Scottish Catholic Observer

A shocking new report introduced by the Prince of Wales reveals religious freedom is under attack and in decline all over the world, especially in Muslim countries.

The Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) report was unveiled on Tuesday in London.

The Prince of Wales (above inset) gave a video address to politicians and activists in the House of Lords, in which he called for Muslim leaders to do more to stop the persecution of Christians, before the report, the largest of its kind to be carried out, was revealed.

Prince Charles said the ‘horrendous and heartbreaking’ events in Iraq and Syria (refugees above) had brought the subject of religious freedom and persecution to the forefront of the world’s news.

Saying it was ‘an indescribable tragedy that Christianity is now under such threat in the Middle East,’ the prince urged religious leaders ‘to ensure that people within their own tradition respect people from other faith traditions.’

ACN’s Religious Freedom in the World Report 2014 suggests that from ‘religious freedom entered a period of serious decline’ from autumn 2012 to summer 2014,

It states that ‘Muslim countries predominate in the list of states with the most serious religious freedom violations and that ‘Christians remain the most persecuted religious minority, due partly to their wide geographic spread and high relative numbers.’

The reports also states, however, that ‘Muslims are also experiencing a serious degree of persecution and discrimination, both at the hands of other Muslims and from authoritarian governments.’

The Catholic charity’s report also warns that religious freedom is in decline in Western countries that are predominantly or historically Christian, including the United Kingdom.

“This is generating tensions, both political and social,” according to the report.

In response to these threats, the report says the urgent necessity for ‘religious leaders to loudly proclaim their opposition to religiously-inspired violence, and to re-affirm their support for religious tolerance, is becoming ever more urgent.’

— Read the Religious Freedom in the World Report 2014 at www.religion-freedom-report.org

—Scottish politicians and religious leaders hear report http://sconews.co.uk/news/41315/scotlands-turn-to-hear-shocking-evidence-that-religious-freedom-is-under-attack/

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—Read the full version of this story in November 7 edition of the SCO in parishes from Friday.