NationStates Jolt Archive

Although I don't have enough endorsements yet I thought I should post a draft of my idea for a future proposal seeing as my last one was deleted :-

Remove Religious References Act

This resolution seeks to finally confirm the status of religion within the United Nations, both recognising it as a fundamental right of any human being to follow any religion they choose, whilst also allowing Individual Nations to have full control over the proximity between church and state.

The many different members of the United Nations probably contain an even greater number of different religious practices and to remain impartial it is absolutely necessary that resolutions be written in strictly secular terms.

This resolution would seek to make sure that any resolutions or proposals containing declarations based on religious grounds be made null & void.

Examples of religious references that could be contained in resolutions that would be deemed 'unacceptable':

a) references to discriminating against people according to their religious beliefs.

b) references to religions, or followers of religions, being entitled to any 'special' treatment.

c) the use of religious terminology, e.g Christian name, marriage, creationism

This would enable all member nations to adhere to the resolutions passed without taking offence to any religious connotations contained within. Crucially this also allows nations wishing to pursue a government completely separated from the church the opportunity to do so.

Although this resolution may have implications for previous resolutions, research of a small sample has shown that only a small number have been contaminated with such religious references and any objections could be examined on a case by case basis.

This resolution would further clarify that all human beings are entitled to their own religious beliefs but that they are a private affair. Also, this resolution allows individual nations to pursue their own chosen paths regarding the amount of funding religions receive or the amount of exposure they receive in political documents.

Any chance that will fly?

No chance, what you are trying to do is illegal. The only way to make previous legislation null and void is to repeal each resolution individually. You could write something to prohibit religious references in future resolutions, but you would need extreme care with the wording; ideally, you would need one of the resident UN lawyers to help you.

Also, there are a number of contradictions in your idea. I think the main one is illegalising any reference to "discriminating against people according to their religious beliefs." The existing resolutions that forbid discrimination on religious grounds would be struck out, which would make discrimination possible. I think this is not the effect you want to achieve.

Also, there are a number of contradictions in your idea. I think the main one is illegalising any reference to "discriminating against people according to their religious beliefs." The existing resolutions that forbid discrimination on religious grounds would be struck out, which would make discrimination possible. I think this is not the effect you want to achieve.
Sort of like how repealing all laws with references to murder would actually legalize murder, because it would repeal the law banning murder. :p

Arrogant Genii, I think you have some good ideas here, however, this proposal is, quite frankly, illegal. If you have one particular resolution you'd like to repeal, however, your ideas might be able to be worked into a suitable repeal.

Also, This probably would make murder and such legal, because of them being illegal in the 10 commandments.

Also, This probably would make murder and such legal, because of them being illegal in the 10 commandments.

To be fair to arrogant Genji on this point, not all nations base their laws on the Ten Commandments.

May the blessings of our otters be upon you.

Anthony Holt
Deputy Ambassador for the Republic of Compadria to the U.N.

Also, This probably would make murder and such legal, because of them being illegal in the 10 commandments.

While in some countries the laws against murder may have their root in the 10 Commandments, I think most countries have anti-murder laws separate from their religious tenets....

My delegates,

i must find myself in AGREEMENT with the draft proposal. It is fundemental human right that religion is private and is not encroached upon by the UN. Nor should we have to follow politically correct nonsense about not mentioning it in the UN, we do after all ahve freedom of speech. I am happy to declare that although not a catholic nation i have just appointed by leading cardinal as our spiritual Leader.

NERO

Thanks for the constructive replies. Can I take it that if I remove the 'making other resolutions null & void' section then it would be acceptable?

If this then passed as a resolution could it be used as a case to repeal other resolutions?

I think you still haven't answered the main objection. If I understood it correctly, you want to prevent people from using religious arguments in proposals. But a much bigger side effect would be preventing proposals on freedom of religion.

I suspect this is submitted with ulterior motives:

Examples of religious references that could be contained in resolutions that would be deemed 'unacceptable':

a) references to discriminating against people according to their religious beliefs.

b) references to religions, or followers of religions, being entitled to any 'special' treatment.

c) the use of religious terminology, e.g Christian name, marriage, creationism

This proposal contains a covert attempt to repeal protections for gay marriage.

Fonzoland -

It is not just religious arguments I want omitted from resolutions but the discussion of individual religions and religious references. We don't have references to fables and other stories in resolutions so there should not be references to religions which some people find equally fictional and insulting to their intelligence.

Maybe the Act could be improved by restating that everyone has a right to follow any religion they wish but that it cannot be discussed in official resolutions. As an intelligent person I find it deeply offensive when I see religious references in resolutions.

_Myopia_ -

There is nothing covert about this resolution. As I pointed out there may be a knock-on effect for other resolutions and you have found one. My personal view on your example is that I do find it offensive, but not for the reasons you may assume. I have no objections to Civil Unions being mentioned for all but marriage is a religious term which is discriminatory and has no place in a Resolution.

I'm sure there are resolutions that could have similar problems but repealing them and replacing them with more accpetable ones is always beneficial, especially as removing religious reference would raise the level of debate.

OK, fair enough. If your resolution does anything to stop the UN from legislating on religious freedom, all I can answer is
http://test256.free.fr/UN%20Cards/bowel.jpg

Your proposal is illegal as all hell, however offensive you find religious references. You'd be better off just voting against proposals containing them: that one wouldn't get you ejected from the UN.

Fonzoland - Religious Freedom is fine by me, there will always be a certain percentage of the population who are intellectually incapable of dealing with life. This resolution purely seeks to see the omission of religious references from Resolutions, countries who are above that sort of thing should not be forced to follow resolutions containing references to specific relgious groups.

Gruenberg - What do I need to amend to make the proposal "legal" as you put it?

I think it would be silly to just carry on voting against resolutions that I would otherwise agree with on this matter of principle and feel it should be changed for the future, it is only beneficial surely?

Firstly, you need to clearly define 'religious references'.

Secondly, you need to either repeal all resolutions containing them, or make your peace with them (which, in resolution form, will need to be made explicit).

Thirdly, you can't bar future resolutions from doing something. So I'm not sure how you make this illegal. The best approach I could suggest would be a separation of Church and State proposal, a draft of which I'd been working on - separating the State from interfering in the Church.

Firstly, you need to clearly define 'religious references'.

Secondly, you need to either repeal all resolutions containing them, or make your peace with them (which, in resolution form, will need to be made explicit).

Thirdly, you can't bar future resolutions from doing something. So I'm not sure how you make this illegal. The best approach I could suggest would be a separation of Church and State proposal, a draft of which I'd been working on - separating the State from interfering in the Church.

Clarifying 'Religious References' is easy enough. I can't see the point in repealing all resolutions that contain references (other members may not see the importance of it) although 'making peace' is not an option either. Better to let them stand the test of time although with this proposal raising the issue of 'covert religious references' maybe it would add weight to future repeal attempts.

Future resolutions could then be subject to the same scrutiny which should satisfy your second and third points.

I'd have to read your draft before commenting on that.