All cases

Aramaic Christians Under Great Pressure

December 19, 2008, Turkey

Aramaic Lawyer David Gelen reveals in an interview with German daily, "Die Welt," the pressures Turkish authorities have placed on the Christian Aramaic minorities.

Fire Set in Catholic Church

December 11, 2008, Belgium

A Greek-Melkite parish was set on fire the night of Friday 12 December. Pastor could quickly contain and limit the damage.

Muslim Converts to Christianity Live in Fear

December 2, 2008, International

Several reports prove fear of Muslim converts to Christianity in Europe.

Court Orders the Removal of Crucifixes from a School

November 27, 2008, Spain

The European Public Laity Association (Asociación Estatal Europa Laica) has requested a court order to remove crucifixes and religious symbols from Macías Picavea school in Valladolid. The Administrative Tribunal 2 of Valladolid agreed with the plaintiffs, and issued an order to take away every religious symbol from classrooms and common-use rooms. The Tribunal said that religious symbols violated the fundamental rights of equality and freedom of conscience as enshrined in articles 14 and 16.1 of the Spanish Constitution. The Tribunal has not made any mention to the fact that religious symbols placed outside a church also have a civil, historic, and cultural value.

(Michigan) Gays Storm Church

November 12, 2008, United States

A band of about 30 gays stormed a church in Lansing, Michigan. shouting “Jesus was a homo”, etc. The church was vandalized, obscenities were shouted and worshippers were confronted.

No Plaque for Catholic Saint on House of Birth

November 1, 2008, Spain

Saint Maravillas de Jesus was born in a house which is now the local Spanish parliament of Valladoid. A plaque with a commemorative inscription was declined on behalf of left wing parties.

Two Jesuit Priests in Moscow Found Brutally Murdered in their Apartment

October 28, 2008, Russia

Two Jesuit priests were murdered brutally in Moscow. Jesuit Fathers Otto Messmer, 47, and Victor Betancourt, 42, were found dead late Oct. 28 in their Moscow apartment.

Religion Professor Under Cancer Therapy Suffers Discrimination

October 18, 2008, Spain

Francisco Javier Romero, a religion professor in Sevilla on sick leave because of cancer treatment, claimed discrimination with regard to finding a substitute teacher by a more difficult procedure. When he asked why he was given a different treatment respect to other professors on sick leave, he was told "because you are a Catholic Religion teacher".

New Law Curbs Religious Elements in Schools

October 15, 2008, Sweden

(2008/2009) Sweden curbs the influence of religion in private confessional schools in a move to "prevent the spread of fundamentalism". Law entered into force in the beginning of 2009.

(Internet) Host Desecration Videos Online

September 30, 2008, International

Several videos have been put online showing the Eucharistic Host, most sacred for Catholics, being desecrated by being stepped on, burned, stapled, smoked and nailed to a stick. After severe protests, YouTube removed the videos on Oct 2nd.

Counterdemonstrations Disturbed Silent pro Life Vigil in Berlin

September 30, 2008, Germany

People with pro life convictions from all over Germany met on September 20th for a manifestation in Berlin. Their silent manifestation was interrupted by about 50 demonstrators throwing confetti unto them and chanting slogans such as: “If Mary had had an abortion, we would have been spared you guys!”, and “Communism instead of Jesus Christ”. During a religious service, two women denuded themselves and showed on the upper parts of their bodies a reversed cross.

Christians Arrested During Prayer

September 27, 2008, Turkey

Soldiers arrested a priest and more than 20 Christians in a Turkish Province during prayer. The Christian community wanted to hold a religious service in this region. When the Christians started to distribute sweets to the children and Bibles to the adults the security forces intervened and arrested them.

Writer and BBC Guest is Not Longer Welcome by the Media Corporation

September 25, 2008, United Kingdom

Rev Graham P Taylor, author of the best-seller Shadowmancer, sometimes called the new C. S. Lewis, said the BBC does not welcome him anymore because he could be seen as promoting Christianity. Taylor, a parish priest who signed a £3.5 million contract to publish Shadowmancer claims that the relationship with the BBC went well "until they realised that there were religious allegories in my stories".

Pro Choice Poster Calls for Violence against Catholics and Pro Lifers

September 23, 2008, Austria

Posters were placed illegally all over the city of Salzburg calling for violence against people praying in front of an abortion clinic. The posters displayed a panda kicking Andreas Laun, the auxiliary bishop of the archdiocese of Salzburg. In bold letters the posters stated: “Kick opponents of abortion (off the sidewalk)”.

Christian Sexual Education Jeopardized by Government

September 16, 2008, Austria

The government of Austria reinforces guidelines for sexual education that jeopardize the teaching of authentic Christian sexual values. The guidelines extend to classes of religious education.

College Removes Christmas and Easter from Calendar

September 16, 2008, United Kingdom

Yorkshire Coast College renamed its school breaks without reference to Christian holidays in an effort to ensure diversity- Christmas and Easter no longer appear on the college’s calendar.

Street Preacher Asked to Stop Activity

September 15, 2008, United Kingdom

The St Edmundsbury Borough Council told open air preacher, Brian Dee, who had been preaching in the marketplace in Bury St Edmunds for over 10 years, that he was not allowed, under a local bye-law aimed at reducing litter, to distribute tracts. A strongly worded letter was sent to the Council warning that Mr Dee had a right to preach and distribute tracts and if the Council continued to interfere with his rights legal action would be taken. The Council backed down conceding that there was no evidence that Mr Dee had caused a litter problem and accepted that he could continue preaching and distributing tracts.

Amnesty International Supports Anti-Catholic Bigotry During Gay Pride Belfast

September 11, 2008, United Kingdom

Amnesty International participated this year in the homosexualist movement's efforts to insult and vilify the Catholic Church during the Belfast gay pride festival in August. Amnesty's Belfast director has admitted that the group was using the Belfast Pride event to caricature the Cardinal Archbishop of Riga, Janis Pujats, who has spoken out strongly against the homosexualist movement's efforts in Latvia.

Trades Union Congress Calls for Christian to Be Sacked from Equality and Human Right Commission

September 10, 2008, United Kingdom

The Trades Union Congress (TUC), a federation of trade unions in the United Kingdom, has issued a call for the removal of a Christian Equality and Human Rights Commissioner. Joel Edwards is the director of the Evangelical Alliance and a figure loathed by homosexualist activists for his forthright calls for a re-insertion of Christian morals in public life and defence of the rights of Christians who oppose the homosexualist political agenda.

Christian Children Must Attend Islamic Religious Education

September 1, 2008, Turkey

(Ongoing) In Turkey, Christian children must attend Islamic religious education.