Christian Pastor May Face Jail After Refusing Order to Apologize to Muslims

June 23, 2005

Source: Herald Sun

http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,15698406%255E2862,00.html

On June 23, 2005 the Herald Sun reported, "A Christian pastor ordered to apologise for vilifying Muslims says he will go to prison rather than say sorry.

In a landmark ruling, Catch the Fire Ministries pastors Danny Nalliah and Daniel Scot were yesterday ordered to publish apology statements in newspapers, their church newsletter and on their website... Judge Higgins found that the evangelical Christian group had called Muslims demons, liars and terrorists and said they were training to take over Australia.

The case was the first to be heard under the Racial and Religious Tolerance Act 2001, after the Islamic Council of Victoria filed a complaint about the seminar... Pastor Nalliah... vowed he would go to prison rather than publish the apology.

'This law is a foul law. It causes disunity and as far as we are concerned, right from the beginning we have stated we will not apologise,' he said... 'We love the Muslims but we have the right to critically examine other religions... we certainly see ourselves as martyrs.'"