In 2019, 56% of Muslims and 24% of Jews felt as though they were being discriminated
against on the basis of religions. These numbers have gone up from 2006, and are continuing to
rise, especially with the rise of hostilities in areas around holy sites, and rise of terrorism on the
basis of religion. The increase in discrimination shows how previous efforts to reduce it have not
worked.
Religious intolerance is, in an oversimplified manner, the intolerance or acceptance of
another’s religious beliefs and practices. Examples of religious intolerance include the
Holocaust, the prosecution of Uighur Muslims in China, and India’s CAB, as well as certain
terrorist attacks. The United Nation, specifically the United Nations Human Rights Council, or
UNHRC has dealt with this problem in the past going to the extent of passing resolutions such as
resolution 16/18 which stated that the United Nations would reaffirm the obligation of States to
prohibit the discrimination of individuals and groups on the basis or religious beliefs, as well as
to implement measures that guarantee protection by law to those discriminated against. Bills like
this, however, have not lowered the rate of religious intolerance substantially. This issue merits
the attention of the United Nations as Religious Intolerance can lead to tension between
countries, and as seen in the past, causing wars, mass genocide and imprisonment.
Religious intolerance greatly deals with the mindset of people. The essential
question, “what is religious intolerance?” must be asked. A resolution could define religious
intolerance as the “distinction, exclusion, restriction, ill-treatment and disregard of others solely
on the basis of their religious beliefs. A group or a person's actions can directly affect another
person's ability to express, share, and practice their beliefs, a human right.
A concrete definition would make it easier for not only governments of a country to
identify where religious intolerance is taking place, in order to properly deal with and prosecute
those who are discriminating against others, but will make it easier for foreign governments to be
able to identify where and when other countries discriminate against a population on the basis of
religion. People could be educated on the topic of religious intolerance through explanations why
discriminating against others is bad, and why all people are equal.
These people have no intention of spreading a religion or belief, they have no intention to
spread fear. They don’t preach or practice any religion, not Christianity, not Hinduism, not Islam,
and Judaism, not Buddhism-- they spread fear. No religion is inherently racist, or violent, or
discriminatory--it is what people make of it. Discriminating against a whole religion for the
actions of a group is wrong, and people must be educated about that fact. NGOs like CARE
Education can help with this. People must learn that no one religion is superior from the next, we
are all humans, we are all, on the most basic level equals. We must define and deal with religious
Intolerance because it is one of the best things we can do for our world.
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Written By: Volunteer Nayana Sharma
Date Published: 04/13/2021
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SOURCES:
Bird, Michael. “Limiting the Limits to Religious Freedom.” ABC Religion & Ethics, Australian
Broadcasting Corporation, 16 Oct. 2018,
www.abc.net.au/religion/limitation-of-religious-freedom/10295842.
“How Religious Restrictions Have Risen Around the World.” Pew Research Center's Religion &
Public Life Project, 30 May 2020,
www.pewforum.org/2019/07/15/a-closer-look-at-how-religious-restrictions-have-risen-a
round-the-world/.
Shea, Christopher. “Beyond Belief.” CHE, CHE, 22 July 2020,
www.chronicle.com/article/beyond-belief/.
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