THE BATTLE OF THE BOOKS – BIBLE v KORAN

 

THE TANDEM PROJECT

http://www.tandemproject.com.

 

UNITED NATIONS, HUMAN RIGHTS,

FREEDOM OF RELIGION OR BELIEF

 

THE BATTLE OF THE BOOKS – BIBLE v KORAN

 

Issue: The Battle of the Books – Bible v Koran - Christianity and Islam  

 

For: United Nations, Governments, Religions or Beliefs, Academia, NGOs, Media, Civil Society

                                                                                                                                                                             

Review: The Bible v the Koran: The battle of the books; the business of marketing the Bible and the Koran says a lot about the state of modern Christianity and Islam – The Economist, 22 December 2007. The article asks the question, “who is winning the battle of the books. For some, the question is an abomination. Can’t both sides win by converting the heathen? And aren’t Christianity and Islam fellow Abrahamic faiths – different versions of the Truth?” Can International Human Rights Standards on Freedom of Religion or Belief, which proclaims the right to manifest a religion or belief, promote respect for all individuals, religious and non-religious, when trying to convince the other in matters relating to religion or belief?

 

Objective: Build understanding and support for Article 18, International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights –Everyone shall have the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion - and the 1981 UN Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief. Encourage the United Nations, Governments, Religions or Beliefs, Academia, NGOs, Media and Civil Society to use these international human rights standards as essential for long-term solutions to conflicts based on religion or belief.

 

Challenge: In 1968 the United Nations deferred work on an International Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Religious Intolerance, because of its apparent complexity and sensitivity. In the twenty-first century, a dramatic increase of intolerance and discrimination on grounds of religion or belief is motivating a worldwide search to find solutions to these problems. This is a challenge calling for enhanced dialogue by States and others; including consideration of an International Convention on Freedom of Religion or Belief for protection of and accountability by all religions or beliefs. The tensions in today’s world inspire a question such as:

 

  • Should the United Nations adopt an International Convention on Freedom of Religion or Belief?

 

Extracts: Extracts are presented under the Eight Articles of the 1981 U.N. Declaration on the Elimination of all Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief. Examples of extracts are presented prior to the Issue Statement for each Review.  

 

Article 6: In accordance with Article 1 of the present Declaration, and subject to the provisions of Article 1, paragraph 3, the right to freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief shall include, inter alia, the following freedoms:

 

6. 4 To write issue and disseminate relevant publications in these areas;

 

Annual Bible sales in America are worth between $425m and $650m; Gideon’s International gives away a Bible every second. The Bible is available all or in part in 2,426 languages, covering 95% of the world’s population… The Koran is not only the most widely read book in the Islamic world but also the most widely recited (“Koran” means “recitation.”)…The combination of globalization and rising wealth is proving a bonanza for both religions…Saudi oil wealth is supercharging the distribution of the Koran. The kingdom gives away some 30m Korans a year, under the auspices of either the Muslim World League or individual billionaires, distributing them through a vast network of mosques, Islamic societies and even embassies…Thomas Nelson, which was once owned by a former door-to-door Bible salesman, was bought in 2005 for $473m…and now most mainstream publishers are trying to produce their own Bibles. As a result, all the tricks of the publisher’s trade are being applied to the Bible.  – The Bible v the Koran – The Economist, 22 December 2007.

 

Article 1: 2. No one shall be subject to coercion which would impair his freedom to have a religion or belief of his choice.

 

Muslims would argue that their struggle was aimed more at galvanizing their own flock than at converting unbelievers. But Islam’s relative introversion doesn’t make for peaceful coexistence. In many parts of the world, Islamic authorities have reacted furiously to attempts by Christians to entice Muslims to “apostasies” or renounce their faith; in traditional Islamic law, the penalty for apostasy is death; and encouraging believers to apostasy is also treated as a crime…In many parts of the world, battle seems to be in progress. The Saudis will not allow the Bible to be distributed on their soil. Many Evangelical Christians are fixated on what they call the 10/40 window-the vast swathe of the Islamic world in Africa and Asia that lays between latitudes 10 and 40 north of the equator.  The southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Texas has even created a masters degree to train missionaries in the art of converting Muslims. – The Bible v the Koran – The Economist, 22 December 2007.

 

1. 1 Everyone shall have the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. This right shall include freedom to have a religion or whatever belief of his choice, and freedom, either individually or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in worship, observance, practices and teaching.

 

And the battle of the books is certainly at the heart of the battle between the two religions. People who get hold of Bibles or Korans may not read them or understand them. Unless they are introduced to the books they will certainly remain heathens. Even an imperfect report on the state of the battle tells us a lot about the world’s two great missionary religions…The Christians entered the 21st century with a big head start. There are 2 billion of them in the world compared with 1.5 billion Muslims. But Islam had a better 20th century than Christianity. The world’s Muslim population grew from 200m in 1900 to its current levels. Christianity has shriveled in Christendom’s European heart. Islam is resurgent across the Arab world. Many Christian scholars predict that Islam will overtake Christianity as the world’s largest religion by 2050…This needs to be kept in mind when considering who is winning the battle of the books. For some, the question is an abomination. Can’t both sides win by converting the heathen? And aren’t Christianity and Islam fellow Abrahamic faiths – different versions of the Truth? – The Bible v the Koran – The Economist, 22 December 2007.

 

But two things are certain in the battle of the books. The first is that the urge to spread the Word will spark some of the fiercest conflicts of the 21st century…The second is that the Bible and the Koran will continue to exercise a dramatic influence over human events, for both good and ill. The twigs of the burning bush are still aflame with the fire of God. – The Bible v the Koran – The Economist, 22 December 2007.

 

Open link to read full story in The Economist: 

 

http://www.economist.com/world/international/displaystory.cfm?story_id=10311317

 

ISSUE STATEMENT: The Economist story touches on Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights - the right to publish and to manifest a religion or belief, and Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights - the right to freedom of opinion and expression, including the right to try to convince the other. The right to change a religion or belief and the right to freedom of opinion and expression are bedrock principles embodied in international human rights law without which democracy, as we understand the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, cannot exist in civil society.  

 

The United Nations Human Rights Committee’s 1993 General Comment 22 on Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights provides protection against discrimination for theistic, non-theistic and atheistic beliefs, as well as the right not to profess any religion or belief. The Alliance for Civilizations high level dialogue and local interfaith dialogue may want to include this phrase in their discussions. As Mark C. Taylor in the attached Word Document File predicts; “The warning signs are clear: unless we establish a genuine dialogue within and among all kinds of belief, ranging from religious fundamentalism to secular dogmatism, the conflicts of the future will probably be even more deadly.”

 

The International Service for Human Rights (ISHR) has reported that the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) in a resolution passed on 14 December 2007 extended the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief by three years (A/HRC/6/L.15/Rev/1). This was the only resolution out of thirteen passed by the HRC that was not passed by consensus. ISHR reported that “Portugal (on behalf of the EU) introduced the draft, regretted that despite intensive consultations since the end of the September part of the 6th session, consensus could not be reached. However, it pledged that it would take up the negotiations again; hoping that consensus on the issue could be re-established soon.” “Pakistan (on behalf of the OIC), while opposing all forms of intolerance and discrimination based on religion or belief, and was always supportive of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur, said the EU draft explicitly urges States to guarantee the right to change one’s religion or belief, a requirement the OIC could not subscribe to.” The resolution passed on a vote of 29 for, 0 against and 18 abstaining.

 

The right to change one’s religion or belief or to leave a religion is considered by some in Islam as apostasy and is a divisive issue between the European Union (EU) and Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC). Other issues of similar magnitude include interpretations of defamation of a religion or belief and the right to freedom of opinion and expression, and proselytism - the right to manifest a belief by trying to convince others of their Truth and the ultimate meaning of life. Both EU and OIC Member States on the United Nations Human Rights Council have taken principled positions, the EU on what they consider to be non-negotiable international human rights law on freedom of religion or belief and the OIC on religious tradition. Hopefully, as Portugal reiterated in calling for a vote on A/HRC/6/L.15.Rev.1 this can be resolved over time and consensus achieved. It will be a major challenge of utmost importance in the implementation of international principles and codes of conduct on Freedom of Religion or Belief.

 

The 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights First Preamble affirms: “Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world. This principle suggests all States recalling their history, culture and constitution, provide equal protection by law for theistic, non-theistic and atheistic beliefs, as well as the right not to profess any religion or belief. Now this is recognized as international law by States parties to the United Nations Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. International Human Rights Standards on Freedom of Religion or Belief may be essential for long term solutions to conflicts based on religion or belief.

 

The Tandem Project: a non-profit, non-governmental organization established in 1986 to build understanding and respect for diversity of religion or belief, and prevent discrimination in matters relating to freedom of religion or belief. The Tandem Project has sponsored multiple conferences, curricula, reference materials and programs on Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights – Everyone shall have the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion - and the 1981 United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief.

 

The Tandem Project initiative was launched in 1986 as the result of a co-founder representing the World Federation of United Nations Associations (WFUNA) at a 1984 United Nations Geneva Seminar, Encouragement of Understanding, Tolerance and Respect in Matters Relating to Freedom of Religion or Belief, called by the UN Secretariat on ways to implement the 1981 UN Declaration. In 1986, The Tandem Project organized the first NGO International Conference on the 1981 UN Declaration.

 

The Tandem Project Executive Director: Michael M. Roan, mroan@tandemproject.com. 

 

Documents Attached:

THE BATTLE OF THE BOOKS - BIBLE v KORAN

PROSELYTISM AND HUMAN RIGHTS - THE RIGHT TO TRY TO CONVINCE THE OTHER

THE DEVOTED STUDENT

 

The Tandem Project is a UN NGO in Special Consultative Status with the

Economic and Social Council of the United Nations