Inclusiveness means practising true tolerance

IKEA Singapore has done the right thing to continue the tie-up with pastor Lawrence Khong's magic show, despite calls from certain gay rights groups to end it, on account of Mr Khong's views on homosexuality ("Ikea to continue with magic show tie-up"; yesterday).

The firm said that it respects the diversity and equality of all people living in the community, and also respects that all individuals have a right to their opinions and personal choices, including the freedom to choose their preferred entertainment.

This reflects true tolerance and diversity in viewpoints - the cornerstones of a democratic society.

On the other hand, the kinds of "tolerance" and "diversity" promoted by these gay rights groups reflect the acceptance of various lifestyles while ultimately discriminating against people who disagree with them.

This is an inversion of true tolerance, and is, in fact, doublespeak for imposing conformity of thought to certain norms of political correctness.

In a pluralistic society like Singapore, we may not agree on everything, especially on issues like homosexuality.

Nevertheless, we should practise true tolerance by respecting the rights of others to hold and express a diversity of views, including those we disagree with.

Darius Lee

This article was first published on April 23, 2015.
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