Would you build camaraderie with people of other beliefs if it potentially goes against your personal beliefs?

Perhaps owing to Singapore's multi-racial background, people here in general are taught to foster good relationships with each other even if it potentially goes against their personal beliefs. Here are some examples.

1. School children here of all religions and race celebrate the major festivals, including Eid al-Fitr, Christmas, Diwali, Good Friday and Chinese New Year. This way, we get to understand each other better and foster better relationships.
2. Organ donation: Everyone, irregardless of race or religion, are eligible for organ donation upon death. If you opt out of this for any reason, you will be put at the bottom of the waiting list if you ever need an organ replacement.
3. Religious wear in school: Hijabs, crosses, Buddhist amulets etc are all explicitly forbidden in government schools before the age of 16/17. Only exception is the Sikh turban, but that's due to an agreement the Sikh had with the Singapore government predating the current education system.
4. Religious studies are banned in government schools: In short, there is to be no teaching or proselytising of religious materials in school, e.g. saying that God created us, or about deities in Buddhism/Taoism/Hinduism etc. Teachers talking about their personal beliefs are allowed, but they cannot "teach" students in the context of a lesson. Interestingly, evolution and explicit atheism are banned topics in school too.
5. Birthday celebrations: This isn't something enforced in school, but rather a result of upbringing but I've literally never seen a single Muslim around me choose not to celebrate their birthday. To put it another way, it's perfectly fine and sometimes even encouraged for students to celebrate one another's birthday.
6. Touching of the opposite sex: This happens only for young children 7 and below, but students are often made to hold hands regardless of sex so they don't get lost. E.g. 2 teachers bring a class of 30 out to the playground, so they instruct the students to hold each other's hands.
7. Mixed gender classes: Related to point 6, but unless the students are sent to an all-boys or all-girls school, there aren't any segregation of the genders. Boys and girls sit next to each other, shake hands, play games, exercise, study together etc. Do note that relationships are explicitly forbidden for ages below 16/17.
8. LGBT: This is outside of the school context, but the LGBT community is marginalized in Singapore. Due to this, it isn't uncommon to see some Muslims or Christians defending the LGBT groups (note there are many opposing groups too). The understanding is: You scratch my back and I would scratch yours
9. Voting: Candidates and leaders here are chosen based on merit rather than religion. For this reason, despite Muslims being a minority here, we have a Muslim president. (I am aware of the controversy of our most recent election, but for better or worst, I am proud to have Halimah as our president)

What do you think of these points? Do you agree or disagree with them?

submitted by /u/Eriflee
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