B
BryanP
Guest
I am an Australian journalist who is deeply concerned about events this coming week that could affect the liberty of thousands of Christians
On Tuesday, the Sri Lankan Parliament is expected to vote on a Bill that, if enacted, will threaten freedom of thought and religious liberty in the beautiful island nation off the southern tip of India.
The anti-conversion law would effectively stop Sri Lankan
Buddhists, who make up about 80 per cent of the population, from ever deciding to change to another religion.
The country’s Catholic bishops and other Christians have condemed the Bill in recent weeks and asked believers around the world to pray against it.
The Bill, among other clauses, stipulates that anyone who changes his or her religion, as well as the facilitator in the conversion, has to inform a designated local government official before doing so.
Failure to do this would be punishable by a prison term of up to five years.
The law would also jail people convicted of what it calls ``illegal conversion’ _ using fraudulent means to convert.
Legal sources in Sri Lanka said this week that the Bill defines conversion in such a way that any kind of motivation to convert _ even an invitation to a Buddhist to visit a Christian’s home _ could be illegal
The term
The Bill could also have the effect of banning all charitable work by Christians because they may be deemed as ``bribes’’ to convert Buddhists.
Buddhism in Sri Lanka is closely linked with nationalism. Radical Buddhist clergy have been disturbed by the recent decline of Buddhism and growth of Christian churches, particularly in rural areas
Anti-Christian violence has risen in Sri Lanka in recent years. In the first six months of this year alone there have been 48 reported attacks on churches, priests and congregations.
Catholics form about 7 percent of Sri Lanka’s population and members of other mainline churches about 1 percent.
Why should you care about this?
Because, as US lawyer Clarence Darrow said, you can only protect your liberties in this world by protecting the other man’s freedom.
Please pray for Sri Lanka.
On Tuesday, the Sri Lankan Parliament is expected to vote on a Bill that, if enacted, will threaten freedom of thought and religious liberty in the beautiful island nation off the southern tip of India.
The anti-conversion law would effectively stop Sri Lankan
Buddhists, who make up about 80 per cent of the population, from ever deciding to change to another religion.
The country’s Catholic bishops and other Christians have condemed the Bill in recent weeks and asked believers around the world to pray against it.
The Bill, among other clauses, stipulates that anyone who changes his or her religion, as well as the facilitator in the conversion, has to inform a designated local government official before doing so.
Failure to do this would be punishable by a prison term of up to five years.
The law would also jail people convicted of what it calls ``illegal conversion’ _ using fraudulent means to convert.
Legal sources in Sri Lanka said this week that the Bill defines conversion in such a way that any kind of motivation to convert _ even an invitation to a Buddhist to visit a Christian’s home _ could be illegal
The term
fraudulent'' includes misinterpretation’’. Lawyers fear the state may construe a Christian’s claim that Jesus is the Son of God as a ``fraudulent’’ claim made to influence the target of conversion.The Bill could also have the effect of banning all charitable work by Christians because they may be deemed as ``bribes’’ to convert Buddhists.
Buddhism in Sri Lanka is closely linked with nationalism. Radical Buddhist clergy have been disturbed by the recent decline of Buddhism and growth of Christian churches, particularly in rural areas
Anti-Christian violence has risen in Sri Lanka in recent years. In the first six months of this year alone there have been 48 reported attacks on churches, priests and congregations.
Catholics form about 7 percent of Sri Lanka’s population and members of other mainline churches about 1 percent.
Why should you care about this?
Because, as US lawyer Clarence Darrow said, you can only protect your liberties in this world by protecting the other man’s freedom.
Please pray for Sri Lanka.
