Christians are being attacked in various parts of the world and the voice of our political leaders is silent. This is a more fundamental issue than gun control or a fiscal cliff.
The best summary of this issue is in a report by Civitas, the Institute for the Study of Civil Society in the United Kingdom. The report states 200 million Christians, or 10 per cent of Christians worldwide, are socially disadvantaged, harassed or actively oppressed for their beliefs. This occurs in Egypt, Iraq, Pakistan, Nigeria, India, Burma and China, the bulk Moslem dominated countries. A key conclusion is 'The blind spot displayed by governments and other influential players is causing them to squander a broader opportunity. Religious freedom is the canary in the mine for human rights generally'. (The report is found at http://www.civitas.org.uk/pdf/Shortt_Christianophobia.pdf. An internet search under 'persecution of Christians' will bring up millions of hits.)
This persecution is not unique to Christians, but should be on our ‘radar’ as we a dominantly a Christian nation.
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I have searched for and not found any statement by a Moslem related group, like the Council of American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) denouncing this travesty.
I would like our local clergy to bring up this issue regardless of denomination. A start would be making the local community aware of the seriousness of this issue via the Chelmsford Interfaith Council.
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I would also like to see the forthcoming confirmation hearings for Secretary of State and National Security Advisor raise these issues. This is a first amendment issue since people have the inherent human right to follow their faith.
I make no pretensions about not being a Christian, but as a person of faith we must be aware of the persecution of people of any faith.
