One Swift Doesn’t Make A Summer
March 8th, 2024 | 
Author: 
I was struck by the hubris and naïveté of certain academics from a local university who declared recently that because of the Taylor Swift concerts,Singapore was becoming a vastly more interesting place. Singapore of course had ranked as one of the least interesting countries in the Time Out Index of 2018.I was struck by the hubris and naïveté of certain academics from a local university who declared recently that because of the Taylor Swift concerts,Singapore was becoming a vastly more interesting place. Singapore of course had ranked as one of the least interesting countries in the Time Out Index of 2018.
Let’s examine this exaggerated statement critically. In the land of POFMA, draconian defamation laws and ridiculous laws governing contempt of court, can Singapore really be in the same league as London, Amsterdam and Berlin when it comes to being an exciting city?
For an exciting city to come into being, a great level of freedom must exist in order for people to experiment and discover themselves. Have people ever thought of Pyongyang or Beijing to be in the same league as London, New York or Amsterdam when it comes to exciting cities?
So let’s not delude ourselves into thinking that Singapore has suddenly gained promotion to the premier league of exciting cities because Taylor Swift is performing 6 concerts here and none in other South-East Asian countries.
For a city to be exciting also implies that people from other countries want to come here very much.I would suggest that the exclusive deal struck between the Singapore agencies and Taylor Swift’s management team has in fact damaged Singapore’s standing in the eyes of the International community.
Philippines has the most number of Swifties in ASEAN and maybe Asia. But how many could afford to travel to Singapore to attend the concerts? And they have no opportunity to see their idol in their own country because of the exclusive deal. One can only imagine that there are many aggrieved Taylor Swift fans all over South-East Asia.
Benjamin Disraeli, the great British Prime Minister of the Victorian era,saidthat prestige was the everyday currency of International relations. A country may be wealthy but money doesn’t buy Her prestige. Prestige is how a country is perceived by other nations of Her worth or value,and the respect She is due.
Instead of enhancing Singapore’s prestige, the incident regarding the TS concerts in my view has severely damaged our country’s reputation in the International arena. The citizens of other ASEAN nations are likely to look askance at what has happened. It is not helped by the fact that a former top diplomat took the occasion to make the most condescending remarks possible about others. God help Singapore if we have diplomats like him.
Arising from this incident, I also make the bold prediction that Taylor Swift will not return to Singapore for many years to perform. She will not want to hurt her fan base in other Asian countries, which is the unfortunate consequence of the deal which her management team struck with the Singapore agencies. She is a consummate professional and she will continue to say the nice things and the right things about Singapore in the remaining 3 concerts,but she must be ruing her decision to perform exclusively in Singapore on this tour,which has led to the controversy.
Lim Tean
Posted in 
“Instead of enhancing Singapore’s prestige, the incident regarding the TS concerts in my view has severely damaged our country’s reputation in the International arena. ”
Well said. Well said.
Those ke kiang atas overly paid snobs are doing damage to Singaporeans.
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SWIFTly come,$$$wiftly go…
Guess MB$ might have played a part one way or another.
And,yes,one SWIFT does not make a summer.
Still,so many young sgs love “chasing that LIMBO”?
Afterall,SINGAPORE WAS NOT BUILT IN 6 DAYS?
Many older nation-builders have been “$wiftly” forgotten…
Where have all the good 1G gone?
Long time passing…
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Lady Swift is not a complex person with any meaningful “message” to women. She is, quite simply, a trashy copy of the more original, but still trashy, Madonna.
The music is an electronic magic trick. It’s all flash and trash. I’m sure it’s fun for her to be getting all this attention – it certainly bolsters the illusion that this overblown hullabaloo neither any distinction between self-expression or self-empowerment and self objectification. If you’re wondering how much long term impact Swift’s “philosophy” in her music is going to have, ask your daughter to name the four Beatles. All we need is love, right? The details are different, but in essence this is pretty much the same as countless previous pop idols proffering an irrelevant ideology for kids who don’t want to find themselves contemplating the philosophical bedrock of adulthood, i.e. kids who don’t want to grow up. A fundamental societal mentality shift is needed to educate girls and help them find their self-esteem as early as possible.
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The PAP is not voted out as swiftly as they should be…most swifties are shities too
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I also got a Taylor make my clothing very Swift.
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“I also make the bold prediction that Taylor Swift will not return to Singapore for many years to perform.”
I’m not sure about this one. Why did she agree to solely perform only in Singapore in the first place? Obviously she knows she has loads of fans in Asia so naturally a couple of concerts in a few Asian countries was the most likely scenario before the exclusivity was revealed. Remember, no Taylor singing means no concert at all.
If she felt that this was unfair wouldn’t she have said something given her superstar status?
If she is to visit Asia again in the next few years to make up for the lack of concerts then it will be interesting to see which other countries her concerts will be held in. And we will all see if Singapore will once again try for another exclusive deal or not.
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There are places on earth where there are no swifts during summer time.
With or without swifts, summer is still summer.
Therefore, Singapore is successfully not because of the presence of Mr L.
Without Mr L, Singapore will still be very successful.
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Who is Taylor Swift?
Never heard of her until she is here……..
We should be asking when is Iswaran coming back, his leave extended by 16 days because of “sickness”……?
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rice;
ha ha, I like the “Singapore was not built in six days” !!
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Ask Belinda Carlisle to make Spore Heaven on earth.
Best subsidize my ticket 100 %
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Singapore’s payment to secure Taylor Swift concerts illustrates that her Investors made the right decisions to invest in Taylor Swift.
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@smart nation
Appreciate your candid response.
Cheerio bro!
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When are the dividends being paid to us? We financed this transaction but our directors (Ministers) refuse to tell us,the shareholders the costs and revenue.So where is the additional revenue TS generated?
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@ Never heard of her until she is here……..
ah yes. So why the noise ?
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Those waiting for his “swift” return must first wish him a “swift” recovery! Is flying that strenuous at all, especially if one can afford to fly First Class and have a private nurse or doctor to accompany the patient. Further the plane is equipped with heart fibrillator, wheel-chair
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We better have economy that sustains rather than SWIFTly come & go!
Today headline: As Swiftonomics sweeps through Singapore, small businesses say concerts a boon and a bane for them
This Swift thingy is CONTROVERSIAL!
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Just musing.
Soon,expensive singers like TS could be “REPLACED” by AI(BOTS) that can pitch sweeter and higher than Ms Swift.
They can even “jump” and “Shake it off” with more energy?!
Ministers talk about AI taking over human tadks(jobs).
True,it can and will happen soon.
Even “TFR” could be mitigated with “AI(Bots”) making babies in small space,WHY NOT?
And,so many other things AI COULD PERFORM even better. We could INVENT AIs that could take over the JOB$ OF OUR WORLD’S MOST EXPENSIVE MINISTERS,can’t we?
AI-ministers will be more able to have UNBIASED INPUTS TO MAKE THE “BEST” DECISIONS and THERE WILL BE NO NEED TO “POFMA” anyone for their CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISMS anymore!
Minister Joe Teo said JOBS WILL GO TO THOSE WHO ARE “AI-EFFICIENT” and the “AI-DEFICIENT” workers will lose their jobs!
Oh,so profound it seems at first.
But not so,AI will reduce the number of jobs available for even “high-tech” savvy workers.
AI COULD EVEN BE MADE USE OF BY SCAMMERS AND OTHER TYPES OF CRIMINALS.
AI WILL AUGUR ADVANCEMENT BOTH FOR GOOD PEOPLE AS WELL AS THE BAD OR UGLY.
Come a time when AI COULD BE ABUSED TO PROMOTE EVILS at the graver expense of good ordinary humans.
As always,the RICH AND POWERFUL will take advantage of more ordinary humans and AI will most likely give the Rich And Powerful even more LEEWAY?
AI looks exciting but humans need to be aware of pitfalls.
Don’t get too excited though.
Will it be a truly “better” future and for whom?
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Wish him a “swift” recovery so that he can make a “swift” return! LOL! Otherwise, his leave will be further extended per doctor’s recommendation!
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It was estimated that 70% of Taylor Swift’s audience were foreigners, only 30% were local! So hotels, taxi, airlines, F&B were benefitted! Local swifties were mainly teenagers and young adults, contributed nothing or very little in tax.
What about the rest of Singaporeans? Don’t forget money from taxpayers was used!
Yes, GDP increased, but that only benefitted ministers with pay increase! Free tickets were given to Ministers, I presumed! What about the rest?
Is this another F1-Iswaran phenomenon? Maybe Iswaran could take this as a mitigation to get out of jail?
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Dumb blonde got snooked into offending her fans in Asean states. Not much talent needed to outsmart a dumb blonde.
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Not only kids don’t want to grow up and take responsibility.
Even idiotic old man also don’t want to grow up and take responsibility.
These old man wanted to screw around and not take responsibility for their action and consequences.
These idiotic old man want to pass the responsibility to the state and tax payer.
https://www.tremeritus.net/2024/02/25/the-definition-of-insanity/
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@ Free tickets were given to Ministers, I presumed! What about the rest?
你高级黑低级白是吗!
Cmon! Mr Iswaran case still on going,
who dare to take ?
You think China is it ?
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If you think Taylor Swift is comparable to the Beatles you really don’t know music at all. Taylor Swift is not even comparable to the man she was named after, James Taylor. Nevertheless why begrudge her the success she has ? It takes hard work and doesn’t happen by accident. I am no fan of hers. But her influence is far better than that of many cynical, foul mouthed and nihilistic entertainers out there.
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仁者见仁，智者见智
Anti-China see China Down. Even when China Up, Anti-China also see China Down. Example: 5% grown means collapse akan datang.
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@ Debarge
Sound Sensible statement.
It was said TS grandfather in the past worked in Sg. Her mother spend her early childhood days ( maybe teens as well ? ) in Sg. Perhaps 念旧情 and therefore chose and accept Sg deal ?
https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3254343/what-taylor-swifts-connection-singapore-revelations-her-sold-out-eras-tour-her-mum-andrea-growing
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Just in time and in synch with latest news of BYD 王传福.
https://www.chinapress.com.my/20240310/%E6%AF%94%E4%BA%9A%E8%BF%AA%E5%88%9B%E5%8A%9E%E4%BA%BA-%E7%8E%8B%E4%BC%A0%E7%A6%8F%E8%A2%AB%E7%88%86%E5%87%BA%E8%BD%A8/
Mr Wang ( 人大代表 人大常委 ) 有美国籍.
Some more 私生子 used ang mo name. William and Alice.
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Even if true, no big deal. Only an MP level position. Our local news is more exciting. UK Parliament also very sexciting. Not forgeting POTUS. Even more colorful.
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@NotMyProblem
Agree.
The G ,for some strange reason/s,has the habit of $subsidising “aliens” and rich singa-HowLians.
Take the Covid $100B,high-salaried FTs got much higher grants than the $600 many SingaAPOOReans received.
And,F1.
After so many rounds,how much subsidies given?
Then come n tell us,GST IS FAIRER and everyone pays the same tax.
Why $600 receipient-sgs need to pay same tax?
Why not CUT WAGES OR USE HIGHER INCOME TAX?
FAIR?
WHAT IS FAIR IS UP TO THEM TO DEFINE?
WP SLEEPING ON THE JOB.
PAP MPs all yes-men.
People like PSP N SDP unbalanced only get POFMA .
LIkw TS’s dancer said,” Siao ah”?
Walau eh!
Sibeh jialak!
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American paid agent attacking China in every opportunity.
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No tickets needed.
VIPs go straight to VIP centre. VIPs are there to grace the occasion. Where got need ticket one? If King Charles goes there, you think he needs a ticket?
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No big deal ?
Yes. Depends on Xi. Prior case – Qin Gang.
Every opportunity ?
Not true lah. So many incidents i never said a single word. Like China 贵州 fire, 青海 dam broke and big flood, current meeting alot of unexpected incidents, bowling ball incident ( prc drive car and ram into walking pedestrians ).
Then theres the 农夫山泉 and wahaha incident, really cannot understand all this wumao fen hong.
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I don’t know much about music. But I know you need to put in hard work if you ever wish to succeed in life. 台上一分钟，台下十年功。
Success is the accumulation of small things done well
What you said below is so so true.
Opposition are largely made up of lazy and unmotivated people who wants Everything FREE.
They don’t want to take responsibility and always blame others.
They are jealous/ of people who are hard driving, hard striving and motivated.
They are narcissists, jealous and begrudging people who work hard and succeed.
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Taylor no doubt is a talent in her own right, but given the packaging and promotion, any one pick off the street could have been her.
She can be easily replaced because everything that she is currently doing, any one can do, unless she can fly.
Compared to Micheal Jackson or Vanessa Mae who has a certain special skill set that makes them unique and one and only, Taylor owed her success to packaging, although I won’t dismiss her own efforts in singing, her vocals is very normal, nothing spectacular like Mariah Carey or Morisette or even Dimash, at best she is what we would term a idol-grade celebrity (that gets forgotten over time). So the big hoo har is really not warranted.
As I have said before, give me the 1/2 thee amount of funding that Tayloe has, I can pick a street singing and make another Taylor out of her.
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Obviously, you don’t work hard. You spend your time secretly recording garden romance and sharing with your kind.
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You are quite pitiful. All the little things that the western media blow up, you swallow them all. Once you get the chance, you throw up all over here.
You should look up similar events in the west. For example, the Hawaii fire, or California fires.
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没出息，只对“I”和“O”搞出来风吹草动感兴趣！
为什么不去探讨王先生成功的前因后果？
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After the Keppel bribery scandal, the elites strongly believe that anyone could be bought, including celebrities.
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The passing of Akira,
Shows this talent man is far
Better then present leaders.
Cannot compare.
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Ask your idiotic supporters don’t come and ka cheow people.
People eating in restaurant, some old fool barge in and talk loudly.
Two bastards purposely block the way and swing their elbows at those behand. Hope their elbows get fractured to bits.
Stupid cunts with foreign accent must stand behind people and talk loudly with their weird language.
Ask them don’t become cannon fodder.
They will get their due retribution that they jolly well deserve..
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I know you anti PAP are all old chi ko pek…fcuk around and then want taxpayer to bail you out.
Fcuk you ok…you take responsibility for your own action/behaviour.
Freedom come with Responsibility
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Why you no guts to remind them gently to behave themselves else MOM cancelled their work permit ?
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Dont fret. Still another Bruno mars concert coming in April.
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Because they ran off quickly. Bo chi Bo lumpa.
Good for ass sniffing only.
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Simi si hoo staf?
Taylor can sing 3 hours plus whereas Mariah sounds like out of breath and can’t sing live like she sang on CD.
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@Sporeans Keep Govt Employed
There are marathon runners that can run for days, so that makes them a good runner at best, not a winner. If she can sing for 3 hours, that means she has good stamina, nothing to do with her vocals, which is what I was commenting (ONLY) on being so normal. Her vocal range is nothing impressive nor is her vocal quality.
As I said, I am not dismissing that she has put in much effort to be what she is today (thanks to packaging also). Besides I watched her concert and noticed that most of her songs are not challenging at all, they are relatable (storytelling) and very easy to sing with a normal vocal.
Let me give you an example: If we were to pick 10 street singers randomly, I would say that ALL of these singers could probably sing her songs without any real challenge.
However, if we ask these singers to try songs from Mariah, Whitney, Bonnie or maybe even Morisette, I doubt less than half of them would be able to do it.
So let me repeat, anyone picked off the street, dress in lingerie and nightie could be another Swift, but NOT anyone picked off the street could be Mariah, Whitney, Bonnie or maybe even Morisette, because the latter’s vocal quality and range are unique.
Go search for Loren Allred, a little-known singer and song writer, unlike Swift, she chooses to remain behind the scene despite being offered “a big deal”. Listen to her “Never Enough” and her own composed songs.
Who do you think writes and sings better?
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Depend on individual perspectives. Also many factors.
Taylor do wrote her songs. I would say talent for write and compose more respected and commended. Thats creativity. Paul Simon versus Garfunkel good example.
张学友 歌神 can sing right. Cannot write own songs and compose. Compare to 张惠妹 both sang 海哭的声音, 张学友比较输. Then again song was written for 张惠妹 or for female.
那英 can sing right ? But song 征服 seem that 柯受良 sing better.
刘德华 can sing or not ? Can sing but nobody will say he sing good. Can he dance ? Definitely 烂 right. But concerts still sell.
Many China folks can sing better than e.g. 汪峰 or whoever on the stage but 汪峰 can write and compose. However China singing style too lean towards 京剧 or 舞台剧 style.
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@PAP mandate strong
You are certainly not wrong. Who the fans like and what genre the songs the fans like are individual preferences, no right or wrong answer to that.
HOWEVER, there are clear standards for vocal quality and range, so it is not individual preference and not up for debate.
Swifties may like Swift for a variety of reasons, from her being gay, bi or nice, sexy, etc etc etc. But they CANNOT claim that she has a very good vocal, BECAUSE going by acceptable standards, her vocal quality and range are very very very very normal.
Her vocal is so normal that when I approached 2 vocal coach on Youtube asking if they would react to ANY of swift’s songs, both declined and remarked that there is nothing to react to as the songs are very normal and not challenging enough to test a singer’s true vocal ability.
BTW, call me mean but with the amount of finance and packaging for Swift, if she had sang “twinkle twinkle little star” in another genre, she would still be as famous. Of course this is only my opinion.
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Sorry to ruffle your feathers a bit , I know you are a Mariah fan.
My point on Mariah and you said the words I’ll use to describe her live – NO STAMINA.
There are great singers who sound so good on CD but their live performance is saggy. Because if you ask me whether Mariah can sing all her 19 #1 hits live in concert the way she sang on CD, I’ll say no. Because it is very demanding and taxing on the vocal chords.
That’s why Mariah always does that wavery / quivery thing with her vocals.
But Celine Dion can. And reach all the high notes like she did on CD.
I’ve also seen some singers whom I am not so impressed by their singing on CDs but they are very good live. Like JLO.
Some singers are very wooden and lifeless when they sing live and some very dynamic on stage.
Janet Jackson, dance and sing at the same time, she’s always trying to catch her breath. Britney Spears would rather lip sync and just focus on dancing. Kylie Minogue can dance but she focus more on singing in her shows.
There are also some other great singers like Olivia Newton John, Donna Summer, Sheena Easton, Melissa Manchester, Laura Branigan. Not forgetting the Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin.
Tech: Very good analysis indeed and I would not disagree. For the record, I like the songs, not the singers regardless of who. Before C19, I frequent KTV often with city officials and friends. There are some that can sing as good, if not better than the original singers, nothing surprising for China is a HUGE country. Again, vocals aside, it all boils down to individual preference, but I would rather go for the song than the singers, even if she is clad in lingerie. lol
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Why you and TRE Tech never praise City Harvest Church Pastor Sun for her China Wine and her CDs that sold millions ? (bought by her sheeple congregation)
Tech: Sun Ho is not a singer, she is a cult leader, so there is no comparison. Prosperity churches exist for the purpose of making money, they could be selling used panties or tampons and the followers would be snapping them up also, believing that it is made in heaven and blessed for those who smell them daily.
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Did Sun Ho sell millions of CDs? Please let us know.
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Good. Question this person on every “fact” that he throws out.
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Religion ? It is all about money!!!
From Pastor Kong, Pastor Sun, Venerable Mingyi, NKF, U$A Demoncracy, CCP to Red Indians they are all the same.
It is all about money!!!
Red Indians
https://shorturl.asia/2GlsO
Toaists
https://shorturl.asia/mFUAr
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Sun Ho don’t know how many albums she sold
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/courts-crime/city-harvest-trial-sun-ho-didnt-know-number-of-mandarin-albums-sold
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Not all churches will force you to empty your pockets. A lot of donations are voluntary.
But Churches have this culture of knowing just everything about their members. Like Protestant ones, there are cell groups. They will ask you any issues and then pray for you. Eg if the person is going for operation.
Like women get pregnant out of wedlock, the whole church will know. Or adultery.
The Catholic version is the confession.
A bit too Paul Pry and invasive.
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Yes, religious places are invasive, religious people are hypocrite just like Anglo Saxon who love poking their nose into others.
I brought my mother back to her China village and the whole fcuking temple she frequent knows about it.
So many chee bye mouth in temple.
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Yes, question, check, verify. Trust but Verify.
I have a question for you, please answer. Don’t run away.
Please tell us if you are with our Son of Singapore CEO Chew or against our Son of Singapore CEO Chew (U$ voted to ban tiktok)
https://shorturl.asia/iGIkE
Either you are with us or against us. Choose 1 or 2 from below choice.
Answer:
1. We Opposition are with our Son of Singapore CEO Chew.
2. We Opposition are against our Son of Singapore CEO Chew.
We are with the Americunt who voted to ban TikTok as The First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States is a lies.
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Why don’t you ask every MP?
All so quiet. Follow loh.
Why don’t you ask yourself? Did you do anything to help?
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You expose yourself as a foreign agent. You try to gather political support for a China company.
CONFESS!
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