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Echoing the senator's concerns is Melbourne-based Christian ethics lobby group Salt Shakers, whose principals Peter and Jenny Stokes attended the March 2002 seminar.

Mrs Stokes, Salt Shakers research director, told Christianity Today she was concerned by the ruling. "The decision raises an enormous question about the quoting of religious texts in analyzing other religions.

"Many Christians from right across the denominational spectrum have expressed concern about the decision and see it as an unwarranted restriction on valid religious debate in Australia," she added.

"This case has already, during the last two years, been a means of waking up Christians, making them aware of what is happening around them. Since the handing down of the decision, many Christians have expressed their concern and offered their support to the two pastors."

Writing in November 2003, secular columnist for the Melbourne Herald Sun Andrew Bolt said the case demonstrated how the Equal Opportunity Commission could "cause more religious strife than it solves. And helps kill free speech in doing it."

Copyright © 2004 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

Weblog commented on the case after the decision.

The entire decision is available online.

News elsewhere on the conviction include:

Two Pastors Found Guilty of Slandering Islam in Australia | An Australian legal tribunal has found two Christian pastors guilty of vilifying Islam. The pastors say they are the victims of an unjust law that muzzles free speech. (Christian Broadcasting Network, Dec. 20, 2004)

Historic win in religious hatred case | Catch the Fire Ministries Pastor and speaker vilified Muslims, says judge, in first majore test of Racial and Religious Tolerance Act (The Age, via Asia Pacific Media Network, Dec 17, 2004)

Church found to have vilified Muslims | An evangelical Christian ministry accused of inciting hatred of Muslims and their beliefs may be ordered to pay damages for breaching Victoria's racial and religious tolerance laws. (Ninemsn, Australia, Dec 17, 2004)

Pastor ridiculed Muslims | An evangelical Christian ministry that made fun of Islamic beliefs has been found to have vilified Muslims in a landmark test of Victoria's three-year-old racial and religious tolerance laws. (Sydney Morning Herald, Australia, Dec 17, 2004)

Australian ministry vilified Muslims, court rules | An Australian court ruled today that a fundamentalist Christian ministry had vilified Muslims in a test case that could have repercussions for a proposed British law on incitement to religious hatred. (The Guardian, London, Dec 17, 2004)

More Christianity Today articles from the country are available on our Australia page.

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December (Web-only) 2004, Vol. 48