One of the (many) reasons why I am not a fascist or a Stalinist is because I am rather worried that people might begin to think that I am a repressed and self-hating homosexual who is trying to hide his true self by embracing rightwing Christian fundamentalism. If I ever wavered in my commitment to [...]
Posts under ‘freedom of religion’
The return of fake morality?
Because my parents were members of the Dutch Reformed Church, I had to attend the church service and Sunday school every week. What fun! The dominee (minister), speaking in the ridiculously pretentious accent learnt at the kweekskool (seminary), usually warned in apocalyptic terms against the evils of sex before marriage (or sex with an Engelse meisie or a black [...]
Zapiro, freedom of speech and the Burka
It is rather ironic that Zapiro is in hot water for drawing a cartoon bemoaning the fact that some followers of the Prophet Muhammad have no sense of humour. It would be like me being assaulted by ANC Youth League members for saying they are politically intolerant. The vehement response from Zapiro’s critics sort of proves his point.
But [...]
Is Terreblanche’s church allowed to discriminate?
My friend was incensed: “Why,” he wanted to know, “is the Afrikaanse Protestantse Kerk (APK) allowed to discriminate against black people?” Last Friday, at the funeral of Eugene Terreblanche, much was made of the fact that some black journalists and observers were allowed into the APK. This is because the APK is a whites only church [...]
Do we have freedom of concience and religion at public schools?
Discussing freedom of religion and conscience protected by section 15 of the Constitution a few years ago, a Muslim student told me her Grade 1 daughter was forced to learn the song: “Fishing for Jesus.” When she complained about this to the teacher, the enterprising teacher made a plan. A few days later her daughter [...]
Just a jump to the right?
What kind of democracy do we want in South Africa? Do we want a Westminster style winner-takes-all democracy with Parliamentary supremacy in which the majority of the moment can do as it pleases – regardless of the consequences to vulnerable and marginalised sections of society? Or do we want a constitutional democracy in which the majority of the [...]
Et tu Trevor
Trevor Manual, who just loves to defend the corrupt arms deal, is at it again. Last night Manuel told a packed gathering at the University of Cape Town that saying anything against the Dalai Lama was in “many quarters equivalent to trying to shoot Bambi”, but the question was, who is he? According to Business [...]
On freedom of religion and the marginalisation of Muslims (and atheists)
I was struck again today by how difficult it is for all South Africans to come to grips with the implications of our world class Constitution. Individuals in institutions tend to continue to act in ways that reflect their own view of the world, without taking cognizance of the need to change assumptions and transform [...]
On freedom of religion and the gay music teacher
Where does freedom of religion end and respect for the constitutional values of equality and dignity begin? I ask because I see some religious groups have expressed disquiet at the recent ruling of the Pretoria High Court that the NG Kerk in Moreleta Park unfairly discriminated against a gay music teacher when it fired [...]
