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Choo Zheng Xi/Editor-in-Chief
New Guard highlights fear of homosexual agenda
(story includes additional quotes from the press conference)
AFTER weeks of public speculation about the reasons behind the Association of Women for Action and Research (AWARE) takeover, law firm Director Dr Thio Su Mien has come out into the open to declare that she mentored the takeover.
At the press conference given by Dr Thio and members of the new Executive Committee, one looming issue dominated the new guard agenda for AWARE: AWARE’s perceived promotion of homosexuality.
Dr Thio cited AWARE’s attempts to give men the vote as part of the evidence for a homosexual takeover of the organization.
Dr Thio said: “So there is this sudden shift to give men the vote. Why? Are the men masquerading? Is the homosexual activist men coming under the umbrella of Aware?”
New Honorary Secretary Ms Maureen Ong told the press conference yesterday that she was motivated by a similar fear:
“I came into the picture because somebody told me that something is happening that affects children and I am a mother of three children. I don’t want my children to say that oh, it’s all right to go and experiment with homosexuality, to experiment with anal sex, to experiment with virginity or the pill or even pre-marital sex”…Ms Ong had previously denied an anti-gay agenda by Honorary Secretary Maureen Ong in a televised interview on Talking Point. She was asked by host Deborah Soon whether the takeover was driven by anti-gay sentiment.
Ms Ong had replied: “I for one had come across an article in the Straits Times that had interviewed Constance Singam and talked about AWARE and I felt that AWARE stood for something I believed in”.
At the press conference, concerns were raised over AWARE’s screening of a lesbian themed film at a gala premier last year, as well as past president Constance Singam’s appearance at annual gay event Indignation.
It also emerged yesterday that the new Executive Committee yesterday fired long time AWARE center manager Schutz Lee and changed the locks on the doors to the headquarters at Dover Crescent.
Ironically, AWARE has come under attack by lesbian groups for not speaking up enough about homosexual rights. Ms Constance Singam’s appearance at last year’s Indignation was heavily attended by lesbian women critical of her.
Fridae.com writes: “Constance Singam, President of women’s group AWARE, displayed courage in deciding to speak to a full house of (mostly) lesbians at a Sayoni-organised talk, even though she was well aware many in her audience might be a little hostile about AWARE never speaking up for lesbian concerns”.
Dr Thio is currently the Senior Executive Director of corporate law firm Thio Su Mien Partnership (TSMP). She currently chairs the Public and International Law Committee of the Law Society of Singapore. She served as the University of Singapore Law Faculty from 1968-1971.
To view the Channelnewsasia interview with Josie Lau and Maureen Ong, click here.
Excerpts from the press conference
Josie Lau explains how Dr Thio helped get her involved:
“Let me share with you my story. I’ve been married to the family for 20 yrs. We meet occasionally once or twice a year, during Christmas and Chinese New Year. And she has been nagging me for the last 15, 20 years, asking “are you doing something in the public, contributing back to the community?”
Now my kids are much older, I feel that it’s time for me to contribute and when last year I personally was very taken aback by the Spider Lilies premiere, as part of Aware’s premiere gala & that set me thinking: what actually is Aware doing with all this thing? And when the opportunity came and she (Dr Thio) asked would you like to serve or join Aware, she said I’ll put you in touch with somebody. It was Claire Nazir who called me and she was looking for somebody to assist her in the area of marketing and that’s my area of expertise. And as it turned out, honestly, I did not join Aware thinking that there will definitely be a new exco. I just know that I’m joining aware & if I stand for election and got elected, this is the area where I think I can contribute.”
Dr Thio, when asked if she mobilized the AGM takeover
Okay, can I make it clear? I’m speaking on behalf of my personal capacity and I wanted to come because I feel kind of responsible for these difficulties they’re going through because I was the one who mentored them over the years different groups of people.
I go round Singapore teaching, counselling. So when all these problems about Comprehensive Sex Education came forth, then I started thinking: Hey, parents, you better know what’s happening, you better know what’s happening…I talked to parents, I said, you better do something about this, otherwise your daughter will come back and say, “Mum, I want to marry my girlfriend” or your son will say, “Dad, I want to marry my boyfriend.”
So they kind of got flabbergasted, what nonsense are they talking. So you know, I teach…well, maybe (you) should go to the website, educate yourself what’s happening. It’s happening in the US, in Europe, there’s nothing new. It’s going on five, six, seven, eight, nine years. So what is happening in society is that we are redefining marriage, we are redefining families. So I’m a concerned citizen and if people are so ignorant, I think I want to teach them.
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Read also: Alledgedly emails sent out to Aware members – here and here.
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Sllim,
A guy called Donald Blake just called me to tell me he will smite me with Mjöllnir if I dare make fun of his father Odin.
#100 HT, you are like shifting sand blown by the wind all the time.
While you personally do not like gay lifestyle, you condone it. That is a problem. Fence-sitter do not have a country. You either lose it or you own it. You have to chose. Life depended on good level headed decisions not a bamboo capable of bending backwards.
What you wrote is craze. The new committeee had hardly begun their work and you are jumping around like a monkey. Becos 3-4 of them happen to come from same church, doesnt mean they lack civic consciousness. You started to speculate their work forward.
Give the new committee time to reinforce and galvanise their objectives. They will be inclusive and pro-family. They can teach you HT a couple of things about staging a coup to advance your deep concern and not be a armchair writer who have no helm.
Specially for you, HT go find a helm ( a sincere cause for humanities) to advance your cause. Get a copuple of guys/gals & form a coup. Example why not try form a committee to clean up HDB Kopitiam toilets.
WE encouraged the new team to helm forward.
Good point Burong! I agree with you! Damn, it feels good to belong to the moral majority…
Dear moderator,
Number 94) Plinth’s comment should be taken down. It is inappropriate for him/her to launch a personal attack on Dave simply cos of difference in opinions. We can discuss, debate, but should not insult.
On a separate note, what gives anyone the confidence to say that “There is no such thing called borned GAY or LESBIAN – it simple does not exists. They are born straights but had chosen to alternate life-styles.” Only the gays and lesbian can say this for certainty or researchers with concrete scientific evidence, and for anyone else to say something like that casually, I do not think that that is very respectful or responsible.
Let’s debate in a civil manner. No personal attacks, no irresponsible statements, please.
Peace
94) Plinth on April 25th, 2009 7.19 pm
Maybe you are right. Gays are not “doctors” or “directors”. How can such filth be in such noble jobs? They can be found as pastors instead. You can ask Ted Haggard.
As for TSM, someone (an avid comics buff) told me seriously that all evil persons are doctors and all heroes are Captains, eg Dr Doom, Dr Octopus, Dr Fu Manchu and Captain America. I am just waiting for the old guard to come out with a Captain and the analogy will be complete (anybody know Mark Goh’s reservist rank?).
I am neither for or against either the new or old guard of Aware. However, as a father of 3 school going girls, I would like to find out more about a) what is taught in the sex education lesson under discussion b) how did Aware become involved since it is a all female group and boys are also involved in the sex education classes.
Sex education cannot be entirely cultural / religion neutral. Each culture/religion have their own views which should be respected. As such if sex education is to be taught in schools, then the sensitivities of each culture/religion should be respected. This means that where certain statements may be deemed to be objectionalble by certain cultures / religions, then these statements should not even be made.
I for one would like to see the information that is taught to make an objective assessment before coming to any conclusion. Is MOE able to post the information online so that everyone can make their own assessment? That would be fair to all parties.
Having watch how the new exco conducts and carried themselves at the press conference, I wonder if they really have what it takes to be a good leader?? They really held leadrship roles in big corporations? Just wonder what kind of followers they are attracting into AWARE. They seem determined to cling on to power. Looks like the COOS congregation will turn up for the voting. If this is the case then very worried that it becomes a religion issue. Hope the appropriate government body can make a stand before it get out of hand.
TOC didn’t “start” anything. They just reported the painfully obvious and followed up on public interest. If you can count beyond your number of fingers, tabulate the comments on the issue so far – there is public interest. Frankly, I am a journo myself and I think TOC is doing just the bare minimum, when being online should give them the mobility to do more. (Speaking of which, have you noticed how Josie and Ong prefaced some of their responses in their first interview with “honestly” and “frankly”? It’s so goofy, it’s almost cute.)
In the AWARE shenanigans, homosexuality is a secondary issue to me, if I read M.Ong right, it is only the tip of the iceberg.
Ong: “I came into the picture because somebody told me that something is happening that affects children and I am a mother of three children. I don’t want my children to say that oh, it’s all right to go and experiment with homosexuality, to experiment with anal sex, to experiment with virginity or the pill or even pre-marital sex”
If there is anything I hate more than ignorance, it’s indoctrinating and misinforming the vulnerable i.e. youths.
I don’t have statistics. But what I do have is a laundry list of very reputable organizations who will laugh off some of the new exco hillbillies’ contention that sexual orientation is a choice: The American Medical Association, The American Psychiatric Association, The American Psychological Association, The American Psychoanalytic Association, The American Academy of Pediatrics and The National Association of Social Workers. (Source: For the Bible Tells Me So)
To mirror HT’s “coming out” (don’t we all love that phrase?), I am mildly homophobic I admit, BUT I know that’s the irrational xenophobia and cultural upbringing in me talking, and bigotry is for simpletons who cannot see beyond the dim corner of their universe. MY course of treatment is LEARNING more about things I don’t understand. Not via magical decrees, mind you.
I suggest you do the same. But if you don’t that’s fine, you are in good company, your intellectual (un)equals “Curious”, “Plinth” etc are all “coming out” at the same time as Thio.
smallvice585 #92, plagiarism?
Agence France-Presse – 4/9/2009 4:04 AM GMT
Singapore’s born-again Christians thrive in tough times
Believers gather at the New Creation Church every Sunday for upbeat services conducted in ultra-modern surroundings that are helping make Christianity the spirituality of choice for Singaporeans.
The venue, a plush 1,200-seat auditorium equipped with state-of-the-art audiovisual systems, is on the third floor of an upmarket shopping mall in the city-state’s business district.
“Say not what you can do for God, but what God has done for you,” preacher Lawrence Lim told a rapturous congregation during a recent service which opened with rousing hymns played by a seven-piece Christian rock band.
“Amen,” the churchgoers replied in unison.
Singapore, a predominantly ethnic-Chinese Buddhist society of 4.6 million, has seen a boom in recent years in born-again Christian movements, which experts said people perceive as modern institutions reflecting their personal aspirations.
While Taoism and Buddhism are the traditional belief systems in Singapore, most people adopt them as a matter of birthright, rather than choosing to follow them as spiritual life codes.
“Those who have converted (to Christianity) were probably not very entrenched in their original faith,” said Mathew Mathews, a sociologist at the National University of Singapore.
“People want to move out from traditional concepts of religion to a more ‘classy’ image with things which mirror our popular culture and are congruent to their own works and expectations,” he said.
New converts are encouraged to bring in more recruits, helping boost the number of Christians in Singapore.
According to a 2000 census of Singapore’s 3.6 million native inhabitants, Christians accounted for 15 percent of the population aged 15 years and older, up from 10 percent in 1980.
Buddhists and Taoists accounted for 51 percent in 2000, Muslims 15 percent and Hindus four percent. The rest belonged to other religions or were atheist.
Singapore might be in the midst of its most severe recession in history but Christian churches led by charismatic ministers seem to be weathering the storm well.
The New Creation Church, with its slick audiovisual presentations and interactive services, is clearly benefiting from the trend — with 18,000 members, it is probably the most financially successful of the new churches.
It expects to move into a purpose-built 62,000-square-metre (667,000-square-foot) complex in 2012, with the project budget of 120 million Singapore dollars (80 million US) largely funded by members’ contributions.
Now under construction in a high-tech district, the new church complex will boast retailers, food and beverage outlets, two amphitheatres and a 5,000-seat performing arts auditorium.
During one giddy eight-hour period in February, the church raised 19 million dollars from four Sunday services, and believers are heartened by the support.
“There are a lot of people who are willing to contribute a lot more, so that’s why the amount became so big,” says 21-year-old student Ng Yiling.
Responding to criticism that the money could have been better spent, Ng said: “The church didn’t force us to do it. In the end it’s our money, it’s up to us how we want to spend it.”
The church and its businesses, which include two child development centres, a travel agency and a diversified firm called Rock Productions, declared assets of 146 million dollars in a balance sheet dated March 31, 2008.
It is going ahead with overseas missions and global “outreach” programmes, with members able to register for trips to Vietnam and Thailand scheduled over the next six months, according to the church website.
City Harvest Church, another Christian church boasting healthy finances, has not seen any reduction in donations since the onset of the economic meltdown in late 2008, according to a spokesperson.
“Donations are both a personal and a private choice of our members. We believe that as the church helps to meet the different needs of our members, they will continue to give free-will donations to the church,” the spokesperson said.
The church, which declared 79 million dollars in assets in its balance sheet for January 2006-June 2007, says on its website it has 45 affiliate churches and 44,000 members in the Asia-Pacific region as of 2008.
Locally, it claims a following of 26,000 and conducts its weekly Sunday services in a 2,300-seat complex built eight years ago for 48 million dollars.
Indeed, tithing appears to be thriving among Singapore’s Christian community, despite official forecasts that the economy will shrink by up to five percent this year.
Reina Lee, 21, a member of Faith Community Baptist Church, tithes 80 dollars from her monthly income of 800 dollars, and said she is not thinking of reducing the amount even in the current economic climate.
“As a Christian, we give a proportion of what God has blessed us with as an act of thanksgiving and wanting to bless His ministry,” she said.
“It is also an act of faith, that we believe that God will provide for our needs in this time of recession.”
on a side note, the media and public attention on this eclipsed all other headlines during this period. I dun think star awards by tcs will generate as much interest and discussions.
During one giddy eight-hour period in February, the church raised 19 million dollars from four Sunday services, and believers are heartened by the support.
One Person defended this recently in the news
Indeed, tithing appears to be thriving among Singapore’s Christian community, despite official forecasts that the economy will shrink by up to five percent this year.
Usually 10% or more of monthly salary is given to the church.
Zefly #101
How medieval of you, I would go for Xenu, the galactic warlord that Tom Cruise and John Travolta believe in.
Hold on a minute! My mistake, that one is still in circulation. No teasing, will hurt feelings.
“As for TSM, someone (an avid comics buff) told me seriously that all evil persons are doctors and all heroes are Captains, eg Dr Doom, Dr Octopus, Dr Fu Manchu and Captain America.”
Doctor Strange is a good guy. Oh wait. ‘Strange’ is another word for ‘queer’. Those sneaky bastards at Marvel Comics! How dare they sneak in the suggestion that the only good doctors are queer! Another gay agenda! I think Marvel Comics should be banned for promoting the gay lifestyle! (And did you see how tight those spandexes are, especially around the groin?)
QUOTE
Hey, parents, you better know what’s happening, you better know what’s happening…I talked to parents, I said, you better do something about this, otherwise your daughter will come back and say, “Mum, I want to marry my girlfriend” or your son will say, “Dad, I want to marry my boyfriend.”
UNQUOTE
What a load of nonsense.
You don’t become a homosexual unless you are genetically programmed that way.
If any of her friends’ children are that way inclined, she will be very sorry indeed that the old committee is no longer around to help.
Dr Thio SM and Josie Lau – you should confine your moral high grounds to your church, family and friends. We live in a multi-religious society. Who are you to be so judgemental? You made the whole saga seems like the new guard has usurped power from the old guard.
sllim #108 was addressed to socrates #88 (how auspicious of you)
#102) Burong on April 25th, 2009 10.13 pm
Aha, the troll cometh…disguised as a bird.
“While you personally do not like gay lifestyle, you condone it. That is a problem.”
Well, it’s your problem, not mine. Go suck an egg.
“Fence-sitter do not have a country. You either lose it or you own it. You have to chose. Life depended on good level headed decisions not a bamboo capable of bending backwards.”
Yup, you’re right…all these fundies who are like sheep with no brains…following the orders of one master planner.
“The new committeee had hardly begun their work and you are jumping around like a monkey. Becos 3-4 of them happen to come from same church, doesnt mean they lack civic consciousness. You started to speculate their work forward.”
My dear birdie, they are a bunch of liars and they don’t have a clue as to what to do or say. The media and everyone else is having a field day laughing at them and only a birdbrain like you can’t see that. At the press conferences, they are like deer in the headlights. And their collective brain is not even in the Exco. Sorry, really can’t agree with you here..they have indeed done a lot – and none of it is good. That’s why anyone with half a brain and a little bit of conscience will object to them. – I’m sure that excludes you.
“Give the new committee time to reinforce and galvanise their objectives. They will be inclusive and pro-family. They can teach you HT a couple of things about staging a coup to advance your deep concern and not be a armchair writer who have no helm.”
Er…how do you galvanise an objective? Must be some new fundie metallurgy technique. But here…, instead of a little birdie told me, let me tell this little birdie a secret : I am doing something about it…..but no details, sorry,…it’s a secret agenda…hehe.
“Specially for you, HT go find a helm ( a sincere cause for humanities) to advance your cause. Get a copuple of guys/gals & form a coup. Example why not try form a committee to clean up HDB Kopitiam toilets.”
Yeah, yeah, the usual puerile insults – great intellectual we have here, Haw! What a birdbrain.
I believe Dr Thio either hasn’t truly comprehend the whole idea of Sexuality or she is a whole lot more ignorant than most of us. The worst mistake a person can make is to think that they are awake when in fact they are still dreaming. Obviously she hasn’t done enough research to understand that it’s not exactly a choice of life-style, or she simply thinks she is god. What right has she to judge. Education is passing on in formations and knowledge, of facts. Not your believes. Every child has a right to choose and deem what’s best for them with all cause and consequences known. That is education. What Dr Thio did was doctrinal and not education. She wants to play god. God teaches his children love and compassion. Spread love and bring his children to him. What Dr Thio did was teaching his children that it is okay to judge and discriminate. Create hatred and angst amongst people who are different. is that Christ-like? Are you a devil in disguise? Do not use his name to do your will. I am ashamed. Trust in him, let him be the judge. Do his will, not yours. He comes in PEACE.
John Locke, a great political philospher of the 18th century defined a madman as someone “reasoning correctly from erroneous premises”.
So who are the mad ones here? Thio and gang or Constance and her gang?
Both I say.
As a secular guy in the British tradition, I believe that Thio’s premises are faulty.
But as a conservative, I think Constance’s bald assertion that homosexuality is normal without any qualification on the role of homosexuality within a given society is just as bad.
#A Tan
Where did Constance Singam say that homosexuality is normal? And its not whether it’s normal or AB normal. The point is tolerance.
No one is mad here. The Master Planner (hah, its not Doctor Octopus after all – for all spiderman buffs out there) has said in not so many words, that this was thought out and planned. Its a ruthless scheme, carefully planned to take over a secular tolerant civic organisation simply because they disagree with its program of inclusiveness. All their accusations of AWARE being diversified (oh, sorry, that was changed to being a single focus later) and attempting to create more gays are simply not true.
Can anyone of the pro-new exco say that Josie and her cohorts have been honest and open?
I mentored Josie Lau to select Focus on the Family to receive the DBS charity fund donated by the public.
Mentor Thio
Why so many ppl are interest in AWARE business. 5000 plus hit!
Non of our Business! Other ppls Business!
Josh #116,
Amen to that! Whatever happen to “Thou shall not bear false witness”?
Never expect that most will agree that this person have lived a full life, yet to have come so far in life and be a hypocrite.
Unbelievable.
It’s actually quite sad to see Mother and Daughter Thio ranting on about homosexuals and lesbians taking over the world. From the lawyers I’ve talked to, Mama Thio is highly regarded when she’s not touching on this issue. Apparently, she was Dean at the NUS Law Faculty when she was in her mid-thirties. Daughter Thio is also smart enough to get her degree from Oxford.
So, if they’re so smart, why are they making downright irrational arguments. It’s as it, homosexuality is wrong therefore we need to keep it illegal. Please, SHOW US THE EVIDENCE.
Wouldn’t you be more convinced that they were rational people if they could show you some hard facts about why being gay or lesbian is bad for you? Imagine if they could show beyond a shadow of doubt that showing a film with two lesbian lovers could actually make people want to be lesbians.
Thus far, these brilliant legal minds have done nothing of the sort. At best their case is circumstantial, at worst criminally irresponsible. I am no fan of the gay and lesbian community but I don’t see why both mother and daughter insist on mocking the concept of law with their groundless rants.
http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/pressparliament/pressreleases2009/statement.aspx
2009 press release
The Royal College shares the concern of both the American Psychiatric Association and the American Psychological Association that positions espoused by bodies like the National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality (NARTH) in the United States are not supported by science. There is no sound scientific evidence that sexual orientation can be changed. Furthermore so-called treatments of homosexuality as recommended by NARTH create a setting in which prejudice and discrimination can flourish.
The Royal College of Psychiatrists holds the view that lesbian, gay and bisexual people should be regarded as valued members of society who have exactly similar rights and responsibilities as all other citizens. This includes equal access to health care, the rights and responsibilities involved in a civil partnership, the rights and responsibilities involved in procreating and bringing up children, freedom to practice a religion as a lay person or religious leader, freedom from harassment or discrimination in any sphere and a right to protection from therapies that are potentially damaging, particularly those that purport to change sexual orientation.
In 1973 the American Psychiatric Association concluded there was no scientific evidence that homosexuality was a disorder and removed it from its diagnostic glossary of mental disorders. The International Classification of Diseases of the World Health Organisation followed suit in 1992
Dr Thio has a right to express her opinion as a parent who is against CES and its content about homosexuality.
But shouldn’t she direct the questions and effort in getting answer from MOE, who is the relevant authority in approving the program to be used in School?
Should she approach her MPs to bring this up in parliament for debate? or she is thinking that MOE or the parliament is also infiltrated by Gays and Lesbians activists.
122) Tang Li on April 27th, 2009 1.33 am
While they may be highly intelligent and proficient in their own areas of expertise, given their achievements, that does not mean that they are any wiser or compassionate than anyone else in other areas of life.
Being intelligent does not mean that one is automatically wise and kind. Intelligence simply multiplies the effect that an individual has (based on his or her personality) on the world around.
If that individual is intolerant and hateful,
- holocaust
- genocide
- repression
If that person is wise and compassionate,
- peace
- tolerance
- happiness
Beware the smart criminal. He’ll get you…. and get away.
i think the comment’s bit sardonic; muslim brethren = muslim radicals.
Before this case blew up I must admit that I was not aware of AWARE(excuse the pun) But since I now do n as a father of 2 grown up men(32 n 30) I am very concerned that obviously a small minority group’s view and who accept same-sex practices are seen to dominate the majority of Singaporean’s conservative heterosexual preferences n I want to add my voice to support the new AWARE exco members. In fact I have asked my wife to join AWARE n vote to support the new group!
the day our society fragments & polarise into warring factions we know who are the leaders…
this gay issue really worked like the new Exco has (in my opinion) hoped for, create a divide that pits 1 side against another without approaching the subject in an objective matter. & they stand to gain most from “mobilizing” others to fight for their personal cause.
the decades of emphasis on educating the minds have largely gone to waste, study for so many years, now all the “smarts” do is fight a fight without a second thought?
other countries should think harder adopting our education system….
128) william yeo on April 27th, 2009 9.06 pm
Before this case blew up I must admit that I was not aware of that a bunch of religious bigots are attempting to foist their beliefs on others But since I now do n as a father of three young children I am very concerned that obviously a small minority group’s religious beliefs are seen to dominate the majority of Singaporean’s nutcases n I want to add my voice to support the old AWARE team members. In fact I have asked my wife to join AWARE n vote to support the old AWARE!
128) william yeo on April 27th, 2009 9.06 pm
How have the old guard actually “dominated” anything?
If you haven’t even heard of them before, I hardly think that you (especially you) could imagine that their views are quite so influential.
Logical fallacy.
Or did that twist your brain into a pretzel?
re 130) mastodor & 129) HT
post 128) is mice is nice wan, post 127) is william yeo wan.
you both asking post 127) or 128)?
lol, lol…. -.-”
haha… realised that after I posted, mice is nice. Sorry ’bout that.
^^”
IDear Admin, I agree Ark’s post should be deleted immediately. He is making a unnecessary and dangerous secular remark. It show his disregard for multi racial and religious society we are living in,
Pierre,
Which comment are you referring to?
Thanks.
There is no reason to delete Ark’s posting. He is being balanced by saying that both, Christian as well as Muslm fundamentalists / extremists should not be tolerated and I fully agree with his sentiment.
PLEASE SEE BELOW NEWS AND IT WILL TELL YOU ABOUT DR THIO.
MOE seeks clarification on claims on AWARE’s programmes
SINGAPORE: The Ministry of Education (MOE) has contacted Dr Thio Su Mien, who is the “feminist mentor” to the new exco in the Association of Women for Action & Research (AWARE), to clarify the claims she was reported to have made on the organisation’s sexuality programmes.
In a statement, MOE said it had not received any complaints from parents or from Dr Thio about the programmes.
The AWARE saga has stretched out over the past weeks and Dr Thio’s views have been reported widely. She has been quoted as saying that on AWARE’s sexuality programme, homosexuality is now regarded as a neutral word, not a negative word.
Giving details, MOE said 11 secondary schools engaged AWARE to run workshops on sexuality last year. The organisation also conducted assembly talks on topics such as self esteem at a few schools.
Schools that engaged AWARE found its programme content appropriate for their students, adhering to MOE guidelines.
Speaking to reporters at a visit to Yishun Town Secondary School, Senior Minister of State for Education S Iswaran said sexuality education is taught primarily by teachers, but schools have the flexibility to bring in other organisations.
“The guiding principle for this is very simple. It uses the family as the basic building block, as the basic foundation, and helps the students make values—based decision on the whole issue of sexuality and in a manner that’s sensitive to the multi—racial, multi—religious environment.
“Clearly, there are different perspectives in our society, so MOE takes a very deliberate and cautious approach,” he said.
The Education Ministry added that if parents know of an instance where these guidelines have not been adhered to, they should go directly to the ministry.
I am a Christian but I totally disagree in using such methods to force Christian standards on others not mentioning the whole nation. Singapore is not a Christian country so we have to be considerate and think about what other will feel when we shaft values that they do not believe, into their throat.
This will not only cause religious conflicts and it may develop into a larger scale dispute and battle. I really hope the 2 pastors will constrain themselves and their church members. Their actions will eventually affect the whole Christian society and we all have to suffer because of their personal agenda. Yeap, they will be known from now on and whatever happened they will be know as heroes.
Please remember that it is the process and the methods we used that is the most important. Jesus did not come as a warrior, he came to love. Let love changes people and not violence and force. You resort to lying, telling half truth, playing with words….. In all you did not tell the truth and hide your intentions. You practice deceitfulness and teaches your followers to do the same. Do you think God is with you? Never!!! “Not by might, not by power, but by my spirit” … remember? You are using your own wisdom and devices to trick and attacked people when they are off guard … do you think this is the act of a true Christian. May God have mercy on you all, you and your church. The church must stand for the truth even nobody believes in it. Do you stand for the truth? Or is result more important to you than the souls of others. This is my question. Come back to the Lord or you will fall into the pit that you dug for others. REPENT !!!
re post #132) mastodor on April 29th, 2009 9.59 am
dun worry, not offended. good to clarify. we all make typo mistakes, i do have a few myself… -.-”
I am puzzled by some the comments made depicting the “takeover” of the new guard as something sinister, evil, shameful, etc.
In running for office for any organisation, there is always a strategy. Nobody goes in to run for office with no strategy in mind. Heck, even the PAP strategises their move in elections. So what is wrong with the new guard saying that yes, they wanted to come in to office to oppose what they perceive as a watering of certain values. Yes, this was planned. Yes, they encouraged likeminded people to join in to support them. What is so illegit about it ?
Anti-homosexuality is not the same as anti-homosexuals. What the new guard is taking issue is the propagation of homosexuality as an alternative lifestyle. This is different from taking issue with gay individuals. If the new guard were to openly banished or chastise individuals for being gays or even say that AWARE membership is closed to gays, then yes, the new guard would be way off the line and should be whacked for taking such a stand. But the fact of the matter is that they have not done so. This is similar to SM’s take on homosexuals in civil service. PAP did not say that homosexuals cannot join civil service. They allow it. But neither did they go around holding them up a shining example open mindedness of civil service. (i.e they accept them as persons but not their lifestyle). So what the hell is the big hoo-hah about.
Old guard not happy ? Not happy about what ? That they got kicked out ? Then plan your own strategy and kick the new guard out. THis is what democractic process is. Not happy about old guard did not state their intentions clearly ? Hello, if you are playing chess, do you tell your opponents what method you are going to use to win ? Not happy that they are anti-gays ? Hey, they are not anti-anybody. THey are anti-lifestyle.
Let’s look at issues objectively before pass unfair comments .
Joe: They wont turn down lesbians in trouble. They will help them. By help it means they will counsel them to take away their pain and make them pro-family men-loving reproductive useful members of the Christian society. If you dont comply, AWARE would have failed to helped you despite all their good intensions to do so. In itherwords, what has aware become? A satellite arm of Choices Ministry. You dont have to be a clairvoyant to see that this is whats going to happen.
Next target, AFA, and now for the faggots.
Modernist : Interesting point. YOur view is certainly not articulated by all the anti-new guard posts i see here. That is what prompted me to write what i have written.
My response to your view is that until that happens, then there is just cause to take them to task. Perhaps publicise or possibly vote them out of office with another new group. But until that happens not before. Otherwise, we are just jumping to conclusions with no basis.
Joe: If the new guard is so concern about family issues and felt that AWARE has not done a good job, they can engage in dialogue with the leadership, why such a sudden action of taking over the whole organization? In fact they can even start a new organization with whatever values they want to influence the public, whether or not the people response to them then it depends. In this case they have not experience in managing AWARE (not more than 5 months in AWARE), but they wanted to take over and think their values will steer AWARE back to what they think should be the direction.
When you drive you car on the road, even if I am a traffic police I cannot tell you where to turn and where to go straight because I was not there when you decide where you want to go. With barely 5 months in AWARE and they want to steer it and decide which direction it is suppose to go? I am puzzled.
It is like asking a foreigner who just came to Singapore for 5 months. We make him a Singaporean and put him into politics and make him our Prime Minister and let him run the country. Do you really think he can do it.
As I mentioned in my previous post. I am a Christian but what they are doing is totally not becoming as a Christian. There reason for such an outbreak of concern is not that people are not appreciative of the democracy of this nation, it is how they entered into the organization which have 25 years of accumulated experience serving the public and accusing them of steering away from their original objective. What do they know about the original objective, they were not there for 25 years.
They tried to give excuses for their actions, they can give you political reasons for what they are doing. Come to the very truth, they have every intention to take over and propagate their private and selfish agenda. If you have followed the whole saga, you will find out that there are people who told of how the pastors of their church sent out emails to their members to ask them to join AWARE to support the new EXCO …. what proof do you still need?
Can you imagine someone jump out of nowhere and start telling people if he was the PM of Singapore 30 years ago, Singapore would have been better than now. Will you believe him or will you laugh at his arrogance. I laughed at their arrogance and felt pity for them because they not only lied in numerous occasions and still pretend that they are doing society including the Christian society a good deed.
Something for sure, whether what is the outcome of the EOGM on Saturday. The new EXCO will still emerge as heroes for Christ by many. They will become famous, respected and look upped by many Christian. This is exactly what it is all about.
Concern for the society? Care for everyone? Not to me!!!
I am ashamed to be call a Christian if that is what Christianity all about.
Pardon my language!! I am not as eloquent as some of you.
Joe: In fact, Feminist Mentor used the word pain when she was describing lesbians. SO read in between the lines, it is obvious that in their upcoming mission they will help all women. all inclusive, regardless of sexual orientation. But they will be a satellite arm of the Choices Ministry tasked to reform AWARE to become pro-family.
In other words, successful infiltration of a secular organisation by subversion to further their narrow religious dogma and beliefs. So I have to disagree with you my dear friend, Joe. Such conduct, which I believe involve the use of lies and covert hijacking of membership, whilst on its surface appear legitimate, they are deplorable. I dont know how they sleep at night after lying on national TV saying, “Oh we dont know each other before this” when they clearly answered the clarion call of their feminist prophet Thio and their Pastor who says “We must ensure that the nation does not cross the line drawn by God.” And all these fuss, becos they dont want to see a generation of lesbians!
138) joe on April 29th, 2009 4.36 pm
Most unfortunately, you’ve been successfully smoked by the smokescreen that the new guard threw up; the homosexual issue.
While this is something to be concerned about (especially considering the disturbingly homophobic letters to the straits times from thio and gang before the aware saga), what is even more disturbing is the way the new guard took over.
to summarise:
1) sudden takeover without any dialogue and discourse.
2) agenda had to be guessed at and dug up by press before new exco says anything
3) takeover of the secular civil society was planned by a single group of christians
4) the new guard are incompetent, inexperienced and have integrity issues
5) the new guard takes over aware and it’s resources (built up painstakingly over 24 yrs) and starts firing all the staff who run aware’s programmes for women in need
6) the new guard lies about their affiliation, lie that the takeover was not planned…
The new guard consists of liars and homophobes who will resort to hostile acts to silence all who disagree with them.
And if they eventually win their way, the precedent of them curtailing the freedom of civil groups to remain secular and continue with their activities will be set.
Who, then, will they attack and attempt a hostile takeover of?
Buddhist societies?
Moderate churches?
Clan associations?
Add to that the fact that Dr Thio has an intolerant daughter who is an mp… and the ramifications get more dire.
thanks for the comments to my post
i am still mulling over the objections that all have raised. if i may summarise, the unhappiness articulated so far are :
(a) the manner in which the takeover is done. One can say it is covert hijacking, others will say it is strategising. Tomatoes , tomartoes.
b) New guard not experienced, incompetent, etc.. hmmm that”s what they say about obama didn’t they ? Maybe we should let time be the judge and kick them out when they really cock it up.
c) firing old staff – hmmm, when obama took office, did the other office holders change ? Rice replace by Clinton, etc, etc. Any bosses could fire anyone for any reason. I was given a month’s notice in my last job and ask to leave. The reason my boss gave was that “we don’t need you anymore!”. I felt like shit but i couldn’t take legal action cause he has every right to do so.
d) new guard lied about not knowing each other when in fact all were from the same church – mmm, ok they lied. Would it have made any difference if they had said so from the start ? maybe, maybe not..
e) They will push their values and will attempt a hostile take over of other societies, buddhists, clans, etc – i think that is abit far fetched. Granted that could happen. Heck, they could even all scheme to form a political party and overthrow PAP. The onus is for all to be vigilante and make sure that this doesn’t happen. but there is hardly any basis to accuse them now, is there ?
f) New guard should form their own party – Yes, they could, (somebody suggested BEWARE!, that is a good one!) but they could also do what they have done now, take over AWARE. No right or wrong here, is there?
I am neither for the new guard or against the old guard. In all honesty, I just find that the objections and unhappiness i have read so far have not be articulated very well. It is clear that old guard is “buay song”" and feelings have been bruised because they have been kicked out (albeit in a insidous way) . Maybe the whole saga is just it – bruised egos and nothing more
Joe. It is clear you are for the new EXCO so do not say you are neither. You have chosen to be blind and have refused to accept the truth that has been brought before you. OBAMA did not hijack or strategised any devices to throw the government out. He went in like any normal candidate and he got elected. Did he ask like Chinese, Singaporean, Indonesian, Russian, …… etc to go and became an American to vote him in? No right!!! He has no need to sack anybody because in OBAMA case, the BUSH administration automatically have to leave.
I am surprise you are okay if someone lied to you. You are really a good guy. Too good to be true. And you really think they are going to stop at one…. you are so naive. History have taught us, one is never enough. Have you forgotten, OBAMA’s vice president is Hilary Clinton, she has tons of experience and his administration are not new birds as well. PLEASE GET YOUR FACTS RIGHT. At least they have been in American for very long. The new EXCO, they have been in AWARE for not more than 5 months. Unless you tell me you have proof that they have been watching AWARE for 24 years. UNLIKELY. OBAMA also cannot go to another land to start another USA but the new EXCO can go start another organization …. maybe BEWARE.
That’s the difference. Your example is a lousy one.
Stop making excuse for the new EXCO,
Pardon me asking are you a member of COOS?
Are you somehow involved in this whole saga?
we are not some war moggering people driven by irrational (even imaginary) fear. MOE has stated its stand on the issue.
if a bus driver is driving rather slow, that does not give me the right to yank the driver out of his seat, in doing so i endanger the safety of other passangers on board, not to mention other vehicles & padestrains.
“violence is not an option!”
if talk fail, counselling sessions are in order! lol.
*shudder, shudder*
-.-”