Interfaith

The Human Rights Commission has  finally published the religious diversity in the workplace guidelines. NZ Christian Network National Director Glyn Carpenter has been involved as a member of the reference group commenting on the various draft documents.

Currently the publication is only available online www.hrc.co.nz/2012/religious-diversity-in-the-workplace but a print run is planned. There will be a small launch at the National Interfaith Forum this month (17-19 February) at Church College in Hamilton.

Introducing the document, the HRC says:

“New Zealand’s population is constantly changing and growing. It now includes significant communities of Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and Jews ? all playing an important role in the country’s economy.  Out of this diversity, a need has grown for guidance in managing religious diversity in the workplace for workers, employers, union officials, human resource personnel and religious communities.

"Religious diversity in the workplace: questions and concerns raises awareness of issues that may arise and offers guidance in understanding and accommodating religious diversity in the workplace."

A fierce debate on a religious matter Kate Malby http://www.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/7062178/a-fierce-debate-on-a-religious-matter.thtml The Spectator hosted a debate at the Royal Geographic Society yesterday evening with a rather meaty motion: “Secularism is a greater threat to Christianity than Islam”. We have two reviews of the occasion. The first, by Kate Maltby, is below. Lloyd Evans' can be found here.

Last night’s Spectator debate on the motion “Secularism is a greater threat to Christianity than Islam” was marked by a highly personal level of investment from the speakers, a sudden swing in the vote, and the uncharacteristic sight of Chair Rod Liddle acting as the most conciliatory person in the room. Although the debate ranged far and wide, at its heart was an old-fashioned contest between traditionalists interested in the cultural hinterland in which society changes, and rationalists who use the calculus of terrorism statistics and murder rates. Liddle introduced Damian Thompson as “further to the Right than a fishknife”. But when Thompson’s opponent for the night, Douglas Murray, was introduced as the...

The International Director of the World Evangelical Alliance, Dr Geoff Tunnicliffe, has welcomed the unanimous condemnation of a Florida church's plan to burn copies of the Koran, but asks that the same level of concern be shown when acts of aggression are committed against any faith. Dr Tunnicliffe says it is right to speak out strongly against the action planned by the Dove World Outreach Center, not because of ‘fear of repercussions' but because such an act is ‘fundamentally wrong'. However, Dr Tunnicliffe goes on to question whether the world's media, and religious and political leaders would be willing to stand up in future and show the same outrage when acts of aggression are committed against members of other faiths. ‘Will they have the courage to speak up, not out of some concern for reciprocity or a fear of repercussions, but simply because it is the right thing to do.' Dr Tunnicliffe points to a string of recent violent acts against Christians, all of which met with relative silence from the international community. NZ Christian Network - the New Zealand member of the WEA - is thankful for a direct approach made by Dr Tunnicliffe to the leader of the Dove World Outreach Center, Dr Terry Jones, asking him to call off the church's action. National Director Glyn Carpenter says such an act is simply wrong - whoever does it and whatever faith position they come from - although it has served to highlight a double standard in how such matters are dealt with.

From the World Evangelical Alliance Liberty Prayer News: ‘Compass Direct News Service reports that since 11th April, 2010, The Gereja Kristen Indonesia (GKI) Taman Yasmin Church in Bogor, West Java, Indonesia, has held services on the roadside in front of the sealed church in stifling heat, after the mayor of Bogor had sealed the church building. ‘The church had received an official building permit from the Bogor City government, but because a Muslim group that objected to the presence of a church, its construction was stopped and later sealed. The church brought a lawsuit against the sealing of the church premises and in spite that it won the court case, permission has not been granted to use the building for worship. ‘The church has filed a religious discrimination appeal with the United Nations Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief.' www.worldevangelicals.org/news/article.htm?id=3011&cat=main

NZ Christian Network's Glyn Carpenter has been involved as a member of the reference group commenting on the Human Rights Commission's draft document, and has already attended the first meetings. NZ Christian Network is hoping that many people will make their own comments.
The draft Religious Diversity in the Workplace document can be found on the Human Rights Commission's Religious Diversity Network. Comments and feedback on this draft are invited from individuals and organisations and can be made directly to the New Zealand Diversity Action Programme, until Friday 11 September, by emailing This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or posting to:
Attn: Rohan Jaduram
Human Rights Commission
Level 10, Tower Centre
45 Queen Street
PO Box 6751
Wellesley Street, Auckland 1141 Please circulate this to your networks.

The focus at the Annual Religious Diversity Forum - to be held in Christchurch on 23 August as part of the New Zealand Diversity Forum - will be religion and the media.

The Human Rights Commission says:
The reporting of religion by the media continues to be a topic that occupies the minds of both religious communities and journalists, internationally and in New Zealand.
New Zealand's Statement on Religious Diversity, endeavours to affirm both freedom of the media and the importance of exercising it responsibly, although drafting the Statement has not been without controversy.
At the 2009 Asia-Pacific Interfaith Dialogue in Perth, sponsored by the Australian, Indonesian, New Zealand and Philippine governments, delegates from 15 countries agreed on the following statement:
‘We acknowledge the value of the freedom of the media in the promotion of communal and regional harmony, and we call on religious leaders and national and international media to recognise that this right entails the responsibility for accurate and balanced reporting.
‘We call on faith communities to seek media training and for media outlets to train reporters in religious issues.
‘We call on media and religious leaders to take responsibility for the resolution of disputes over misrepresentations and other conflicts.'
A number of New Zealand delegates to the Perth Dialogue will be present at the Christchurch forum.
Professor Paul Morris, of...

NZ Christian Network National Director Glyn Carpenter thinks some Christians need to be much more careful about how they handle the truth.
"Huge numbers of emails are spread throughout the Internet which contain half-truths, unchecked facts, and negative statements about other people," he says. "Usually I ignore them and pray that others do the same."
"But occasionally I'll engage someone over it. When you ask direct questions such as ‘have you ever read a single complete book by the person you are maligning', or ‘have you ever approached the person directly with your questions or concerns', that is usually the end of the conversation. "But there's a more fundamental issue here. "The 9th commandment says ‘you shall not give false testimony against your neighbour'. The context is different but the warning is the same." Glyn Carpenter says the following article by Jeff Fountain gives a topical illustration of this problem. "If we want to lead people to the One who says He is the Truth, let's show people we are serious about it ourselves." Sowing half-truths and fear
Jeff Fountain Barely a week goes by these days without someone somewhere in the world sending me an email about Geert Wilders, the controversial Dutch politician with the blonded hair. Often the subject line says something like: ‘This will give you the cold chills!!' ‘This speech clearly shows our situation in the world... well worth reading!' ‘Read this and weep!!' Actually I...

Code of Conduct for the evangelization of those of other faiths For the past three years the World Evangelical Alliance has been working with the Roman Catholic Church and the World Council of Churches on a draft Code of Conduct to be followed by Christians working amongst Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and those of other faiths. The catalyst for this was allegations by Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists that Christians were seeking to evangelise by deceitful methods, such as inducement and bribery in the form of medical and educational work, social work, helping the poor, promises of jobs, etc. All three bodies, that is the RCC/WCC/WEA, are united that the work of conversion is that of the Holy Spirit, but that we as Christians are commanded by Jesus Christ to spread the good news of the Gospel to all people all over the world and we are also commanded by the Lord to go about doing good, as His disciples. Two draft documents have been produced. 1. http://www.worldevangelicals.org/WCC_WEA_Vat_Code_Draft.pdf The first is the result of two conferences held between the RCC/WCC/WEA. This document has been submitted to the constituencies of all three bodies for their comment in time for a further conference to be held some time this year. What all three bodies want is a code containing principles to which at least a majority of their constituents will adhere, a code which can demonstrate that Christians...

"Secularism cannot be the default position for arbitrating between other comprehensive views such as Christianity or Buddhism." This was one of the major points made during the forum Religion in the Workplace, run jointly in Auckland on 10 April by New Zealand Christian Network, visionnetwork, and Martien Kelderman, National Director of the Fountain Institute. Click on the link below to read a brief summary from the forum.

The interfaith movement is based on a flawed foundation which will ultimately limit the good it might do, says New Zealand Christian Network, visionnetwork, National Director Glyn Carpenter.

Mr Carpenter was one of approximately 60 participants who attended the National Interfaith Forum held in Christchurch on February 27. Special women's, youth, and other interfaith meetings were held on the Friday and Sunday. Mr Carpenter, who has been trying to present an orthodox biblical position at interfaith forums since 2003, said as long as people at the forums continue to talk about all faiths worshipping the same god, they are not being inclusive of the standard Christian position. They like to think they are inclusive of everyone because of that statement. "I very much doubt the majority of Muslims or Hindus believe we all worship the same god, either," said Mr Carpenter. "I don't want to cause anyone offence, but this statement is flawed. We are very blessed in New Zealand that members of different religious groups do come together for dialogue. There is much we can agree on and much we can do together. "But if this is to be achieved, then it must be on a basis of truth, and not keep trying to gloss over the fact that different religions believe in different gods."