April 27, 2005
By Barbara Schneider

GENEVA – The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) has spoken out against the explicit listing of the terms "Christianophobia," "Islamophobia" and "Anti-Semitism" with regard to the elimination of all forms of religious discrimination.

In a written statement delivered jointly with other non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to the 61st Session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights here, March 14-April 22, the LWF called for a return to an earlier list that did not cite special problem areas.

Every form of intolerance or discrimination, whether it was against religious groups, or those of no religion or belief, must be eliminated, the LWF stated jointly with the Friends World Committee for Consultation (Quakers), Franciscans International, the International Association for Religious Freedom, and other NGOs.

They asked the UN Commission to consider renaming the resolution as a resolution on "Freedom of Religion or Belief" in line with the title of the Special Rapporteur, and with a view to encouraging a more positive approach.

The NGOs asked the Commission to reflect on how the question of freedom of religion or belief could "be applied consistently and absolutely without discrimination as intended, including inviting input from the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief."

Categorizations which may encourage the idea of a clash of religions by underplaying the intolerance and discrimination which occur within religions should be avoided, the NGOs stated.

Their statement was linked to the decision adopted during the Commission's 60th session last year, adding "Christianophobia" to the previous existing list of special problem areas namely "Islamophobia" and "Anti-Semitism."

The NGOs noted that specification of any particular religion or belief would lead to particular problems including focusing attention on special forms of discrimination. They pointed out that "the degree, nature and subject of discrimination varies in different countries and/or regions." In addition, the greater the number listed the more invidious the list would become because of those that would not be included.

Given the need to protect every form of religious practice, the call for the freedom of religion must remain as general as possible with regard to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The explicit listing of the ‘three religions of the book' created an impression of hierarchy in this context, and should therefore be rejected, the NGOs said.

Moreover, discrimination manifested itself in various ways, according to the NGOs. Intolerance was not only practiced between different religions, but within religions. "The implication that religious discrimination and intolerance are only practiced by ‘outsiders' is not only wrong but misleading, and dangerously so," they said.

Lutheran World Information
Barbara Schneider is a youth trainee in the LWF Office for Communication Services.