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| | *In 2010, a Christian street preacher was arrested for causing "harassment, alarm or distress" by calling homosexuality a sinful practice according to biblical teachings.<ref>Blake, Heidi (May 2, 2010). [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/7668448/Christian-preacher-arrested-for-saying-homosexuality-is-a-sin.html Christian preacher arrested for saying homosexuality is a sin]. ''The Telegraph''. Retrieved August 10, 2017.</ref> In 2015, another street preacher was fined for calling homosexuality an abomination.<ref>Tufft, Ben (March 29, 2015). [http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/street-preacher-quoting-from-the-bible-fined-for-calling-homosexuality-an-abomination-10141768.html Street preacher quoting from the Bible fined for calling homosexuality an 'abomination']. ''The Independent''. Retrieved August 10, 2017.</ref> | | *In 2010, a Christian street preacher was arrested for causing "harassment, alarm or distress" by calling homosexuality a sinful practice according to biblical teachings.<ref>Blake, Heidi (May 2, 2010). [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/7668448/Christian-preacher-arrested-for-saying-homosexuality-is-a-sin.html Christian preacher arrested for saying homosexuality is a sin]. ''The Telegraph''. Retrieved August 10, 2017.</ref> In 2015, another street preacher was fined for calling homosexuality an abomination.<ref>Tufft, Ben (March 29, 2015). [http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/street-preacher-quoting-from-the-bible-fined-for-calling-homosexuality-an-abomination-10141768.html Street preacher quoting from the Bible fined for calling homosexuality an 'abomination']. ''The Independent''. Retrieved August 10, 2017.</ref> |
| | *A pastor in [[Northern Ireland]] was charged and tried for making comments (in 2014) in one of his sermons against Islam that were considered "grossly offensive." Although he was found not guilty (in 2016), he should have never been tried in the first place, as Christians should be able to freely express and advocate their biblically-based theological positions.<ref>Turpin, Simon (January 8, 2016). [https://answersingenesis.org/blogs/simon-turpin/2016/01/08/northern-ireland-pastor-not-guilty-criticising-islam/ Northern Ireland Pastor Not Guilty of Criticising Islam]. ''Answers in Genesis''. Retrieved January 9, 2017.</ref><ref>Weatherbe, Steve (March 2, 2017). [https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/christian-evangelists-found-guilty-of-disorderly-conduct-for-preaching-gods Christian street preachers arrested, fined for ‘challenging Muslims,’ ‘homophobia’]. ''LifeSite News''. Retrieved August 10, 2017.</ref><ref>Berrien, Hank (August 3, 2017). [http://www.dailywire.com/news/14075/these-british-pastors-were-just-arrested-hank-berrien# These British Pastors Were Just Arrested For ‘Challenging Muslims’]. ''The Daily Wire''. Retrieved August 10, 2017.</ref> | | *A pastor in [[Northern Ireland]] was charged and tried for making comments (in 2014) in one of his sermons against Islam that were considered "grossly offensive." Although he was found not guilty (in 2016), he should have never been tried in the first place, as Christians should be able to freely express and advocate their biblically-based theological positions.<ref>Turpin, Simon (January 8, 2016). [https://answersingenesis.org/blogs/simon-turpin/2016/01/08/northern-ireland-pastor-not-guilty-criticising-islam/ Northern Ireland Pastor Not Guilty of Criticising Islam]. ''Answers in Genesis''. Retrieved January 9, 2017.</ref><ref>Weatherbe, Steve (March 2, 2017). [https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/christian-evangelists-found-guilty-of-disorderly-conduct-for-preaching-gods Christian street preachers arrested, fined for ‘challenging Muslims,’ ‘homophobia’]. ''LifeSite News''. Retrieved August 10, 2017.</ref><ref>Berrien, Hank (August 3, 2017). [http://www.dailywire.com/news/14075/these-british-pastors-were-just-arrested-hank-berrien# These British Pastors Were Just Arrested For ‘Challenging Muslims’]. ''The Daily Wire''. Retrieved August 10, 2017.</ref> |
| − | *In 2016, a teacher at an [[Anglican]] school in Oswaldtwistle, [[Lancashire]] was harshly criticized for stating on [[Twitter]] (in response to another teacher) that "Evolution is not a fact. That’s why it’s called a theory! There’s more evidence that the Bible is true."<ref>Turpin, Simon (February 4, 2016). [https://answersingenesis.org/blogs/simon-turpin/2016/02/04/teacher-ridiculed-saying-evolution-not-fact/ Teacher Ridiculed for Saying Evolution Is Not a Fact]. ''Answers in Genesis''. Retrieved January 10, 2017.</ref> This is just one of many, many examples of social persecution in the West, concerning numerous subjects, including [[creation science]], the [[Evolution|pseudoscientific theory of evolution]], and homosexuality. | + | *In 2014, the UK government banned the teaching of creationism in every school that receives government funding.<ref>Sevcik, JC (June 18, 2014). [https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2014/06/18/Teaching-creationism-as-scientifically-valid-now-banned-in-all-UK-public-schools/5631403128922/ Teaching creationism as scientifically valid now banned in all UK public schools]. ''UPI''. Retrieved March 9, 2018.</ref> In 2016, a teacher at an [[Anglican]] school in Oswaldtwistle, [[Lancashire]] was harshly criticized for stating on [[Twitter]] (in response to another teacher) that "Evolution is not a fact. That’s why it’s called a theory! There’s more evidence that the Bible is true."<ref>Turpin, Simon (February 4, 2016). [https://answersingenesis.org/blogs/simon-turpin/2016/02/04/teacher-ridiculed-saying-evolution-not-fact/ Teacher Ridiculed for Saying Evolution Is Not a Fact]. ''Answers in Genesis''. Retrieved January 10, 2017.</ref> In 2018, the UK Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills gave a Christian school its lowest ranking possible for quality of learning because it taught creationism and integrated its biblical values into its curriculum (aka. giving its students a Christian education, as a Christian school).<ref>Burgess, Kaya (February 16, 2018). [https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/primary-pupils-taught-creationism-in-science-lessons-at-kings-kids-christian-school-z66p6vc90 Primary pupils taught creationism in science lessons at Kings Kids Christian School]. ''The Times''. Retrieved March 9, 2018.</ref><ref>Kumar, Anugrah (February 18, 2018). [https://www.christianpost.com/news/uk-school-punished-teaching-creation-bible-kids-other-faiths-false-gods-218300/ UK School Punished for Teaching Creation, Bible; Kids Saying Other Faiths Follow 'False Gods']. ''The Christian Post''. Retrieved March 9, 2018.</ref> These are only a few of many examples of social persecution in the West, regarding numerous subjects, including [[creation science]], the [[Evolution|pseudoscientific theory of evolution]], and homosexuality. |
| | *In early 2017, two Christian street preachers in [[Bristol]] were convicted for quoting the [[King James Bible]] in public because they supposedly used "threatening or abusive words or behaviour or disorderly behaviour within the hearing or sight of a person . . . and the offence was religiously aggravated."<ref>Turpin, Simon (March 6, 2017). [https://answersingenesis.org/blogs/simon-turpin/2017/03/06/loss-free-speech-uk-and-how-we-should-react-christians/ The Loss of Free Speech in the UK and How We Should React as Christians]. ''Answers in Genesis''. Retrieved March 9, 2017.</ref> | | *In early 2017, two Christian street preachers in [[Bristol]] were convicted for quoting the [[King James Bible]] in public because they supposedly used "threatening or abusive words or behaviour or disorderly behaviour within the hearing or sight of a person . . . and the offence was religiously aggravated."<ref>Turpin, Simon (March 6, 2017). [https://answersingenesis.org/blogs/simon-turpin/2017/03/06/loss-free-speech-uk-and-how-we-should-react-christians/ The Loss of Free Speech in the UK and How We Should React as Christians]. ''Answers in Genesis''. Retrieved March 9, 2017.</ref> |
| | *In November 2017, [[Tim Farron]], a Christian and the former leader of the Liberal Democratic Party who resigned due to the incompatibility of his faith and his position, admitted that social persecution of Christianity is a real thing and that the culture sees it as dangerous.<ref>Williams, Thomas D. (November 29, 2017). [http://www.breitbart.com/london/2017/11/29/lib-democrat-tim-farron-warns-that-christians-now-deemed-as-dangerous-and-unsuitable-for-politics/ Liberal Democrat Tim Farron Warns That Christians Now Deemed as ‘Dangerous’ and Unsuitable for Politics]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved November 29, 2017.</ref> | | *In November 2017, [[Tim Farron]], a Christian and the former leader of the Liberal Democratic Party who resigned due to the incompatibility of his faith and his position, admitted that social persecution of Christianity is a real thing and that the culture sees it as dangerous.<ref>Williams, Thomas D. (November 29, 2017). [http://www.breitbart.com/london/2017/11/29/lib-democrat-tim-farron-warns-that-christians-now-deemed-as-dangerous-and-unsuitable-for-politics/ Liberal Democrat Tim Farron Warns That Christians Now Deemed as ‘Dangerous’ and Unsuitable for Politics]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved November 29, 2017.</ref> |