AS U.N. READIES BLASPHEMY RESOLUTION DEBATE, GLOBAL POLL REVEALS MAJORITY SUPPORT TO CRITICIZE RELIGION: Support for free speech strongest in U. S., Chile, Mexico, Britain.
A survey of 18,000 respondents in twenty nations has found that a majority—57%—think “people should be allowed to publicly criticize religion because people should have freedom of speech.”
The study was conducted by www.WorldPublicopinion.org and used a mix of face-to-face interviews as well as telephone polling.
Thirty-seven percent, however, insisted that governments should have the power “to fine or imprison people who publicly criticize religion because such criticism could defame the religion.”
Polling results from seven countries reflected solid support for freedom of expression in the public square. The United States led this cohort with 89% followed by Chile at 82%; Mexico with 81%; and Great Britain, where 81% endorsed the right to criticize faith and dogma. These countries were followed by Germany, Poland, France, Russia, and the Ukraine.
Majorities in some nations where Islam plays a crucial role also endorsed free expression. In Azerbaijan, 67% affirmed free speech, followed by Turkey at 54%. Results from the Palestinian territories showed that 46% of respondents agreed.
From there, however, results of the survey showed strong majorities in favor of state action to affirm blasphemy as a crime. Iraq, Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, Pakistan, India and Indonesia fell into the pro-censorship cohort.
In Asia, 81% of Hong Kong respondents affirmed the right to criticize faith, followed by Taiwan at 68% and South Korea at 59%.
Pakistan reflected gloomy numbers. That nation, considered a critical ally in the fight against militant religious fundamentalism had only 34% supporting the right of conscience and expression, with India at 33% and Indonesia—the world’s largest population of Muslims—at 31%.
All of this comes as the United Nations General Assembly is expected to take up a non-binding resolution introduced by the Organization of the Islamic Conference which calls on member states to actively penalize any hurtful or critical remarks aimed at religious sects, beliefs and individuals. The so-called “Global Blasphemy Resolution” has been introduced over a dozen times. The measure was passed by the U.N. Human Rights Council in March, but faces strong opposition from the United States and the Obama administration. Many Christian groups have mobilized against the proposal insisting that it would prohibit their right to actively proselytize in Third World countries, including the Middle East and South Asia. Secularist groups have also leapt into the debate, with the International Humanist and Ethical Union (HEU) and Britain’s National Secular Society (SSS) taking the lead to defeat the measure.
Various blasphemy statutes are regularly enforced throughout the Muslim world. Nobel Laureate author Naguib Mahfouz, for instance, was prosecuted in Egypt over his 1959 novel “The Children of the Alley”, which depicted Mohammad as an impoverished citizen. Four years ago, Muslims across the world protested the publication of a series of unflattering cartoons in the Danish press; and there is the notorious case of Salman Rushdie whose novel “The Satanic Verses” was banned first in India, and then throughout Southern Asia and the Middle East. Iran’s then-leader, Ayatollah Khomeini pronounced a “fatwa” or death sentence on Rushdie, declaring that it was the religious duty of every Muslim to carry out the sentence of death.
The U.S. State Department and a battery of international human rights groups have spoken out against the proposed blasphemy ban, saying that it violates free speech and, in fact, fuels religious hatreds and resentments.
The latest news reports indicate that a vote in the U.S. General Assembly could likely come by mid-December.