Clinton Denounces Proposed 'Defamation of Religions' Policies

One would suspect this announcement by Hilary Clinton - would come as a disappointment to many Muslim leaders - who might have imagined they had Obama and so America in the palm of their hands.

Sounds far fetched - lets have a look at what they want - Muslim nations [OIC] are attempting to bring the world under Islamic Sharia law - via the UN. If their pet proposal the "Defamation of religions" which translates into the 'Defamation of the religion of Islam' - were to become binding - would mean that Muslims would have complete control over what is said about the religion of Islam.

All we have to do is to look to Muslim nations to see examples of this - journalists, non-Muslim adherents and apostates from Islam - are already suffering under laws meant to protect Islam from defamation. Most are imprisoned, tortured and could face death. We saw how the Pakistan Christians were burned to death - on trumped up blasphemy charges - what many didn't hear about are the stories that go unnoticed - like the Christian couple imprisoned for 'touching' the Koran - as non-Muslims they are deemed unclean and the act of touching the Koran meant that they defiled it - a charge of blasphemy was leveled against them but later dropped - though they were charged with a lesser offense [I think of defiling the Koran]. All because they helped a Muslim neighbor - in need - store his belongings - and inadvertently touched is Koran in the process. The couple were threatened in court by the prosecution lawyers, who told them that they would be killed - no matter the outcome.

As yet there have been no arrests for the Christians massacres in Pakistan - instead local police blamed Christian leaders for the atrocity. In Egypt recently a Coptic man was arrested for retrieving his abducted daughter from her kidnapper. Because she was married and so forcibly converted to Islam - the [kidnapped] now has more rights than the father - [he] put in a complaint with the police - a few people were tortured and the young woman was returned (under Sharia law back to her rightful owner) the kidnapper.

And we have not even gone into Muslims getting done under the same such laws - remember the Afghan student journalist who said women were equal or should be given equal rights - and the Saudi journalist who wrote that Muslims had the right to change their religion - both ended up in prison with the threat of getting the death sentence.



If this 'defamation of religions' law becomes binding - it this - that will be protected. To criticize anything at all to do with Islam would be or could be viewed as defaming it. Already it is not permitted to mention the word Sharia - or the acts carried out underneath it - like stoning - child marriages - FGM - at the UN Human Rights Council. Muslim nations fully intend to roll this ancient barbarity out on to the whole world.


U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton voiced strong opposition Monday to proposed U.N. resolutions on “defamation of religions,” saying that such policies would restrict free speech.

In opening remarks for the release of the State Department’s Annual Report on International Religious Freedom, Clinton said that while some claim so-called defamation of religions policies would help protect freedom of religion, she “strongly disagree[s].”

“The United States will always seek to counter negative stereotypes of individuals based on their religion and will stand against discrimination and persecution,” Clinton stated. “But an individual’s ability to practice his or her religion has no bearing on others’ freedom of speech.”

The protection of speech about religion and religious discourse is important in a world with many different faith beliefs, asserted the high-ranking U.S. diplomat.

Earlier this year, the U.N. Human Rights Council adopted an anti-defamation draft resolution that human rights groups warn would protect a religion rather than adherents of religions.

Leonard A. Leo, chair of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, last week testified to Members of Congress that the only religion and religious adherents that are specifically mentioned in the “defamation” resolutions – this year’s and past years – are Islam and Muslims.

“Aside from Islam, the resolutions do not specify which religions are deserving of protection, or explain how or by whom this would be determined,” Leo stated.

Several prominent groups working with persecuted Christians have also spoken out against the resolutions, which are sponsored annually by the Organization of the Islamic Conference [OIC], because they say the policies would be manipulated to further harass Christians and other religious minorities in Muslim-majority countries.

“Many Christians living in these countries [that make up the Organization of Islamic Conference] are already severely impacted by restrictive laws – especially those living under strict Shariah law,” said Open Doors USA President/CEO Carl Moeller. “From the right to worship freely to the ability to share the Gospel, the Defamation of Religions Resolution threatens to justify local laws that already marginalize Christians."

Since 1999, the Organization of the Islamic Conference has annually sponsored a "defamation of religions" resolution in the U.N. Human Rights Council, and, since 2005, in the General Assembly.

The resolution adopted this past March by the U.N. Human Rights Council is currently non-binding, but OIC has publicly stated that its goal is for the U.N. to adopt a binding international covenant against the “defamation of religions.” Next month, a similar resolution will be considered for adoption by the General Assembly.

In addition to USCIRF and Open Doors, other groups that have denounced the “defamation of religions” resolutions include: The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, Freedom House, U.N. Watch, and Christian Solidarity Worldwide.

Following Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s remarks on religious freedom and the anti-defamation policies, Michael Posner – assistant secretary of state for democracy, human rights and labor – reported improvement in the Philippines, Jordan, Qatar and Spain, which have displayed efforts and initiatives to promote interfaith understanding.

But Posner also stated that many governments have increased restrictions on religious freedom this year.

During the press conference, Posner talked about poor religious freedom in Cuba and discussed about his mixed emotions on China. He said that while he is encouraged by the rapidly growing Christian community, he is concerned about the treatment of Buddhist religious leaders in Tibet.

The State Department’s annual report precedes an expected update from the department on the list of “countries of particular concern” – the category for the worst religious freedom violators. The last U.S. list released in January included Saudi Arabia, Myanmar, China, North Korea, Eritrea, Iran, Sudan and Uzbekistan – the same countries that made the list in 2008.

Christian Post