Yesterday was Vesak Day and this reminded me of the way the PAP govt treats the sensibilities of the various religions: equal treatment of intolerant religious views.
Recently minister Shan gave the lie (in the religious context) to the view that “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.”
The Christian preachers, when they talk to me, say ‘you are very, very strict when it comes to anti-Muslim, anti-Islamic messages…They said: ‘You treat the Muslim community differently than the Christian community.’
Minister Shanmugam
True, very true in my opinion. I had always tot that easily offended Muslims found it very easy to obtain satisfaction from the PAP govt compared to easily offended Christians. (Declaration of interest: I was once upon a time a very liberal Methodist. Didn’t believe that God created the world in seven days; didn’t believe that bible is the only record of what God says; tot that it didn’t matter if Christ never rose from the dead; and relaxed about LGBTs and divorce etc.)
So what did this PAP minister do after hearing out the Christian preachers?
I looked at it and I thought that there is some truth to what they say, I won’t say that it is completely true but it is an approach.
Result Watain’s performance was banned, upsetting its Malay fans.
“You have a group of Malay young men, showing the one-finger sign, supporting the group,” CNA quoted the minister.
“If a group of Chinese went and showed the finger sign and said that we should allow it – how would you all have felt? It is the same.”
He’s being very fair in trying to ensure that all easily offended zealots of all religions are not offended, and if as a result of his actions, others are offended, juz too bad. No longer true (if it ever was) that “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.” Remember what George Yeo once infamously said, “Christians are less likely to riot”?
But what this even handed illiberal attitude does to S’pore’s aspiration to be a global city on par with London and NY?
As intolerant as M’sian Talibanites? Uniquely S’porean solution
S377A: Ex-ST tua kee thinks Christians won’t harm him?
Thoughts of a Cynical Investor 