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→Examples of restrictions on religious freedom in the West
*In a government report released in 2016, Martin R. Castro, the chairman of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, stated that "The phrases “religious liberty” and “religious freedom” will stand for nothing except hypocrisy so long as they remain code words for discrimination, intolerance, racism, sexism, homophobia, Islamophobia, Christian supremacy or any form of intolerance."<ref>Showalter, Brandon (September 9, 2016). [http://www.christianpost.com/news/religious-freedom-code-word-bigotry-christian-supremacy-us-civil-rights-commissioner-martin-castro-169370/ Religious Freedom Is 'Code Word' for Bigotry, Christian Supremacy, US Civil Rights Commissioner Says]. ''The Christian Post''. Retrieved January 9, 2017.</ref><ref>Kellner, Mark A. (September 8, 2016). [http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/sep/8/religious-freedom-religious-liberty-just-code-word/ ‘Religious freedom,’ ‘liberty’ just ‘code words’ for intolerance, U.S. Civil Rights chairman says]. ''The Washington Times''. Retrieved January 9, 2017.</ref><ref>[http://religionnews.com/2016/09/08/chairman-of-u-s-commission-on-civil-rights-calls-the-phrases-religious-liberty-and-religious-freedom-code-words-for-discrimination-intolerance-racism-s/ Chairman of U.S. Commission on Civil Rights calls the phrases ‘religious liberty’ and ‘religious freedom’ code words for discrimination, intolerance, racism, sexism, homophobia, Islamophobia, and Christian supremacy]. ''Religion News Service''. September 8, 2016. Retrieved January 9, 2017.</ref><ref>Carter, Joe (September 13, 2016). [https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/u.s.-civil-rights-commission-religious-freedom-is-code-word-for-racism-homophobia-and-christian-supremacy U.S. Civil Rights Commission: ‘Religious Freedom’ Is Code Word for Racism, Homophobia, and ‘Christian Supremacy’]. ''The Gospel Coalition''. Retrieved January 9, 2017.</ref>
*In a government report released in 2016, Martin R. Castro, the chairman of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, stated that "The phrases “religious liberty” and “religious freedom” will stand for nothing except hypocrisy so long as they remain code words for discrimination, intolerance, racism, sexism, homophobia, Islamophobia, Christian supremacy or any form of intolerance."<ref>Showalter, Brandon (September 9, 2016). [http://www.christianpost.com/news/religious-freedom-code-word-bigotry-christian-supremacy-us-civil-rights-commissioner-martin-castro-169370/ Religious Freedom Is 'Code Word' for Bigotry, Christian Supremacy, US Civil Rights Commissioner Says]. ''The Christian Post''. Retrieved January 9, 2017.</ref><ref>Kellner, Mark A. (September 8, 2016). [http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/sep/8/religious-freedom-religious-liberty-just-code-word/ ‘Religious freedom,’ ‘liberty’ just ‘code words’ for intolerance, U.S. Civil Rights chairman says]. ''The Washington Times''. Retrieved January 9, 2017.</ref><ref>[http://religionnews.com/2016/09/08/chairman-of-u-s-commission-on-civil-rights-calls-the-phrases-religious-liberty-and-religious-freedom-code-words-for-discrimination-intolerance-racism-s/ Chairman of U.S. Commission on Civil Rights calls the phrases ‘religious liberty’ and ‘religious freedom’ code words for discrimination, intolerance, racism, sexism, homophobia, Islamophobia, and Christian supremacy]. ''Religion News Service''. September 8, 2016. Retrieved January 9, 2017.</ref><ref>Carter, Joe (September 13, 2016). [https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/u.s.-civil-rights-commission-religious-freedom-is-code-word-for-racism-homophobia-and-christian-supremacy U.S. Civil Rights Commission: ‘Religious Freedom’ Is Code Word for Racism, Homophobia, and ‘Christian Supremacy’]. ''The Gospel Coalition''. Retrieved January 9, 2017.</ref>
*In 2014, the mayor of [[Houston]], a leftist and the first openly-homosexual mayor of the city, briefly issued subpoenas on pastors, ordering them to turn over sermons concerning homosexuality.<ref>Starnes, Todd (October 14, 2014). [http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2014/10/14/city-houston-demands-pastors-turn-over-sermons.html City of Houston demands pastors turn over sermons]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved January 9, 2017.</ref><ref>Starnes, Todd (October 29, 2014). [http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2014/10/29/houston-mayor-drops-bid-to-subpoena-pastors-sermons.html Houston mayor drops bid to subpoena pastors' sermons]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved January 9, 2017.</ref><ref>Hallowell, Billy (August 3, 2015). [http://www.theblaze.com/news/2015/08/03/houston-pastors-hit-back-against-mayor-with-lawsuit-alleging-their-religious-freedoms-were-trampled/ Houston Gov’t Subpoenaed Pastors’ Sermons. Now, They’re Fighting Back.] ''The Blaze''. Retrieved January 9, 2017.</ref>
*In 2014, the mayor of [[Houston]], a leftist and the first openly-homosexual mayor of the city, briefly issued subpoenas on pastors, ordering them to turn over sermons concerning homosexuality.<ref>Starnes, Todd (October 14, 2014). [http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2014/10/14/city-houston-demands-pastors-turn-over-sermons.html City of Houston demands pastors turn over sermons]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved January 9, 2017.</ref><ref>Starnes, Todd (October 29, 2014). [http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2014/10/29/houston-mayor-drops-bid-to-subpoena-pastors-sermons.html Houston mayor drops bid to subpoena pastors' sermons]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved January 9, 2017.</ref><ref>Hallowell, Billy (August 3, 2015). [http://www.theblaze.com/news/2015/08/03/houston-pastors-hit-back-against-mayor-with-lawsuit-alleging-their-religious-freedoms-were-trampled/ Houston Gov’t Subpoenaed Pastors’ Sermons. Now, They’re Fighting Back.] ''The Blaze''. Retrieved January 9, 2017.</ref>
*The Obama Administration and media's attitude toward a notable incident regarding homeschooling raised concerns over the future of the freedom to homeschool in the U.S. In 2008, a Christian homeschooling family traveled to the U.S. and applied for asylum in order to exercise their right to homeschool their children and give them a religious education.<ref name="HomeschoolAsylum"/> Very few [[mainstream media]] agencies reported this notable incident.<ref name="HomeschoolAsylum"/> The Obama Administration opposed the granting of asylum and sought to deport the family.<ref>Berry, Susan (April 23, 2017). [http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2013/04/23/german-homeschooling-family-seeks-to-stop-deportation-by-obama-administration/ German Homeschooling Family Seeks to Stop Obama Admin Deportation Order]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved December 24, 2017.</ref><ref name="ObamaAsylum">Berry, Susan (March 29, 2017). [http://www.breitbart.com/national-security/2013/03/29/us-government-seeks-to-deport-family-threatened-in-germany-for-homeschooling/ Obama Admin Opposes Asylum for German Homeschooling Family]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved December 24, 2017.</ref> The administration argued in court that homeschooling was not a fundamental right and that the U.S. government could legally ban it and that the family's religious liberty was not being violated because not all homeschoolers are religious and because not all Christians want to homeschool (thus "suggesting that religious freedom is only the freedom to conform to a religious group, not the freedom to have individual religious convictions"<ref name="Looy2013"/>).<ref name="ObamaAsylum"/><ref name="Looy2013">Looy, Mark (April 29, 2013). [https://answersingenesis.org/religious-freedom/homeschooled-and-now-without-a-home-to-school-in/ Homeschooled and Now Without a Home to School In?] ''Answers in Genesis''. Retrieved December 24, 2017.</ref> While the Department of Homeland Security ultimately chose not to deport the family,<ref name="DHShomeschool"/> the Obama Administration's legal reasoning had a major potential impact on religious freedom, as it could be used in the future to ban homeschooling in the U.S., hinder parents from being able to give their children a religious education, and assert that government – not parents – has the final authority over children.<ref name="Looy2013"/>
;United Kingdom
;United Kingdom
;France
;France
*In 2016, the [[France|French]] Senate passed a bill making it illegal to post [[pro-life]] information on the internet, effectively criminalizing the freedom of speech (at least on the internet) of those who support the true human right to life for unborn human beings.<ref>McMorris, Bill (December 7, 2016). [http://freebeacon.com/issues/french-senate-passes-pro-life-website-ban/ French Senate Passes Pro-Life Website Ban]. ''The Washington Free Beacon''. Retrieved January 9, 2017.</ref> As of 2016, the bill is likely to be signed into law by the French Prime Minister. France is already spiritually dead.
*In 2016, the [[France|French]] Senate passed a bill making it illegal to post [[pro-life]] information on the internet, effectively criminalizing the freedom of speech (at least on the internet) of those who support the true human right to life for unborn human beings.<ref>McMorris, Bill (December 7, 2016). [http://freebeacon.com/issues/french-senate-passes-pro-life-website-ban/ French Senate Passes Pro-Life Website Ban]. ''The Washington Free Beacon''. Retrieved January 9, 2017.</ref> As of 2016, the bill is likely to be signed into law by the French Prime Minister. France is already spiritually dead.
;Germany
*Germany's government – like the governments of numerous other European countries – strongly opposes [[homeschooling]], and homeschooling has been illegal in the country since the [[Third Reich]] enacted a law on this matter in 1938.<ref>[https://answersingenesis.org/homeschool/international-homeschooling-on-shaky-ground/ International Homeschooling on Shaky Ground]. ''Answers in Genesis''. October 1, 2007. Retrieved December 24, 2017.</ref> In 2013, for example, German authorities confiscated four homeschooled children from a Christian family who homeschooled in order to give their children a Christian education – the German government did this simply because the parents were not sending their children to the government school.<ref>Multiple references:
*Ham, Ken (September 22, 2013). [https://answersingenesis.org/blogs/ken-ham/2013/09/22/germany-against-homeschooling/ Germany Against Homeschooling]. ''Answers in Genesis''. Retrieved December 24, 2017.
*Crossland, Kiley (April 17, 2017). [http://www.bpnews.net/48684/german-family-continues-fight-to-homeschool German family continues fight to homeschool]. ''Baptist Press''. Retrieved December 24, 2017.
*Mitchell, Elizabeth (September 7, 2013). [https://answersingenesis.org/homeschool/government-seizes-homeschooling-childrenwhose-kids-are-they/ Government Seizes Homeschooling Children—Whose Kids Are They?] ''Answers in Genesis''. Retrieved December 24, 2017.</ref> In 2010, a German homeschooling family traveled to the U.S. and applied for asylum,<ref name="HomeschoolAsylum">Huston, Warner Todd (February 1, 2010). [http://www.breitbart.com/big-journalism/2010/02/01/homeschooling-german-family-awarded-political-asylum-in-us-where-is-us-media/ Homeschooling German Family Awarded Political Asylum in U.S., Where is U.S. Media?] ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved December 24, 2017.</ref> something which they were guarenteed in 2014.<ref name="DHShomeschool">Berry, Susan (March 4, 2014). [http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2014/03/04/department-of-homeland-security-will-not-deport-romeike-german-homeschoolers/ Homeland Security Will Not Deport German Christian Homeschoolers the Romeikes]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved December 24, 2017.</ref>
;Sweden
;Sweden