Resolution unanimously adopted by the EPP Political Assembly

on Religious Intolerance

http://images.europaemail.net/client_id_5328/Resolution_Religious_Intolerance.pdf

The European People’s Party,

Whereas it is our moral obligation and co-responsibility to stand up for Christians around the

world, considering our cultural heritage rooted in Judeo-Christian traditions;

Whereas the freedom of thought, conscience and religion is enshrined in the 1948
Universal

Declaration of Human Rights, whereas this freedom includes right to adopt, freely exerciseor change one

, whereas this freedom includes right to adopt, freely exerciseor change one's belief, and whereas this freedom is subject only to the conscience and is

independent from all outside control, be it governmental or any other natural authority;

Whereas it is estimated that roughly 70 % of the world's population belongs to one of four

world religions;

Whereas religious belief is increasing both in Europe and elsewhere, and whereas religion

has a strong impact on world affairs and public life;

Whereas conflict between Shia and Sunni sects rages on;

Whereas minority beliefs in many of the countries from Pakistan in the east to Egypt in the

west are being persecuted, and the main minority religion in many of these countries being

Christianity;

Whereas a century ago 20% of the total population in the Middle East were Christians, today

Christians make up for about 5%, only during 2011 93 000 Copts left Egypt, since 2003 more

than half of the Christian population in Iraq have fled the country and now that also

Christians in Syria are being persecuted;

Whereas Christianity cannot be seen as an anomaly in the Middle East when it is in fact its

cradle and has a 2000 year old history in the region and can therefore not be seen as a

"western religion";

Taking the above into consideration, the European People’s Party:

1. Emphasizes that claims to rights based on faith, whether it be the right to worship, build a

place of worship, missionary work or the act of not to worship, has a reciprocal relation in

that others have the same rights;

2. Condemns all acts of religious violence, regardless of what beliefs they are based on;

3. Strongly condemns the suicide bombings in Pakistan, claimed by the extremist group

Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, where over 80 people were killed, the situation in Algeria where militant

islamists have taken hostages and the continuous threat of death and violence towards

many people not adhering to Islam both in northern Nigeria and many countries in northern

Africa;

4. Condemns the persecution of Christians, which is most accentuated in the Middle East

and countries where radicalized and political Islam is strong;

 

 


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