Religious persecution used to be something that happened in other countries. Certainly not in America, where religious freedom was foundational to our constitutional republic. Increasingly though (as I’ve blogged about for years), that freedom – despite our First Amendment guarantee – is something we can no longer take for granted. Just ask Toni Richardson ~ School employee banned from saying “I will pray for you” in private conversations at work ~
Toni Richardson is an educational technician who works with special needs students at a high school in Augusta, Maine. In a private conversation, Toni told a coworker that she would pray for him. A few weeks later, a school official ordered Toni to never make “faith-based” statements on school grounds even in private. She ordered Toni to never tell others—even fellow church attenders—that she was praying for them. The school also threatened Toni with further disciplinary action, including possible termination, if she said anything considered “unprofessional” in the future, including using faith-based phrases.
Sadly this selective mistreatment of Christians, merely for acting out their faith in the workplace, is on the rise, as Ian Snively at The Daily Signal reports ~ Documented Cases of Religious Discrimination Jump 15% ~
The number of documented incidents of religious discrimination grew 15 percent in 2016 compared with 2015. The number of incidents increased by 133 percent, from 600 to more than 1,400, between 2011 and 2016.
These statistics come from a 2017 report by First Liberty, a nonprofit legal organization (the same group that’s representing Richardson in her EEOC complaint), titled “Undeniable.” The report divides cases of persecution into four categories according to where they occur: public areas and the workplace; in schools; in churches and ministries; and in the military.
Snively spoke with Justin Butterfield, editor-in-chief of the study ~
When asked why he thought more cases of religious intolerance were emerging, Butterfield said that now more than ever in America, the “concept of religious freedom is unpopular.” Some Americans, he said, are “increasingly hostile to religious beliefs that differ from their own.”
“Increasingly hostile.” If you doubt Butterfield or the First Liberty study, check out a recent op-ed published by the Washington Post which actually defends Satan, and blames Christians for racism, violence ~
While most people would not object to likening the racist and hateful ideologies of such groups to the devil, the Washington Post published a curious op-ed on Wednesday (August 23rd) that rails against Christianity, while arguing Satan is not to blame for tragedies like Charlottesville. Written by Lucien Greaves, founder of the Satanic Temple, the article chides politicians and religious figures for “fitting the events” in Charlottesville “into their preferred narratives.” Greaves calls out “Christian leaders” like Franklin Graham for having the audacity to suggest “Satan was at fault.”
Source: Faithwire
Well at least now we know who’s really behind the spike in religious persecution.
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Related:
Religious Freedom Is Not Dangerous, But Losing It Is
Myth Busted: ‘Separation of Church and State’ ~ The big lie that helps fuel the anti-Christian movement
