Green Energy
Thanks to Religion of Pieces for making me aware of this story:
A TRIBUNAL decision seen as gagging critics of Islam has been torn up in a decisive victory for two fundamentalist preachers facing jail.
The Islamic Council of Victoria had complained that comments by Catch the Fire Ministries pastors had exposed Muslims to hatred and ridicule.
Yesterday's unanimous decision by three Victorian Court of Appeal judges was widely applauded as a win for freedom of speech.
The Victorian Civil and Administrative Appeals Tribunal had agreed with the Islamic Council that pastor Daniel Scot had engaged in conduct that incited hatred, contempt, revulsion or ridicule.
VCAT's Judge Michael Higgins said Mr Scot had caused 250 Christians to laugh at Islam during a 2002 seminar.
But yesterday the Court of Appeal set aside the orders and returned the case to the tribunal for decision by a different judge, without the rehearing of evidence.
Justice Geoffrey Nettle said a recording of the seminar had left him unconvinced that Mr Scot had incited hatred.
He said that though Mr Scot's style sometimes ridiculed Islam and resulted in cynical laughter, his plea during the seminar to love Muslims seemed sincere, as did the audience's reaction to it.
Mr Scot allegedly "made fun of Muslim beliefs . . . in a way which is essentially hostile, demeaning and derogatory of all Muslim people, their God, . . . the Prophet Mohammed and, in general, Muslim religious beliefs and practices."
It was alleged he stated that the Koran promotes violence, killing and looting and treats women badly; that the faith considers women, dogs and donkeys of equal value; that domestic violence in general is encouraged; and that Muslims are liars and demons.
Judge Higgins had ordered Mr Scot and fellow pastor Daniel Nalliah to correct the statements and apologise in full-page newspaper advertisements.
But the appeal court said Mr Scot had been taken out of context, and had been quoting from the Koran.
Outside the court, Mr Scot said he would rather have gone to jail than apologise.
"Muslims have got to hide the truth to convert more people to Islam," he said. "We are not afraid to tell the truth.
"We can't be muzzled."
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Green Energy
Hero Of Western Civilization: Court Case Against Australian Pastor Thrown Out
Thanks to Religion of Pieces for making me aware of this story:
A TRIBUNAL decision seen as gagging critics of Islam has been torn up in a decisive victory for two fundamentalist preachers facing jail.
The Islamic Council of Victoria had complained that comments by Catch the Fire Ministries pastors had exposed Muslims to hatred and ridicule.
Yesterday's unanimous decision by three Victorian Court of Appeal judges was widely applauded as a win for freedom of speech.
The Victorian Civil and Administrative Appeals Tribunal had agreed with the Islamic Council that pastor Daniel Scot had engaged in conduct that incited hatred, contempt, revulsion or ridicule.
VCAT's Judge Michael Higgins said Mr Scot had caused 250 Christians to laugh at Islam during a 2002 seminar.
But yesterday the Court of Appeal set aside the orders and returned the case to the tribunal for decision by a different judge, without the rehearing of evidence.
Justice Geoffrey Nettle said a recording of the seminar had left him unconvinced that Mr Scot had incited hatred.
He said that though Mr Scot's style sometimes ridiculed Islam and resulted in cynical laughter, his plea during the seminar to love Muslims seemed sincere, as did the audience's reaction to it.
Mr Scot allegedly "made fun of Muslim beliefs . . . in a way which is essentially hostile, demeaning and derogatory of all Muslim people, their God, . . . the Prophet Mohammed and, in general, Muslim religious beliefs and practices."
It was alleged he stated that the Koran promotes violence, killing and looting and treats women badly; that the faith considers women, dogs and donkeys of equal value; that domestic violence in general is encouraged; and that Muslims are liars and demons.
Judge Higgins had ordered Mr Scot and fellow pastor Daniel Nalliah to correct the statements and apologise in full-page newspaper advertisements.
But the appeal court said Mr Scot had been taken out of context, and had been quoting from the Koran.
Outside the court, Mr Scot said he would rather have gone to jail than apologise.
"Muslims have got to hide the truth to convert more people to Islam," he said. "We are not afraid to tell the truth.
"We can't be muzzled."
- Good News For Geert ? Dutch Supremes: Insulting Islam Is Not Insulting Muslims
THE HAGUE, 11/03/09 - The Supreme Court yesterday produced an important ruling in principle in favour of freedom of speech. The highest court of the Netherlands acquitted a man of insulting Muslims although he dubbed Islam a tumour. The Supreme...
- Who's Next? - War On Anti-islamist Speech Heats Up
From Islamist Watch: "Hit list." So reads a newspaper headline shown in Fitna, a short film by Dutch MP Geert Wilders that correlates jihadist violence with Koranic decrees. Accompanying the headline are photos of the "hit list" members: murdered moviemaker...
- Didn't You Get The Memo? It's Not Free Speech, It's Hate-free Speech
From IBD Editorials: Wilders is a leader in the Dutch Freedom Party and a thorn in the side of politically correct Europeans who've been cowered by their increasing Muslim populations into accepting the creeping Islamicization of Europe — or Eurabia,...
- Islam Off-limits To Criticism?
The Age via Democracy Frontline:IT IS impossible to vilify Islam without also vilifying Muslims, because the two are indistinguishable, the Victorian Court of Appeal was told yesterday.Yes, you read that right.Justice Geoffrey Nettle asked Mr Woinarski:...
- The Prison Vs The Country Club
I've mentioned before that in a prison the walls are to keep people in while in a country club the walls exist to keep people out. Most religions have walls to keep people out. Walls such as rules, practices and demands. Yet people scale these walls...