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It reinforced what I already believed.

No, Christians aren't being persecuted. I think 'persecuted' should be replaced with 'presented with overwhelming evidence'. People are fully entitled to belief, but shouldn't take it into the wide world where if they are shown a theory that fits the facts more than their own religion, they will claim persecution.

I agree with Bishop Nick Baines excellent comment.

I learned something from it.

Elijah thought he was a victim as he sat despondently under the gourd.
God said to him-"What doest thou here Elijah"

This makes me feel angry. I don't understand the speaker's point of view at all.

Bishop Nick Baines said it is nothing new for Christians to be persecuted it happened in Rome and in early times but this has been an established Christian country for hundreds of years and now that is being eroded away to appease other religions mainly Muslim. Some people are being asked or even told to hide the cross around their neck in case it offends, this cannot be right will the Bishop remove his cross I should hope not.Soon it will be Christmas and there will be more anti Christmas/Christian suggestions to appease certain religions.

When I was at school I was daily picked on for being a Christian and abusive language was used suggesting that as a God lover I must sleep with him. Christians are finding they are unable to pray with others, or speak openly about their faith. Symbols of faith are discouraged. And yet there has recently been pressure for everyone no matter their view to wear poppies. As Christians face increasing discrimination, forcing them to hide their faith, it becomes easier for those who don't like faith practices to ridicule them, whilst being unable to be abusive to other faiths by law. Why is it that other faiths are protected whilst Christians are told to both shut up and to stop imagining they are being persecuted. It is a real problem. At least give us the privilege of other faiths to be able to defend our rights to protect ourselves in law from discrimination.

When I was at school I was daily picked on for being a Christian and abusive language was used suggesting that as a God lover I must sleep with him. Christians are finding they are unable to pray with others, or speak openly about their faith. Symbols of faith are discouraged. And yet there has recently been pressure for everyone no matter their view to wear poppies. As Christians face increasing discrimination, forcing them to hide their faith, it becomes easier for those who don't like faith practices to ridicule them, whilst being unable to be abusive to other faiths by law. Why is it that other faiths are protected whilst Christians are told to both shut up and to stop imagining they are being persecuted. It is a real problem. At least give us the privilege of other faiths to be able to defend our rights to protect ourselves in law from discrimination.

He makes a lot of sense. See Muslims flocking to mosque on a Friday and then ask those who claim to be defending Christianity when they last went to church. To be blunt, I think a good deal of supposed "support" for Christianity is little more than thinly veiled nationalism, verging on racism.

Dear Nick, Chirstains are persecuted in britain and everywhere. Jesus was under the romans and jews but he also told the all belivers would be persecuted till the end. I am persecuted. I was arm robbed and then became home less. I am on the sickness benfit esa. There docotor deemed me fit 4 work, even though my doctor sticks up for me. I go to church on a wednesday for my bread and wine because there is just 12 older people and they all have suffered one way or another. My legal aid lady rang and told me that at apeal they will say if I am able to go church, I am well engough to go on jsa. The people on jsa are harsh bullys who treat people inhuman. It is my right and belif to have the bread and wine. I belive that if I dont have it things are worse for me. I have not had a places that i have lived in for the last year and a half are not the sort of places you could have the person bring the the bread and wine to the house. I go to asda, i go to parents evenings, I go to the esa tribunals when the call. Am I allow no comfort of my faith? I do not feel like a victim I am strong in Jesus my Vitim priest. I look up for my deliver is near. You my not call this persecution but it is hidden, this is reacouring thing for me over the years and at first even I thought no it cant be, the more often it comes the faster I have noticed it and praying is my weapon. Now they are messing with my money, it has hurt all areas of my life now.
The more I commit my life to christ the more I get. If you truly on the path then the lord will show you. This country is crucifying the poor my lord came for everyday in this country, if they beilive or not. Ask the Lord in prayer with what I say is true or not and the Lord will open your eyes to the suffering all around you. sorry I am not meaning this rudely at all. Please do not judge the suffering of a fellow christain just because you have not been there and dont think it wont happen to you, your to strong, too clever, too rich, it can come in a hour. God bless you love from Elaine

It reinforced what I already believed.

Of course Bishop Nick is right. Christians are called to be counter-cultural; we shouldn't expect society to give us an easy ride. Sadly, what some conservative Christians perceive as "persecution" is simply a rejection of their use of their particular interpretation of their faith as a justification to act in a prejudicial way towards others - on the grounds of religion, sex or sexuality - both inside and outside their churches. Christians shouldn't expect special treatment - yet almost 1 in 3 state schools are allowed to exercise preferential treatment towards Christian teachers and children from Christian families. For a small group of Christian fundamentalists to cry "persecution" (and to presume to speak for the whole of the Body of Christ) - when the churches have all to often throughout history been one of the prime vehicles for persecution - is almost sickening.

It reinforced what I already believed.

I don't understand the speaker's point of view at all.

He does not want to belive that Christians are being persecuted because it is a conflict of his own interest.He is absolutely wrong ; shocking!

I Think Christians are so persecuted in todays society. I can't beieve that fact is in question.Why shoud anyone have to give up a job because of their faith. I beieve a jobs should be made available to all people.no one should be refused a job for another reason than they are not the best candidate. That means that faiths shoud be allowed to practice all areas of their beliefs. what about God's law shouldn't that be paramount? There needs to be dispensation for belief.

This makes me feel glad and happy. It reinforced what I already believed.

I am happy to hear a bishop making the point that Christians are not a persecuted group. If anything, they are responsible for the many appeals to ban most things non-christian, especially during the winter solstice. They have conveniently dated the birth of their saviour on the solstice (Dec 25th) as have many other religons. Yet they claim that re-secularising this festival is persecution because they can't tolerate anything non-christian during Christmas. It's a bit like a spoilt child who writes his name on all his friends toys who has a temper tantrum when they try to play with them.

This myth about the War on Christmas has prompted some historically ignorant theologians into forming the ironically embarassing 'Not Ashamed' campaign.

It reinforced what I already believed.

Whilst I am personally not a practicing Christian but I would, however, defend peoples rights to follow and practice their faiths or to not be religious.
Those Christians who purport to be persecuted is tantamount to Rupert Murdoch pleading poverty. How tolerant would these so - called persecuted Christians be towards none Christians, members of other religions and minority groups?
Well said Nick!

This makes me feel glad. It helped me understand the speaker's point of view.

All religions are under attack by each other. Christians being the main attackers through history then getting upset when other religions retaliate. Christians are not the new persecuted. He is right , don't go into victim mode and attack other religions, concentrate on your own beliefs and do something positive for your faith.

Why do religious types consistently associate MORALITY with RELIGION, as if atheists and agnostics have no moral compass at all - are we fogetting Jihad, the Inquisition, Paedophile priests, A Billionnaire Pope while his subjects starve, The Crusades (both sides of it - the Muslims weren't all victims). As far as I know, there has never been a case of two agnostics killing each other over their interpretation of "there may or may not be a god"

I have no problem with Bishop Nick's message, very well thought out and well presented in a logical and honest way. Now could he go on to explain why there should be 26 Christian bishops in the House of Lords, and why there are no non-faith / Pagan representatives at the cenotaph for instance? It will take a few years yet to rid the country of this dreadful single-faithism.

This makes me feel glad and happy. It reinforced what I already believed.

It reinforced what I already believed.

This makes me feel sad. I learned something from it.

Those within sometimes weaken the Church far more than those without, to use the old sense of the word. The Diocese of Southwark doesn't face too much discrimination because usually it goes along with the liberal trend of the times anyway so it doesn't surprise me to hear this view. I do agree with the Bishop that we mustn't look tobe victims, but he seems to contradict himself by saying on the one hand we're not persecuted but on the other hand it's nothing new and something we should expect.. if he's saying that Christians shouldn't try and influence the world around us then I would disagree with him but it's an interesting question as to how far the Church should desire government to base its decisions on Christianity... it's a huge debate in itself.

This is actually very interesing.....I thought, looking at his dress code, that he would be spreading horror stories about how Christians are considered the new scum or something....
Was pleased to be proved wrong!