Religious News From Around the Web January 18, 2021

Marriage Not Important, EU Bans Kosher Slaughter, Watch List Documents Persecution of Christians, Religious Freedom Begins at Home, European Court Takes Up Allegations of Russian Religious Suppression

Gallup Poll: Marriage Not Important
A recent Gallup Poll found that only 29 percent of Americans feel that marriage is “very important” if a couple plan of having children, while 40 percent feel it is “not too” or “not at all” important. In 2006, 49 percent said marriage was “very important,” for couples with children. Sixty-six percent now believe it is morally acceptable to have a baby outside of marriage, and Seventy-two percent consider sex between an unmarried man and woman morally acceptable. Frequent church attendees political conservatives and older Americans are most likely to believe marriage is crucial for parents.

European Countries Ban Kosher Slaughter of Food Animals

The Court of Justice of the European Union last month upheld Belgium’s ban on ritual slaughter (shechita for Jews and dhabīḥah for Muslims). Belgium had required that animals be rendered unconscious prior to slaughter — a practice that runs counter to Jewish and Muslim law.

Persecution of Christians
Open Door’s World Watch List says that 340 million Christians live in areas of high persecution. A Christian congregation in China is subject to government facial recognition cameras in their church. A girl in India converts to Christianity and has her village turn against her.

Religious Freedom Begins at Home

Threats to religious freedom around the world are on the rise — from the persecution of Uighur Muslims, Christians and others in China, to Ahmadis in Pakistan, to the Rohingya in Myanmar — the list goes on. America’s First Amendment rights have long made us a beacon of these human rights to other nations. But over the past four years, our federal government’s violations of its own citizens’ religious freedom rights threatens our commitment to making a difference around the world.

European Court Takes Up Allegations of Russian Religious Suppression

Allegations to be taken up by the European Court of Human Rights include the suppression of the media, harassment and intimidation of religious leaders for not conforming to the Russian Orthodox faith, arbitrary raids on places of worship and confiscation of religious property. Kyiv also claims Russia expropriated property without compensation and suppressed the Ukrainian language.