So gay activists are not very happy about IKEA’s decision to continue promoting Pastor Lawrence Khong’s magic. They are throwing tantrums like pampered kids in an indoor playground, because their parents can afford $20 for them to get out of the sun. I agree with IKEA’s decision, because what do you expect Pastor Lawrence Khong to be?
He’s a Christian pastor and the bible explicitly frowns upon gay/lesbian relationship. He is merely doing his duty as a soldier of God to warn his flock and others (whoever wants to listen) about the dangers of same-sex relationship according to the Bible. The pastor even has gay dancers in his magic show but I am sure he has quiet word with them, urging them to stop doing it the wrong way.
We even have a prominent gay Muslim playright/author/poet lecturing IKEA how to conduct their business, like as if he has ran a big MNC himself. He even tells IKEA not to get involve with “contentious and controversial” people like Lawrence Khong. Pot calling the kettle black I would say, because that term isn’t far off when used to describe the very person who wrote it. Don’t get me wrong. As a Muslim, I am not a fan of Lawrence Khong. He can be quite an attention-seeker with his leather gear and annoying self-righteous statements. If you remember, he even tried to sack a heavily pregnant FCBC staff and refuse her fair compensation because the baby was borne out of an extra-marital affair. Most of all, I am definitely not a fan of prosperity gospel and their proselytizing methods because one does not simply join a religion to get rich.
But, at the same time I do not violently reject Lawrence Khong, nor do I try to block his every initiative online by trying a fit on social media, because he is free to carry out his activities within certain rules of our democratic society. If one day, IKEA was to promote a musical or a play written by a gay/lesbian, should the conservative Christians likewise attack them on social media? Let’s be more mature, civil and not resort to cyber militancy. Lawrence Khong and the gay activists can both co-exist in Singapore. They should both have the space to espouse their ideas. If you don’t agree with any of them, it wouldn’t hurt if you would just turn away.
SS