Key Quotes - Religious Persecution

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Last update: Wednesday 25th March
 
In an unprecedented incident, the owners of 17 different Coptic Bookstores located in Shoubra neighbourhood in the Egyptian capital Cairo received letters with threats asking them to stop selling religious pictures and statuettes. The threat stated: “we warn you, – the group of Christians – to stop your impure commerce selling idols. This is a warning to stop this commerce willingly.”
Religious PersecutionChristian Marketplace, September 2012
 
On August 5, Gloucester City Council issued an apology after stopping a Christian group from handing out literature in the city centre. The apology was issued following the threat of legal action from the Christian Legal Centre, after a group of Christians were stopped from evangelising in the town's city centre in late June. The tracts were being handed out by members of at least ten city churches during 'Bible Day Gloucester'. But council staff prevented the leaflets from being given out on the day, claiming that the group had breached by-laws that were specific to the town. Roland Parsons, spokesperson for Christians in Gloucester, said: 'The Bible Day this year featured the contribution of Gloucester's John Hooper to the freedom of all religions in Britain. We refuse to live in a totalitarian regime where political and religious opinion is banned. Christians in Gloucester believe that we have the basic freedom in Britain to hand out literature of a political or religious opinion to any other citizen in Gloucester'. Gloucester Council has also prevented the handing out of leaflets by Christians on several previous occasions.
Christian Concern
Religious PersecutionEvangelicals Now September 2012
 
A former Archbishop of Canterbury yesterday accused David Cameron of going back on his promise to support the rights of Christians to wear a cross in the workplace. Just five months ago the Prime Minister insisted that Christians should be allowed to display a token of their faith, yet his Government lawyers are now preparing to tell European human rights judges the opposite. They will call on the European Court of Human Rights to reject the arguments of former British Airways check-in clerk Nadia Eweida and NHS hospital nurse Shirley Chaplin, who have asked the court to rule that they should have been allowed to wear a cross with their uniforms. Lord Carey, who stepped down from Lambeth Palace in 2002, said yesterday: 'Sadly, the Government has passed up its opportunity to support the right of Christians to express their faith and have a reasonable accommodation in the law for freedom of conscience. It is now down to the European Court.’
Religious PersecutionThe Daily Mail 03.09.2012
 
Despite extraordinary opposition to the event taking place, Christian Concern and the World Congress of Families hosted an inspiring marriage conference on May 23. The colloquium was cancelled by the Law Society for allegedly breaching its diversity policy. The event was then moved to the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre. Yet this Government owned venue also decided to ban the event for diversity reasons. Andrea Williams, of Christian Concern, managed to find an alternative venue at a Westminster Hotel, and the conference went ahead. The colloquium, entitled 'One Man, One Woman Making the case for marriage, for the good of society', was a hugely significant marker in building an intellectual and moral consensus against the redefinition of marriage, and may prove to be a turning point in the debate. A range of highly regarded speakers with different views considered the case for traditional marriage in light of the Governments proposal to extend marriage to same-sex couples.
Religious PersecutionAndrea Williams Christian Concern Evangelicals Now July 2012
 
On June 14, the General Medical Council's Investigation Committee reprimanded Dr. Richard Scott, giving him a 'warning' that will stay on his record for five years. Dr. Scott, who has been practising medicine for over 28 years at Bethesda Medical Centre in Margate, Kent, was investigated after the General Medical Council (GMC) received a complaint from a patient in September 2010 saying that Dr. Scott had shared his faith during a consultation. On June 11, the GMC decided to take the extraordinary step of trying Dr. Scott in secret-no press or public were allowed to view proceedings. The complainant, for the two years of the case's duration, did not show up at court and seemed reluctant to carry on his complaint, persistently refusing to have his evidence challenged. Despite this, however, the GMC decided to persist with the case.
Religious PersecutionDaily Mail/Christian Concern Evangelicals Now July 2012
 
Recently a group of MP’s and peers claimed that the equality laws were promoting unacceptable discrimination against Christians, by failing to protect the rights of believers to follow their faith. Harriet Harman introduced the Equality Act during Labours last year in power. The Act undermines the freedom of Christians to express their beliefs, whilst allowing others the freedom to do so. The MP’s blame a widespread lack of ‘religious literacy’ among politicians and judges, thus leading to unfair discrimination in a number of areas of our national life. Over recent years there have been numerous court decisions against Christians who have argued that in perusing their beliefs, their faith has brought then into conflict with the law or their employer. ‘Christians in Parliament’ Group Chairman, Gary Streeter, MP for Devon south West said: Christians are not asking for special treatment, but we are looking for a level playing field.
Religious PersecutionDayOne Magazine – June-September 2012
 
A doctor facing disciplinary action for discussing his faith with a patient yesterday blamed 'anti-Christian' bias after his accuser was allowed to give evidence in secret. Dr Richard Scott, 51, has spent two years under threat of an official warning after the 'suicidal' patient's mother complained about the conversation. Yesterday a General Medical Council disciplinary hearing agreed to go ahead with the case against him, even though the unnamed patient refused to attend. The patient will be allowed to give evidence over the telephone, with the Press and public barred from attending, because of his mental and physical condition.
Religious PersecutionThe Daily Mail June 12 2012
 
Two Christian midwives lost their case in March and will no longer be able to opt-out of assisting in abortions. The midwives, Mary Doogan and Connie Wood, argued that they had a right to refuse to direct or assist other midwives performing abortions due to the conscience clause in the Abortion Act 1967. The right of midwives to opt-out of abor¬tions had historically been respected by Southern General Hospital in Glasgow, yet it recently changed its stance by imposing an obligation on midwives to watch over, and sometimes assist with, late abortions. The court ruled that the midwives' role is not covered by the conscience opt-out in the Abortion Act. The two women will now consider whether to appeal, and are being supported by the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children.
Religious PersecutionChristian Concern/SPUC, Evangelicals Now April 2012
 
Religious belief is being “gently squeezed” from public life, but Christians do not face persecution, and the campaigning activity of some Christian organisations has been counter-productive. These are the key findings of the preliminary report of the freedom of Christians in the UK, Clearing the Ground, produced by a cross-party group of Christian MP’s, chaired by the Conservative MP Gary Streeter. The groups six-month inquiry received 56 written submissions, and heard evidence from witnesses including the director of Mission and Public Affairs at the Archbishops’ Council, the Revd Dr Malcolm Brown. Launched in Westminster on Monday, the report highlights a “narrowing of the space for the articulation, expression and demonstration of Christian belief” caused by social, cultural and legal changes over the past ten years. It finds that the lack of guidance that accompanied the Equality Act has resulted in the creation of a “hierarchy of rights” in which religious belief is placed below other protected characteristics. It argues that indications from court judgements that “sexual orientation takes precedence, and religious belief is required to adapt in the light of this” have led to “an unacceptable and unsustainable situation”.
Religious PersecutionChurch Times – March 2012
 
The international Christian organisation Open Doors released its annual World Watch List in January, naming the 50 countries where it says Christians face the worst persecution. For the first time in the 20 years that the list has been compiled, the situation for Christians did not improve in any country, Open Doors said. For the tenth year running, North Korea topped the list. The top five countries also include Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Somalia and Iran. The country where conditions for Christians have deteriorated most since the 2011 report is Nigeria. At least 300 Christians were killed last year and sectarian violence has intensified over recent weeks.
Religious PersecutionLife And Work - March 2012
 
A large-scale Al Qaeda plot to bomb ‘all the churches in Ankara’, as well as the Turkish Parliament and US Embassy in the Turkish capital was made public on December 9. Contents of an official indictment against 11 alleged Al Qaeda militants arrested last July revealed the home-grown terrorist cell’s alleged plans to attack Ankara’s churches as well as their Christian clergy.
Religious PersecutionEvangelicals Now, February 2012
 
A Christian worker at London’s Heathrow airport launched a landmark legal action in November. Nohad Halawi lost her job after she spoke about what she described as the bullying and intimidation of her and other Christians by Muslim colleagues. Despite working at World Duty Free in Heathrow’s Terminal 3 for 13 years, and having many friends among staff of all religions, Nohad Halawi was summarily fired following unsubstantiated complaints by five Muslims that she had insulted them.
Religious PersecutionEvangelicals Now, January 2012
 
The National Secular Society’s bid to prevent a town council from including prayers at the beginning of its meetings reached the High Court. The NSS argued that the practice of conducting prayers at Bideford Town Council is unlawful because it amounts to indirect discrimination of people with no religion and is incompatible with the European Convention of Human Rights. The council’s defence is being supported by the Christian Institute.
Religious PersecutionSalvationist, 17 December 2011
 
A parliamentary enquiry has begun asking whether Christians are being marginalised in today’s society. It follows a new case where a Christian housing officer was demoted and had his pay cut for questioning gay marriage on his Facebook page. The Inquiry into Religious Discrimination will take evidence in hearings during November, and will produce a report in February next year. It follows a succession of cases where Christians claim to have been censured, or had difficulty in their jobs, for issues related to their faith. Often it is for not wanting to comply with equality legislation on homosexuality, but other problems have been wearing crucifixes in the workplace and expressing views about their faith.
Religious PersecutionChristianity, December 2011
 
Nearly three quarters of Christians in Britain believe that there is more discrimination against their religion than other faiths, according to a new report. The study into the marginalisation of Christianity found that secularism, Islam and apathy were identified as the greatest threats to the Christian faith. Peter Kerridge, of the Premier Christian Trust said: ‘It seems MPs are finally willing to hear the Christian voice, which is being increasingly marginalised in British public life.’
Religious PersecutionSalvationist, 26 November 2011
 
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