Related articles and links |  1 of 16

1. Malaysia bans all religious discussions
The Malaysian government is concerned that debate over its Constitution's freedom of religion clause is getting too heated. So it has banned any public speech about religion. "Public discussions such as these have the potential to create resentment among the public," Datuk Seri Mohd Nazri Aziz, who holds the title Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, explained to the Malaysian media Monday. "They have widened the gap between the different faiths and because of that, the government has decided to ban all public discussions, forums, and conferences on the matter before it gets out of hand."

It's not so bad, Nazri claimed. "Those who wish to discuss such matters are free to meet the Prime Minister," he said. "We are not concerned with private discussions at home; what we worry about are inter-faith roadshows, public forums, and conferences. … The government has given Malaysians the freedom to discuss any current issue, even the freedom to criticize us in a constructive manner. We, however, cannot extend this freedom to religion because it can incite disharmony in our multi-religious society."

Malaysia's Prime Minister, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, made it clear that the action was taken as much to protect Islam's status in the country as it was to protect the peace.

"I have always said do not raise this matter [of religion]," he said. "But it emerges here, there, back and forth. If we take the attitude [not to raise religious matters], then only the religion [of Islam] has the status quo. But if it is continuously being raised, what will happen then? A conflict."

Abdullah then criticized four state governments for not outlawing the spread of religions other than Islam. "Why are they still not doing it? To those states that have not [implemented such laws], they should consider. Take whatever actions needed," he said.

Malaysia, frequently praised as one of the world's most religiously tolerant officially Muslim nations, hosted the World Evangelical Fellowship (now the World Evangelical Alliance) meeting in 2001.

2. Pastor killed, five injured at Indian Baptist church shooting
Locals say security forces attacked the Evangelical Baptist Convention Church in Churachandpur, Manipur, during Sunday night services. The Indian Army, however, says Pastor S. Ngaite was killed in the crossfire in a shootout between the military and "an armed cadre of an underground group." Condemnation of the shooting has been widespread.

3. California GOP hires, fires Traditional Values Coalition lobbyist
Facing criticism from religious conservatives that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is too liberal, the California Republican Party hired Ben Lopez, a lobbyist from Lou Sheldon's Traditional Values Coalition. That angered gay and lesbian groups. The party says Lopez's "work is now completed," and he's no longer working for the party. That apparently came as news to Lopez, the San Francisco Chronicle says. Conservative California Republican Mike Spence criticized the move, saying "they fired the only person who could do church outreach."

Really? I mean, in all of California, the only person who can do church outreach for the state Republican party is a guy from the Traditional Values Coalition—a group that religious conservative groups have repeatedly criticized, and that Sheldon himself has said is weak on reaching voters?

Speaking of criticism from religious conservatives, it seems that there are at least some in California who see Lopez's work on behalf of a governor who differs with the TVC on gay rights, abortion, and other issues as TVC "betraying Christians."

next page... |  1 of 16

share this page

August (Web-only) 2006, Vol. 50