377A, any male person who, in public or private, commits, or abets the commission of, or procures or attempts to procure the commission by any male person of, any act of gross indecency with another male person, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years.
In his guide titled “family.foundation.future SUPPORT 377A a simple guide to giving feedback” which is believed to be addressed to pastors and leaders under the LoveSingapore movement, Khong urged the church to take action against the repealing of Section 377A, noting that the homosexual issue has a “negative impact on the moral future of Singapore” if the church remains part of “the silent majority”.
“Repealing 377A will, in effect, decriminalise sodomy or legalise homosexual acts. This will lead to the legalisation of same-sex marriage down the road. We must unite to keep 377A intact as the moral norm, the law of the land,” said the pastor of the megachurch.
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In the guide, Khong also detailed ways to register the church’s “unwavering support” for Section 377A.
Among his suggested actions are posting a Facebook status update with the statement, “ I support 377A”, liking any pro-Section 377A Facebook comments and stating support for Section 377A with a comment like “377A: Don’t Repeal!” or “Keep 377A” on a 4 January 2013 post on Law Minister K Shanmugam’s Facebook page.
The pastor of the megachurch also urged the church to write in to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean, cabinet members and feedback unit REACH about their support of Section 377A.
To aid them, Khong provided 12 samples of how to write to the cabinet members and REACH.
He also noted that the church should not follow the samples verbatim but express their concerns in their own words and writing style and be “civil and succinct”.
http://sg.news.yahoo.com/singapore-pastor-lawrence-khong-s–support-377a–guide-leaked-034943128.html
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For a look at the:
family.foundation.future
SUPPORT
377A
Click on:
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Straits Times Breaking News
MP Hri Kumar Nair weighs in on HPB FAQs on homosexuality
The controversy over the Health Promotion Board’s (HPB) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on sexuality should not be reduced to an “us” versus “them” issue.
Instead, Singapore should raise the level of debate, and “have a frank conversation about our approach towards homosexuality”, wrote MP Hri Kumar Nair in a Facebook note on Friday night.
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Not unexpected: SINGAPORE ISLAMIC SCHOLARS & RELIGIOUS TEACHERS object to HPB’S FAQ ON SEXUALITY http://weehingthong.wordpress.com/2014/02/05/singapore-health-promotion-board-faqs-on-sexuality/ …
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Written by Shane Gill
TRS Contribution Piece
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So PERGAS (Singapore Islamic Scholars and Religious Teachers Association) has now come out to weigh in on the HPB’s FAQs on homosexuality (Refer to article: SINGAPORE ISLAMIC SCHOLARS & RELIGIOUS TEACHERS RESPOND TO HPB’S FAQ ON SEXUALITY). And it’s exactly what you expect. I really don’t know where to start with this. Perhaps that we’re a secular society? And that religion has no say in what the HPB puts up? Perhaps I should start with the part about the HPB “implicitly showing support towards same-sex behaviour.”
You know what? Since you they took the time to make a nice eight point list, I will too. So here it is. The eight reasons PERGAS has got this all wrong. (I’m gonna also post the eight point PERGAS made so the whole argument will be clearer for everyone, instead of switching back and forth between my post and theirs.)
1. (PERGAS) This response is to record Pergas’ disappointment to the Health Promotion Board’s (HPB) recent FAQ on sexuality.
Why are they disappointed? I understand that homosexuality is against their faith. And I am not saying that they should embrace homosexuality. But as a religious organization, their views are not applicable to the entire country. We have multiple faiths here in Singapore.
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STATEMENT
11 February 2014
PERGAS’ RESPONSE TO HPB’S FAQ ON SEXUALITY
This response is to record Pergas’ disappointment to the Health Promotion Board’s (HPB) recent FAQ on sexuality.
2 Pergas finds that the FAQ is insensitive towards the prevailing view of the Singaporean society. This is as reflected in the recent Institute for Policy Studies (IPS) survey which reported that 78.2% of Singaporeans views are generally conservative towards same-sex relation.
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3 Pergas views that the message should be directed at the importance of a traditional family unit rather than implicitly showing support towards same-sex behaviour.
4 Pergas would also like to note that the FAQ is in contrast to the state’s pro-family policy. The pro-homosexuality stance reflected in the FAQ undermines the traditional family unit which is essential in building our society.
5 Pergas would like to assert that the family unit is a fundamental institution of human society.
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6 Notwithstanding the above, Pergas would also like to emphasize that in no way the ‘Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender’ or LGBT should be ostracised by the society. In line with the teachings of Islam which promote love and mercy, we must avoid rejecting them as individuals and should treat them with love and compassion.
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SINGAPORE ISLAMIC SCHOLARS & RELIGIOUS TEACHERS ASSOCIATION (PERGAS)
*Article first appeared on http://v1.pergas.org.sg/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Media-Statement-Perga…
For the letter in full, click on:
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Today
Disappointed’ MP criticises HPB for its FAQ on sexuality
SINGAPORE — A Member of Parliament has become the latest to weigh in on the Health Promotion Board’s (HPB) posting of an FAQ section on sexuality on its website, which has drawn polarised reactions — including petitions both for and against the board’s move — after it went viral last weekend.
Mountbatten MP Lim Biow Chuan yesterday hit out at one of the responses, which said homosexual and heterosexual relationships are not too different. Writing on his Facebook page, he said: “I cannot agree that ‘A same-sex relationship is not too different from a heterosexual relationship’. The two relationships are different and they go against the Government’s policy of promoting heterosexual married couples to have healthy relationships and to build stable nuclear and extended family units.
http://www.todayonline.com/singapore/disappointed-mp-criticises-hpb-its-faq-sexuality
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Top Tweet
CONTROVERSY over ‘Singapore Health Promotion Board: FAQs on Sexuality: ’‘Phobia’ comments shd be removed http://weehingthong.wordpress.com/2014/02/05/singapore-health-promotion-board-faqs-on-sexuality/ …
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Today
‘Phobia’ comments in HPB’s FAQ should be removed
In its FAQ on sexuality, the Health Promotion Board said that the “discomfort” with any behaviour that does not conform to “traditional sexual roles and stereotypes” is homophobia or biphobia.
This is inappropriate and offensive in a multi-religious society like Singapore, as a phobia is a mental disorder.
Surveys from Our Singapore Conversation and the Institute of Policy Studies show that a majority of Singaporeans, many who hold deep religious beliefs, are conservative and disapprove of homosexual behaviour. The HPB should remove these comments and apologise.
http://www.todayonline.com/voices/phobia-comments-hpbs-faq-should-be-removed
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Read also:
1 More parties wade into debate over HPB sexuality FAQ
http://www.todayonline.com/singapore/more-parties-wade-debate-over-hpb-sexuality-faq#inside
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YAHOO! NEWS SINGAPORE
Petitions put spotlight on Health Promotion Board’s FAQ on sexuality
By Michelle Kwara | Yahoo Newsroom
Yahoo Newsroom – Petitions put spotlight on Health Promotion Board’s FAQ on sexuality. The Health Promotion Board (HPB) published a FAQ about sexuality on its website last November. However, the FAQ has
The Health Promotion Board (HPB) published a FAQ about sexuality on its website last November, addressing questions such as “What does it mean to be gay/bisexual?” and “Where can my child find support in Singapore?”
However, the FAQ has gone viral in recent days, making the rounds on Facebook after an individual posted a petition against the FAQ and subsequently sparking a counter-petition.
A individual named “Aaron” started it all when he put up an online petition on 3 February to have the FAQ reviewed.
The petition asserts that the FAQ provides “unverifiable, pro-homosexuality, one-sided answers to the questions they post”. It also urges Health Minister Gan Kim Yong to conduct a thorough review of the HPB website’s information “as it dangerously promotes homosexuality”. The petition has since garnered over 1,200 signatures.
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A counter-petition in response to Aaron‘s petition was set up by a Melissa Tsang on 4 February.
Her petition recommends that the health minister “ignore the ridiculously misinformed and regretfully bigoted petition”. The petition urges HPB to also “restore the original version of the ‘FAQ on Sexuality’. “
The original sexuality FAQ had contained links to various lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) organizations and counseling hotlines such as Oogachaga, SAFE and AFA Singapore, in an answer to “Where can my child find support in Singapore?”. These links have since been removed.
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Review HPB’s “FAQ on Sexuality”
| 1680 Signatures |
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Petition Background (Preamble):
Petition:
The Review HPB’s “FAQ on Sexuality” petition to Minister of Health Gan Kim Yong was written by Aaron and is in the category Children’s Rights at GoPetition. Contact author here.
http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/review-hpbs-faq-on-sexuality.html
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Restore the HPB’s original “FAQ on Sexuality”
1165 Signatures  |
Petition Background (Preamble):
Petition:
The Restore the HPB’s original “FAQ on Sexuality” petition to The Ministry of Health and the Health Promotion Board was written by Melissa Tsang and is in the category Health at GoPetition. Contact author here. Petition tags: lgb, homosexual, gay, gay rights
http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/restore-the-hpbs-original-faq-on-sexuality.html
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My Paper
FAQs on sexuality evoke strong reaction
A SECTION on sexuality on the website of the Health Promotion Board (HPB) has created a buzz online.
The webpage, titled FAQs On Sexuality, defines homosexuality, provides information for parents with homosexual children, and addresses the issue of discrimination based on sexual orientation.
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Pastor Lawrence Khong of Faith Community Baptist Church, known for his strong stance against homosexuality, said the tone of the article “gives the impression that HPB condones same-sex relationships and promotes the homosexual practice as something normal”.
He even penned a seven-page response to the FAQs, taking issue with several points made, including how HPB had directed readers to only one group, Oogachaga, which he said is “pro-LGBT”. The group provides counselling for LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer or questioning) individuals.
“It is odd that the FAQs represent only the pro-LGBT view while they silence the pro-family view of the Government, the law, and the majority of Singaporeans,” wrote Mr Khong, who is chairman of church network LoveSingapore.
http://mypaper.sg/top-stories/faqs-sexuality-evoke-strong-reaction-20140205
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Health Promotion Board
FAQs on Sexuality
Click on any of the questions below for the answer:
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Many people think that homosexuality and heterosexuality are on opposite ends of the sexuality spectrum, with bisexuality in the middle. In reality, human sexuality is much more complex. For example, some guys might consider themselves as heterosexual but have homosexual attraction towards men. And bisexuals might fi nd themselves attracted to guys and girls at diff erent times. For more information, check out the Kinsey Scale1. 1The Kinsey Scale was fi rst published in 1948 in Sexual Behaviour in the Human Male by Alfred Kinsey to defi ne human sexuality. It uses “0” as exclusively heterosexual to “6” as exclusively homosexual and “1” to “5” as varying response of bisexual. The Kinsey Scale is to be used with discretion. Most sexologists will explain that Kinsey Scale only covers sexual orientations but not biological sex and gender identities which are two other important aspects in human sexuality. The Kinsey scale also does not provide enough information as sexual orientations may evolve for some people through their lifetime. |
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Gender identity refers to how one sees oneself as being male or female. Often, this identi cation is associated with cultural and social norms. For example, men are expected to behave more masculine than women. |
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http://www.hpb.gov.sg/HOPPortal/health-article/HPB056342
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