Hostility towards Christians is growing in the US according to watchdog
Jeff King, president of a non-profit Christian persecution watchdog that monitors hostility to faith and freedom abroad draws attention to the growing animosity towards Christians.
The US-based watchdog, International Christian Concern, was established in 1995 to support persecuted Christians worldwide.
Mr King stated in relation to a recent incident: “Too many people are not aware politically, and they’re so used to thinking of how things were that they can’t figure out where these bubbles are coming from, not realizing they’re being cooked.”
The case Mr King referred to is a school teacher, Staci Barber from Texas, who came under fire for praying at school. Ms Barber was reprimanded at the Katy Independent School District near Houston last September. Teachers apparently had been warned they “could not pray in any location where students would be present, even if this praying occurred before the school day began. Employees may not promote, lead, or participate in religious activities of non-curriculum-related student groups,” In response, Ms Barber sued the school this March, stating that the new policies are unconstitutional.
Mr King expressed his views about the case. He drew a parallel between this particular incident and a trend of growing hostility towards Christians in the US: “It highlights the depth of ignorance among school boards and even at the principal level of what rights the Constitution grants people. The big picture, and what people need to grasp, is that’s what’s going on here in the West, and that’s what a lot of people who dislike Christianity are proposing and trying to push forward. People learn that you do not stick your head up, and you start being quiet because the process is the punishment.”
He also emphasized the severity of anti-Christian actions worldwide, detailing instances from India, where Christians face increasing attacks despite the constitutional religious freedom: “They have religious freedom in their constitution, but it doesn’t matter. It’s what happens in practice. And so when pastors are often attacked in the streets or in the churches, guess who gets arrested? It’s the pastor. What happens is you keep your head down. So this is what we’re seeing in the States.”
