World Council of Churches Declares Conversion a Basic Right

Published on May 17, 2006 By Gideon MacLeish In Current Events

The Geneva based World Council of Churches has declared that conversion to another faith is a basic right. This in response to certain actions where the "religion of peace" is a majority and where people who have converted away from the religion of peace have been peacefully removed from this existence.

While I agree with the verdict, I do not recognize the authority of the agency who issued it, nor, in fact, will the serious practitioners of most faiths. Just as with the United Nations, I have trouble with the concept of an international (or, in this case) interfaith agency dictating the terms of faith to ANYONE, even a hardcore Islamofascist that I wouldn't entirely mind seeing wiped off the map. For, you see, if the WCC can dictate the right to convert, they can just as easily dictate what constitutes a suppression of that right. And it is not wholly unthinkable that they could determine that raising children in religious schools or other religious instruction constitutes a suppression of that right because it does not equally expose them to other faiths. Don't believe me? Well, try the United Nations Convention on the Rights of a Child on for size. If certain factions of the UN have their way, parents will be forced to raise their children in a religiously neutral environment, with the full blessing of the WCC.

I have long contended that the term "organized religion" is an oxymoron, because faith is a personal, subjective experience and does not lend itself to organization. I will live my faith as I believe, and encourage others to live theirs as they believe. But I will not support the authority of an interfaith agency to dictate the terms of my faith.

Comments

bakerstreet

on May 17, 2006

People should be able to run their nations as they please. I think Islamic and Chinese edicts against soliciting conversion are heinous, and I would like to see us sever or restrict our ties with these nations because of them. In the end, though, it is their nation, and if they freely choose that path then they can live with the results.

A religious body telling dictating "rights" isn't what we need. The people should decide rights for themselves. Folks in Afghanistan have, whether or not those in Saudi Arabia or China would or not is unfortunately a matter of supposition. You can bet all three, though, aren't interested in what the WCC has to say about it.

SanChonino

on May 18, 2006

This is the point of separation of church and state.

I am a firm believer in a certain faith, and I hold to that faith. I served as a missionary for that faith, trying to share with others that which I believed and asking them to find out for themselves whether or not it's true. But I do not hold to this WCC. It sounds like a bomb waiting to explode.

stutefish

on May 18, 2006

Freedom to choose for oneself what religion to follow (if any) is a subset of the fundamental and inalienable human right to "liberty".

I for one applaud the WCC for reiterating this right, and acknowledging that it's a human right regardless of which religion is chosen.

Oppressing someone for choosing a particular religion isn't simply "run[ning] their nations as they please". It's every bit as much a human rights violation as oppressing someone for their political views.

In fact, the WCC is speaking against the joining of church and state. Specifically, they're speaking against the Islamic church using state apparatus to oppress infidels.

bakerstreet

on May 18, 2006

"Freedom to choose for oneself what religion to follow (if any) is a subset of the fundamental and inalienable human right to "liberty"."

Really? Where is that written? Some UN charter somewhere, probably. They have lots of those that say that people shouldn't face capital punishment, etc., too. If the people of a nation vote and choose to include Sharia law, then they HAVE chosen. If the minority doesn't like it, they can live elsewhere, just as we tell people to go elsewhere if they don't like the way we run the US.

What is most heinous, though, is when a bunch of self-important people think they can define "liberty" for everyone, everywhere. If people want to have religious government, all that is required is that they can choose to have them, and choose later to reject them. As long as they can choose, they should be the ones to define Liberty for themselves.

Granted, if the government refuses to allow them to amend their government, then no, they aren't free. I haven't seen that in Afghanistan, though. I've seen overwhelming support and very, very little dissent. Unless you count foreigners thousands of miles away. I guess they should get a vote?

stutefish

on May 18, 2006

Baker, what is "liberty" if not the freedom to choose for myself what to think, what deity to worship, what political ideology to endorse, etc.?

Where is it written that "life" is a human right? Would you deny that, also?

I should say, I hold these truths to be self-evident, axiomatic. They don't need to be written anywhere, for they are already "written on [our] hearts".

To doubt that freedom of religion is an inalienable human right is to doubt one's own sanity. Much as I begin to doubt yours.

bakerstreet

on May 18, 2006

"Baker, what is "liberty" if not the freedom to choose for myself what to think, what deity to worship, what political ideology to endorse, etc.?

Where is it written that "life" is a human right? Would you deny that, also?

I should say, I hold these truths to be self-evident, axiomatic. They don't need to be written anywhere, for they are already "written on [our] hearts".

To doubt that freedom of religion is an inalienable human right is to doubt one's own sanity. Much as I begin to doubt yours."

It amazes me how you can sit there and hoist yourself up so high. Humans have been grunting out their idea of "rights' for 10,000 years, and suddenly we have it right? You think that somehow now you have a handle on it, and there's nothing more to be decided? You think that there's nothing you consider to be untouchable that won't be revised in a couple of generations?

Come down from your high horse and realize what you are. You are a person in your time, with the limitation of your perspective. At one time anyone who doubted the world was flat wasn't sane, who doubted the act of burning witches wasn't sane, and anyone who thought Jews or Blacks or women were equal wasn't sane. Just think of what won't be considered sane tomorrow.

What you espouse is people being ruled BY ideals, not people ruling BASED UPON ideals. That's just as oppressive as any Sharia-led nation, it's just different "untouchable" ideals. If you want to chisel your set of commandments into stone and base your society on them, fine, but don't claim you are working in the interest of the will of the people.

The US was created with a constitution that could be amended to reflect the will of the people, not to impose untouchable values on Americans whether they want them or not. If the people of Afghanistan want Sharia law, and you tell them they can't, then they aren't the enemy of freedom, frankly. You are the one denying them the right to choose their government.

Promote what is written on your heart, but don't for a minute assume it is written on everyone's. You can sit there and pretend that anyone who doesn't believe as you do is wrong or insane, but if you pose yourself with other people down through history that believed that you might find yourself in poor company.

cactoblasta

on May 18, 2006

Ever since the WCC visited my city I've had absolutely no respect for them. An allegedly pious organisation whose very presence leads to the biggest day of trading ever for the city's legal prostitutes is hardly worth listening to on ethical or moral issues.

That doesn't mean I oppose conversion though, or support the execution of known converts.

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