Attacks on religious freedom in the U.S. have more than doubled in the last six years, according to a recently released report.
Last year saw more than 1,400 acts of hostility against religious expression, up from 600 documented in 2011, said the report, published by the First Liberty Institute, a conservative organization that advocates for the First Amendment and provides legal services.
Attacks are occurring in a variety of arenas, chief among them public places, schools, churches and the military, the report noted.
“Quantitatively and qualitatively, the hostility is undeniable,” the report said. “And it is dangerous.”
“This past year has seen the continuation of high-profile attacks on religious liberty in the public arena as people of faith have been fired, refused employment, or fined for practicing their faith or speaking out about their religious beliefs,” it continued.
The report noted that the number of attacks is likely much higher than what has been documented.
“What we collect is just what’s published. So really it is just the tip of the iceberg because what’s published is really a fraction of what is actually happening,” First Liberty CEO Kelly Shackelford said during a conference call with reporters earlier this month.
“Most people just take it,” he said. “They don’t call. They don’t know there is a place they can get help. They don’t have enough money to hire a legal team.”
As an example of hostility in public places, the report cites three instances in which state legislatures came under court challenges for opening their assemblies with prayers. First Liberty provided legal representation in some such cases.
In hostility toward religious expression in schools, the report referred to a case in which a high school junior varsity coach was fired in 2015 for praying after a football game. The coach sued the school district, seeking to be rehired. But in August, he lost the suit when the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals denied him an injunction that would have let him return to his job.
In an example of hostility in the military, the report recounted an instance in which a navy chaplain was in danger of losing his job when he gave religious views regarding extramarital sex while he was counseling someone. First Liberty Institute says it defended the chaplain and succeeded in getting charges against him dropped.
“As more and more Americans become aware of the growing attacks on religious liberty and learn about what their rights are,” the report said. “They can stand and turn back the tides of secularism and hostility that have so eroded religious liberty — America’s first freedom.”
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PROPHECY 39
Anointed Holy Eagles, Come Forth!
August 10, 2000
There is no religion that believes in a god that the unholy vultures will not seek to devour as prey! It is not only my children that the unholy vultures seek to devour but warn those that do not worship I, YAHUVEH, YAHUSHUA, and the Holy Spirit! The unholy vultures will also seek to devour and shall devour the Buddhists, Hindus among other religions although they do not submit to MY authority as they lose their religious freedoms so shall you if you don’t gather together now and fight the unholy vultures that gather together against you all.
When one loses their religious freedoms you all lose it! All will lose their freedom to worship! Now will you care for one another? You have the gold and silver to create idols use it to fight the unholy vultures! The idols can’t speak or war but those that oppose you will speak and war against you!
PROPHECY 51
THE CLARION CALL OF THE 144,000, FEAR NOT MY BELOVED LITTLE ONES, “I AM” RAISING UP A STANDARD AGAINST THE EVIL ONES!
November 2, 2001
Leave America alone. Leave Israel alone. Leave MY Children the freedom to worship and serve ME in truth and anointed power. I set America apart to be the land of the free and blessed her with no war coming to her shores since the years gone by. America, don’t so freely give away what I have blessed you with simply because of fear. Speak up and remain the silent majority no more. Let your voices be heard. Remember when one loses the freedom of religion and even the wrong are censored; then all are in danger of losing their freedom of religion. Then all are in danger of losing their freedom of religion. MY Children know this is not about a religion being taken away; this is about a relationship with YAHUVEH and YAHUSHUA being changed to a form of religion with a form of godliness, but having no godliness within.
PROPHECY 113
Thus Saith YAHUSHUA ha MASHIACH, “Will You Allow ME to Divide What MY Hand Did Not Join Together?”
July 30, 2009
The blood of the martyred soaks the ground in North Korea, parts of Africa and red China, because they had the spirit of Stephen (Acts 7) as recorded in the Holy Scriptures. And it was evident to all to hear and see, they refused to stop praising ME. MY Holy ones have been betrayed time and again and it cost them their lives or imprisonment time and time again and so it is now. So it will become worse (Matt 24:21-22) as your freedom of religion is replaced with the one world Government and religion will be mandatory (Rev 17:4-6, 15). How many sit by and watch others freedoms and freedom of speech taken away and replaced by laws of sin.