Today-Oct 12
The high level of tolerance that Singaporeans have for different faiths, with six in 10 saying that they have a “personal connection” to at least one religion other than their own, is one marker of how the country’s religious diversity is “remarkable on a global scale”, a Pew Research Center analysis said. The analysis, published on the United States-based think tank’s website last Friday (Oct 6), noted that aside from having high religious diversity — with no more than around a third of the population following any one religion — Singaporeans also have much higher levels of tolerance for and acceptance for people of other faiths than other regional countries surveyed. The analysis drew from a 2022 Pew Research Center survey, where the findings were reported by CNA last month. It polled more than 13,000 adults in Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Thailand. It said: “Singaporeans report high levels of inter-religious tolerance and acceptance on multiple measures. This tolerance appears alongside a history of state-sponsored co-existence in the country. “Ever since its independence in 1965, the government has staunchly pushed the idea that being multi-racial and multi-religious is foundational to the country.” Singapore’s high levels of inter-religious tolerance and acceptance on multiple measures is noteworthy as conflicts and tension arising from religious divides are relatively common around the world. Read more at: https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/pew-study-hails-singapores-remarkable-religious-diversity-and-high-tolerance-acceptance-2279846
