We are preparing to vote in our society elections, and the mudslinging and slugfest have descended to levels that many of us have come to associate with elections at much larger political levels. Among the issues dominating the campaign is the proposal to construct a religious structure within the complex, a subject that has generated debate over the limited common space.

The argument advanced by some contestants is that such a structure would create an enabling environment for senior citizens and help inculcate values in the younger generation. It is an attractive proposition because it appeals simultaneously to tradition, culture and community identity. Yet a few conversations over the past few days made me wonder whether we sometimes confuse symbols with substance.

We are, in fact, a household of three senior citizens - my father, my wife and I. My wife observed that many of those advocating such facilities in the name........

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