New office of religious freedom exclusionary

Prioritizing religious freedom over other human rights creates division

The Conservative government’s Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird has established the new Canadian Office of Religious Freedom, which is soon to be unveiled.

For centuries, religious persecution has plagued the earth, and it seems wherever there are people with different religious views, conflict can and will erupt.

No one can argue that religious persecution is a major problem facing the world today. However, the specificity of religion and the exclusion that it creates is where I see the problem.

What about other human rights groups? Women, LGBT citizens and racial groups, for example, still face heavy and harsh persecution today. So why is religious freedom being prioritized over these other groups?

It shouldn’t be, and it isn’t fair that $20 million over four years is being spent on creating this office to protect religious freedom while so many other human rights groups are ignored.

While preaching the new Conservative government’s agenda concerning same-sex marriage and women’s rights, Baird stated, “We cannot be selective about which basic human rights we want to defend, nor can we be arbitrary about whose rights we protect.”

So establishing an office for religious freedom is not being selective? Focusing on religion and leaving other human rights issues by the wayside is not being selective? It seems to me that it is.

If freedom of religion is given priority over these problems it will cause conflict.

For example, we can look at the case of religion and homosexuality. Many different branches of Christianity are against same-sex marriage, or even homosexuality itself.

They are entitled to freedom of speech but how can we expect other human rights to advance when these groups who promote hatred have a higher emphasis placed on them by the government?

An even more grotesque example comes from parts of the Middle East where gay men are executed as a consequence for their sexual orientation, and certain religious groups agree with that. The men that are committing these acts of violence are technically a religious group, supposedly “cleansing the house of God.”

Should their rights be protected if it leads to the death of so many for the simple reason that they are gay?

Is this really what Canada needs, an office that promotes one specific human right when others are affected by it so much?

Focusing on the specific topic of religious persecution will not help other human rights move forward. Leaving out other major groups will not enhance human rights; it will only serve to put them down.

Another worry is that this office will merely become a front for those of higher stature to use it to impose their religious or political will on others. I fear certain religious groups may benefit more than others.

Baird claims that, “Christians, in particular, face persecution in every part of the world.”

He names Egypt and Iran as examples of places where Christians are targeted. Christians may face persecution in those countries, but to name them specifically leads me to believe he places them higher on his list of priority than other religions.

Even the panel discussion was exclusive.

The Conservative government handpicked panelists to weigh in on the issue. Most were from Judeo-Christian faiths, and many major groups such as Buddhists, Sikhs and even Muslims were left out.

How can Baird preach religious freedom as the main goal of this office and then leave out such important religious groups? It doesn’t make any sense and leads me to believe certain priorities are given precedence over others.

Religious freedom is important, and freedom of religion is a basic human right that should be respected by people everywhere.

But leaving other human rights groups out and failing to include certain religious groups in the mix is asking for trouble.

The purpose of the Canadian Office of Religious Freedom is to promote acceptance of religion across the globe. It has a great intention, but I feel it may serve as a means of holding the world back.

Stephen Burns is a third-year Rhetoric and Communications student in the Joint Communications Program with Red River College.

Published in Volume 67, Number 6 of The Uniter (October 11, 2012)

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