Public Forum on Freedom of the Press in Singapore - Hotseating the perspective of a religious leader who is also the parent of young children

Media Censorship? Of Course! Violence and sex should never be portrayed by the media. It is a highly immoral act and a sin! Nowadays, TV programmes always show people killing each other, and many images are full of blood and gore! The 6th commandment states that “Thou shalt not kill”, featuring such images is encouraging others to sin. How can this be so? Also, such programmes often include women who are scantily dressed, and that is so wrong wrong wrong! Why let me tell you even the apostle Paul said that woman should cover up! Let me tell you why such images are bad and therefore should be highly censored or, better still, removed!

Firstly, religion states that we should never be involved in any acts of violence, and this includes coming into close contact with any form or portrayal of violence too. Just as it was now it is. Genesis 6:11 Now the earth was corrupt in God's sight and was full of violence. Psalm 11:5 The LORD examines the righteous, but the wicked [a] and those who love violence his soul hates. Let us repent… Hence, it is very important that we do not sin and that we look prim and proper, because this is an embodiment of being virtuous. Just look at Tuesday’s newspapers, religion has become merely an advertising gimmick! What “Looking good for jesus”, “Redeem yourself in his eyes!” on Tshirts. That is totally blasphemous. Such sensitive issues should be censored. This is one of the reasons why media censorship is essential.

Also, with the growth of media influences nowadays, Christians, especially kids and teenagers no longer place God as their first priority in life. Take my 2 kids for example, they would rather spend their time killing on another on the computer or watching the power rangers kill monsters on TV rather than read the bible! How sad.

Fellow parents out there, let me ask you this question. As a parent, wouldn’t you want your children to be protected from information which will pollute their innocent young minds? At such a tender age, these images and set of values which is completely, utterly, absolutely contradictory to what we teach them, and hope they will never ever become would do nothing but have detrimental effects on them! Children are very impressionable and such external forces (i.e. the media) might cause them to have violent tendencies. Proverbs 21:7 The violence of the wicked will drag them away, for they refuse to do what is right. Worst still, it might have a detrimental chain effect on their future. We as parents are responsible for the upbringing of our children; and I’m pretty sure many of you wouldn’t want your children to grow up with the wrong set of values.

Let us all be pro- media censorship! It is absolutely necessary to ensure that the generations to come do not live in a world filled of violence and sex. Do the right thing and support media censorship!

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Bao Rong, Lionel, Michelle, Qian Sheng
09S06J