LWF Calls Against Terms: Christianophobia, Islamophobia, Anti-Semitism
A coalition of Christian and non-governmental organizations urged the United Nations Commission on Human Rights to drop the use of the terms “Christianophobia,” Islamophobia” and “Anti-Semetism” when addressing forms of religious discrimination.
In a written statement delivered to the 61st Session of the UNCHR in Geneva, the joint coalition asked the commission to return to an earlier list that did not cite specific religions in describing intolerance or discrimination.
The groups asked the Commission to reflect on how the question of religious freedom can be “applied consistently and absolutely without discrimination as intended” if only three “special problem areas” are listed.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
According to a press release by the Lutheran World Federation – one of the handful of organizations involved in the statement, the “specification of any particular religion or belief would lead to particular problems including focusing attention on special forms of discrimination.”
The groups argued that the greater the number listed on the report, the more invidious the list would become because of the groups that would not be included.
The statement was read during the UN’s meeting in Geneva between March 14 to April 22.
