Hot on the heels of the ANC government’s decision to ban his Holiness the Dahlia Lama from attending a peace conference in South Africa, our representative at the United Nation’s Human Rights Council has voted against a resolution on freedom of religion. Let me just say that again in case you think you misread it. South Africa last week voted against a resolution on freedom of religion. In fact we were the only country to vote against. Even serial human rights abusers like Saudi Arabia, Cuba and China had the decency to abstain. (Details here: The UN Office at Geneva)
The resolution looks pretty harmless to me. Certainly something that a country with as liberal a constitution as ours should happily endorse. It emphasizes that
| “discrimination based on religion or belief often has an adverse impact on the enjoyment of economic, social and cultural rights, particularly with regard to members of religious minorities and other persons in vulnerable situations; urges States to ensure that everyone has the right, inter alia, to education, work, an adequate standard of living, the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health and to take part in cultural life, without any discrimination on the basis of religion or belief; to ensure that no one is discriminated against on the basis of his or her religion or belief, in particular with regard to access to, inter alia, humanitarian assistance, social benefits or the public service in one’s country; to ensure that no one is affected, because of his or her religion or belief, in the enjoyment of his or her economic, social and cultural rights by, inter alia, discriminatory laws on housing or land trust, the abusive use of property confiscation or any other discriminatory practices; to take the necessary measures, in accordance with international human rights law, to combat discrimination based on religion or belief by non-State actors, with particular regard to persons belonging to religious minorities and other persons in vulnerable situations; to devote particular attention to discriminatory practices against women on the basis of their religion or belief that adversely affect the enjoyment of their economic, social and cultural rights; to ensure that appropriate legal and other remedies, in accordance with international human rights law, are available to individuals in order to allow them to seek redress against discrimination based on religion or belief that affects the enjoyment of their economic, social and cultural rights; to make all appropriate efforts to encourage those engaged in teaching, as well as social workers, to promote mutual understanding, tolerance and respect; and requests the Special Rapporteur to submit her next annual report to the Council at its thirteenth session.” |
Now this was no administrative mistake as our representatives at the UN have so often claimed when they have taken similar anti-democratic votes in the past. How do I know this? Well the South African representative Glaudine J. Mtshali even had the audacity to speak out and encourage other states to follow South Africa’s lead. Speaking before the vote, she said
| “the resolution presented major challenges in its current form, as it brought in new elements without addressing issues related to freedom of religion or belief. The title should be changed. The approach diminished the suffering of victims of human rights violations, and the Council should take note of the contemporary forms of challenges to this. The right to freedom of expression was entrenched in South African law, and that country understood the challenges with regards to exercise of freedom of religion or belief in the context of the freedom of expression. The slant of the resolution, in particular with regards to incitement to religious hatred, was not helpful. The focus of the resolution on economic, social and cultural rights, combined with the lack of justiciability of these rights, was inconceivable. South Africa did not share the view that only civil and political rights were justiciable. Were the resolution put to a vote, South Africa would vote against it.(sic)” |
From the little I can glean from this unintelligible explanation, South Africa seemed to be extremely concerned about the emphasis on incitement to religious hatred. Well perhaps that’s not surprising. Given that our deputy foreign minister is fond of sprouting the odd anti-Semitic canard at pro-Palestinian rallies and the ANC’s major alliance partner COSATU has called for attacks against Jews in South Africa, this resolution and its strong denunciation of religious hatred may pose a serious threat to the agenda of our government.
South African civil society, including the South Africa Jewish Board of Deputies, cannot let this pass without making a fuss. The South African government must be challenged on this illiberal behavior. The election is only weeks away and this resolution and South Africa’s pro-totalitarian foreign policy in general needs to be a major issue. Given its voting record at the UN, can we trust the ANC to maintain its commitment to the constitution and the bill of rights? Denying them a two thirds majority is the only way to effectively guarantee that they will not destroy the foundation of our democratic order.
Whatever you do, VOTE FOR THE OPPOSITION!
Previously at IAS
Where to from here for a government that is so egotistical, so grossly in love with hearing its own voice, so obsessed the world take note of what they have to say? I am ashamed of them, more so now than ever. The last few weeks could rank amongst the lowest in the international arena any normal South African has had to endure. Mandela and the heroes of the struggle certainly never fought for this. I wish the current administration would look to them for advise, like Simba looked to Mufasa in the Lion King, where he said 'You have forgotten yourself and in so doing have have fogotten me'. If they truly had this country, human rights and the constitution at heart we would be upholding these values, not stamping all over them.
Posted by: Skipper | April 03, 2009 at 15:31
Consider:
The missing element in every human 'solution'
is an accurate definition of the creature.
The way we define 'human' determines our view of self,
others, relationships, institutions, life, and future. Many
problems in human experience are the result of false
and inaccurate definitions of humankind premised
in man-made religions and humanistic philosophies.
Human knowledge is a fraction of the whole universe.
The balance is a vast void of human ignorance. Human
reason cannot fully function in such a void; thus, the
intellect can rise no higher than the criteria by which it
perceives and measures values.
Humanism makes man his own standard of measure.
However, as with all measuring systems, a standard
must be greater than the value measured. Based on
preponderant ignorance and an egocentric carnal
nature, humanism demotes reason to the simpleton
task of excuse-making in behalf of the rule of appe-
tites, desires, feelings, emotions, - and glands.
Because man, hobbled in an ego-centric predicament,
cannot invent criteria greater than himself, the humanist
lacks a predictive capability. Thus, his man-made criteria
rises no higher than eyebrows - and too often, no higher
than pubic hair! Without instinct or transcendent criteria,
humanism cannot evaluate options with foresight and
vision for progression and survival. Lacking foresight,
man is blind to potential consequence and is unwittingly
committed to mediocrity, collectivism, averages, and re-
gression - and worse. Humanism is an unworthy worship.
The void of human ignorance can easily be filled with
a functional faith while not-so-patiently awaiting the
foot-dragging growth of human knowledge and behav-
ior. Faith, initiated by the Creator and revealed and
validated in His Word, the Bible, brings a transcend-
ent standard to man the choice-maker. Other philo-
sophies and religions are man-made, humanism, and
thereby lack what only the Bible has:
1.Transcendent Criteria and
2.Fulfilled Prophetic Validation.
The vision of faith in God and His Word is survival
equipment for today and the future. Only the Creator,
who made us in His own image, is qualified to define
us accurately.
Human is earth's Choicemaker. Psalm 25:12 He is by
nature and nature's God a creature of Choice - and of
Criteria. Psalm 119:30,173 His unique and definitive
characteristic is, and of Right ought to be, the natural
foundation of his environments, institutions, and re-
spectful relations to his fellow-man. Thus, he is orien-
ted to a Freedom whose roots are in the Order of the
universe. selah
That human institution which is structured on the
principle, "...all men are endowed by their Creator with
...Liberty...," is a system with its roots in the natural
Order of the universe. The opponents of such a system are
necessarily engaged in a losing contest with nature and
nature's God. Biblical principles are still today the
foundation under Western Civilization and the American
way of life. To the advent of a new season we commend the
present generation and the "multitudes in the valley of
decision."
Let us proclaim it. Behold!
2009 AD: The Season of Generation-Choicemaker Joel 3:14 KJV
semper fidelis
Posted by: Jim Baxter | April 11, 2009 at 19:19
"Freedom is the Right to Choose, the Right to create for
oneself the alternatives of Choice. Without the possibil-
ity of Choice, and the exercise of Choice, a man is not
a man but a member, an instrument, a thing."
Thomas Jefferson
THE QUESTION AND THE ANSWER
Q: "What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son
of man that You visit him?" Psalm 8:4
A: "I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against
you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing
and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and
your descendants may live." Deuteronomy 30:19
Q: "Lord, what is man, that You take knowledge of him?
Or the son of man, that you are mindful of him?" Psalm
144:3
A: "And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose
for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the
gods which your fathers served that were on the other
side of the river, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose
land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will
serve the Lord." Joshua 24:15
Q: "What is man, that he could be pure? And he who is
born of a woman, that he could be righteous?" Job 15:14
A: "Who is the man that fears the Lord? Him shall He
teach in the way he chooses." Psalm 25:12
Q: "What is man, that You should magnify him, that You
should set Your heart on him?" Job 7:17
A: "Do not envy the oppressor and choose none of his
ways." Proverbs 3:31
Q: "What is man that You are mindful of him, or the son
of man that You take care of him?" Hebrews 2:6
A: "I have chosen the way of truth; your judgments I have
laid before me." Psalm 119:30 "Let Your hand become my
help, for I have chosen Your precepts."Psalm 119:173
References:
Genesis 3:3,6 Deuteronomy 11:26-28; 30:19 Job 5:23
Isaiah 7:14-15; 13:12; 61:1 Amos 7:8 Joel 3:14
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
DEDICATION
Sir Isaac Newton
The greatest scientist in human history
a Bible-Believing Christian
an authority on the Bible's Book of Daniel
committed to individual value
and individual liberty
Remember:
"NO ONE IS SMARTER THAN THEIR CRITERIA." jfb
Posted by: Jim Baxter | April 11, 2009 at 19:23
Each individual human being possesses a unique, highly
developed, and sensitive perception of variety. Thus
aware, man is endowed with a natural capability for enact-
ing internal mental and external physical selectivity.
Quantitative and qualitative choice-making thus lends
itself as the superior basis of an active intelligence.
Human is earth's Choicemaker. His title describes
his definitive and typifying characteristic. Recall
that his other features are but vehicles of experi-
ence intent on the development of perceptive
awareness and the following acts of decision and
choice. Note that the products of man cannot define
him for they are the fruit of the discerning choice-
making process and include the cognition of self,
the utility of experience, the development of value-
measuring systems and language, and the accultur-
ation of civilization.
The arts and the sciences of man, as with his habits,
customs, and traditions, are the creative harvest of
his perceptive and selective powers. Creativity, the
creative process, is a choice-making process. His
articles, constructs, and commodities, however
marvelous to behold, deserve neither awe nor idol-
atry, for man, not his contrivance, is earth's own
highest expression of the creative process.
Human is earth's Choicemaker. The sublime and
significant act of choosing is, itself, the Archimedean
fulcrum upon which man levers and redirects the
forces of cause and effect to an elected level of qual-
ity and diversity. Further, it orients him toward a
natural environmental opportunity, freedom, and
bestows earth's title, The Choicemaker, on his
singular and plural brow.
CONTEMPORARY COMMENTS
"I should think that if there is one thing that man has
learned about himself it is that he is a creature of
choice." Richard M. Weaver
"Man is a being capable of subduing his emotions and
impulses; he can rationalize his behavior. He arranges
his wishes into a scale, he chooses; in short, he acts.
What distinguishes man from beasts is precisely that he
adjusts his behavior deliberately." Ludwig von Mises
"To make any sense of the idea of morality, it must be
presumed that the human being is responsible for his
actions and responsibility cannot be understood apart
from the presumption of freedom of choice."
John Chamberlain
"The advocate of liberty believes that it is complementary
of the orderly laws of cause and effect, of probability
and of chance, of which man is not completely informed.
It is complementary of them because it rests in part upon
the faith that each individual is endowed by his Creator
with the power of individual choice."
Wendell J. Brown
"These examples demonstrate a basic truth -- that human
dignity is embodied in the free choice of individuals."
Condoleeza Rice
"Our Founding Fathers believed that we live in an ordered
universe. They believed themselves to be a part of the
universal order of things. Stated another way, they
believed in God. They believed that every man must find
his own place in a world where a place has been made for
him. They sought independence for their nation but, more
importantly, they sought freedom for individuals to think
and act for themselves. They established a republic
dedicated to one purpose above all others - the preserva-
tion of individual liberty..." Ralph W. Husted
"We have the gift of an inner liberty so far-reaching
that we can choose either to accept or reject the God
who gave it to us, and it would seem to follow that the
Author of a liberty so radical wills that we should be
equally free in our relationships with other men.
Spiritual liberty logically demands conditions of outer
and social freedom for its completion." Edmund A. Opitz
"Above all I see an ability to choose the better from the
worse that has made possible life's progress."
Charles Lindbergh
"Got Criteria?" See Psalm 119:1-176
+ + +
Posted by: Jim Baxter | April 11, 2009 at 19:28
Dear Mike
Hope you are well, and hope you get to read this comment. Just found an article in the Star which testifies to the unconsciousness and habitual predjudices of either SAPA, or the subs at The Star. Its an article entitled
"Israel charges alleged Hezbollah 'spies'
but of course it is Egypt which has charged Hezbollah spies, as the article goes on to explain. So do they even read the copy they paste up??
April 13 2009 at 10:00AM
Cairo - Egypt's attorney general has added espionage to the charges against 49 alleged Hezbollah agents, in addition plotting to destabilize the country.
Abdel-Meguid Mahmoud told Egypt's state run news agency MENA late on Sunday that the alleged agents, including Lebanese, Palestinian, Egyptian and Sudanese nationals, have been spying for a foreign group intending to carry out terrorist attacks in Egypt.
Hezbollah's leader, Hassan Nasrallah, has rejected the accusations but confirmed over the weekend that it had sent a member to Egypt - a rare acknowledgment that the Lebanese militant group was operating in another Arab country. - Sapa-AP
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=3&art_id=nw20090413094617535C357161
Scary, isn't it. Well done on keeping the torch of liberty burning in these bleak days for South Africa...who would have thought a society could be corrupted so rapidly??
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