Related Research Articles
Religion in Singapore is characterised by a wide variety of religious beliefs and practices due to its diverse ethnic mix of people originating from various parts of the world. A secular state, Singapore is commonly termed as a "melting pot" or "cultural mosaic " of various religious practices originating from different religions and religious denominations around the world. Most major religious denominations are present in the country, with the Singapore-based Inter-Religious Organisation recognising 10 major religions. A 2014 analysis by the Pew Research Center found Singapore to be the world's most religiously diverse nation.
There are no statistics on how many LGBT people there are in Singapore or what percentage of the population they constitute. While homosexuality is legal in the country, the country is largely conservative.
There is a long history of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender activity in Singapore. Male homosexuality was outlawed under British rule, despite being acknowledged among the local population. Following Japanese occupation during World War II and the country gaining independence, homosexuality and transvestism were visible as a street scene, and from the 1970s were catered for in some nightclubs. In that decade also, Singapore became a centre of gender-reassignment surgery.
Faith Community Baptist Church, or FCBC, is an independent charismatic megachurch in Singapore founded by Pastor Lawrence Khong in 1986.
Section 377A was a Singaporean law that criminalised sex between consenting adult males. It was introduced under British colonial rule in 1938 when it was added to the Penal Code by the colonial government. It remained a part of the Singapore body of law after the Penal Code review of 2007 which removed most of the other provisions in Section 377. It was subsequently repealed in its entirety in 2023.
The rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people in Singapore have evolved over the decades. Same-sex sexual activity is legal for both males and females; for men it was officially legalised in 2022 after being de facto decriminalised since 2007, and for women it was always legal. Prior to 2022, same-sex sexual activity between males was de jure illegal under the British colonial-era Section 377A of the Penal Code. The law had been de facto unenforced for decades. In February 2022, the Court of Appeal in the Supreme Court reaffirmed that 377A cannot be used to prosecute men for having sex with other men, and that it is "unenforceable in its entirety". Transgender rights in the country are also progressive in the region, which included Singapore being the first country in Asia to legalise sex reassignment surgery in 1973.
Christians in Singapore constitute 19% of the country's resident population, as of the most recent census conducted in 2020. Christianity is the second largest religion in the country, after Buddhism and before Islam. In 2020, about 37.1% of the country's Christians identified as Catholic with 62.9% labeled as 'Other Christians', most of which identify as Protestant, with some identifying as Orthodox or other minority Christian denominations.
Thio Li-ann is a Singaporean law professor at the National University of Singapore. She was educated at the University of Oxford, Harvard Law School and the University of Cambridge. In January 2007, she was appointed a Nominated Member of Parliament (NMP) in Singapore's 11th Parliament.
Cornerstone Community Church is an independent, Charismatic church based in Singapore. It is committed to global missions and has affiliate congregations in Kenya, Uganda, Myanmar, Pakistan, Indonesia, Australia and the Philippines. Established in 1990, the church is led by founder and senior pastor Rev. Yang Tuck Yoong.
The Church of Our Saviour, or COOS, is a church in Queenstown, Singapore, which began as a mission in the 1950s along Alexandra Road and has since grown into a megachurch with a weekly attendance of approximately 4,500. While it is a parish within the mainline Anglican Diocese of Singapore, COOS is known for its contemporary worship services and charismatic practices like speaking in tongues, faith healing, and deliverance.
Freedom of religion in Singapore is a guaranteed constitutionally protected right. Article 15 of the Constitution of Singapore states: "Every person has the right to profess and practise his religion and to propagate it." and allows believers the freedom to assemble and worship without limitation or interference.
Israel–Singapore relations refers to the bilateral relations between the State of Israel and the Republic of Singapore. Relations between the two countries have been extremely cordial and friendly for more than half a century.
Pink Dot SG, known endonymously as Pink Dot, is a pride event that has occurred annually since 2009 in support of the LGBTQ community in Singapore. Attendees of Pink Dot events gather to form a "pink dot" to show support for inclusiveness, diversity and the freedom to love in the country. Pink Dot events typically include concert performances and booths sponsored by organizations that support the LGBT community and cause in addition to the event's name-brand formation.
Lawrence Khong Kin Hoong is a Singaporean Christian religious leader and a magician.
Singapore does not recognise same-sex marriages or civil unions. In 2022, the Parliament of Singapore passed a constitutional amendment giving itself "the power to define, regulate, protect and promote the institution of marriage".
Muhamad Faisal bin Abdul Manap is a Singaporean politician who has been serving as Vice-Chairman of the Workers' Party (WP) since 2016 and an advisor for Sengkang GRC since 2021. A member of the opposition Workers' Party (WP), he has been the Member of Parliament (MP) representing the Kaki Bukit division of Aljunied GRC since 2011.
Edwin Tong Chun Fai is a Singaporean politician and lawyer who has been serving as Minister for Culture, Community and Youth and Second Minister for Law concurrently since 2020. A member of the governing People's Action Party (PAP), he has been the Member of Parliament (MP) representing the Joo Chiat division of Marine Parade GRC since 2011. He has also been serving as Deputy Chairman of the People's Association since 2021.
Barker Road Methodist Church (BRMC) is a Methodist church in Singapore located at 48 Barker Road along Dunearn Road, and is colocated with Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road) and Anglo-Chinese School (Primary).
Ravi Madasamy, better known as M Ravi, is a Singaporean former human rights lawyer and activist. Known for his work as a cause lawyer, he has acted in multiple leading cases in Singaporean constitutional law and human rights.
The Singapore mosque attacks plot was a plan by a far-right extremist to commit two Islamophobic terrorist attacks at two Singaporean mosques on 15 March 2021, the 2-year anniversary of the Christchurch mosque shootings. The plot was uncovered in late November 2020 by the Internal Security Department, who arrested a 16-year-old Indian Singaporean Protestant youth under the Internal Security Act (ISA).
References
- ↑ Wei, Yuzhu (5 April 2018). "美国传教士发表不敬言论 房角石教会向本地回教社群道歉" [American preacher makes inflammatory comments; Cornerstone Community Church apologises to local Muslims]. Lianhe Zaobao (in Chinese).
- ↑ Tan, Philip (26 May 1977). "CJC fancied to score a hattrick". New Nation. p. 23.
- ↑ "S'porean pastor apologises for anti-Islamic remarks made by American preacher". Today. 4 April 2018.
- ↑ Tee, Cheryl (5 April 2018). "National Council of Churches Singapore praises response to preacher's anti-Muslim statements". The Straits Times .
- ↑ Ong, Justin (27 January 2021). "S'pore church leaders shocked by case of teen who planned mosque attacks". The Straits Times .
- ↑ Teo, Jasmine (13 August 1991). "'R' movies are not the only motivation for crime". The Straits Times . p. 30.
- ↑ Sin, Yuen; Sim, Royston (13 December 2017). "US move to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital draws mixed reactions in S'pore". The Straits Times .
- 1 2 Hussain, Amir (23 January 2013). "AGC intervenes in 377A debate". Today. p. 6.
- ↑ Ng, Jing Yng; Then, Ai Ping (22 January 2013). "Debate over Section 377A intensifies". Today. p. 10.
- ↑ Wells, Ione (3 June 2024). "Tory candidate linked to pastors accused of homophobia". BBC.
- ↑ ap Dafydd, Aled (18 April 2019). "Politicians urged to cut ties with 'homophobic' pastor". BBC.
- ↑ Ko, Lyn Cheang (5 January 2021). "In This Singaporean Church, You Can Be Happy and Gay". Vice.
- ↑ Lim, Vanessa (21 August 2022). "Religious groups support Government's move to protect definition of marriage in Constitution as it repeals 377A". CNA.