UN freedom of religion official calls on states to reinterpret religion
by Jordan Hilger, Worthy News Correspondent
(Worthy News) – A UN “special expert on freedom of religion” is calling on states to regulate religion to suit modern ideologies of gender and sexuality.
In his most recent annual report, UN special rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief Ahmed Shaheed wrote that “the right to freedom of religion protects individuals and not religions as such,” according to the Center for Family and Human Rights.
“States have an obligation to guarantee to everyone, including women, girls, and LGBT+ people, an equal right to freedom of religion or belief,” Shaheed writes, “including by creating an enabling environment where pluralist and progressive self-understandings can manifest.”
Part and parcel of creating such an environment would involve curtailing traditional interpretations of religion, “which are not protected [by freedom of religion] per se,” and promoting modern feminist interpretations of Christianity and Islam, for example.
Several pro-life and pro-family groups, including the Center for Family and Human Rights, raised objections before the Human Rights Council Monday in an interactive dialogue with the special rapporteur.