Condo success: What's faith got to do with it?
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There are two developers which are developing posh residential apartments near the city. In the midst of the current hot property market, all units in both projects were sold out within a short time.
Looking at the signboards displayed at the two sites expressing their thanks, one shows great maturity and good understanding of the importance of religious harmony and the way to live with others in a tolerant manner. Unfortunately, not the other.
While one thanks its customers for their support, which I thought is logical, the other attributed the success to its faith. Following the latter's logic, had its project not sold well and still 80 per cent of the units are left, whose fault is it?
It took us a long time and a capable leader like Mr Lee Kuan Yew to mould our society into a cohesive and harmonious one, where people of all faith and races live peacefully together, but it will take only days to push it back to Day 1. So, it is everybody's duty to ensure that it will not happen.
If you are still unsure which projects I am referring to, just take a look at Sky@Eleven in Thomson Road and NEWTON ONE in Newton Road. I think SPH, developer of the former, has certainly been more responsible.
Thomas Lee Zhi Zhi -
Do you agree with the author?
So all the give thanks to God can only be done at home or in church? -
Thomas Lee Zhi Zhi's letter, 'Condo success: What's faith got to do with it?' (Online forum, March 3) decries that Newton One's developer attributes - on signage - faith to its sales. He finds that it threatens our multi-religious orientation.
Follow up article on ST online today.
This is redolent of a former colleague who ascribed little successes to Him as in, 'He has blessed me in doing such-and-such' which, ad nauseam, grates.
I'm not areligious. But if I reserve coarse speech for all-guys carousing, shouldn't religious spouters save it for co-religionists? In the wrong contexts, language imposes and discomforts. It's worse if it is a gambit to proselytise.
Similarly, religious paraphernalia shouldn't obtrude. Commendably, some establishments secrete their staff's altars in the rear while some retail premises display their figurines or altars - of whatever faith - prominently.
There's a barber whose premises look like a shrine - his co-believer competitors shake their heads bemusedly each time he loses a customer to them. Is he announcing: 'For fellow-believers only'?
In secular contexts, manifesting your freedom to worship shouldn't presume on others' comfort zones. Even a home that looks like a shrine is incongruous, let alone business premises that exude worship. If religion defines your business, great! If not, don't unnerve and confuse your prospects!
Religiousness should raise empathy for those of different faiths or none. Self-misleading adherents do humanity, their faiths and co-believers a great disservice. Faiths should unite, not divide people - now especially.
Anthony Lee Mui Yu -
What faith is impossible to please God... Faith sometime is also see as a determination to success....
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dunno what the writer is trying to ramble.Originally posted by Beyond Religion:Follow up article on ST online today. -
a) Can somebody post the exact words of the two advertisement?
b) Their meaning of faith refering to determination to succeed, or faith to god, or what?
Like no head no tail, dont know what is going on. -
The first time my family saw the sign when we drove pass was: what the heck!!!!
the next question was: which god?
I am not sure whether the sign was put up there in a tongue-in-cheek manner or was there any real religious flavour in it.
personally, I think the sign sucks big time but I wouldn't think too much into it. -
This is referring to the billboard at Newton right?
I think it's good to be grateful. But must be careful not to put up a show for others to see. -
hey what is on the billboard exactly?
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only two super big words: THANK GOD!Originally posted by Icemoon:hey what is on the billboard exactly? -
If I remember correctly.
It says in two separate lines,
"Fully sold"
"Thanks be to God" -
seriously, i agree with one of my business lecturer, she herself a Christian, that one should never mix spirituality with business
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... hmm. perhaps you are right....Originally posted by sillyme:If I remember correctly.
It says in two separate lines,
"Fully sold"
"Thanks be to God"
nonetheless, i think it is done in poor taste... -
I think so too...Originally posted by Chin Eng:... hmm. perhaps you are right....
nonetheless, i think it is done in poor taste...
I think action is better, such as giving to the needy, without fanfare...
maybe he did, maybe he didn't...
anyway... i find it odd that such a display of thanksgiving should stir unhappiness... -
as I'd said, I wonder how much of the thank you note was done with true intentions, somehow it came across to me as a tongue-in-cheek...
yeah, I agree, who so much resentment? -
u want resentment? and mountain out of a molehill?Originally posted by Chin Eng:as I'd said, I wonder how much of the thank you note was done with true intentions, somehow it came across to me as a tongue-in-cheek...
yeah, I agree, who so much resentment?
go stomp forum, seriously
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unfortunately, that's the byproduct of a modern electronic age.Originally posted by laurence82:u want resentment? and mountain out of a molehill?
go stomp forum, seriously -
not reallyOriginally posted by Chin Eng:unfortunately, that's the byproduct of a modern electronic age.
i see it as an new level of kaypohing -
Petty lah....Originally posted by Icemoon:There are two developers which are developing posh residential apartments near the city. In the midst of the current hot property market, all units in both projects were sold out within a short time.
Looking at the signboards displayed at the two sites expressing their thanks, one shows great maturity and good understanding of the importance of religious harmony and the way to live with others in a tolerant manner. Unfortunately, not the other.
While one thanks its customers for their support, which I thought is logical, the other attributed the success to its faith. Following the latter's logic, had its project not sold well and still 80 per cent of the units are left, whose fault is it?
It took us a long time and a capable leader like Mr Lee Kuan Yew to mould our society into a cohesive and harmonious one, where people of all faith and races live peacefully together, but it will take only days to push it back to Day 1. So, it is everybody's duty to ensure that it will not happen.
If you are still unsure which projects I am referring to, just take a look at Sky@Eleven in Thomson Road and NEWTON ONE in Newton Road. I think SPH, developer of the former, has certainly been more responsible.
Thomas Lee Zhi Zhi
I admire the author's ability to pull in religious and racial harmony into this. Good Job!!
Whats next? " should there be a christian donation TV Show?"??!??! -
i will be quite apprehensive if there is tele-evangelism by any religious groupOriginally posted by davidche:Petty lah....
I admire the author's ability to pull in religious and racial harmony into this. Good Job!!
Whats next? " should there be a christian donation TV Show?"??!??! -
Personally i like the sign.Originally posted by Chin Eng:The first time my family saw the sign when we drove pass was: what the heck!!!!
the next question was: which god?
I am not sure whether the sign was put up there in a tongue-in-cheek manner or was there any real religious flavour in it.
personally, I think the sign sucks big time but I wouldn't think too much into it.
Praise and thanks for God has to be expressed with and in the form of action.
It is simply normal to praise God that the building is fully sold. -
I pass by the Newton signboard very often. Never find the signboard religiously offensive! why should anybody feel offensive? It didn't say "only God could have done it", or "Praise be to God who achieved what no man have ever succeeded."
I never ask "Which God?" when I saw the sign, but had assumed that the developer was a Christian. If the developer had prayed to God for the sales of the development, now it is "Sold Out", should he say "Thanks"? If he continues to pray for the construction, and the project completed on schedule, within budget, without accident, shouldn't he also say "Thanks be to God"?
Can we express our gratitude to God in public then? I once saw a certain prize presentation to successful musical artists in Taiwan, and this group artist, comprising two man and a girl, was awarded the most welcomed new group, on receiving the prize, the leading lady singer said " firstly, I want to thank my God for this prize". Shouldn't the guests present, as well as the millions of taiwanese in front of the TV, who are predominantly buddists feel offended? No, and nobody said the group mix religion with entertainment. May be there are a lot more tolerant than Singaporeans, or less sensitive?
We see the sign "Halal" in most food courts in Singapore, it is religious, isn't it? are we mixing religion with food business? no, we have learned to accept it.
Religious harmony comes with citizens who are more tolerant rather than more sensitive to religious expressions. -
So its a yes or no? Besides, the Halal business is superbly not an accurate analogy to use here. Muslims need to eat Halal food just as Jews need to eat kosher food. There has to be businesses providing such services.Originally posted by sgdiehard:We see the sign "Halal" in most food courts in Singapore, it is religious, isn't it? are we mixing religion with food business? no, we have learned to accept it.
Which is different from the issue of condos selling. -
Halal issue is a yes in mixing business with religion. If you want to sell to muslims, you need to be Halal. If you want to sell to the Jews, you must declare the food "Kosher". If you don't, you are not in this business!Originally posted by laurence82:So its a yes or no? Besides, the Halal business is superbly not an accurate analogy to use here. Muslims need to eat Halal food just as Jews need to eat kosher food. There has to be businesses providing such services.
Which is different from the issue of condos selling.
The developer's big "Thank" came after the condos was sold. He did not start the selling by claiming that the condos is blessed by the pastors of all christians denomination. No Christians values were attached to the condos before it was sold out. Nobody even knew the developer was a Christian before the sales. In what way was this sales of condos mixed with religion?
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Clever argument, but providing needs and associating God with a non religious project are two different thing.Originally posted by sgdiehard:Halal issue is a yes in mixing business with religion. If you want to sell to muslims, you need to be Halal. If you want to sell to the Jews, you must declare the food "Kosher". If you don't, you are not in this business!
The developer's big "Thank" came after the condos was sold. He did not start the selling by claiming that the condos is blessed by the pastors of all christians denomination. No Christians values were attached to the condos before it was sold out. Nobody even knew the developer was a Christian before the sales. In what way was this sales of condos mixed with religion?
Besides, there was never talk of Christianity. Look at all the previous posts, where some even ask 'Which God?'
Also, God itself does not imply religion or religious belief? Which planet you hail from?