Source

VICTORIA, Australia, Dec 22, 2004: (HPI Note: A reader requested more information on the item which appeared yesterday in HPI regarding a defamation case against two Christian preachers in Australia. The full article appears in Christianity Today at “source.”)



A landmark Australian legal case has put freedom of speech under the spotlight when a judge ruled evangelical pastors had breached a new race and religion law when presenting a seminar and articles on Islam. Pentecostal Pastor Daniel Nalliah (president of Catch the Fire Ministries) and speaker Pastor Daniel Scot may now face financial penalties at a hearing as early as January.



Judge Michael Higgins of the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) said that Scot had made fun of Muslim beliefs and conduct at the seminar, and presented his talk in a way that was “essentially hostile, demeaning and derogatory of all Muslim people, their God, Allah, the prophet Mohammed and in general Muslim religious beliefs and practices.” The judge ruled that Scot had made statements that Muslims were liars and demons and that the Qur’an promoted violence, killing and looting.



“Pastor Scot failed to differentiate between Muslims throughout the world, [and] he preached a literal translation of the Qur’an and of Muslims’ religious practices which was not mainstream but was more representative of a small group in the Gulf states,” Judge Higgins ruled.



Reacting to the verdict, Pastor Nalliah told Christianity Today it was this law is subjective rather than objective, which leaves the door wide open for anyone to claim feeling hurt or vilified from words spoken or read from their very own religious text,” he said.

Post Views: 682