I got to say that it was truly a good piece by you below. Thanks for the clarification. Looks like the pro-family dogma is basically a template with no leeway.
I guess we got to use a term such as "family" lobby rather than pro-family as the latter has been captured by fundamentalist and extremists.
And your point about the missing parents is spot on. For some reason, they seem to have abdicated their parental role and seem to think that the School provides education plus values. Granted some values are expected to be imparted but its the parents that are key.
Maybe the secularist should get together and form an association or club where kindness, respect, tolerance, reciprocity, community consciousness, common sense etc are encouraged. Open to all denominations, athesist, followers of the sun, moon and what not but no religious activity to take place.
Do social work, vet work of charities, play sports and retire to the local pub for bit of darts, a pint and snacks.
In time, we might even consider nominating an MP to cover our interest and keep the nutcases, the blind, the gullible, the sheep and the dumb honest and straight.
Dear Scroobal
The pro family lobby is not I believe ready for a sensible discussion in any form because their position is absolute, unrelenting and uncompromising.
Take away the packaging, more and less polite words calls for working together and the following shines through. This is of course with reference to the American evangelical right political and social lobbying model which might work in America with differing church going demographics but not I believe in Singapore and its basic survival need for secularism.
1. Pro Family means , Pro Life, Pro Abstinence, and Anti Homosexuality. Their position is consistent coherent and is being reflected in the private views and actions of Thio Su Mien and her adherents. Note the latest news on her belief that SG allowing abortion caused the SARS crisis to hit SG.
2. It was the influence of Claire on AWARE which I believe allowed some Pro Abstinence values to be taught along side the comprehensive sexuality education. That is teach kids about condoms, their own innate sexuality, contraception including abortion etc etc but recommend saying sex for marriage or a long term relationship. In essence a sensible abstinence if you choose to, but if you do not hey are the facts and how sex should work within marriage and or a relationship.
3. The cries of the parents enraged by the AWARE saga surprises me to no end. Firstly where were all these idiots when the courses were being taught ? Secondly some resent their kids being taught that sex is pleasurable .........God save us from teachings that masturbation causes blindness.
4. Finally any acceptance on the part of society whether civil service, education, accepting gays, is for these xtians a slippery step on the road to gay marriage and gay unions to be subject to the utmost moral christian condemnation.
I can't for one understand the hypocrisy of such a position. COOS preaches that gays should not be discriminated against when it comes to unemployment but cannot accept the civil service setting a tone for employers at large in accepting gays
They preach that they hate the sin but love the sinner but in the same breathe will preach conversion therapy for homosexuals which has been repudiated by all medical professionals
They profess that homosexuality is a sin and not normal yet BASIC christianity defines man as fallen from grace and a sinner by definition and thus sin is normal.
They preach love the sinner hate the sin, but preach so much morality that sometimes hating the SIN becomes all encompassing and loving the sinner becomes a hypocritical afterthought.
Locke