100,000 Christians die for faith every year: Vatican

[doggie]

well this is true right? On ly if they include all the children that die of starvation and disease that are parents of Christians missionaries converted.

http://www.breitbart.com/system/wire/CN ... 6b1desease

A top Vatican official has said around 100,000 Christians are killed every year for reasons linked to their faith and pointed to the Middle East, Africa and Asia as the biggest problem areas.

Monsignor Silvano Maria Tomasi was quoted by Vatican radio on Tuesday as saying that the figures were "shocking" and "incredible".

Tomasi said Christians were also forced to leave their homes and see their churches destroyed in some parts of the world, and were often subjected to rapes, kidnappings and discrimination.

The Vatican official made particular reference to the kidnapping of two Orthodox bishops near Aleppo in Syria last month.

Religious freedom is beset by "sectarianism, intolerance, terrorism and exclusionary laws," he said, while also pointing to exceptions like Bangladesh where he said rights are protected.

Another senior Vatican figure, the secretary of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, Mario Toso, said recently that discrimination against Christians "should be countered in the same way as anti-Semitism and Islamophobia".

[louisa05]

An less biased source indicates that harassment of Christians is indeed an issue in some areas:

http://www.pewforum.org/Government/Risi ... dings.aspx

Note that neither Pew or the Vatican is claiming that Christians are persecuted or harassed in North America.

[ILoveJellybeans]

Does it include people who tried praying that their illnesses would go away instead of going to the doctor, and died?

[doggie]

Note that neither Pew or the Vatican is claiming that Christians are persecuted or harassed in North America.

I think the Vatican is claiming the very thing in the us with the obomacare laws and such.

[louisa05]

The strongest word in regard to the contraception issue that I have heard used is "discrimination" never "persecution" or even "harassment". And our associate priest is obsessed with that issue (while our senior pastor seems to not care in the least and seems to be emboldened by the new pope to teach compassion, grace and tolerance).

And the article the OP referenced talks about Africa, the Middle East and Asia. Not North America. And does not mention the health care public policy issues in the U.S. which I think even our insane U.S. Bishops can see is an entirely different issue than real persecution elsewhere in the world.

[merrily]

Well it is true if you're in North Korea.

[formergothardite]

They want discrimination to end against Christians? Perhaps they should stop the discrimination they encourage against people who are gay.

[doggie]

They want discrimination to end against Christians? Perhaps they should stop the discrimination they encourage against people who are gay.

Butt butt that's not what god wants. It's perfectly ok to hate as long as you are on the right side. Of course Christians don't have to be accountable for their actions.

[yewchapel]

They want discrimination to end against Christians? Perhaps they should stop the discrimination they encourage against people who are gay.

While I agree with you that the RCC should change its stance on homosexuality, I'm a little confused as to how that is linked to the persecution of Christians in countries where they are a minority. Last time I checked, North Korea and Iran weren't basing their persecution of Christians on churches' policies on homosexuality. The Vatican here is talking about Christians who are being KILLED for their faith, not just those who are discriminated against in a way that might be unpleasant.

[formergothardite]

While I agree with you that the RCC should change its stance on homosexuality, I'm a little confused as to how that is linked to the persecution of Christians in countries where they are a minority. Last time I checked, North Korea and Iran weren't basing their persecution of Christians on churches' policies on homosexuality. The Vatican here is talking about Christians who are being KILLED for their faith, not just those who are discriminated against in a way that might be unpleasant.

I was just pointing out how they want discrimination to end against them, yet they continue to encourage discrimination against others. Gay people have been killed for being gay too. Even though the church may not encourage that level of violence, they still encourage the mindset that being gay and especially gay people living full lives including marriage, should not be allowed to happen.

[OkToBeTakei]

I was just pointing out how they want discrimination to end against them, yet they continue to encourage discrimination against others. Gay people have been killed for being gay too. Even though the church may not encourage that level of violence, they still encourage the mindset that being gay and especially gay people living full lives including marriage, should not be allowed to happen.

Sadly not all gay murders are religion based.

I don't really get this comparison either. Also not all christians believe homosexuality is wrong. IF they had said 100,000 catholics then maybe.

[yewchapel]

I was just pointing out how they want discrimination to end against them, yet they continue to encourage discrimination against others. Gay people have been killed for being gay too. Even though the church may not encourage that level of violence, they still encourage the mindset that being gay and especially gay people living full lives including marriage, should not be allowed to happen.

Sorry, still not getting the link - why is it wrong for the Vatican to not want people to die just for being Christians? That is wrong no matter what the RCC's policy on homosexuality is. Also, while as I said I disagree with Roman Catholic doctrine on sexuality, said doctrine does not say that being gay should not be allowed to happen and prohibits violence against gay people (or anyone, Catholic doctrine is broadly pacifist), let alone ordering people's death as part of government policy. The two issues are just not connected. While I think that being opposed to marriage equality is wrong, it's not on the same level of wrongness as being executed for one's religion.

[formergothardite]

The Catholic church says discrimination against Christians needs to end.

The Catholic church encourages discrimination against gay people(well they do say to nicely discriminate against gay people. So sugar coat that hate!).

So my point was, they are wanting discrimination of a group they agree with to end while at the same time discriminating against a group that they don't agree with.

While they are trying to stop discrimination, they need to look at the log in their own eye too because the Catholic church is guilty of discrimination. The article said discrimination against Christians needs to be countered the same way as anti-Semitism. Well so does the discrimination against gay people.

I'm just pointing out that they are hypocrites.

[OkToBeTakei]

The Catholic church says discrimination against Christians needs to end.

The Catholic church encourages discrimination against gay people(well they do say to nicely discriminate against gay people. So sugar coat that hate!).

So my point was, they are wanting discrimination of a group they agree with to end while at the same time discriminating against a group that they don't agree with.

While they are trying to stop discrimination, they need to look at the log in their own eye too because the Catholic church is guilty of discrimination. The article said discrimination against Christians needs to be countered the same way as anti-Semitism. Well so does the discrimination against gay people.

I'm just pointing out that they are hypocrites.

Nah. Still not getting it.

When and if the catholic church or any other church actively encourages their followers to kill gay people for being gay then I will see your comparison. Christian is a broad term. Whilst I would like to have seen them add in homosexuality to their anti-semite and Islamaphobe message. I think to condemn their message against killing people who wish to practice christianity not so much a log in the eye scenario as looking for a splinter to nit-pick with.

[yewchapel]

The Catholic church says discrimination against Christians needs to end.

The Catholic church encourages discrimination against gay people(well they do say to nicely discriminate against gay people. So sugar coat that hate!).

So my point was, they are wanting discrimination of a group they agree with to end while at the same time discriminating against a group that they don't agree with.

While they are trying to stop discrimination, they need to look at the log in their own eye too because the Catholic church is guilty of discrimination. The article said discrimination against Christians needs to be countered the same way as anti-Semitism. Well so does the discrimination against gay people.

I'm just pointing out that they are hypocrites.

Nope, sorry, it's not hypocritical to not want Christians to die but also oppose marriage equality. Not being able to get married is quite different to a government ordering your death due to your religion. I think the RCC is totally wrong to oppose marriage equality, but they absolutely prohibit violence of any kind against gay people - if they were calling for the death of gay people, you would be right, but they are not. I'm not disagreeing with you on the RCC's discrimination of gay people, btw, I just don't think executing people for their religion can be classed as only being discrimination and on the same level as not being able to marry.

[Arete]

Should we tell Muslims to stop whining about anti Muslim persecution because Islam does not believe in marriage equality?

How about Orthodox Jews and anti-semitism?