Rep. Bradley Byrne, AL-01, delivered a speech on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives today highlighting the plight of Christians in nations overseas that have experienced systematic persecution at the hands of oppressive governments, or in the absence of a functioning government.
“Our nation has a moral responsibility to contribute to ending Christian persecution,” Byrne said. “As the Christian communities in nations like Egypt, Iran, and Pakistan continue to be decimated, we cannot turn a blind eye to this injustice.”
Byrne touched on the lack of coverage the mainstream media has given widespread Christian persecution, and pointed out that the United States government sends hundreds of millions of dollars in foreign aid each year to nations where Christians live in constant fear for their lives.
A recent Pew Research study found that religious persecution has drastically increased in recent years.
More than “5.3 billion people (76% of the world’s population) live in countries with a high or very high level of restrictions on religion,” Pew noted, “up from 74% in 2011 and 68% as of mid-2007.” Pew researchers also found that a fifth of the world’s population experienced some form of religious terrorism in 2012. And Christians were by far the most persecuted religious group worldwide.
“The United States of America, our president, the secretary of state, this body, the entire Congress and American people, should do what we have traditionally done,” Byrne declared. “Stand up for the rights of people around the world… That means standing up for Christians who are being persecuted and killed merely because of their beliefs.”
Byrne also announced that he would join the International Religious Freedom Caucus, headed by Representative Trent Franks, R-AZ-08. This bipartisan caucus is made up of nearly 60 Members of Congress committed to raising awareness and fighting for the right to freely worship across the globe.
“The ability for people to exercise their faith without fear of retribution is the key to a stable democracy, which serves our national interests abroad,” said Byrne. “I am proud to partner with a great leader on this issue, Congressman Trent Franks, and look forward to working with him and the rest of the members of this caucus to promote religious liberty abroad.”
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