Peanut Gallery: “Freedom of Religion” in America is considered a basic human right guaranteed by the US Constitution’s First Ammendment.

As Americans, we take for granted our right to believe or not, to share our faith with others or not, to change our religious affiliation or not… in other words, freedom of religion includes freedom of religious choice. Proclamation and persuasion are the means for religious proselytizing. Discrimination of any kind based on religious affiliation is illegal.

Wikipedia notes that this understanding of regious freedom is not limited to the United States, but is an essential Human Right as decribed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights –

Freedom of religion is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or community, in public or private, to manifest religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship, and observance; the concept is generally recognized also to include the freedom to change religion or not to follow any religion. The freedom to leave or discontinue membership in a religion or religious group — in religious terms called “apostasy” — is also a fundamental part of religious freedom, covered by Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. (Wikipedia)

However, the Islamic world has apparently not received the “Universal Human Rights” memo… and why would they care anyways – since Sharia Law trumps all other human considerations, as this Fox News report from Egypt demonstrates.

Under Egypt’s new regressive government, the only religious conversion allowed is to Islam… and there’s no going back… as Nadia Mohamed Ali and her 7 children discovered. Her motivation to return to her Christian origins, apparently, was more monetary than religious… it involved an inheritance. But that’s really beside the point. Only God truly knows why people do what they do… and in this case the State’s job was simply to record the change.

But that’s by American standards, not by Egypt’s new Sharia-friendly Constitution. The future does not bode well for Christians in Egypt. The new government only embolden’s the religious zealots to act out their worst impulses.

“Now that Sharia law has become an integral part of Egypt’s new constitution, Christians in that country are at greater risk than ever,” said Jordan Sekulow, executive director of the American Center for Law and Justice.

Sadly, Coptic Christians can expect little help from our current American administration. Please read the original story here at Fox News –

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“Egyptian court sentences Christian family to 15 years for converting from Islam” – By Benjamin Weinthal | Published January 16, 2013

The 15-year prison sentence given to a woman and her seven children by an Egyptian court for converting to Christianity is a sign of things to come, according to alarmed human rights advocates who say the nation’s Islamist government is bad news for Christians in the North African country.

Continue reading ““Freedom of Religion” – not in Sharia Egypt” →