Militant religionism the real threat to social harmony

Militant religionism the real threat to social harmony

I REFER to Nominated MP Thio Li-ann's recent speech in Parliament, in particular this part:

'Militant secularism is an illiberal and undemocratic vice in seeking to gag religious views in the public square and so to privilege its atheistic values, as in communist states. Secular fundamentalists are oppressive where they seek to mute religiously informed convictions in public debate, by demonising a view as religious. Militant exclusionist secularism is thus a recipe for social disharmony.'

Professor Thio's statements are correct academically but they do not reflect the real threat in Singapore. An empirical examination shows that religious people enjoy freedom to speak out on their religious values in the public space (for example, against euthanasia or homosexuality). In general, we do not see any militant secularists threatening the freedom of religious people in living out their religious moral values in the public space.

What we do see, however, are various instances of 'militant Christians', a minority group among the broader Christian community, encroaching on the space of others who do not share their Christian moral values.

The recent attempt by Dr Thio Su Mien to persuade Christians to join Aware to push forward Christian moral values is one example. It shows a lack of respect for others' differing moral values and space to live out their different moral convictions.

Such 'militant exclusionist religionism' has already generated disharmony, judging by debates in mainstream and online media.

The real threat to social harmony therefore comes not from militant secularism but from militant religionism.

John Hui

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