In response to Ng's letter and the few others along the same lines, which insist on marriages being possible without the need for conversion of one party, I beg to differ.

I have friends from mixed families here and in the US where I have lived for a good 20 years of my life. Most children from these families do not follow any religion, contrary to what parents say about allowing the children to choose their faith simply because their parents do not follow the teachings of their respective faiths.

As a result, we have a lot of free thinkers who generally are very prone to free sex and unwanted pregnancies, alcohol and drug abuse and a host of many other problems. I am not saying that this does not happen here but it happens because people do not apply religious teachings to their life.

Contrary to what a certain writer mentioned previously, Americans are extremely proud of their origins. And while Malaysians want to drop their ethnicity in their race, Americans insist on identifying with it.

I have worked with various charities and most problems arise because of the lack of understanding and application of religion in people's lives. Almost on top of every problem is the liberisation of religion by people's own interpretation of it.

Do not misinterpret what I am saying. All religions teach good things but there is a need for families to teach religion to their children and if there is no one religion in a family, then how you can educate children of the rights and wrongs of this world?

Can you teach a child of four years as far as his Muslim father is concerned, he is loved by Allah and that they believe that there will be a judgement day one day for all actions but as far as his mother is concerned, under the Hindu faith, he will be reincarnated until he reaches purity? Should a child be subjected to these different teachings?

Or perhaps bring up the child with no religion until he is old enough to choose or a mixture of teachings without properly understanding a particular religion? Do you honestly think this will work for the betterment of society? Sorry, I don't think so. I believe parents must decide on the religion they want bring up the family in.

I wonder really who the selfish people here are? To me, it is the ones who refuse to convert. They would rather confuse their young children with different teachings rather than take a stand on whether they love religion or their lover more. If it is the lover, than forget about religion. Don't try to interpret religion to suit your own needs.

As to the writer who expressed doubts as to whether I believe that the father's race takes precedence, I will set the record right here - yes, I do believe it. If the father is Chinese, then that child is Chinese irrespective of whether the mother is Malay. He will be a Chinese Muslim. If that father decides to give up his race to fit into the bumiputera category, then that is that individual's choice.

How can a Muslim be a Muslim and talk about allowing his children to follow another faith? Similarly how can a Christian talk about being a Christian and allow his child to follow another faith? If you love your religion, you will want your loved ones to follow that religion, not simply use it any way you like.

I am a Muslim and naturally I want a Muslim husband and Muslim children. My Christian friends are the same. Because to us, we believe that narrow is the path that leads to salvation. Wide paths lead to destruction.

As for Cheryl's comments on homosexuality , sorry, your arguments do not stand in any religion. Our human body is evidence of how the Almighty created us - man and woman. That is why human bodies fit into each other in that manner; merely seeking sexual pleasure in other ways has nothing to do with religion, it is man's gratification. If you believe in homosexuality being good for the society, so be it. Do not bring it into religion because religious books are all against the practice.

We do not hate sinners, we hate sin. There is a difference. Religion teaches love to all human beings, not the Hollywood or Bollywood types. But real love which requires sacrifices. It does appear that people these days want to have the cake and eat it as well! They want religion but at the same time are not prepared to follow it properly.