CHRISTIANS across the world are “living in utter fear of discrimination and persecution says MP

CHRISTIANS across the world are “living in utter fear of discrimination and persecution says MP

DUP MP Sammy Wilson has said that CHRISTIANS across the world are “living in fear of discrimination and persecution as he demanded the British Government use its influence around the world to stop Christian persecution.

What the British Government is doing to help those across the world from being “persecuted daily” due to their religious beliefs, The DUP MP demanded to know.

Minister David Lidington during Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, gave a passionate speech to Cabinet Office and said

“While the McKee family in Northern Ireland are burying their daughter today murdered by IRA terrorists, hundreds of people in Sri Lanka are burying their loved ones — brutally murdered because of their faith.

The DUP MP

Christians across the world are now the most persecuted religious group

Sammy Wilson

The DUP MP

Its a fact, Christians across the world are now the most persecuted religious group with almost 300 million living in fear of discrimination and persecution,“and 4,000 being killed every year because of their faith.

“The Government has said that Britain is on their side, but Britain has become a pagan country over the past half century, creating a vacuum in which people will believe in anything and everything, according to Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, who leads the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales.

How much does the Government really care?

The DUP MP asked how is the Government using the UK’s soft power, our economic power, our contact with other Governments and our aid budget to help those who are persecuted daily simply because they believe in Jesus Christ?”

Last week Lyra McKee, only 29, was fatally shot by dissident republicans in Londonderry after being caught in the cross-fire after clashes erupted between a group calling itself the New IRA and police on the Creggan estate on April 18.

More than 350 people died and around 500 injured on Easter Sunday, following the bombings which targeted churches and hotels across Sri Lanka.

There was also a coordinated series of attacks on churches holding Easter services.

Britain’s War on Christianity

But perhaps we Brits need to take a look in our own backyard. For example “Christian street preachers should be free to share the gospel, even where it means challenging the beliefs of others.” – Christian Concern, in a petition to UK Home Secretary Sajid Javid.

In recent years, dozens of Christians – clergy and non-clergy – in Britain have been arrested or fired from their jobs due to their faith. Much of the harassment is based on three sections of two British laws that are vague and open to subjective interpretations.

At an appeal hearing at Bristol Crown Court, attorney Michael Phillips emphasized the importance of freedom of speech, even in cases where the speaker does not necessarily hold the views being expressed. Another attorney, Paul Diamond, argued that there is no right not to be exposed to contrary ideas. He added that should passers-by not wish to hear the preaching, they are able to walk away.

Godinterest’s Manifesto of Ethics

To promote freedom of religion — Violations of religious freedom are increasing globally in scale, depth and blatancy. Carried out by both government and non-state actors, they range from the mundane to the extreme (e.g. genocide).

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“Britain should take pride in its Christian heritage” says Theresa May

Portrait of British Prime Minister Theresa May. Author Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office. This file is licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 (OGL v.3).

The Prime Minister referred in her UK Christmas message to taking pride in Britain’s Christian heritage – in which  some considered a bold  statement for a politician in an increasingly secular and politically correct society in which Christianity is tolerated less in favour of other faiths. However,  Teresa has previously said there is “no way” Christianity will be marginalised in the UK while she is Prime Minister.

“In the face of unspeakable suffering, Christian  faith has provided solace where no other source of comfort could.”

The  UK prime minister paid tribute to the Churches Together initiative, an ecumenical organisation that brings together the vast majority of Christian denominations in Britain and  to the armed forces and emergency services. Mrs May mentioned that the response to terror attacks in Manchester and London earlier this year, and to the Grenfell Tower disaster, “inspired the nation” and  acknowledged that the action of the emergency services “saves lives every day, including on Christmas Day.”

Mrs May, whose father was an Anglican vicar and who is a regular churchgoer, has  already spoken of the influence of her Christian faith on multiple occasions, saying in an interview earlier this year that it “guides me in everything I do”.

“Theresa May was voted the Conservative party leader most like Jesus in a poll carried out by Christian radio station Premier.”

In her Christmas message Mrs May  added:

“As we celebrate the birth of Christ, let us celebrate all those selfless acts – and countless others – that epitomise the values we share: Christian values of love, service and compassion that are lived out every day in our country by people of all faiths and none.”

“Let us take pride in our Christian heritage and the confidence it gives us to ensure that in Britain you can practice your faith free from question or fear.”

She also added: “Let us remember those around the world today who have been denied those freedoms – from Christians in some parts of the Middle East to the sickening persecution of the Rohingya Muslims.”

And let us reaffirm our determination to stand up for the freedom of people of all religions to speak about and practice of their beliefs in peace and safety.”

Unlike last year, May made no mention of Brexit in the Christmas message.

In contrast, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn’s Christmas message made no mention of  Christianity or any other religion, but instead emphasised a message of ‘compassion’. Not surprising as Jeremy Corbyn’s has previously refused to discuss whether he holds any religious beliefs, probably in fear of losing votes.

In recent years the Church of England has reported relatively steady Christmas attendance figures of around 2.5 million across the country – more than three times the average total Sunday congregation. But for the vast majority, the festival has become purely secular.

Recent surveys suggest that persecution of Christians in the past few years has, on a global level, reached unprecedented levels. For Christians in the UK there is a sense of being a target: sometimes for aggression, but primarily for ridicule or simply bemusement by non-believers. Therefore, Theresa May’s words of encouragement are not only timely and most welcomed, but also come at the end of a year where  the British  government has proposed radical social policies that have caused major concern  throughout the  Christian community in England.

“May’s message  in one of  encouragement to practice  Christianity ‘free from question or fear.”

Teresa’s message also directly follows  the treasurer, Scott Morrison, message in which he recently  vowed to stand up to “mockery” and jokes about Christians.

We have seen this so often from Christians facing disciplinary action at work for sharing their faith and wearing crosses to businesses being sued and forced to close for refusing to serve openly gay people, to nativity plays being banned in schools for fear of offending other religions. Christians in the UK also raised concern over their freedoms to live out their faith with Lord Pearson leading the way suggesting that it would soon become a hate crime to proclaim Christianity.

Numerous street preachers  have also been  arrested throughout the year – yet all (eventually) had charges dropped against them.

“The paradox of a secular Christmas, perhaps, is that it is no less Christian for that.”

“Every year, the straws in the wind seem to come a little harder. Plummeting church attendance; ignorance of the most basic details of the Bible; advent calendars filled with chocolates or sex toys rather than illustrations of the nativity.” a nation newspaper reported.

However, the Church  has nothing  to worry about for if  we ask, if we seek and when we knock, God will answer, we will find and  God will open the door.

Secularists may take pride in having transcended the religious identities that prevail elsewhere — but they are no less Christendom’s heirs for that.

The paradox of a secular Christmas, perhaps, is that it is no less Christian for that as our secular society continues to  draws from the well of Christian tradition that is embedded in the frantic of British society.

Have a wonderful Christmas and New Year.

 

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