Persecution of Christians on Rise ” in U.S.

Published: 09/17/2012 at 8:25 PM
by  Michael Car

‘It is dramatic, I have never seen levels of attacks like these’

PLEASE PRAY THAT IF THE WICKED HEARTS OF THESE EVIL JUDGES, POLITICIANS, AND BUREAUCRATS DO NOT TURN IN REPENTANCE THAT GOD WILL QUICKLY RAISE HIS HAND IN JUDGMENT AGAINST THEM AND SUMMON THESE SERVANTS OF HELL TO APPEAR BEFORE THE JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST.

A report by two U.S.-based religious freedom groups says anti-Christian persecution is on the rise in America.

The joint report by Texas-based Liberty Institute and Washington-based Family Research Council says groups like the American Civil Liberties Union aren”t the only culprits. The report says government agencies around the U.S. are trying to push Christian expression out the door.

“It is dramatic,” says Liberty Institute Founder Kelly Shackleford, of the recent hike in reported incidents of persecution. “I have been doing these types of cases for almost 25 years now. I have never seen the levels of attacks like these and how quickly they are now proliferating.”

Shackleford says government, from schools to social programs, is the ringleader.

“There are children being prohibited from writing Merry Christmas to the soldiers, senior citizens being banned from praying over their meals in the Senior Center, the VA banning the mention of God in military funerals, numerous attempts to have veterans memorials torn down if they have any religious symbols such as a cross, and I could go on and on,” Shackleford said.

WND reported in August 2011 on the Houston, Texas, veterans” cemetery director who issued an order banning God from military or veteran funerals at the facility.

A pastor and family members of deceased veterans eventually filed a federal lawsuit alleging that the Houston National VA Cemetery is discriminating against their religious freedoms.

The suit alleges that cemetery administrator Arleen Ocasio required pastor Scott Rainey to edit a Memorial Day prayer so that the prayer was “general, and its fundamental purpose [was] nondenominational in nature.”

Christian civil rights organization ACLJ senior counsel David French says the exact rate of increase is hard to determine, but many of the new cases come from colleges.

“Our knowledge of incidents is only as good as the reporting,” French says. “However, it”s clear that ” particularly on college and university campuses ” we have seen a significant rise in attempts to silence Christian organizations by the misapplication of nondiscrimination laws.”

French adds that many public facilities are also covering over Christianity.

“One of the most strident examples: the misuse of the Establishment Clause to attempt to ban any mention of God from historical markers, monuments or even museum exhibits,” French says. “This represents an effort to whitewash God from American history and change our national identity.”

WND reported in February that the city of New York was attempting to cancel the leases of all church and religious groups renting city facilities.

“Our view is that public school buildings, which are funded by taxpayers” dollars, should not be used as houses of worship,” said Marge Feinberg, spokeswoman for New York City”s Department of Education. “Public school space cannot and should not be used for worship services, especially because school space is not equally available to all faiths.”

Shackleford says the attacks are becoming violent, too.

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