It is not just the Muslims that think they are being persecuted in America, but the Christians as well.
According to a survey conducted by LifeWay Research, 63% of the 1,000 Americans who participated in the survey “somewhat” and “strongly” agree that Christians in America are being persecuted.
Americans Think Christian Persecution is on the Rise[/tweetthis]
In 2013, the same survey was conducted, and only 50% of respondents agreed. This year, 60% was of the opinion that as a whole, religious liberty is declining in America. In 2013, the same response was only 54%. Now, the same survey also reports that 43% of the participants also believe that American Christians, in general, complain too much about their treatment in the country.
The number for American Christians who are not satisfied about their treatment in the U.S. was only 34% in the 2013 survey. The survey, which has an error margin of 3.6% points, was conducted after June 2015 after the Supreme Court of United States legalized same-sex marriage. The survey report was published last month.
There has always been a debate about religious liberty and discrimination, however, the intensity of the debate increased right after the Court legalized same-sex marriage. For gay people, it violates their rights when vendors refuse to cater their ceremonies. For vendors, it violates their religious liberty when they are forced to cater to same-sex wedding ceremonies.
#Christian persecution on the rise? https://t.co/Zp4dUDNIka
— Glenn Beck (@glennbeck) April 8, 2016
According to the executive director of LifeWay Research, Ed Stetzer, a number of Americans worry that the environment for religious liberty in the United States is hostile. Some approve it, others speak against it. Stetzer said that Christians in general are very sensitive about what they perceive as intolerance towards their faith. However, the intolerance is not just towards Christianity. Religious liberty as a whole in America is declining. This means other religious people are being persecuted in the US as well.
No, I will Not STHU and Christian persecution exists in America whether at work or in the public sphere. .@SkepticReview
— Salt&Light (@BWSchank) April 5, 2016
Director of campus engagement and VP of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, Greg Jao, says that the media attention that a few of the Christian persecution events are getting might be the reason why a lot of Christians think that they are increasingly being targeted for their faith. He said that Christianity had a lot of privileges in the past, however, United States, as of now, is reevaluating a lot of those privileges.
The main reason for that is because, in the past, Christians were considered as a morally virtuous addition to the community. However, because of the Church's human sexuality issues, Christians are now actually being considered as a moral problem to be solved, in the society.
According to Chris Stone, Faith Driven Consumer founder, religious freedom nowadays means you can do whatever you want within the confines of your church. However, do not bring it out.