Saturday, September 8, 2012

Office Of Religious Freedom

The Office of Religious Freedom, doesn't automatically bring to mind the Ministry of Truth, but i can't say the thought hadn't occurred to me. I don't automatically associate Freedom with Religion. I'm not going to compare The Harper government with Oceania. There is no comparison. What I'm thinking about is the nature of the Office of Religious Freedom. What it means. What it will do. What are the the benefits and potential entanglements.

In 2011 John Baird gave a speech where he mentions the announces the creation of the Office of Religious Freedom.  Baird says  

"The office will promote freedom of religion and freedom of conscience as key objectives of Canadian foreign policy."

That sentence tells us the basic idea of what objectives the ORF will pursue. It also let's us know that it will pursue these at the direction of the Foreign Affairs.

"The long history of humanity has proven that religious freedom and democratic freedom are inseparable."

"As Franklin Roosevelt observed on the eve of global war: “Where freedom of religion has been attacked, the attack has come from sources opposed to democracy."

''Where democracy has been overthrown, the spirit of free worship has disappeared. “And where religion and democracy have vanished, good faith and reason in international affairs have given way to strident ambition and brute force.” "

The next three exerts provide the justification for protecting freedom of religion. The relationship between democracy and religious freedom is obvious,but is it of greater importance than that of freedom of speech, freedom of association; both of which have had a troubled association with organized religion. I await an Office of Freedom of Speech.

So the Harper government is almost ready unveil the ORF that will identify religious oppression and direct foreign affairs resources to address these violations. But it seems clear that the ORF is not independent of, and will work in conjunction with and support the goals of the Dept. of Foreign Affairs. 

Promoting religious freedom and the religious pluralism which almost always follows it is a worthy goal. I see the benefits generated from freedom of belief, but problems as well.

A conflict between state interests immediately comes to mind. How will the ORF address the Tibetan-China issue. A religious problem within a political one complicated by economics. China believes Tibet is an internal issue, and has never wavered on this stance. Will the ORF declare China's position in Tibet to unacceptable? It would seem impossible to decide it any other way. Such a position is sure to anger China. It is a certainly that they would respond, negatively, affecting Canada and China's economic and political ties. So what then?Will the Office of Religious Freedom be instructed to walk softly or even remain mute on Tibet, to preserve ties with the Asian super power, at the cost of its objectives and integrity? It will fall further when we see Harper, as he must, use the ORF to censure Burma over its treatment of the Rohingya Muslims  minority or the plight of Middle east Christians. Deserving targets and safe to harangue and part of Canada's Foreign Policy arc. Such a circumstance would reveal the ORF as just another foreign policy tool used as needed to serve and further our interests.

The Office of Religious Freedom can only point out abuses in nations that have no mechanisms for creating such freedom in the first place. In the West the essential notion is that we have a right to believe as we choose. We may join any religion that will have us and leave at any time.This democratizing of religion has resulted in a multitude of beliefs. It is not the same in other nations or religions, and trying to force open their borders to our brand of religion, feels like trouble. It was democracy that made possible religious pluralism. We are attempting to bring it about in countries that are barley democratic or not at all. A cart before the horse. We would do better opening  an Office for Promoting Democratic Freedom.

I am an atheist. I don't like religion. I do like Democracy and I think it best when people are free from coercion and abuse, including the right to belief. I see in the Office of Religious Freedom a tempting tool, but not an effective one for change. It is a hammer to chip away at foreign governments, to undermine whatever moral claim to rule they might have. A tally of one more abuse among abuses, maleficent acts all, of the offending government, and all true. A list that sooner or later will serve as an excuse for regime change. 


 


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