Brunei. Practitioners of non-Muslim faiths are not allowed to proselytize, and Christian-based schools are not allowed to teach Christianity. All schools must give instruction in the Islamic faith to all students. The Government uses a range of municipal and planning laws and other legislation to restrict the expansion of all religions other than official Islam. The Government restricts the practice of non-Muslim religions by occasionally denying entry to foreign clergy or particular priests, bishops, or ministers; banning the importation of religious teaching materials or scriptures such as the Bible; and refusing permission to expand, repair, or build churches, temples, or shrines. Muslims who wish to change or renounce their religion face considerable difficulties.
Israel and the Occupied Territories. The Israeli Declaration of Independence describes the country as a "Jewish state," but also provides for full social and political equality regardless of political affiliation. However, some non-Jews continued to experience discrimination in the areas of education, housing, and employment. Schools in Arab areas, including Arab parochial schools, receive significantly fewer resources than comparable Jewish schools. Building codes for places of worship were selectively enforced based on religion. Non-Jews were underrepresented in the student bodies and faculties of most universities. The law does not allow for civil marriages for its citizens and does not recognize Jewish marriages unless performed by Orthodox officials. Governmental and societal discrimination against Israeli-Arabs continued during the reporting period, due primarily to Palestinian terrorism and the Government’s military actions in the Occupied Territories. The Government refused to grant residence visas to some 130 Catholic clergy assigned by the Vatican to fulfill religious obligations in Israel and the occupied territories; however, there was considerable improvement on this issue toward the end of the reporting period. According to church officials, this number represents a 60 percent increase over the previous year. The Israeli Government seized land belonging to several religious institutions to build its separation-barrier between East Jerusalem and the West Bank. The separation-barrier and its checkpoints also impede the movement of clergy between Jerusalem and West Bank churches and monasteries, and the movement of congregations between their homes and places of worship. The Palestinian Authority (PA) failed to halt several cases of seizures of Christian-owned land by criminal gangs, and there were credible reports that PA security forces and judicial officials colluded with members of these gangs to illegally extort property from Christian landowners.
Malaysia. Sunni Islam is the official religion, and the practice of non-Sunni Islamic beliefs is restricted significantly. Non-Muslims are free to practice their religious beliefs with few restrictions. Proselytizing of Muslims by members of other religions is strictly prohibited. The Government discourages but does not ban the distribution in peninsular Malaysia of Malay-language translations of the Bible, Christian tapes, and other printed materials. The Government continues to monitor the activities of the Shi'a minority. The Government is concerned that "deviationist" teachings could cause divisions among Muslims. Members of such groups can be arrested and detained, with the consent of the Islamic court, in order to be "rehabilitated" and returned to the "true path of Islam."
Article comments
1 - Jim Carruthers
Lemme see, uhm, working to bring back Cthulhu from the city of R'lyeh, and trying to organize an anarcho-syndicalist soccer league. And then there's the grow-op, but we don't talk about that. As for child-care, those thieving street urchins are almost as much bother as the revenue they bring in, so I'd have to call that a break-even.
2 - Eric Olsen
Say, do you know a guy named "Artful Dodger"?
3 - Jim Carruthers
But I do know about food, glorious food. But, yah, I might have seen him. Who wants to know?
4 - Eric Olsen
his mum misses him