Singapore Christians Express Grave Concern over Madonna's Rebel Heart Tour
Christians in Singapore have become upset over Madonna's upcoming Rebel Heart concert in the country, and leaders of the Christian communities have already aired out their concerns to the minister of home affairs and law.
During a meeting with Minister K Shanmugam, eight Christian pastors from different Protestant groups in Singapore have expressed their concern over Madonna's upcoming Rebel Heart concert. They are worried that the pop singer might use lyrics or props that would offend the Christian communities in the country, Yahoo! News reports.
The Protestant leaders are not the only ones upset by Madonna's concert as the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore had also expressed their stand on the issue. Archbishop William Goh had also relayed the church's concerns to government officials, according to Sky News.
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"It is our moral obligation not to support those who denigrate and insult religions, including anti-Christian and immoral values promoted by the secular world," the archdiocese said on its website. "There is no neutrality in faith; one is either for or against. Being present (at these events) in itself is a counter witness."
The statement pertained to Madonna's use of Christian and Catholic symbols in some of her performances.
The Media Development Authority has rated Madonna's Rebel Heart concert R18. This means individuals 18 years old and above are the only ones allowed to attend the concert, the report explains.
In a statement, the regulating body mentioned the song titled "Holy Water," which is included in Madonna's recent album. The regulator said the song and other "religiously sensitive content" going against their issued guidelines should not be performed during her concert in Singapore. The banned segment features women scantily clad "nuns" dancing around poles shaped like crosses, the report relays.
Madonna is scheduled to perform in Singapore on Sunday, Feb. 28 at the National Stadium as part of her Rebel Heart tour. This will be the first time that the singer will perform in the country since she was banned in 1993 over what authorities deemed as acts objectionable to their moral and religious practices.
