News
Azerbaijan: Police Refuse to Protect Adventists Facing Death ThreatsPolice have refused to protect an Adventist pastor in Nakhichevan, who has been threatened by local men with death or being driven out of the community. "People phone and come to my house to threaten us but the authorities have refused to help," Pastor Khalid Babaev told Forum 18 News Service. Pastor Babaev fears for the safety of his wife and son, and does not know if it will be safe to hold a service as usual next Saturday. Local Muslims have threatened to sacrifice Babaev as a holy duty and to halt Adventist religious activity in Nakhichevan. If Pastor Babaev holds another service, he has been told that a mob will be collected to attack his house. The police have refused to discuss the threats with Forum 18, or say what they would do to protect church members from the threatened violence. (Forum 18)
Annual Meeting of U.S. Church Leaders
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND... At the Febuary 19-20, 2004, annual meeting of the U.S. Church Leaders, Dr. Bert B. Beach represented the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists and was asked to make a presentation regarding how church leaders nourish their spiritual life in the midst of pressing administrative concerns. This was in response to Cardinal William Keeler's keynote address. Beach was elected as one of the two organizing co-chairs to prepare for the 2005 meeting, which will take place in Phoenix, Arizona.
Church Representative Condemns Death Penalty for Conversion
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND…
Enforcing the death penalty for changing one’s religion or belief
is the most extreme form of religious intolerance, according to a statement
made at the 59th Session of the Commission on Human Rights on March 15,
2003, by the Seventh-day Adventist Church’s United Nations Liaison
Office.
This year, the Adventist Church and the International Religious Liberty
Association (IRLA) expect to raise the issue again at the Human Rights
Commission’s 60th Session. They are also seeking the support of
member organizations of the Committee of NGOs on Freedom of Religion or
Belief.
On February 10, 2004, Juan Perla, UN liaison officer for the Adventist
Church, delivered a statement at the Committee’s meeting, which
called on member organizations to co-sign a joint statement denouncing
the death penalty for apostasy.
“At the dawn of the 21st century, the death penalty is considered
by most civilized nations as an unacceptable punishment,” says Dr.
Jonathan Gallagher, UN liaison director for the Adventist Church. “The
freedom to change one’s religion or belief is supported in Article
18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; however, some states
continue to enforce the death penalty for conversion in their legal codes.”
Dr. Gallagher will be attending the Commission for Human Rights 60th Session
from March 31 – April 7, 2004, and he will be addressing issues
of violations of conscience and religious liberty. [Viola Hughes/Juan
Perla]
Netherlands Antilles: Religious Freedom Association Launched
Daniel Duffis and Julio Palacio (seated) listen to Mario Nino present.
Willemstad, Curacao,
Netherlands Antilles… The Netherlands Antilles Religious Liberty
Association was launched on January 31 at a special meeting in the main
town, Willemsted.
Though religious freedom is very much a part of the heritage of the islands,
it’s recognized that there are increasing problems, worldwide and
local. Religious freedom issues are developing in regard to enforcing
Sunday observance and other concerns, and due to the initiative of religious
leaders such as Pastor Daniel Duffis, the new association has now been
launched.
The IRLA is encouraging formation of local religious liberty associations
(RLAs) as affiliates of IRLA. The IRLA works as the “umbrella”
body to represent the national and regional RLAs to the wider international
scene, such as the United Nations.
The Netherlands Antilles Religious Liberty Association team; president Errol Maduro, far left.
The newly-elected
president of Netherlands Antilles RLA is Errol Maduro, a Seventh-day Adventist
pastor. He comments, “Religious freedom is a great part of what
makes a human being. Here in Curacao we have had religious liberty since
the sixteenth century, but because we have not had to fight for it—we
have had it as a gift—it is not in the consciousness of the people.
We have to make people understand that this is very important.”
Julio Palacio, representing the nearby Venezuela RLA added that “We
need to maintain high values and principles—and everyone has the
right that these should be respected, along with freedom of conscience.
Netherlands-Antilles RLA comes to fill in this gap so that freedom of
conscience can be respected. It doesn’t matter what religious faith
we profess. We believe that through the RLA this will be effected. RL
is important everywhere , not just here in Curacao. We need to educate
the people and anticipate the problems of tomorrow, fight to keep the
doors open, so that we can freely express our consciences.”

Main local
organizer Daniel Duffis stated that “Discussions about Sunday laws
are happening in the country now, and we need a national movement to help
people understand what this means for religious freedom. This is for all
people of all faiths here in Curacao.”
Mario Nino of the IRLA’s regional office in Miami, Florida affirmed
the practical nature of the work facing all such associations. “The
main challenge in this region is that many countries provide for religious
freedom in their constitutions, but in reality in a practical way, we
don’t have it! So we need to work with governments, universities,
and religious denominations to have a united effort for religious freedom
for all. The new RLA is a good thing here—I believe it will give
strong support for our religious liberty program.”
The IRLA was represented at the meetings in Curacao by its deputy general
secretary, Dr. Jonathan Gallagher, who will submit the new association’s
request to become an IRLA affiliate to the IRLA board.
8-year old Susan Maraldi's picture of the World Trade Center.
Adventists
Participate in Culture of Peace Exhibit
New York, NY, February 5, 2004. More than 400 people gathered at the United
Nations yesterday to celebrate the opening of "A Culture of Peace
for the Children of the World." Organized in conjunction with the
United Nations International Decade for the Culture of Peace and Nonviolence,
students worldwide submitted essays and artwork to depict their understanding
of peace and nonviolence.
"Why do people hate each other?" asked 8-year-old Susan Maraldi
who drew a picture of the World Trade Center Towers.
The Dream Wall
Stressing the important role the exhibit will play in educating young people about the importance of peace, UN Under-Secretary General Anwarul Chowdhury said, "If young people grow up to incorporate a culture of peace within themselves, the world will be a better place."
In a statement released that day, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said, "It is not enough to send peacekeeping forces to separate warring parties, all of this is essential work, but we want enduring results. We need, in short, a culture of peace."
Mural of some paintings.
"Adventists have always sought to promote peace and harmony," comment Dr. Jonathan Gallagher, the Church's UN Liaison director. "We take very seriously Jesus' command to be peacemakers, and we have numerous statements on the importance of peace and non-violence. Violence and war are examples of evil, and all over the world people live in fear. The gospel is the answer to such evils."
UN Liaison officers for the Seventh-day Adventist Church, Rachel Bostic and Kelly Razzouk contributed by submitting their "dream of peace." Razzouk wrote that her dream is "a world free from fear." She also added, "a world where children are lulled to sleep by their mother's soothing lullabies and not by the roar of tanks and exploding bombs."
Rachel Bostic at the Culture of Peace Exhibit.
Worldwide, conflict has killed more than 2 million, while some 6 million maimed in conflict situations over the past decade. Over 20 million have been displaced by war. Children in war-zone areas are also subjected to sexual abuse and exploitation. Orphaned in war or separated from their parents, children are profoundly traumatized by the struggle for simple survival. In addition, more than 300,000 children are fighting in 30 countries around the world.
Actor
Patrick Duffy with Kelly Razzouk at the Culture of Peace Exhibit
A strong advocate
for peace, the Adventist Church's statement of peace (released in 1985)
states that "it is right and proper for Christians to promote peace.
The Adventist Church urges every nation to beat its swords into plowshares
and its spears into pruninghooks (Isa. 2:4). The Church's Bible-based
Fundamental Belief No. 7 states that men and women were "created
for the glory of God" and were "called to love Him and one another,
and to care for their environment," not to destroy or hurt one another.
In a world filled with hate and struggle, a world of ideological strife
and of military conflicts, Seventh-day Adventists desire to be known as
peacemakers and work for worldwide justice and peace under Christ as the
head of a new humanity." [Viola Hughes]
UN
Liaison Officers Participate in Non-Violence Conference

New York, NY... More than 200 youth from around New York City gathered for a youth nonviolence conference to commemorate Martin Luther King Jr. day.
UN liaison officers, Rachel Bostic and Kelly Razzouk were privileged to
conduct a workshop to some youth, entitlted, The Power of One: My Role
in Changing the World. "I came to the conference to share insights
with these students, but they ended up teaching me so many things,"
said Razzouk. "Through their eyes I was able to see the problems
they face everyday -- drugs, gang wars in school, and lack of positive
outlets for them to express their emotions and ideas. I also saw compassion
for others and a desire to make a difference in the world."
The Conference was organized by the Mosaic Youth Project and held at the
Soka Gakkai International building. [Viola Hughes]