The Repeal of 377A I: Sin Versus Crime

Rebecca SE Tan

22 August 2022

The recent landmark repeal of Section 377A in Singapore sparked a plethora of conversations on the ground. If for nothing else, I’m heartened to see this issue being revived and boldly discussed in public discourse, a healthy sign of democracy. Despite what seems like a step backwards for political liberals in the proposal to enshrine traditional notions of marriage in the constitution*, I believe that the repeal presents a significant steppingstone to signal a call for non-discrimination of the LGBT community in arenas such as healthcare, homes, schools, and workplaces.

But what of the views of certain conservative religious factions in Singapore? This is not to say that to be religious is to be conservative or necessarily be against the repeal of 377A. Indeed, we cannot paint conservatism and religion with a single brush – there is much more nuance to consider, which I hope to illuminate in this post.

I, for example, personally identify as a “morality-based” conservative but a “political” liberal. Let me explain what I mean – as a Christian, I believe in certain moral codes of conduct to which I hold myself. I believe that homosexuality is a sin – “sin” being defined in terms of what God does not want or intend for, rather than a human moral judgement about someone. Hence, if I commit sins, I should repent from my sin (read: genuinely ask God for forgiveness), though it does not mean I am condemning myself to be a piece of human trash. Indeed, a key feature of the Christian faith is God's mercy – that “all have sinned and [fallen] short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23), thereby needing the perfect love of God, who died on the cross to forgive our sins. With this “God-centred” definition of sin, I hope non-Christians see that there isn’t quite a need to be offended by what I perceive as a sin – for why would you, someone who doesn’t believe in my God, care about what my “non-existent” God thinks?

How then can I be a “political” liberal? This has more to do with what I choose to do with this knowledge that I consider something a sin – as Prof Tommy Koh rightly quipped, sin does not necessarily equate to crime. Though I may personally consider sex before marriage, greed, or even lying as a sin, I do not necessarily think it should be criminalised. (And thank God they’re not!) In the same way, I believe in the acceptance and non-discrimination of the LGBT community and their equal rights in marriage and their workplaces. After all, this is perfectly in line with the Christian faith, with its central tenet being love. God is LOVE, and He commands us to LOVE our neighbours. Jesus is the perfect exemplar of this – He who dined with tax collectors, touched the leper, and prayed for those who persecuted Him. This is not to compare the LGBT community with the above groups but rather to elucidate the idea that we are all equally sinful and undeserving of redemption – yet God has demonstrated His love for all, something we as Christians should strive to imitate.

In all, I hope the community will not be too quick to dismiss religious factions as “enemies” to social justice and equality. Indeed, many of my Christian and Muslim friends are firm allies of the LGBT community. In the fight for diversity and inclusion, we will do well not to side-line allies even if they may have different personal convictions from us.

Discussion: Would love to hear what you think about this topic! For example, do you think that differentiating "categories" for liberalism and conservatism is fair? What were/ are your impressions on religious groups? Of course - I do realise that any group identities are far from a monolith - for example, not every Christian will have the same conception as I do. Would love to know how you feel about this topic as a whole, or how Singapore can move forward from here! Please do not feel shy to speak out, even if you wholly disagree!

Author's Note: Do read some of my reflections in the comments below :)

Side Note 1: On the night the repeal was announced, I joined Prof. Walid on his Teh Tarik With Walid Series - Episode 40: Impromptu discussion on the repeal of Section 377A. You can catch the full conversation here: https://www.instagram.com/tv/Chh0AUCh-Gr/

I find the variety of different views and perspectives really eye-opening and would recommend watching it in its entirety. For my (very brief) cameo, I came on towards the very end, about the last 10 minutes or so. Please don't mind the nervousness because this was super impromptu!

Side Note 2: For part II of this series, I touch on whether or not, in the first place, homosexuality is even considered a sin in Christianity. As a spoiler/ disclaimer, my personal conviction is that the Bible is quite clear that it is, though I would like to address both sides of the argument. Click on the tag "LGBT" for the other articles in this series.

* Correction: As of 23 August, the news reported that the definition of marriage itself will not be enshrined in the constitution, but rather "that it is Parliament's prerogative to define marriage as being between a man and a woman and to make other pro-family policies on that basis". In other words, it's more about how the judiciary/ courts cannot challenge this definition, and a simple majority in Parliament is sufficient to change the definition of marriage. (As compared to >2/3 for a change in the constitution!) You can read more about the details here: https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/politics/constitution-will-be-amended-to-protect-parliaments-right-to-define-marriage-shanmugam