SCENARIO ON RELIGIOUS FREEDOM

The majority of the population from Country A is from one dominant faith. As such, this faith’s institutions have some influence over the government’s policies and education programmes in the country. While the country’s Constitution guarantees religious freedom, some minority and ethnic groups operate in the country. They are required, however, to have state authority to function. Under this policy, places of worship must conform to established zoning laws.

Members of one minority group have been holding “house church” meetings because they do not have enough financial resources to have their own centre. This group claims they are not breaking any criminal laws and have a right to both religious freedom and private meetings in their own homes. Parents in the neighbourhood, however, have complained to the authorities that minors are attending these meetings, are being “brainwashed” by their teachings, and being encouraged to convert.

Some members of the dominant faith in Country A have raided a few of the “house church” meetings and threatened the participants.

Your group is representing an international organisation that is to issue advice to the parties concerned about how to resolve this conflict. What kind of brief statement would you make?

Some questions to reflect on:

® Does the government have the right to break up these meetings and/or declare them illegal? If so, on what grounds?

® What responsibilities does the minority faith group and/or members of the dominant faith have to the community?

® Is there additional information in this case you would want to ask for?

® Are there creative solutions to the above problems that would bring people together rather than create more divisions?