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.
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
Follow up article on ST online today.
