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World Report Report 2015 2015 RELIGIOUS FREEDOM RELIGIOUS FREEDOM WORLD WORLD REPORT REPORT 2015 2015 Public Affairs and Religious Liberty Public Affairs and Religious Liberty 12501 Old Columbia Pike 12501 Old Columbia Pike Silver Spring, MD 20904 USA Silver Spring, MD 20904 USA RELIGIOUS FREEDOM RELIGIOUS FREEDOM WORLD WORLD REPORT REPORT 2015 2015 Public Affairs and Religious Liberty Public Affairs and Religious Liberty 12501 Old Columbia Pike 12501 Old Columbia Pike Silver Spring, MD 20904 USA Silver Spring, MD 20904 USA RELIGIOUSRELIGIOUS FREEDOM FREEDOM WORLD WORLD REPORT REPORT 2015 2015 3 | 3 RELIGIOUS FREEDOM WORLD REPORT 2015 3 RELIGIOUS FREEDOM WORLD REPORT 2015 | 3 CONTENTS CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 5 INTRODUCTION 5 COUNTRIES 7 COUNTRIES 7 SOURCES 403 SOURCES 403 THE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST THE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST 406 406 CHURCH & RELIGIOUS FREEDOM CHURCH & RELIGIOUS FREEDOM THANK YOU 407 THANK YOU 407 CONTACT INFORMATION 408 CONTACT INFORMATION 408 4 | 4 RELIGIOUS RELIGIOUS FREEDOM FREEDOM WORLD WORLD REPORT REPORT 2015 4 RELIGIOUS FREEDOM WORLD REPORT 2015 4 | RELIGIOUS FREEDOM WORLD REPORT 2015 INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION In spite of an unprecedented global mobilization to promote religious In spite of an unprecedented global mobilization to promote religious freedom, including the recent advocacy of the pope, Catholic bishops, and freedom, including the recent advocacy of the pope, Catholic bishops, and politicians of various parties, the state of religious freedom in the world remains politicians of various parties, the state of religious freedom in the world remains bleak. Various statistics point in the same direction, namely an increase in bleak. Various statistics point in the same direction, namely an increase in restrictions to religious freedom. restrictions to religious freedom. It seems that wherever a state favors one religion over others, or over non- It seems that wherever a state favors one religion over others, or over non- belief, minorities experience discrimination. Sometimes they are physically and belief, minorities experience discrimination. Sometimes they are physically and emotionally abused, persecuted, or even murdered. emotionally abused, persecuted, or even murdered. This World Report examines each country’s record in protecting and This World Report examines each country’s record in protecting and promoting the religious freedom of its citizens. Under each entry, a first section promoting the religious freedom of its citizens. Under each entry, a first section describes that nation’s geopolitical, social, and economic circumstances. Then, describes that nation’s geopolitical, social, and economic circumstances. Then, the constitutional provisions for religious freedom are considered. The next the constitutional provisions for religious freedom are considered. The next section reports on government leaders’ and public officials’ active commitment section reports on government leaders’ and public officials’ active commitment or resistance to religious freedom. Next, the population’s response to their or resistance to religious freedom. Next, the population’s response to their constitution, as it relates to religious freedom, is examined, along with social constitution, as it relates to religious freedom, is examined, along with social attitudes toward minority faiths. The final section of each report focuses on the attitudes toward minority faiths. The final section of each report focuses on the specific experience of Seventh-day Adventists in each country—it looks at the specific experience of Seventh-day Adventists in each country—it looks at the church’s institutional freedom, along with any difficulties that have been church’s institutional freedom, along with any difficulties that have been experienced within the reporting period of 2012-2014. experienced within the reporting period of 2012-2014. The overarching thread that weaves together all the themes of this report is The overarching thread that weaves together all the themes of this report is that of religious freedom. Religious freedom is more than freedom to worship. It that of religious freedom. Religious freedom is more than freedom to worship. It is the freedom to profess, to practice, to propagate one’s faith or belief. It is also is the freedom to profess, to practice, to propagate one’s faith or belief. It is also the right to own property devoted to worship, the right to teach others, and to the right to own property devoted to worship, the right to teach others, and to educate one’s children within a specific faith tradition. Religious freedom also educate one’s children within a specific faith tradition. Religious freedom also expresses itself in every person’s prerogative to wear symbols and signs expresses itself in every person’s prerogative to wear symbols and signs meaningful to one’s religious allegiance. It is the right to perform religious rites meaningful to one’s religious allegiance. It is the right to perform religious rites that are not harmful to oneself or to others. It is every person’s right not to be that are not harmful to oneself or to others. It is every person’s right not to be coerced or forced to believe or to deny one’s deep convictions. Religious coerced or forced to believe or to deny one’s deep convictions. Religious RELIGIOUSRELIGIOUS FREEDOM FREEDOM WORLD WORLD REPORT REPORT 2015 2015 5 | 5 RELIGIOUS FREEDOM WORLD REPORT 2015 5 RELIGIOUS FREEDOM WORLD REPORT 2015 | 5 freedom is therefore inseparable from the most intimate freedom: freedom of freedom is therefore inseparable from the most intimate freedom: freedom of conscience. conscience. freedom is therefore inseparable from the most intimate freedom: freedom of freedom is therefore inseparable from the most intimate freedom: freedom of Our focus on religious liberty is motivated by the fact that it is a distinctive Our focus on religious liberty is motivated by the fact that it is a distinctive conscience. conscience. freedom: at a popular level, it is a fundamental civil and political right. But, for freedom: at a popular level, it is a fundamental civil and political right. But, for Our focus on religious liberty is motivated by the fact that it is a distinctive Our focus on religious liberty is motivated by the fact that it is a distinctive us, it is much more. The working policy of the Seventh-day Adventist Church us, it is much more. The working policy of the Seventh-day Adventist Church freedom: at a popular level, it is a fundamental civil and political right. But, for freedom: at a popular level, it is a fundamental civil and political right. But, for specifies that religious freedom is the primordial freedom, which undergirds all specifies that religious freedom is the primordial freedom, which undergirds all us, it is much more. The working policy of the Seventh-day Adventist Church us, it is much more. The working policy of the Seventh-day Adventist Church freedoms. It is central to every other human freedom. As such, we must do freedoms. It is central to every other human freedom. As such, we must do specifies that religious freedom is the primordial freedom, which undergirds all specifies that religious freedom is the primordial freedom, which undergirds all everything we can to promote and protect this foundational right. everything we can to promote and protect this foundational right. freedoms. It is central to every other human freedom. As such, we must do freedoms. It is central to every other human freedom. As such, we must do As with other human rights, all freedoms are interdependent, interrelated, As with other human rights, all freedoms are interdependent, interrelated, everything we can to promote and protect this foundational right. everything we can to promote and protect this foundational right. and indivisible. Advocating religious freedom, therefore, makes us participants and indivisible. Advocating religious freedom, therefore, makes us participants As with other human rights, all freedoms are interdependent, interrelated, As with other human rights, all freedoms are interdependent, interrelated, in the affirmation and restoration of a core value—one that is necessary for the in the affirmation and restoration of a core value—one that is necessary for the and indivisible. Advocating religious freedom, therefore, makes us participants and indivisible. Advocating religious freedom, therefore, makes us participants wholeness and fulfillment of human destiny. wholeness and fulfillment of human destiny. in the affirmation and restoration of a core value—one that is necessary for the in the affirmation and restoration of a core value—one that is necessary for the Today, millions of people are suffering in many parts of the world. These Today, millions of people are suffering in many parts of the world. These wholeness and fulfillment of human destiny. wholeness and fulfillment of human destiny. are men and women who deliberately choose to remain loyal to their beliefs are men and women who deliberately choose to remain loyal to their beliefs Today, millions of people are suffering in many parts of the world. These Today, millions of people are suffering in many parts of the world. These rather than compromise their conscience. It is clear that their ultimate value is rather than compromise their conscience. It is clear that their ultimate value is are men and women who deliberately choose to remain loyal to their beliefs are men and women who deliberately choose to remain loyal to their beliefs not religious freedom per se but their God. It is not religious freedom that is not religious freedom per se but their God. It is not religious freedom that is rather than compromise their conscience. It is clear that their ultimate value is rather than compromise their conscience. It is clear that their ultimate value is their idol—God is their supreme value. For this, we honor them and give tribute their idol—God is their supreme value. For this, we honor them and give tribute not religious freedom per se but their God. It is not religious freedom that is not religious freedom per se but their God.
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