"Living in tolerance of other faith groups does not require Christians to give in to every demand for the sake of political correctness." -- Faith J.H. McDonnell, IRD Religious Liberty Program Director
Contact: Jeff Walton, Institute on Religion and Democracy, 202-682-4131, 202-413-5639 cell, jwalton@TheIRD.org
WASHINGTON, April 22 /Christian Newswire/ -- Concerned that Christian groups are not fully realizing the threat posed by an expansion of Shari'a (Islamic law) in the West, the Institute on Religion and Democracy (IRD) is calling upon churches to stand against global attempts to enshrine it.
IRD Religious Liberty Program Director Faith J.H. McDonnell cited wide-ranging examples of authorities accommodating Islamist demands, among them a draft constitution in Kenya that would give an official place to Islamic Khadi courts -- effectively creating a different set of rules for Muslims.
McDonnell also cited concerns in the United States, where political correctness led to the temporary banning of an advertisement deemed offensive to Muslims on the Miami-Dade County transit system. Similarly, a radical Islamic website ominously warned creators of the television show "South Park" that they could face violent retribution for depicting the Prophet Muhammad during an episode broadcast last week.
IRD Religious Liberty Program Director Faith J.H. McDonnell commented:
"From developing nations like Kenya to Western powers like Britain, the trend is to capitulate to Islamist factions within the Muslim population by enshrining Shari'a into the legal code or by accommodating its demands by social custom.
"Living in tolerance of other faith groups does not require Christians to give in to every demand for the sake of political correctness. When human rights are at stake, Christians especially must speak out for those whose rights, including Muslims, could be jeopardized by the imposition of Islamic law.
"Churches should encourage free societies to refuse censorship in the service of 'anti-blasphemy' and resist efforts to create different courts and law codes for different religious groups."
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