KEY POINTS:
Calls from the head of the Destiny Church for restrictions on the religious practices of non-Christian faiths are being labelled short-sighted.
Federation of Islamic Associations president Javed Khan said today it is disappointing. He said the Destiny Church itself does not reflect a lot of the views of mainstream Christian organisations.
Mr Khan believes it does nothing to further religious tolerance in New Zealand. He said a lot of work is going into the relationships between different religious faiths and such comments do not help.
He hopes Christian groups will condemn them.
Bishop Brian Tamaki said members of other faiths should enter New Zealand on the basis they are entering a Christian country and have to conform to certain standards. He said they cannot be regarded as equal and should be subject to restrictions.
Bishop Tamaki said these would include not allowing them to pray in schools, or do things they would normally do in their homelands in relation to their religion.
His stand against secularism and non-Christian religions comes ahead of Prime Minister Helen Clark's attendance at next week's Asia-Pacific Interfaith Forum.
Christian-based countries need to unashamedly declare their religious identity or risk losing it forever, Bishop Tamaki says. He is opposing the Government's stance on religious neutrality.
Bishop Tamaki is promoting the primacy of Christianity and says while other religions should not be excluded, they should not be given equal status.
- NEWSTALK ZB
