I bring you warm greetings in the new year of 2009, with all its challenges and opportunities!
One of the first challenges we face is a threat to our religious freedom.
Some of you may remember the two pastors - Daniel Scot and Danny Nalliah - who faced years of trauma before a Victorian tribunal because in 2002 they conducted a Christian seminar in a Christian church, on Islam. It took over five years for the complaint by the Islamic Council of Victoria to be settled - after more than a million dollars had been spent in costs on both sides.
We owe much to the two pastors' courage and perseverance - but Victoria's religious vilification law is still on the statute books. Moreover a new religious freedom project by the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC, previously the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission - HREOC) could lead to a *national law against religious vilification*. As Victorian Supreme Court Justice Marcia Neave said, truth is no defence against such a law.
Christian pastors could be at risk if they preach that followers of Mohammed, Buddha and Hindu gods are travelling a false path because only Jesus is the way, the truth and the life.
A project on freedom of religion sounds great - but we need to understand what it means. The AHRC is on record as wanting to 'balance' religious freedom with other rights, by which they mean *reduce* religious freedom to give more rights to others. Please see the attached action alert for more information.
The AHRC is calling for submissions - and this is our opportunity. Australian Christians have as much right to express our views as any other Australian citizen. Let's not miss this chance.
The attached alert includes information to help you make a short submission. Fundamental values worth defending include: freedom of speech, freedom of association and the rule of law.
Please feel free to forward this email to others who may be willing to make a short submission upholding Australia's Christian heritage.
Yours sincerely,
Dr David Phillips
National President
FamilyVoice Australia (formerly Festival of Light Australia)
4th Floor, 68 Grenfell St, Adelaide, SA 5091, Australia
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Dear Friend 