SG needs to be careful not to bend to external influences
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SINGAPORE: Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean said Singapore needs to be careful not to bend to external influences indiscriminately.
Speaking at the National Community Engagement Programme Dialogue on Saturday, Mr Teo said that as an open society, Singapore is always subject to external influences.
He noted with the widespread use of the internet, many people are increasingly forming online groups.
They are also finding common ground with others who may live in different countries with different social contexts.
Thus, Mr Teo said it's important to be mindful about absorbing teachings or practices which may not be appropriate for Singapore.
These will threaten the country's social cohesion, and risk Singapore's social capital.
He believes that if one group or religion pushes hard to have its views and beliefs applied to society, others will also want to do the same.
So, practices must be adapted to suit Singapore's local context, and be aligned with its social norms.
Mr Teo observed that with an increasing trend of greater religiosity, there is an increasing tendency towards assertiveness and projection of religion into the public sphere.
He stressed it's therefore even more important than before that people respect the beliefs and views of others.
In addition, they must not be tempted by the cloak of anonymity offered by the internet to denigrate the faiths of others, otherwise social relations will deteriorate rapidly.
Mr Teo also reiterated key principles and values that have allowed Singapore to grow and prosper as a multi-racial and multi-religious society.
These include ensuring a common space where Singaporeans of all creeds and races can interact together, keeping religion separate from politics, and taking a proactive and practical approach, when handling sensitive issues.
- CNA/ck
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Singapore an open society? How open? wow, sounds like it is better for singapore to change to communist country . That way can control better.
but agree with his "He believes that if one group or religion pushes hard to have its views and beliefs applied to society, others will also want to do the same." yeah, that religion is christianity la. hahahahha.
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We are very prone to external influences that's right. Also our people move around a lot and let lots of foreign people in so this is a factor we have to consider.
Especially now with the H7N9 cases spreading ifrom china, we have to be careful and take the neccessary precautions. I trust our people are careful and responsible. But not the people coming voer. Thye might not be so gracious and responsible and they might already be carriers of the virus and diesease.
Not being paraniod here but everyone should be cautious about those china people, especially like times now.
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Politic in Singapore is quite different with other countries, it is loving kindness.
All along singaporeans have been very loving kindness towards one another. Stay open in loving kindness as it has varying degrees, and any unhappiness should revert into loving kindness that has been developed in Singapore people.
"You still have not realized that in the Treasury of the Tathagata, the nature of form is true emptiness and the nature of emptiness is true form. That fundamental purity pervades the Dharma Reealm. Beings' minds absorb itaccording to their capacity to know. Whatever manifests does so in compliance with karma. Ignorant of that fact, people of the world are so deluded as to assign its origin to causes and conditions or to spontaneity. These mistakes, which arise from the discriminations and reasoning processes of the mind, are nothing but the play of empty and meaningless words.
"Ananda, the nature of fire is devoid of identity, being dependent upon various causes and conditions for its existence. Consider a family in the city that has not yet eaten. When they wish to prepare food, they hold up a brass mirror to the sun, seeking fire.
"Ananda, speaking of mixing and uniting, you and I and the twelve hundred and fifty Bhikshus unite a form a community. However, a careful analysis of the community reveals that every member composing it has his own body, family name, clan, and name. For instance, Shariputra is a Brahman, Uruvilva is of the Kashyapa clan, and you, Ananda, come from the Gautama family.
"Ananda, if fire existed because of mixing and uniting, then when your hand holds up the mirror to the sun to seek fire, does the fire come out of the mirror? Does it come out of the moxa tinder? Or does it come from the sun? Ananda, if the fire came from the sun, then only would it burn the moxa tinder in your hand, but as it came across the groves of trees, it should burn them up as well. Suppose it came from the mirror, since it would come out to the mirror to ignite the moxa tinder, why doesn't the mirror melt? Yet, as your hand that holds the mirror feels no heat; how could the mirror melt? If the fire came from the moxa tinder, then why would fire be generated only when the bright mirror came into contact with the dazzling light? Furthermore, on closer examination, you will find that the mirror is held in your hands, the sun is high in the sky, and moxa is grown from the ground. So where does the fire come from? The sun and the mirror cannot mix and unite, since they are far apart. Nor can it be that the fire arises spontaneously without an origin.
"You still have not realized that in the Treasury of the Tathagata the nature of fire is true emptiness, and the nature of emptiness is true fire. That fundamental purity pervades the Dharma Realm. Beings' minds absorb it according to their capacity to know. Ananda, you should know that fire can be generated anyplace where a mirror is held up to the sunlight. If mirrors were held up to the sunlight everywhere in the Dharma Realm, fire would be generated everywhere. Since fire can come forth throughout the whole world, can there be any fixed place to which it is confined? Whatever manifests does so in compliance with karma. Ignorant of that fact, people in the world are so deluded as to assign its origin to causes and conditions or to spontaneity. These mistakes, which arise from the discriminations and reasoning processes of the mind, are nothing but the play of empty and meaningless words.
May all be happy and peace!
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