Eye in persecution: Caution urged on U.N. resolution

"There's a difference between freedom of religion and defamation of religion," he relates. "It sounds kind of nice, [it] sounds like religious tolerance and equality -- but in actuality...this resolution...puts a rubber stamp, if you will, on countries that persecute religious minorities, particularly Islamic countries."

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | US Desk
Source/Credit: OneNewsNow
By Chris Woodward | November 19, 2010

In 2009, the United Nations General Assembly voted to adopt a resolution on the defamation of religion. While that may sound like a good thing, Patrick Beard of Indigenous Outreach International (IOI) believes otherwise.

"There's a difference between freedom of religion and defamation of religion," he relates. "It sounds kind of nice, [it] sounds like religious tolerance and equality -- but in actuality...this resolution...puts a rubber stamp, if you will, on countries that persecute religious minorities, particularly Islamic countries."


Beard, executive director of IOI, says the U.N. resolution is non-binding, but points out the fact that it was sponsored by an Islamic conference is cause for concern -- not to mention that it drew support from Pakistan and Saudia Arabia, which are among the biggest violators of human rights. Venezuela also backed the resolution.

The ministry has now created the website RighttoBelieve.org, which invites people to sign a petition that objects to the resolution, and offers signers an opportunity to promise to pray for the U.N. General Assembly.

Islamic crescent symbol small"Basically, why it matters to us as Americans -- and why it really matters to me as a missionary -- is that countries with an Islamic majority [are] passing blasphemy laws," Beard explains.

And while the U.N. resolution is not a binding resolution, Beard believes if it ever did became a binding resolution, it could become part of international treaty. "We've heard the news over the last few years like the teacher in Sudan who named a teddy bear 'Muhammed' and [then] was jailed and beaten for it," he shares. "That would be one of the laws that would be upheld by this resolution on the defamation of religion."

Beard offers America's military ally Pakistan as another example where blasphemy laws have been implemented. "Only two percent [or less] of Pakistan is Christian...[and yet] of the 900 prosecutions for blasphemy, over half were Christians," he laments.

Beard made his comments recently on American Family Radio's "Today's Issues" program.




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