DOCUMENTATION OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM INEQUALITY: 168 INSTANCES OF VIOLATIONS AGAINST CHRISTIANS IN WESTERN COUNTRIES

By Anugrah Kumar, Christian Post Contributor Sunday, February 04, 2024

Report Documents 168 Instances of Religious Freedom Violations Against Christians in Western Nations

A recent report from the Family Research Council’s Centre for Religious Liberty has uncovered at least 168 incidents of religious freedom violations against Christians in Western countries, spanning the period from January 2020 to December 2023. The comprehensive study, entitled "Free to Believe? The Intensifying Intolerance Towards Christians in the West," meticulously examined cases across 16 nations.

The documented violations encompass a range of transgressions, including arrests and fines for public preaching and praying, penalties for expressing biblically informed beliefs, and punitive actions against pastors found in violation of COVID-19 restrictions. The latter were often more stringent for religious institutions compared to their secular counterparts.

Key findings from the study indicate a troubling trend of government-sanctioned measures against Christian practices and expressions. Notably, the report highlights 58 incidents in the United States, 36 in Canada, 43 in the United Kingdom, and six in Greece. Similar occurrences were reported in countries such as France, Switzerland, Spain, Luxembourg, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Latvia, Germany, Malta, Australia, and New Zealand.

Tony Perkins, President of the Family Research Council and former chair of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, voiced concern over the escalating hostility towards Christians in the West. He emphasised the authoritarian measures taken against individuals practicing their faith.

The report includes notable cases, such as the dismissal of California teacher Jessica Tapia in February 2023 for questioning the district’s policy on handling students’ gender confusion. In Australia, Pastor Martin Beckett faced an investigation after admitting on a social media livestream to conducting a wedding in violation of COVID-19 lockdown restrictions in August 2021. Meanwhile, Pastor Derek Reimer in Canada was arrested in March 2023 for violating orders related to LGBT events, with charges including disturbance, mischief, and harassment.

Arielle Del Turco, the report’s author and director of the FRC’s Centre for Religious Liberty, expressed concern over the erosion of religious freedom in Western democracies. Despite a decline in COVID-19-related incidents post-2020, discrimination against Christians for their beliefs has reportedly increased.

Additionally, the Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination Against Christians in Europe released a separate report documenting a rise in anti-Christian hate crimes across Europe in 2022, including physical assaults and murders. The observatory highlighted underreporting, attributing it to a lack of media coverage and a chilling effect among victims. The report also drew attention to new laws regulating speech and religious expression, further encroaching upon Christians’ freedoms, with specific mention of 'buffer zones’ around abortion clinics criminalising silent prayer.

Legal developments impacting religious freedom include laws potentially criminalising expressions contrary to prevailing opinions on LGBT issues or discouraging body-mutilating trans procedures for religious reasons. The report also touched on the impact of the Ukraine war on religious freedom, noting discrimination against Orthodox Christians and actions by Russian authorities against Christian practices.

Both reports call for enhanced dialogue between governments, civil society, and religious groups to safeguard religious freedoms. Recommendations include improving religious literacy among public officials, ensuring fair media representation of religious views, and encouraging Christians to engage respectfully in public discourse to bridge the gap between religion and secular society.

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