ST Online Forum: Religion's role in gay debate is interesting (Sep 22)

Religion's role in gay debate is interesting

I refer to the article '7 in 10 frown on homosexuality, NTU survey finds' (ST, Sept 20). It is very interesting to note public opinion on this issue.

As the survey found, religion is the primary driving force for the anti-gay sentiment in Singapore. It is also noted that practitioners of the Abrahamic religions hold significantly more negative attitudes.

It is noted that the people surveyed are profiled according to the national population.

Does this imply that the survey goes according to racial lines, according to religious demographics, or both?

As noted above, Christians and Muslims are generally more anti-gay than other religions.

If the survey had not taken into account the religious demographics of Singapore, where the Abrahamic religions do not make up the majority, then the survey may not be an accurate indicator of the social opinion in Singapore.

It is also noted that from the letters addressing the issue recently, the strongly anti-gay have generally been vocal, English-educated and Christian.

Several writers to the Online Forum also involved God in their arguments.

Laws in Singapore are not set according to religious interests. They must remain secular and universal, and not influenced by any religion.

This is of utmost importance as Singapore is a multi-religious society and no one religion must exert its norms or standards on the whole country.

Lester Lam Yong Ling