Australian Court Holds Pastors Guilty of ‘Vilifying’ Islam

Victoria, Australia – A state tribunal in Australia has found two evangelical Christian pastors, who conducted a church seminar on Islam, guilty of “vilifying” Islam and inciting hatred against Muslims.

The ruling, passed on December 17, 2004 found that the pastors violated a controversial religious "hate" law. But Christians say their free speech has been violated.

The judge decided that the seminar on Islam held by pastors Danny Nalliah and Daniel Scot of Catch the Fire Ministry was hostile and demeaning to Muslims.

But Scot and Nalliah have said that they will keep fighting by appealing their case in Australia’s federal court. They hope a judge will strike down Victoria state’s racial and religious tolerance act.

The controversial law allows a person to sue if he feels he’s been humiliated by another race or religion.

The two pastors were tried under Victoria's new race and religion hate laws after the Islamic Council of Victoria filed legal action, charging that Scot called Muslims demons, liars and terrorists.

The Islamic Council's complaint also alleged that Scot told the congregation that Muslims were training to take over Australia and Islam was an inherently violent religion.

Judge Michael Higgins of the Victoria Civil and Administrative Tribunal found that throughout the seminar Scot had made fun of Muslim beliefs and conduct.

"It was done, not in the context of a serious discussion of Muslims' religious beliefs," the judge said, according to The Australian. "It was presented in a way which is essentially hostile, demeaning and derogatory of all Muslim people, their god, Allah, the prophet Muhammad and in general Muslim religious beliefs and practices," he said.

The judge also found a website article and newsletter published by Catch the Fire Ministries to be breaches of the religious vilification legislation.

The decision came as 100 supporters and members of Catch the Fire Ministries sang Christian songs outside the tribunal.

In an interview, Nalliah told that the law is being used to silence the church. Nalliah said, “This law and this issue will not simply stop Christian ministries from speaking about the Koran, but it will stop Christian ministries from speaking against sin.”

The ruling was an important victory for the Muslim community, Islamic Council president Yasser Soliman told The Australian.

"We are not their enemies, we are fellow Australians," he said. "We don't want to be positioned as an enemy or painted as one."

Soliman said "vilification" is a "tool that is sometimes used by extremists" that is meant to "hurt."

According to news reports, a Muslim group in Victoria used the law to sue the pastors over the church seminar that was held in 2002. Three Muslims had slipped into the seminar and they took offense when Scott used the Koran to prove that it’s teachings support jihad–holy war against non–Muslims.

When Scott and Nalliah refused to apologize for teaching what they say is the proven truth, the case went to court. It dragged on for more than a year.

Costing the pastors over 200,000 USD in legal fees before the judge issued his decision last week.

"Freedom of speech is one of our fundamental values in Australia and this case is not over," Scot said, according to the Australian paper.

"We cannot let freedom of speech be taken away from us; religion cannot be legislated.

Scot said the purpose of the seminar, just months after 9–11, was to increase understanding of Muslim culture.

Nalliah insisted there was "no hate speech at all."
"It was teaching and understanding of what we knew of what the holy book of Islamic faith says," he explained. "And I believe we, in a free and democratic society, should have the freedom to speak up."

Judge Higgins will hear submissions from lawyers in January to decide on fines. There is no limitation on the amount of fines, The Australian said. It is believed that the fine imposed could go up to 30,000 USD and another order to apologize. But Nalliah has declared that they will not comply, even if it means going to jail.