Coming to America! Silence of Christ’s Lambs

When trying to predict where America is going, often all you have to do is look across the pond at “post-Christian” Western Europe. America is typically a decade or two behind them on social issues, that is, unless we act now.

Stories are coming in from Europe of Christians being fired from their workplace or who are intimidated to be silent. If one dares to extend Christian concern or act in a way faithful to their religious convictions they will pay with their job.

Praying Nurse Disciplined

A nurse in Britain, Caroline Petrie, was suspended after she simply asked a patient if they would like prayer. The patient refused and later reported Petrie. The patient said that she was not offended by the offer, but she reported Nurse Petrie because she was afraid someone else might be offended. So Petrie has been ordered to attend disciplinary meetings because someone might be offended.

Previously Petrie was forced to stop giving out Christian prayer cards to patients who asked for them because the relative of a patient objected. As a result, Petrie had to take an equality and diversity course.

Petrie said, "My concern is for the person as a whole, not just their health. I was told not to force my faith on anyone but I could respond if patients themselves brought up the subject [of religion]."

Counselor Conflicted

Another Brit, Gary McFarlane, a counselor for Relate Avon Corporation, was dismissed from his job because he expressed concern over the possibility of having to give sexual advice to homosexual couples. MacFarlane never refused to counsel a same-sex couple. He only expressed concern at the possibility because of a conflict between his Christian faith and homosexuality.

McFarlane believed that it was due to his Christian faith that he was fired from Relate Avon. "If I were a Muslim, this would not have happened. But Christians seem to have fewer and fewer rights," McFarlane said.

A British employment tribunal has ruled in favor of a McFarlane, but said that “The claimant was not treated as he was because of his Christian faith, but because (the company) believed that he would not comply with its policies.”

Minister Muzzled

A minister and radio talk show host is taking legal action after he allegedly was fired for offending Muslims by defending Christianity on air.

Rev. Mahboob Masih, a minister in the Church of England, claims he was unfairly dismissed from his position of host of a radio program in Glasgow.  The action taken against him, Rev. Masih claims, was a case of religious discrimination.

After a lively religious debate about a prominent Muslim, who, according to Rev. Masih, belittled Christ, the radio station management accused Rev. Masih of not being balanced enough on air.

Rev. Masih reluctantly made an on-air apology in an attempt to defuse the situation, but refused to comply with a request from a senior station official to deliver an apology in person at the Central Mosque in Glasgow. Now he is appealing to the decision to fire him to the labor board.

No Place for Faith at BBC

Another radio talk show host in England, Jeremy Vine, is a Christian and believes that Christ is who he says he is, but doesn’t think he could say it on his BBC show.

The Radio 2 host says society is becoming increasingly intolerant of Christian views. It has become “almost socially unacceptable to say you believe in God.”

Mr. Vine is a practicing Anglican, but does not discuss his faith on air. “One of the things that I think, which may sound bizarre, is that Christ is who he said he was,” he said. “I don’t think I’d put that out on my show; I suppose there’s a bit of a firewall between thinking that and doing the job I do.”

The BBC did a self audit in 2007 and determined that there is an institutional anti-Christian bias.

This is only a snap shot of what will come in America if we continue to allow our first amendment liberties to be undermined by hate crime legislation and stand idly by while Christian discrimination goes unopposed.

TAKE ACTION: 

Sign our petition to stop American hate crimes legislation. Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee introduced new hate crime legislation, The David Ray Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009, H.R. 256, which is direct opposition to our Constitution. She also submitted a new companion bill, The David Ray Ritcheson Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009, H.R. 262.  These two bills directly threaten your freedom of speech and religion.

Click here to sign our petition now!

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