Victory for Free Speech?
The case that should never have been taken has finally ended after 5 long and stressful years. At the start, the Islamic Council of Victoria (ICV) seemed upbeat about their chances of suppressing free speech. After all, they had good friends in the community who threw their weight behind them. Christian and Jewish supporters rallied round. It seemed they were on to a sure victory.
Daniel Scot and Danny Nalliah - sentenced for telling the truth
The ICV sent some Muslims to a seminar on Islam given by Pastor Daniel Scott. In what seems like a carefully planned strategy, they took him and Pastor Danny Nalliah of Catch the Fire Ministries to The Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) claiming religious vilification in contravention of s 8 of the Racial and Religious
Tolerance Act 2001 (Vic). (see our submission for an explanation of why we strongly oppose the Act )
What did the Pastors do to inspire the ICV to take action against them?
Well, they spoke the truth about Islam and quoted (accurately) from the Qu’ran.
Surely you are allowed to state what is in another religion’s theology? Apparently not, not where Islam is concerned.
Tolerance Act 2001 (Vic). (see our submission for an explanation of why we strongly oppose the Act )What did the Pastors do to inspire the ICV to take action against them?
Well, they spoke the truth about Islam and quoted (accurately) from the Qu’ran.
Surely you are allowed to state what is in another religion’s theology? Apparently not, not where Islam is concerned.
Judge Michael Higgins (photo - right) himself no scholar of Islam, found that the Pastors had breached the Act. They successfully appealed to the Court of Appeal, who sent the case back to VCAT for a re-hearing, by a different judge. At VCAT, the parties agreed to mediation, where the matter was resolved.
An official joint public statement said:-
Notwithstanding their differing views about the merits of the complaint made by the ICV, each of the ICV, Catch The Fire Ministries, Pastor Scot and Pastor Nalliah affirm and recognise the following:
1) the dignity and worth of every human being, irrespective of their religious faith, or the absence of religious faith;
2) the rights of each other, their communities, and all persons, to adhere to and express their own religious beliefs and to conduct their lives consistently with those beliefs;
3) the rights of each other, their communities and all persons, within the limits provided for by law, to robustly debate religion, including the right to criticise the religious belief of another, in a free, open and democratic society;
4) the value of friendship, respect and co-operation between Christians, Muslims and all people of other faiths; and
5) the Racial and Religious Tolerance Act forms part of the law of Victoria to which the rights referred to in paragraph 3 above are subject.
Issued by: Clare O’Dwyer, VCAT Media Liaison
m. 0407 557 100 e. clare.o’ This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
www.vcat.vic.gov.au
Does that mean we are allowed to tell people what Islam really says rather than repeating the Religion of Peace mantra? If so, it means free speech is the victor and those who try to suppress truth are the vanquished.
Notwithstanding their differing views about the merits of the complaint made by the ICV, each of the ICV, Catch The Fire Ministries, Pastor Scot and Pastor Nalliah affirm and recognise the following:
1) the dignity and worth of every human being, irrespective of their religious faith, or the absence of religious faith;
2) the rights of each other, their communities, and all persons, to adhere to and express their own religious beliefs and to conduct their lives consistently with those beliefs;
3) the rights of each other, their communities and all persons, within the limits provided for by law, to robustly debate religion, including the right to criticise the religious belief of another, in a free, open and democratic society;
4) the value of friendship, respect and co-operation between Christians, Muslims and all people of other faiths; and
5) the Racial and Religious Tolerance Act forms part of the law of Victoria to which the rights referred to in paragraph 3 above are subject.
Issued by: Clare O’Dwyer, VCAT Media Liaison
m. 0407 557 100 e. clare.o’ This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
www.vcat.vic.gov.au
Does that mean we are allowed to tell people what Islam really says rather than repeating the Religion of Peace mantra? If so, it means free speech is the victor and those who try to suppress truth are the vanquished.
Two Dannies
Well, the agreement affirms
- that each human being has dignity and worth.
- that everyone can live according to their beliefs.
- that we can robustly debate, even criticise, other religions.
- the value of respect between all people of faith.
- the Act forms part of Victorian law.
Fine words, but only if they are sincere. Remember, it’s OK to practice deceit if it benefits Islam.
Sadly, orthodox Islam does not affirm any of the first 4 beliefs.
Let’s take each in turn.
Sadly, orthodox Islam does not affirm any of the first 4 beliefs.
Let’s take each in turn.
- The Qu’ran makes is clear that Muslims are superior to others (3:110), and non-Muslims under Sharia must live as second-class subjugated citizens (if they are allowed to live at all!) (9:29)
- Muslims who want to leave Islam cannot live according to their beliefs, as the penalty for apostasy is death . Non-Muslims must either accept Islam, live as dhimmis if People of the Book, or be killed.
- We all know it is dangerous to critcise Islam. Look at the Danish cartoons, Theo van Gogh, the recent violent reactions to the knighting of Salman Rushdie and many other examples - CAIR in America, a Hamas front group to which ICV is linked, has launched several lawsuits against those who speak the truth about Islam. Plus, any honest critique of Islam and what it says is labelled “hate speech” or “Islamophobia”.
- The Qu’ran teaches not to take Jews and Christians as friends and that non-Muslims are the worst of people, so where’s the respect there? 5:51
Well, at last I can agree with something. Yes, the Act does indeed form part of Victorian law, more’s the pity!
Australians celebrate and revere Anzac Day on April 25th each year in remembrance of our brave soldiers who fought in two great world wars to secure our freedom. Every Australian identifies with the slogan “lest we forget” and in services held around the country people reflect on the battles and men who died to secure our freedom. Yet across the world in France, there is one remarkable battle which helped form the Europe we know today and allowed the development of civilization based on Judeo Christian principles. This one famous battle has become known as the battle of Tours and effectively stopped the Muslim advance into Europe. After the death of Mohammed in 632AD, Muslim armies exploded out of the Arabian peninsula to conquer much of the Middle East, expanding across north Africa. From there they crossed into Spain in 711AD and eventually controlled much of al-Andalus by 715AD. It was the victory at Tours by Charles Martel that stemmed the tide and eventually the Muslim marauders were expelled from Spain in 1492 when the last outpost at Granada fell to King Ferdinand of Spain. 
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was born, lived, fought and won battles against religious and social oppression in the 17th century Bharat or India. He was a shining star in the Indian firmament and is renowned as a champion of the downtrodden and depressed masses. He was and continues to be an icon for the classes and masses alike and is seen as a rallying point for peasants oppressed by foreign rulers, Pathans and Moghuls alike. Sexually exploited women found in Shivaji Raje a protector, a benefactor and flocked to his Hindavi Swaraj to find solace and feel liberated under his saffron flag. 
Perhaps some readers might be interested to know that January 28 is considered a feast day among Catholics – actually 2 feast days are celebrated on the same day – one is of ST Thomas Aquinas, the great medieval theologian and philosopher who adapted Aristotle to the western Judeo-Christian worldview. . It is also the feast day of a lesser known person – St Peter Nolasco, the great ransomer of captives from the Muslims.
How often in conversation with a Muslim, do they quote Spain as the crowning achievement of Islam, where Muslims, Jews and Christians lived in harmony for about 800 years?
Why do Muslims insist that Jerusalem is their Holy City?
There is a very strongly entrenched view among majority of Westerners today that the three main monotheistic religions Judaism, Christianity and Islam share one common God and therefore despite the obvious differences, the core foundation of these three religions is the same. 
