Christians in Australia are having a hard time even discussing Islam. In 2002 the Racial and Religious Tolerance Act was passed making it illegal to say anything which “incites hatred against, serious contempt for, or revulsion or severe ridicule of” people because of their religious beliefs . Now I do understand the need to present the Gospel in a loving way and not lob ad hominem attacks at other religions. I can also see how this sort of legislation would really put a damper on evangelism. And I can’t help wondering if the same standard applies to Muslims villifying other religious groups.
I can’t personally vouch for the Pastors who are appealing the court decision finding them guilty of a violation, but on the surface it seems ridiculous.
This article from last year has a little more background.
Although many controversial ideas were put forward in the seminar (Scot contended that the Koran makes offensive jihad obligatory and that Islam places women in an inferior position), the presenters made clear that they weren’t attacking Muslims as people. A transcript reveals that Scot admonished the audience to remember that “we are not here learning how to fight with Muslims, we are learning here how we can love Muslims and help them to see the truth.” Despite this, the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal determined in December 2004 that Scot and Nalliah had violated the act. Their case is currently under appeal.
More here as well.
Among numerous complaints about the law - both at its drafting and since - critics said a listener could be offended whether or not the person giving the offense intended to do so. Yet claiming that one did not intend to insult or vilify was not a defense under the legislation. “By its very nature, a religious truth claim will always seem offensive to one who does not accept it,” Bill Muehlenberg of the AFA wrote in a recent article on the subject. “No matter how hard I may try not to offend, an atheist will take offence at my claims that he is wrong and that God exists,” he said. “A Muslim will take offence when I claim that Christ died on the cross and rose again.”
And it looks like the Brits have learned something from the Australian example.
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