[DRAFT] Repeal 'Ban on Ritual Sacrifice'

[Imperium Anglorum]

Target: viewtopic.php?p=33193438#p33193438
This thread is in character.

 

Repeal 'Ban on Ritual Sacrifice'

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This august World Assembly,

Remembering its past, optimus and maximus, and calling forth unto the heavens for its continued future and success,

Dedicated to the principles that:

1. people should have a right to practice religion in peace so to commune with the heavens and achieve sought-for salvation from whatever gods which they may follow and
2. non-consensual sacrifice of humans or other persons ought to be prohibited except under the most restrictive circumstances,

Recalling the resolution GA 430 'Freedom of Religion' as an avatar of this principle and the powerful message that this should send to men of principle everywhere, that religious minorities should be free from the tyranny of moralising authoritarians attempting to impose their religious dogma on society writ large,

Observing the impact that the clause 'urges member nations to ban the ritual sacrifice of animals and other sentient beings' has on any attempt to enshrine, for the benefit of future generations, in legislation the protection of haruspicy and augury, two ancient arts practiced by cultures spread throughout the world with great historical and cultural significance to their practitioners and to the heirs of those cultures,

Concerned about the threat imposed upon those who wish to know the will of the gods in their day-to-day affairs, upon those who desire to determine whether the gods shall grant their favour to the state, upon those who offer thanks unto the immortal gods for victory through the realms of their people on land and sea,

Convinced that to protect these ancient arts from those who would attack them, the road must be opened for legislation to enshrine—for all eternity—protection for the augurs, haruspices, and diviners from the use of oppressive and tyrannical laws to prosecute them for their ancient practices, hereby:

Repeals 'Ban on Ritual Sacrifice'.

[Imperium Anglorum]

Elsie Mortimer Wellesley: (in stola) Upon this day of my election to the College of Augurs, I find in my heart the outpouring and grief of the Latin peoples for their liberation from the oppression of the states, dominated by those of certain religious sects that stole from the descendants of the Latin Republic their patrimony. He who 'At the age of nineteen, on his own initiative and at his own expense, he raised an army by means of which he restored liberty to the republic, which had been oppressed by the tyranny of a faction' would cry tears for the fatherland. The senate and people, who had voted to his august eminence 'on fifty-five occasions ... that thanks should be rendered to the immortal gods', have been sundered from their past and the glories of their ancestors.

One of my ancestors, the glorious first generation of the restored republic – Titus Caecilius Varro – fought to protect the quirities from the prosecutions and tyranny of the Galilean Constantinius II. Our legionnaires fought with Flavius Claudius Julianus Augustus in his fight against the encroaching darkness. In death they bid us on to fight again.

Was it not Cicero, in writing to Brutus, who stressed the importance of memory? We must do justice to this memory, to protect those in foreign lands across the seas from the tyranny that can be imposed upon religious minorities. To restore their liberty, legislation must be brought forth, and shall be brought forth, to protect those who wish to undertake the augural and haruspical arts from the moralising dogma of the east. To do this, we must repeal this resolution, which would block that which all true Quirites yearn for in the deepest of their hearts.

Did not when Seneca asked his students, that if you are Cicero and Antony shall give you life if your writings shall be consumed by fire under your own hand, they unanimously spoke for the virtues of principle and immortality having more meaning than a few more years in this world? The true Cicero is the one who Antony thinks can only be proscribed by Cicero. So it is with this.

On the subject of replacement, I invite the delegation of Wrapper and their clients—with our support—to resubmit quickly their proposal without the line to which we object. We will draft independently the legislation which we believe necessary for defending the pontifices from those who would wish to seek their destruction.

[Union of Sovereign States and Republics]

"The Soviet Union is against this particular legislation. While a noble cause to uphold freedom of religion, an attempted repeal of GAR #416, "Ban on Ritual Sacrifice" could contrast GAR #290, "Protecting Migratory Animals", in some measures, as in migratory animals being used for ritual sacrifice, in the case of some species of migratory birds. It could also lead to cases of animal abuse and torture, and while not directly affected by a WA resolution as all protective resolutions have been repealed, could cause moral dilemmas for WA member states, especially ones with laws protecting species of animals that are protected by both national and subnational governments, such as here in the Soviet Union, where a large number of species are under national protection."
- Soviet Ambassador to the WA, Budanev Antonovich

[Maowi]

Feargal enters the debate chamber holding an official document stamped with the Maowese seal. He perches his glasses on his snout, holds the paper up in front of his face, and clears his throat:

"Absolutely not. We have enough trouble with our citizens' delusional "religious" rituals already; with a respected and established international body such as the World Assembly allowing ritual sacrifice, we would lose what little control we have managed to establish. The Supine Socialist Slothland stands resolutely in opposition to this proposal."

He folds up the document and stows it in his pocket, grumbling to himself. With a quick glance around, he approaches the curiously dressed Anglican ambassador so that she can hear him with his voice lowered.

"Honestly, ambassador, you don't really need to bother about them ... they'll end up voting whichever way the citizenry vote, for all their tough talking. Plus, I've been positively itching to see a goat sacrifice ever since the day I started my Indigenous Maowese studies as a young sloth ..."

[Wallenburg]

"I...I...I don't understand, Ms. Wellesley," Ogenbond stammers, periodically shifting his attention between a copy of the proposal and the Anglican representative. "There is no way you can expect any civilized society to accept this sort of argument. The ritualistic and intentionally brutal slaughter of animals for such superstitious nonsense is something my people did away with thousands of years ago. What's worse is that the target doesn't actually do anything to restrict such practices, and limits itself purely to the prohibition of sacrificing people. I can only gather from that an even more heinous desire on your part to see that practice resurrected among member states. This repeal will not reach the voting floor, much less successfully repeal its target. I will see to that."

[Gastash]

"We wholeheartedly support this repeal." Azaven grins, showing two neat rows of white teeth. "For too long have the sacred customs of the Gastashi been constrained by those who are ignorant of our culture."

He pours himself a glass of wine. Or, well, it looks like wine.

[Bears Armed]

"Would you consider adding the words 'non-consensual' at the start of

sacrifice of humans or other persons ought to be prohibited except under the most restrictive circumstances,

?"

Hwa Sue,
Legal Attaché,
Bears Armed Mission to the World Assembly
(and anthropomorphic male Giant Panda).

[Auze]

"We see no reason why livestock can't be sacrificed ritually, so long as it is humane. Support."

[Cuba-Venezuela]

"Cuba-Venezuela vehemently opposes this proposal to lift a crucial ban protecting animals worldwide from religious sacrifice. Additionally, we strongly believe that the sacrifice of human being for religious purposes is a disgusting proposal and we will not allow for it."

- President Nicolas Maduro

[Marxist Germany]

"I find this repeal plausible, the sacrifice of animals should be legal as long as it is done in a humane way, however, the sacrifice of people should never be legal."

[Kenmoria]

"I find this repeal plausible, the sacrifice of animals should be legal as long as it is done in a humane way, however, the sacrifice of people should never be legal."

“With an opinion such as yours it seems to make the most sense to oppose a repeal. The situation you describe, allowing the sacrifice of animals while prohibiting the same for people, is one that has been satisfactorily enacted by the target resolution. This seems to be a position on the issue that is agreeable for most rational parties.”

[Lord Dominator]

Dee rises from her throne, as befits one of the 'Clique' to speak.

"Does not having freedom include the freedom to die? Why then, do we limit individuals choosing to spend their final moments in an act of religious devotion?

Mere discrimination against those faiths considered to be unnatural by the mainstream says I, not any valid reasoning of protecting rights or preventing harm.

I give my hearty approval to this proposal by the honourable ambassador Wellesley."

[Imperium Anglorum]

Dee rises from her throne, as befits one of the 'Clique' to speak.

OOC: A joke, I'll quote Rome.

Gaius Cassius Longinus: A chair? It's a throne!
Marcus Junius Brutus: I believe thrones are generally more decorative. That is decidedly plain, and chair-like.

[Marxist Germany]

"I find this repeal plausible, the sacrifice of animals should be legal as long as it is done in a humane way, however, the sacrifice of people should never be legal."

“With an opinion such as yours it seems to make the most sense to oppose a repeal. The situation you describe, allowing the sacrifice of animals while prohibiting the same for people, is one that has been satisfactorily enacted by the target resolution. This seems to be a position on the issue that is agreeable for most rational parties.”

"The 'urges' clause seems to have legislative consequences according to the Ms. Wellesley"

[Kenmoria]

“With an opinion such as yours it seems to make the most sense to oppose a repeal. The situation you describe, allowing the sacrifice of animals while prohibiting the same for people, is one that has been satisfactorily enacted by the target resolution. This seems to be a position on the issue that is agreeable for most rational parties.”

"The 'urges' clause seems to have legislative consequences according to the Ms. Wellesley"

“I believe Ms. Wellesley was arguing more on a precedent than actual legislative consequences. It was merely a suggestion offered by the clause, not a mandatory obligation.”

[Wallenburg]

“With an opinion such as yours it seems to make the most sense to oppose a repeal. The situation you describe, allowing the sacrifice of animals while prohibiting the same for people, is one that has been satisfactorily enacted by the target resolution. This seems to be a position on the issue that is agreeable for most rational parties.”

"The 'urges' clause seems to have legislative consequences according to the Ms. Wellesley"

"Ms. Wellesley is incorrect," Ogenbond says snidely.

[South Reinkalistan]

"A most outrageous idea." Comments Mikisos Tunchix, South Reinkalistani Delegate to the General Assembly. "The legislation you wish to repeal prevents one of the most barbaric acts possible. To do away with this noble law would allow pagan deviancy and other terrors to creep into the world. South Reinkalistan, at least, will not stand for it."

[Marxist Germany]

"The 'urges' clause seems to have legislative consequences according to the Ms. Wellesley"

"Ms. Wellesley is incorrect," Ogenbond says snidely.

"If that is the case, then I declare my opposition to this repeal."

[Lord Dominator]

"A most outrageous idea." Comments Mikisos Tunchix, South Reinkalistani Delegate to the General Assembly. "The legislation you wish to repeal prevents one of the most barbaric acts possible. To do away with this noble law would allow pagan deviancy and other terrors to creep into the world. South Reinkalistan, at least, will not stand for it."

"Really now ambassador, you plan on starting by claiming pagan religions are deviant? How utterly classless of you."

[WayNeacTia]

"A most outrageous idea." Comments Mikisos Tunchix, South Reinkalistani Delegate to the General Assembly. "The legislation you wish to repeal prevents one of the most barbaric acts possible. To do away with this noble law would allow pagan deviancy and other terrors to creep into the world. South Reinkalistan, at least, will not stand for it."

"Really now ambassador, you plan on starting by claiming pagan religions are deviant? How utterly classless of you."

Coming from a nation with the pre-title "Genocidal Festive Maniacs" I find it all the more amusing.

[Dome Artan]

The Federal Republic of Dome Artan wishes to make its humble opinion known to the great World Assembly:

To repeal a Ban on Ritual Sacrifice would be a heinous sacrifice of its own. This great body has routinely sought the betterment of all its nations and regions; to allow for the evils of ritual sacrifice to be restored amongst its members would directly contradict this noblest of pursuits.
All freedoms have their limits (although Dome Artan recognizes the choices of some member nations to live in disreputable anarchy) and this includes religious freedoms. Allowing for the ritual murder of persons supposedly harboured under the roof of the World Assembly would be a crime second only to the ritual murder itself.
Dome Artan also wishes to make it known it believes consensual sacrifice a complete impossibility on grounds that this would require legal insanity and is thus not recognized as consent.

However

The Federal Republic of Dome Artan's personal views notwithstanding, the Resolution 'Ban on Ritual Sacrifice' is in clear violation of Article 2 of WA Resolution 2 Rights and Duties of WA States
Every WA Member State has the right to exercise jurisdiction over its territory and over all persons and things therein, subject to the immunities recognized by international law.
Dome Artan will always be a proponent of member nations rights to self jurisdiction and the target resolution of the repeal motion clearly infringes upon this founding Article of the World Assembly.

As such, The Federal Republic of Dome Artan agrees with the repeal motion proposed by Imperium Anglorum.

[South Reinkalistan]

"A most outrageous idea." Comments Mikisos Tunchix, South Reinkalistani Delegate to the General Assembly. "The legislation you wish to repeal prevents one of the most barbaric acts possible. To do away with this noble law would allow pagan deviancy and other terrors to creep into the world. South Reinkalistan, at least, will not stand for it."

"Really now ambassador, you plan on starting by claiming pagan religions are deviant? How utterly classless of you."

"But pagan religions are deviant." He takes a sip of water. "Polytheistic ritualism degrades the substance of a society, you see. And by legalising one of the most horrific ritual acts possible, this body allows this degradation to perpetuate itself."

"Really now ambassador, you plan on starting by claiming pagan religions are deviant? How utterly classless of you."

Coming from a nation with the pre-title "Genocidal Festive Maniacs" I find it all the more amusing.

OOC: Haha, sorry about that. In the winter season, I've made both my flag and classification more 'festive' so to speak (yes, Die Hard is a Christmas movie). My canon classification is 'Tosdodan Kingdom'.

[Imperium Anglorum]

"Ms. Wellesley is incorrect," Ogenbond says snidely.

"If that is the case, then I declare my opposition to this repeal."

OOC. Current GenSec precedent interprets encouragement clauses to block legislation that requires the opposite of what is being encouraged.

[Imperium Anglorum]

Bump.

[Gastash]

"I must protest the assertion that non-consensual human sacrifice is immoral. The Rituals are far more important than any individual life, and it is therefore a moral responsibility to be placed before the altar if selected - whether you like it or not."