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AUSTRALIA, December 22, 2004: HPI note: The following report, originally titled “The Beginning Of The End Of Christianity In Australia?,” is from the evangelical Christian news service, Crosswalk.com:



Two Australian Christian pastors have been found guilty of vilifying Muslims. The decision was handed down in Melbourne on December 17. Bill Muehlenberg, the National Vice-President of The Australian Family Association (here) said the decision could “could mark the beginning of the end of freedom of speech in Australia, and the official restriction of proclaiming the Christian gospel.” The Judge said the two pastors breached section 8 of Australia’s Racial and Religious Tolerance Act 2001 which says a person cannot engage in conduct that “incites hatred against, serious contempt for, or revulsion or severe ridicule of, that other person or class of persons.” While exemptions are in place, Muehlenberg said, for “‘any genuine academic, artistic, religious or scientific purposes or any purpose that is in the public interest,’ the judge found that these exceptions did not here apply, because the person’s conduct could ‘not be regarded as reasonable and in good faith.'” However, Muehlenberg, said, section 9 of the Act says a “‘person’s motive in engaging in any conduct is irrelevant.’ “To argue that quoting a religious book makes one guilty of vilification would put 98% of religious discussions out of bounds,” Muehlenberg said. “The truth is, probably the majority of what any Christian has said or written about other faiths will be found to be vilifying, based on the decisions of the judge.

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