The right to defame religions

While there is much not to be happy with the efforts to bully the LDS Church and other unpopular religions, it’s a good thing that people can still do it.

Unfortunately, the U.N. is making (non-binding) efforts to limit criticism of religions:

In an 83 to 53 vote, with 42 abstentions, the U.N. General Assembly urged nations to provide “adequate protections” in their laws or constitutions against “acts of hatred, discrimination, intimidation and coercion resulting from defamation of religions and incitement to religious hatred in general.”

Only Islam and Muslims are specifically named in this resolution against religious defamation, sponsored by Uganda on behalf of the 57-member Organization of the Islamic Conference, and cosponsored by Belarus and Venezuela. Opponents included the United States, a majority of European countries, Japan and India.

It turns out that policies like this actually foster violence and give religious fanatics license to kill their critics with a slap on the wrist for “‘failure to inform the police that blasphemy was under way.”

(Possibly) Related posts:

1. Listen to Elder Oaks talk, “Religious Freedom”
2. General Conference Priesthood sessions now available audio and video
3. 50 years of “Every Member a Missionary”