TN Atheist

The United Nations is working to restrict the ability of people to openly criticize religion in all of its member nations.  This is very troubling.

Recently Christopher Hitchens was on CNN’s Lou Dobbs Tonight and was discussing  the United Nations anti-blasphemy resolution that was passed last year in December as a non-binding resolution and the implications if the UN passes a new binding version.   Similar resolutions have been brought up over the  year all backed and pushed by Islamic countries  that now have won United Nations backing for an anti-blasphemy measure the United States and other Western critics say risks being used to limit freedom of speech.

While non-binding, last years resolution doesn’t mean much but these Islamic countries headed by Pakistan are pushing again this year for the UN pass a similar binding resolution trying to force all UN member nations to adopt these similar types of laws.

Here is the video from Lou Dobbs Tonight that was on CNN Feb 25, 2009.

I have obtained a copy of the original United Nation Ani-Blasphemy Resolution A/RES/62/154 (PDF).  It can be clearly seen how the UN is urging countries to pass laws that will make it illegal to crticize in any way religion and this is probably the very same things that will be pushed to be made binding.  It is a sad day when the United Nations, an organization that is supposed to push for and defend human rights wants to quash the rights of free speech.  It has no business of trying to push the Islamic agenda of silencing people that will speak out about the atrocities it carries out in the name of religion dogma and irrational beliefs.

Now I know that even if the Anti-Blasphemy Resolution is binding and passed doesn’t mean the United States or any other Western nation for that matter will ratify it or pass laws based on it.  Anti-blasphemy laws would violate the First Ammendment, one of the most important parts of our constitution.  I am sure there are some fringe extremists that might would want to criminilize someone criticizing their beliefs however I think the majority of people here in the United States want to be able to openly discuss problems they have with other religions.

It is already shameful how the UN is catering to religious beliefs especially Islam and trying to force world to accept these beliefs without being able to speak out against them.  If Islam and other religions do things that other people in the world find necessary to call them out on perhaps they should look at what they are doing and maybe see why someone might have a problem.  Instead of trying to legislate tolerence of religion why not try to be less intolerable.  I hope that if this resolution does pass that it will be the final straw that pushes the United States and other countries out of the United Nations making it an even more pointless organization than it already is.

The TN Atheist Christopher Hitchens, freedom of speech, Islam, politics, secularism, United Nations