Are Christians really the world’s most persecuted religious group?

[rug]

David Cameron says Christians around the world suffer the most persecution for their religion. Is he right?

by Nelson Jones Published 10 April, 2014 - 16:27

In a rare theological intervention at a Downing Street reception yesterday, David Cameron made the eye-catching suggestion that Christians were the most persecuted religious group in the world today. (He also credited Jesus with the invention of the big society, an idea most of us assumed he’d forgotten about.)

The PM is not the first prominent figure to make such a claim. Pope Benedict XVI said it during his New Year message in 2011, Angela Merkel made similar remarks during a visit to a church in November 2012, and late last year Prince Charles spoke of “intimidation, false accusation and organised persecution to the Christian communities in the Middle East at the present time.”

Tragic news reports seem to bear this out. The destruction of ancient Christian communities in their homelands in Iraq, Syria and other parts of the Middle East, described by Tom Holland as “a crime against civilisation as well as against humanity”, has been one of the most depressing consequences of the recent turmoil. Sometimes, direct religious persecution seems to be involved, as in this week’s murder of Dutch priest Frans van der Lugt in the besieged town of Homs. Meanwhile, in Pakistan yet another absurd blasphemy prosecution came to light, this time of a Christian couple sentenced to death (and a fine!) for allegedly sending text messages deemed to be offensive to Islam.

- snip -

If Christians are persecuted in many parts of the world, so are Muslims, Hindus, atheists, Buddhists and Jews. If Christians are persecutors in other (or sometimes the same) parts of the world: as are Muslims, Hindus, atheists, Buddhists and Jews. The fact that such a list of persecutors can include Buddhists, probably the faith least renowned for its zeal or intolerance, is a strong indication that by and large we are dealing with group rivalries, hatred of minorities, political struggles and only rarely a persecution based in the specifics of Christian theology.

http://www.newstatesman.com/lifestyle/2014/04/are-christians-really-world-s-most-persecuted-religious-group

[Agschmid]

1. No.

[rug]

2. The author agrees with you.

[libodem]

3. I worry more about Muslims

Especially the block s against charitable giving to help the less fortunate. There are so many hellish refugee camps full of people from Iraq, Syria and Palestine. You can be persecuted for trying to send aide because of all the sanctions against providing material aide to terrorists. And any one can call you a terrorist these days. Kick in your doors take your husband and sons over 12 and murder them in interrogation.

I think this Christian persecution complex is projection.

[Politicalboi]

4. No, they ARE the persecutors

[rug]

5. "They", meaning Christians?

Would you like to be a bit more nuanced?

[hrmjustin]

6. Tell that to the Christians in Syria, North Korea, China, Sudan, and Saudi Arabia.

[YarnAddict]

8. Interesting.

Do you have any facts to back up that assertion?

[WovenGems]

7. YES!

If one views it as a math problem. Add together all instances of actual persecution of Christians plus perceived persecution and you have a winner. Take just the actual and no so much.

[goldent]

9. Christians are persecuted in various places around the globe

but I have no idea where they would place if there was some kind of "persecution list."

Also, I think there is a difference between persecution and being disliked/hated.

I agree with the author that any persecution is rarely based on theology.