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New Zealand government body wants Christian videos on homosexuality banned
In January, Weblog noted a few occurrences in which some critics and agencies sought to censor several films made by Christians. Now comes a more egregious example. A committee of the New Zealand parliament, wants to ban Christian films because they're critical of homosexuality.

The committee was critical of a 2000 decision by the Court of Appeal of New Zealand that allowed the distribution of two 1989 videos from the American company Jeremiah Films, calling them "hate speech" in violation of the country's Human Rights Act. Since the court supported the films, the parliamentary committee wants the law changed so that Christian films critical of homosexual practice can be forbidden.

The films don't appear to be the kind that will win many awards (or, for that matter, converts). Still, as Stephen Franks of the libertarian group ACT New Zealand tells The Dominion Post, "A vibrant free society needs robust debate on every issue. Censorship is justified when it is about putting age ratings on films or stopping child pornography but not when it tries to close down debate on issues that people feel strongly about."

War with Iraq:

• Pope has zeal, but no answer on Iraq question | He calls for "noble diplomacy" and "honest dialogue," but does not say what should happen if diplomacy and dialogue fail, as they have so often over the 12 years of international confrontation with the Iraqi regime (Marcus Gee, The Globe & Mail, Toronto)
  
  
• The pope and the president | One person, George W. Bush, will decide whether there will be war. (Editorial, Des Moines Register)
  
  
• Peace activist implores Pope to be `ultimate human shield' | `Only person' who can stop Iraq war. Helen Caldicott sets up the campaign (The Toronto Star)
  
  
• Bush and his God are scary in Europe | "The God thing" replaces "the Israel thing" as the latest European attempt to figure out why the Americans are so eager to go to war in Iraq (Richard Reeves)
  
  
• Bush, the Bible, and Iraq | What scares so many people outside the U.S. is the President's religious, apocalyptic rhetoric. Is he really ready for Armageddon? Not likely (Stan Crock, Business Week)
  
  
• Baptist leader says Iraq war would be 'self-defense' | The president of the Southern Baptist Convention supported President Bush's call for war with Iraq on Thursday, saying it would be "self-defense and protective and preventive of future problems." (Ft. Worth Star-Telegram)
  
  
• Dangerous waters | Will the U.S. nurture an Islamist Iraq? (Paul Marshall, National Review Online)
  
  
• Bush must ask himself if war is righteous | This is an anti-war column. (Cathleen Falsani, Chicago Sun-Times)
  
  
• Finally, a rapid response | Why didn't sex-abuse scandals stir Vatican action the way war has? (Rod Dreher, The Wall Street Journal)
  
  
• In the Name of God | Bush's rhetoric suggests that he feels God has chosen him to lead the U.S. against "Evil." (Jack Beatty, The Atlantic Unbound)
  
  
• Churches forsaking traditional neutrality | It's a radical departure from the neutrality espoused by churches in previous wars - including Vietnam (Diane Carman, Denver Post)

Church life:

• Deep cuts loom in spending by church | Scandal, economy cited in fund-raising shortfall (The Boston Globe)
  
  
• Confidence trick | Rowan Williams gives the church hope (Editorial, The Guardian, London)
  
  
• Lee County attorney argues against clergy toll tax exemption | Commissioners discussed the exemption in January when county transportation officials told them the exemptions are causing problems at toll plazas. (Bonita [Fla.] Daily News)
  
  

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March (Web-only) 2003, Vol. 47