Hello Kiri Allan – etc – People of genuine faith do not need your “hate speech” protection.
I have a Christian faith. I came to that decision in my late teens/early twenties. I was not brought up with those beliefs. I read heavily and asked all manner of people all sorts of questions. I was anti-, sceptical, insulting at times … and eventually convinced.
It is a faith based on one person who, should you choose to read the gospels, was far from politically correct. His freedom of speech, and that of many of his followers, came at great cost.
I was/am heavily influenced by the work of C.S. Lewis – a person who also came to faith after many highly antagonistic comments and entrenched atheism. I believe he would have stood very strongly for full freedom of speech around religion.
Christian faith is highly misunderstood. I by no means claim to be a perfect – or even good – person. No Christian should. I have a long way to go to be the human I ought to be.
Neither should any Christian Church claim to be perfect in any way. I am reminded of an old friend who – when someone posed the challenge that the Church is full of hypocrites – responded; “Yes and there is room for one more.”
It is a faith based on grace but, at best, also on openness, transparency and challenge.
Bringing religion under the Human Rights Act and Hate Speech Laws is high problematic. According to the Spinoff:
“Currently, under the Human Rights Act 1993 it is illegal to publish or distribute threatening, abusive, or insulting words likely to “excite hostility against” or “bring into contempt” any group on the grounds of colour, race, ethnic or national origins.”
Those grounds will now be extended, in both the civil and criminal provisions, to cover religious belief.”
According to Newsroom:
“In order to have breached the law, a person has to have published, broadcast or said in public words which are “threatening, abusive, or insulting” that are “likely to excite hostility or ill-will against, or bring into contempt or ridicule” any group of people based on their skin colour, race, ethnicity or national origin while intending to do so.”
- The Life of Brian?
- Cartoons?
- Public ridicule of Christian leaders?
- For the older ones – Dave Allen jokes?
- The words of Richard Dawkins, the late Christopher Hitchens, or the writings of Douglas Adams (my second favourite author).
- My friend Bryan’s Bruce’s book Jesus: The Cold Case?
Kiri Allan might have easily dismissed such concerns is this, somewhat bizarre interview but I, for one, felt far from reassured upon looking at the proposed text.
I was talking to a good friend recently and faith came up and he said: “I have no idea why you believe that pie in the sky crap.” I defend his right to say that to me both privately and publicly – even if I feel a bit ridiculed.
Kiri Allan – please stay away from Free Speech and Religion.
Christian people and Churches please stand to keep this government intrusion out of the lives of Kiwis.