keep the faith. to yourself.
on the way back, i saw a sight that inspired this entry.
while i know religion is a touchy issue, it has always been as aspect of my life that i have had to battle with, since childhood.
and today, i'd like to compile all these thoughts since young.
what i saw was in the train on my way home.
there were a group of religious school students sitting in the priority seats with a young mother carrying her infant standing closeby.
none of them thought anything of giving up their seats to her.
to make matters worst,
when one of them stood up, her friend actually "reserved" the seat for another friend who was standing.
may i add that this was not the first incident of this sort that i have seen.
and while i agree that there are many singaporeans who act in similar ways,
my issue with this is what exactly is the point of being so well-educated about religion but lacking social graces?
since young i have dealt with being ostracized because of my lack of a religious upbringing.
many cannot understand how i was not sent to religious classes and knew nothing about the faith i was supposedly born into.
the reason why my parents did so, was because they saw the ills of religion with their own eyes.
and they knew that a good person need not stem from religion, as long as they were equipped with the right belief system.
that is not to say that i never believed in God.
i do.
but not practising my faith the way others deem right makes me no less of a person that anyone else.
i may have tattoos and smoke and drink on occasion.
but that does not make me an evil person.
in fact, how many people do you know say please and thank you as much as i do?
and how many people appreciate others the way i do?
the point is i was brought up equipped with manners, table manners, social etiquette and a tough belief system.
i can differentiate right and wrong, not because of the consequences that i may face in the afterlife, but because of the consequences i will face now.
and that's what matters.
i recall my sister being so afraid of religion because of a certain secondary school teacher who had told her that she was going to hell just because she was not of the same religion as he was.
pardon me if i am wrong, but do the major religions not have a certain something against preaching?
do they not demand respect for other people of different beliefs and faiths?
i think growing up without a religion has made me the person i am.
someone who does not judge others by their belief systems.
someone who is open to other cultures.
at least i know about the various faiths that exist in the world.
i would rather know that, than only alot about my own faith, oblivious to the rest of the world.
i am tired of the 4th century mindsets in today's world.
and credits to my parents,
who have brought me up well.
they never imposed a religion on me since young, despite their own beliefs.
because they knew that if i should like to believe in something, it's better if i do so myself.
only then would it mean something to me.
growing up the way i did made me realise that religion is so much more than blind following of rules and guidelines.
and before you leave your mindless hate comments,
ask yourself a question.
how many atheists have started a war against religious groups, because of their lack of beliefs?
while i know religion is a touchy issue, it has always been as aspect of my life that i have had to battle with, since childhood.
and today, i'd like to compile all these thoughts since young.
what i saw was in the train on my way home.
there were a group of religious school students sitting in the priority seats with a young mother carrying her infant standing closeby.
none of them thought anything of giving up their seats to her.
to make matters worst,
when one of them stood up, her friend actually "reserved" the seat for another friend who was standing.
may i add that this was not the first incident of this sort that i have seen.
and while i agree that there are many singaporeans who act in similar ways,
my issue with this is what exactly is the point of being so well-educated about religion but lacking social graces?
since young i have dealt with being ostracized because of my lack of a religious upbringing.
many cannot understand how i was not sent to religious classes and knew nothing about the faith i was supposedly born into.
the reason why my parents did so, was because they saw the ills of religion with their own eyes.
and they knew that a good person need not stem from religion, as long as they were equipped with the right belief system.
that is not to say that i never believed in God.
i do.
but not practising my faith the way others deem right makes me no less of a person that anyone else.
i may have tattoos and smoke and drink on occasion.
but that does not make me an evil person.
in fact, how many people do you know say please and thank you as much as i do?
and how many people appreciate others the way i do?
the point is i was brought up equipped with manners, table manners, social etiquette and a tough belief system.
i can differentiate right and wrong, not because of the consequences that i may face in the afterlife, but because of the consequences i will face now.
and that's what matters.
i recall my sister being so afraid of religion because of a certain secondary school teacher who had told her that she was going to hell just because she was not of the same religion as he was.
pardon me if i am wrong, but do the major religions not have a certain something against preaching?
do they not demand respect for other people of different beliefs and faiths?
i think growing up without a religion has made me the person i am.
someone who does not judge others by their belief systems.
someone who is open to other cultures.
at least i know about the various faiths that exist in the world.
i would rather know that, than only alot about my own faith, oblivious to the rest of the world.
i am tired of the 4th century mindsets in today's world.
and credits to my parents,
who have brought me up well.
they never imposed a religion on me since young, despite their own beliefs.
because they knew that if i should like to believe in something, it's better if i do so myself.
only then would it mean something to me.
growing up the way i did made me realise that religion is so much more than blind following of rules and guidelines.
and before you leave your mindless hate comments,
ask yourself a question.
how many atheists have started a war against religious groups, because of their lack of beliefs?