"The West reveals here a hatred of itself, which is strange and can be only considered pathological; the West is laudably trying to open itself, full of understanding, to external values, but it no longer loves itself; in its own history, it now sees only what is deplorable and destructive, while it is no longer able to perceive what is great and pure." - Joseph Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI)
I was deeply humbled when I first read of Lydia Playfoot's story a few weeks back and it touched my heart to hear of her devotion and steadfastness in standing up for the freedom to express her religious beliefs during a time when so many Christians around the world have found themselves under attack. I had faith that England's court would respect Lydia Playfoot's freedom to express her religious beliefs. I was wrong.
Thinking of Lydia's case, I reflected back only two years ago when three Christian school girls over here in Indonesia were brutally beheaded for no reason other than the fact that they were Christians. The three girls almost the same age as Lydia, were identified as Christians by the crucifixes they wore.
When I saw the pictures of the lifeless corpses of these three teenage girls my heart cried out. I wondered why these three teenage girls would choose to openly express their faith knowing full well that their life would be in danger if they did. It was their love of God, the strength of their faith and their desire for freedom that gave them the power to choose a life on their feet rather than live a life on their knees. The murderers of the Indonesian school girls would choose a machete as their weapon of choice whereas the nation of England would choose to use a court system. The victim though, freedom would be the same.
To allow the adherents of other religions the freedom to express their religious beliefs the way that they see fit and deny Lydia Playfoot that same freedom is a travesty that goes beyond measure. For a court to even suggest that they somehow have a right to determine what constitutes an "integral element of one's faith" makes of a mockery out of the very meaning of freedom.
Surely the Hindus and Muslims at Lydia's school are not compelled to wear these items that the court has determined to be an "integral elements of their faith" have they? And are these same students free to choose not to wear these said items if they so desire? And if a young Muslim girl chooses of her own free will not to wear a hijab is she any less a Muslim? I would therefore put it to England's court that their are no items integral to anyone's faith. There is only freedom.
Having long been silenced by political correctness and thereby impervious to any rational argument on the policies of diversity and multiculturalism, England is now beginning to witness firsthand how multiculturalism inevitably crushes individuality and obliterates freedom. America is not far behind.
I was deeply humbled when I first read of Lydia Playfoot's story a few weeks back and it touched my heart to hear of her devotion and steadfastness in standing up for the freedom to express her religious beliefs during a time when so many Christians around the world have found themselves under attack. I had faith that England's court would respect Lydia Playfoot's freedom to express her religious beliefs. I was wrong.
Thinking of Lydia's case, I reflected back only two years ago when three Christian school girls over here in Indonesia were brutally beheaded for no reason other than the fact that they were Christians. The three girls almost the same age as Lydia, were identified as Christians by the crucifixes they wore.
When I saw the pictures of the lifeless corpses of these three teenage girls my heart cried out. I wondered why these three teenage girls would choose to openly express their faith knowing full well that their life would be in danger if they did. It was their love of God, the strength of their faith and their desire for freedom that gave them the power to choose a life on their feet rather than live a life on their knees. The murderers of the Indonesian school girls would choose a machete as their weapon of choice whereas the nation of England would choose to use a court system. The victim though, freedom would be the same.
To allow the adherents of other religions the freedom to express their religious beliefs the way that they see fit and deny Lydia Playfoot that same freedom is a travesty that goes beyond measure. For a court to even suggest that they somehow have a right to determine what constitutes an "integral element of one's faith" makes of a mockery out of the very meaning of freedom.
Surely the Hindus and Muslims at Lydia's school are not compelled to wear these items that the court has determined to be an "integral elements of their faith" have they? And are these same students free to choose not to wear these said items if they so desire? And if a young Muslim girl chooses of her own free will not to wear a hijab is she any less a Muslim? I would therefore put it to England's court that their are no items integral to anyone's faith. There is only freedom.
Having long been silenced by political correctness and thereby impervious to any rational argument on the policies of diversity and multiculturalism, England is now beginning to witness firsthand how multiculturalism inevitably crushes individuality and obliterates freedom. America is not far behind.
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