The worst countries for Christian persecution have been named and shamed. Christian charity Open Doors released its annual list of countries that are hostile to worshippers with North Korea topping the list. Every day millions of Christians around the world are persecuted for their faith. They are often intimidated, abused and in fear for their lives all because they accept Jesus as Lord.
To us Christians in the West this kind of persecution is unthinkable and sometimes too difficult to comprehend. But is intolerance of Christians slowly creeping in to British life?
Is intolerance of Christians slowly creeping in to British life? Flicking through the papers over the last few months you’d be inclined to suggest that it is.
Nurse Caroline Petrie faced the sack after offering to pray for a sick patient. The patient complained to nurse Petrie’s bosses saying that although she was not offended this kind of behaviour could easily offend.
School receptionist, Jennie Cain was threatened with dismissal after she sent an email to friends from her church asking them to pray for her daughter who had been told off in school for talking about Jesus.
A foster carer was told that she would be struck off the carer list for allowing a Muslim girl in her care to convert to Christianity.
Christians groups are starting to make noise about how political correctness is becoming a dangerous tool for those who feel the faith has no place in secular society.
Mike Judge from the Christian Institute says that:
"There is a worrying trend in which political correctness is being used to clamp down on Christians. Most people who work in public bodies do use their common sense but a number of officials are being over zealous and over reacting."
So how as Christians do we tackle quiet intolerance of faith and the pc brigade pushing Christianity from public life?
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Get Informed & Get Involved
If you feel strongly about this quiet intolerance of faith, you might want to think about getting involved. It can be intimidating to stand up as a Christian. But if Christians get involved, it can have a real impact. The Evangelical Alliance, in a recent report, encouraged Christians not to disconnect from society.
“Daunting though these and other challenges may be, withdrawal and disconnection from socio-political life are not a desirable option for evangelicals in the UK today” the report said.
It takes time to become informed on these issues. One good place to start is the Evangelical Alliance’s report, ‘Faith & Nation’. At 170 pages, it’s no easy read, but it does aim to offer resources for helpful engagement on topical issues.
A number of Christian organisations provide information on the latest topical issues, and opportunities to get involved. These include:
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Pray
In prayer we communicate with God who loves and cares for us. No issue is too big or small to bring to God, and intolerance of Christian belief is definitely something we can pray for.
You might consider making prayer for intolerance of the Christian faith a regular part of your personal prayers, or including it in prayer time in your church or small group.
You could pray about specific instances that you hear about in the news, and especially for the people involved.
Support Christians Persecuted Overseas
It’s hard to comprehend the kind of persecution faced by Christians in other parts of the world. But the quiet intolerance of faith creeping in to life here might give us a little more understanding, and compassion, for our brothers and sisters elsewhere.
You can find out more about persecution overseas with our latest Premier.tv episode of World Update on the Persecuted Church.
Premier works closely with Open Doors, an international Christian ministry that serves and supports persecuted Christians worldwide. Open Doors works in some of the hardest places and most difficult circumstances in the world today, providing Bibles and resources for our brothers and sisters. Find out how you can support these Christians.
“Case after case is demonstrating that it is Christians that are coming off worse under the so called equality and diversity regime.”
Simon Calvert, Christian Institute
“It is time for a movement of Christians that will put the Christian case vigorously in public debate”
The Bishop of Rochester, Michael Nazir-Ail
“Christian faith has intimately affected social as well as personal conduct, and the main Christian tradition carries with it a massive body of social teaching”.
William Temple, Archbishop of Canterbury, 1942
A Listening Ear
If this topic has affected you and you would like to talk to someone please contact Premier Lifeline – a confidential Christian helpline.
Have Your Say
You can get involved and have your say about this topic on Premier Community.