Church group members harass student for days
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Fri, May 29, 2009
The New PaperChurch group members harass student for days 
By Veena Bharwani
THEY hang around outside secondary schools and approach students.
These men then give Bibles to the students and talk to them about God.
The men, usually in their 30s, then ask the students for their handphone numbers and urge them to attend cell group meetings in their church.This is what some students from Greenview Secondary in Pasir Ris have encountered over the past few years. This is not the only school that has seen religious groups right outside their school gates.
Last month, The New Paper reported that two men were distributing religious materials to students from Shuqun Secondary just outside the school in Jurong.
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» 'Not outside my school'The principal of Shuqun Secondary, Mr Adolphus Tan, put a stop to it immediately and asked the men to go away.
But in this recent case concerning Greenview Secondary, it was a parent who decided to act.
Mr Patrick Tay, 58, stepped in to protect his son, 13, who was approached by two men from a church outside Greenview Secondary in January.
Mr Tay, who runs a trading company, added: 'My son had just started secondary school this year so he is a bit 'blur'. They then asked for his handphone number and my unsuspecting son gave it to them not knowing what to do.'
Shortly after that, he claimed his son kept getting repeated SMSes and calls from these people asking him to attend their cell group meetings at Cornerstone Community Church in Katong.
Said Mr Tay: ' I felt they are targeting younger kids like my son who are timid and don't know much.
'I am a Roman Catholic myself and I still am offended as they are not respecting our different religious beliefs.'
Mr Tay said he went to the church shortly after the incident to tell the members who had sent SMSes to his son not to bother him anymore.
Principal alerted
He also alerted the principal of Greenview Secondary about the matter.
Mr Tay didn't allow us to talk to his son.
The New Paper called the Cornerstone Community Church and e-mailed our questions about a month ago. But the youth leader did not get back to us.
We called the church again a week later, but still couldn't get a comment from them.
The New Paper spoke to five other Greenview Secondary school students who said that they, too, have been harassed on different occasions by men from various churches who were either distributing Bibles or asking for their handphone numbers.
Said a female student, 15: 'They have approached me twice in the past two years. The first time was two years ago. They asked for my handphone number but I declined to give it to them as they are strangers.'
She was approached again in March, this time by two men who were distributing Bibles.
'They would not let me pass them so I just took the Bible and quickly walked away so they would leave me alone. I informed my parents who got very angry and reminded me to be more careful next time.'
The principal of Greenview Secondary, Mr Koh Kok Khai, said he is aware of the situation.
He said: 'We have reminded our students to be mindful when approached by strangers outside of school. They have also been advised not to share personal information with these strangers.'
A vice-principal from a secondary school in the West said his students have also told him of similar incidents.
Sensitive issue
Another teacher said there is little schools that can say or do as it is a matter of personal religious beliefs - a sensitive issue for all.
Said the 29-year-old English teacher: 'We try not to tell kids what is right or wrong when it comes to religion as schools are a secular space. We would advise them immediately to tell their parents about the matter and let them handle it.'
Parent Pushpa Dhinakaran, 45, said that while such a trend is worrying, she understands that there is little schools that can do to prevent such things from happening.
'If it is happening inside the school premises, then it can be stopped, but this happened outside school.
'The best we parents can do is warn our kids to be careful when talking to strangers,' she added.
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One should not take God for granted unless he is a vegetarian or vampire.
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those people know that they can be charged?
they can be sued u know!
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Got so desperate ah ?? Poor souls. God please save this lost sheeps from your grace. lols.
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I want to express my displeasure against these Christians...
It is so wrong to harass...
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heh, their intention after all is to bring "salvation" to non believers. How could they do wrong when their intentions are so "right"?
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Originally posted by Stevenson101:
heh, their intention after all is to bring "salvation" to non believers. How could they do wrong when their intentions are so "right"?
Everything is permissable, but not everything is beneficial ma...
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wah lau, dun tame the name of christianity leh..
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youyayu
fyi, your beloved city harvest used to do that too. I myself was approached before at a MRT station. They kept pestering me until i shoved them away.
Such an act is disgraceful. This is what fanatical evangelists can do to tarnish the reputation of christianity in Singapore.
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If there are continuous complaint, i believe the govt will take action.
the govt very into religious harmony, they will do what they can to maintain this.
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I am glad we have understanding christians in this thread.
hi, christians, please pray for your fellow christians, hope they do it the more tactful way.
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Lets all write in the the ministry of community dev and ask them to take appropriate action against these religions extremists. (especially those that keep asking for money when they are already filthy rich)
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Originally posted by bored`:
youyayu
fyi, your beloved city harvest used to do that too. I myself was approached before at a MRT station. They kept pestering me until i shoved them away.
Such an act is disgraceful. This is what fanatical evangelists can do to tarnish the reputation of christianity in Singapore.
im tired of ur nonsense.
i will stop and ignore all your comment.
no long no short.
go ahead and hate city harvest all you want
good bye. -
I was approached before in a bus by Central Christian Church member. The person cannot accept a no for it. She kept claiming that they are the first boston church or what crap lah. OMG!
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Originally posted by Fantagf:
I am glad we have understanding christians in this thread.
hi, christians, please pray for your fellow christians, hope they do it the more tactful way.
Amen... Let us pray for openess without being too pushy...
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Originally posted by Fantagf:
I was approached before in a bus by Central Christian Church member. The person cannot accept a no for it. She kept claiming that they are the first boston church or what crap lah. OMG!
Sorry to hear that... I'm from CCC as well... Hope it doesn't give you a bad impression after that...
For the inconvenience caused, I apologise on the our brothers and sisters in Christ behalf...
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Originally posted by Fantagf:
I was approached before in a bus by Central Christian Church member. The person cannot accept a no for it. She kept claiming that they are the first boston church or what crap lah. OMG!
record what she say. get her contacts.
you can make a complain.
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Originally posted by kager82:
Sorry to hear that... I'm from CCC as well... Hope it doesn't give you a bad impression after that...
For the inconvenience caused, I apologise on the our brothers and sisters in Christ behalf...
i just ignored the person that is all. -
Originally posted by youyayu:
record what she say. get her contacts.
you can make a complain.
i just let go and forgive la since only once. If persistent then I will take action. -
Originally posted by Fantagf:
i just let go and forgive la since only once. If persistent then I will take action.lol any religion that come find me. i will record down. go to the church/moss/temple and make a big fuss out of it
cause i got nothing better to do LOL
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Originally posted by youyayu:
lol any religion that come find me. i will record down. go to the church/moss/temple and make a big fuss out of it
cause i got nothing better to do LOL
if not too much, live and let live lor.
I understand christians are commanded to spread God's words, so I am not against this but it is how they do it that is to be taken note of.
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Yup, faith is a very strong motivation to do things. So christians should never ever shove their faith down someone else's throat, even if it's for the sake of "salvation".
Who knows, that person thinks you're trying to belittle his faith, and that might just be the start of all your troubles just because you tried to "save" someone from Hell..
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HEY PEOPLE .
ANYONE WANNA GO DOWN TO CSCC AND MAKE A BIG HOOHA ?
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Originally posted by 93'guy:
HEY PEOPLE .
ANYONE WANNA GO DOWN TO CSCC AND MAKE A BIG HOOHA ?
What is CSCC? -
Originally posted by youyayu:
lol any religion that come find me. i will record down. go to the church/moss/temple and make a big fuss out of it
cause i got nothing better to do LOL
Oh really? Hmm... You're not open to feedback are you?