At the presentation of the US State Department International Religious Freedom Report 2010, Hilary Clinton gives a useful description of religious freedom.
Mgr Marc Aillet, Bishop of Bayonne: “In 2009, the official ‘Interministerial Mission of Vigilance and Fight against sects’ numbered 226 acts of desecration against Christians, 6 against Muslims and 4 against Jews. In other words, over 95% of the desecration recorded in our country are targeted against Catholic places of worship and Catholic cemeteries, and their number is unfortunately increasing from one year to the other."
“When their institutions are forced to adopt secular standards in everything from rules of employment to selection of intake, the community should speak up for a fair society in which secularist values do not automatically trump Christian values.”
"Religion is regarded as a legally permissible private eccentricity; allowable behind closed doors once a week, but not in any way to be given expression in public or working life."
"Every Englishman could understand what he was talking about: The expression “Merry Christmas” is disdained; people use petty phrases to make seasonal wishes instead. An Anglican Bishop voiced doubts over homosexual-marriage and was therefore sentenced to a remarkable fine. Even with these rather controversial statements, the Pope met the audience’s approval. According to the liberal newspaper The Independent, he caught the spirit of the times. Benedict’s condemnation of aggressive secularism would vocalise the discomfort many British people feel towards their own country."
Sep 24, 2010 (CNA).- Bernard-Henri Lévy, a well-known atheist associated with what is considered to be the European left, said in an interview that Catholicism is by far the most attacked religion in Europe. The prominent intellectual also noted it was unfortunate that so many injustices are committed against Benedict XVI.