Baroness Scotland urges people of all faiths to support religious freedom

The former Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Baroness Scotland, has urged believers of all faiths to talk up in support of non secular freedom, warning that continued silence only permits continued injustice.

Baroness Scotland was speaking at an event organised by Aid to the Church in Need and Farm Street Catholic Church in Mayfair, which hosted the event. The meeting was focused on Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which provides freedom of thought, conscience and religion.

During her remarks, the baroness said, “We are at one of the crucial difficult moments in our history. There are more conflicts in our world today than in every other period for the reason that end of the second world war when Article 18 was crafted to provide expression to the hopes for humanity.”

She referenced research by Aid to the Church in Need suggesting that two thirds of the world’s population live in countries wherein religious freedom is removed from guaranteed.

She added, “This is a moment of challenge for us, a challenge as as to whether we truly consider within the tenets of our respective faiths and if we’re willing to come back together in a single voice and say, ‘not in my name’. 

“It is right down to each of us. If we’re silent, nothing will change. If we’re silent, the injustice on this planet will proceed. There is power within the collective.”

Also present on the gathering was Professor Brian Grim, founding president of the Religious Freedom and Business Foundation.

In his own remarks, Professor Grim said, “Religious freedom isn’t something a government gives, protects or takes away, it’s something people respect, give to one another and might take away from one another.

“Measuring these two we found where you have got less government restriction and more social tolerance or social acceptance of one another you had peace. It was the primary research done showing that religious freedom is a formula for peace.”