BOLIVIA: New Penal Code Criminalizes Proselytizing

[Potoooooooo]

http://www.joemygod.com/2018/01/18/bolivia-new-penal-codes-criminalizes-proselytizing/
Evangelical groups in Bolivia are voicing out their concerns about a new law that aims to ban proselytizing and other religious activities. The National Association of Evangelicals in Bolivia (ANDEB) has stated that the new Penal Code of Bolivia amounted to “state abuse” against Christians because it could ban evangelism and prevent them from organizing religious events.

 

[Cheerful Charlie]

Flying Spaghetti Monster enthusiasts will be sorely disappointed.

 

[Tom Sawyer]

Seems kind of vaguely worded and sort of combines having a Bible study group in your living room and training a group of terrorists to blow up a courthouse into the same category.

I know nothing about Bolivia nor its government, but I'm pretty sure that this law is just an excuse for an oppressive dictator to throw his political opponents in prison for spurious charges. I have no idea if that's the sort of thing which the Bolivian government does, but I can't imagine a second reason for a government to put forth a law like this one.

 

[J842P]

Seems kind of vaguely worded and sort of combines having a Bible study group in your living room and training a group of terrorists to blow up a courthouse into the same category.

I know nothing about Bolivia nor its government, but I'm pretty sure that this law is just an excuse for an oppressive dictator to throw his political opponents in prison for spurious charges. I have no idea if that's the sort of thing which the Bolivian government does, but I can't imagine a second reason for a government to put forth a law like this one.

The Bolivian indigenous peoples, particularly those of the Andean Altiplano, have a reputation for being tough and organized. They have managed to maintain relative influence in their country's affairs, which is in stark contrast to most of the rest of Latin America, where your typical country consists of a small cadre of elite, white (really, Spanish), European descendants controlling countries made up of largely indigenous or mestizo populations. Indeed, the current Head of State in Bolivia is an indigenous man, Evo Morales. I suspect the law reflects the antipathy the natives feel towards Europeans in general, despite the fact that they are largely Catholic (although I suspect with highly syncretic elements). So, it may also reflect Catholic antipathy towards Protestant missionaries.

 

[Tom Sawyer]

Seems kind of vaguely worded and sort of combines having a Bible study group in your living room and training a group of terrorists to blow up a courthouse into the same category.

I know nothing about Bolivia nor its government, but I'm pretty sure that this law is just an excuse for an oppressive dictator to throw his political opponents in prison for spurious charges. I have no idea if that's the sort of thing which the Bolivian government does, but I can't imagine a second reason for a government to put forth a law like this one.

The Bolivian indigenous peoples, particularly those of the Andean Altiplano, have a reputation for being tough and organized. They have managed to maintain relative influence in their country's affairs, which is in stark contrast to most of the rest of Latin America, where your typical country consists of a small cadre of elite, white (really, Spanish), European descendants controlling countries made up of largely indigenous or mestizo populations. Indeed, the current Head of State in Bolivia is an indigenous man, Evo Morales. I suspect the law reflects the antipathy the natives feel towards Europeans in general, despite the fact that they are largely Catholic (although I suspect with highly syncretic elements). So, it may also reflect Catholic antipathy towards Protestant missionaries.

So, pretty much what I said then.

 

[Keith&Co.]

but I can't imagine a second reason for a government to put forth a law like this one.

Titus 3:10.

The Bible says you're only supposed to admonish people twice, and if they don't change their ways and turn to Christ by then, you're to leave them to their dirty icky sinful fun ways. No need to be annoying about nagging them into paradise.

This legislation seems much simpler than organizing a national database to track each believer's and sinner's interaction.


The precedent is the way the Jews solved the stricture against seething a kid in its mothers milk. Stamp out ALL meat and dairy contact.
If the third 'admonishment' is a sin, then stamp out ALL efforts to bring the sinner to Christ.

 

[Ramaraksha]

but I can't imagine a second reason for a government to put forth a law like this one.

Titus 3:10.

The Bible says you're only supposed to admonish people twice, and if they don't change their ways and turn to Christ by then, you're to leave them to their dirty icky sinful fun ways. No need to be annoying about nagging them into paradise.
This legislation seems much simpler than organizing a national database to track each believer's and sinner's interaction.

The precedent is the way the Jews solved the stricture against seething a kid in its mothers milk. Stamp out ALL meat and dairy contact.
If the third 'admonishment' is a sin, then stamp out ALL efforts to bring the sinner to Christ.

Plenty of sick and horrible people in religion - just by saying one belongs to x or y religion does not make him or her a good person, but religions like Christianity are all about numbers and conversions not about seeing the good in people. The view that if one is not with Christ one is sinful fits right into this agenda

To think one if moral just because one is religious, the reverse is actually true - Science, dominated by Atheists, brings us the future, built the twin towers and it is religion that brought them down

Religious people say I, along with millions of Atheists, Buddhists and Jews will be set apart and sent to Hell for our crime of belief. Just as Hitler set apart Jews for the crime of their belief - we too will end up with the same fate. God, no better than a Hitler, how are these people moral?