The Longing
Stuff that didn't quite make it into The Briefing
What if the pastor did make fun of Islam?
Andrew Lansdown / September 2005
The judge who convicted two Christian pastors of religious vilification in Victoria (December 2004) found, among other things, that one of the pastors ridiculed Islamic teachings and traditions while conducting a public seminar on Islam. In his Summary of Reasons for Decision, Judge Higgins states:
Pastor Scot, throughout the seminar, made fun of Muslim beliefs and conduct ... Time and again this occurs and, on any view, produces a response from the audience at various times in the form of laughter.1
Judge Higgins's finding on the use of