Many groups are protected in our country from hate crimes and discrimination. People of various ethnic backgrounds and cultures are protected from harassment, bullying, and unfair treatment. Are Christians however included in this protection? Is there enough protection for individuals who identify as Christians to live openly without fear of bias, verbal or physical harassment? It seems that in recent years Christians have been unfairly discriminated against and remain an unprotected population. In 2022, the country watched as the overturn of Roe v. Wade happened. The decision inflamed passions on both sides of the argument over abortion. Individuals are entitled to their feelings on the issue, but what purpose does attacking churches serve?
In 2022 abortion protesters swarmed the Basilica of St. Patrick’s in New York City to protest the decision made by the Supreme Court. Though the Catholic faith is known for its stance on abortion, this specific church had nothing legally to do with the Supreme Court decision. Pro-choice groups targeted other Catholic churches as well during this time. Additionally, the various homes of federal judges were swarmed by protestors.
Recently, this year at the Mall of America in Minnesota, a young male was asked by mall security to take off his T-Shirt. The T-shirt he was wearing read “Jesus is the only way”. The mall security stated that there is no religious soliciting on their property. They informed the young man that several patrons complained. A video went viral on YouTube about the incident. Actor Mark Walberg recently took to Fox News to discuss his Christian beliefs. He talked about how the entertainment industry discourages Christianity. Due to this, he has since relocated to Nevada from California. The actor also stated the move was for a better quality of life.
The recent volatile actions of Audrey Hale have caused an uproar in the Christian community. To recap, Audrey Hale, who identified as transgender, was an artist and former student at Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee. She broke into the school and randomly killed three adults and three children. She wrote a manifesto about her plans before the incident, but the police have yet to release it. Celebrities and political figures have offered sympathy to Hale, but not the victims. Madonna has decided to perform in the Tennessee area as a tribute to Transgenders. Madonna announced this shortly after the shooting. Former President Barack Obama said nothing on his social media about the victims. However, several weeks after on Transgender Awareness Day he posted a solidarity story on his Instagram.
If the roles were reversed in these various situations, we have to wonder in what direction would the pendulum swing. Also, we have to wonder what the reasons are for the lack of sympathy for tragedies and unfair treatment in the Christian community. Are Christians viewed as privileged thus there is no way they could also be victims of crime? If a Christian were to go into an LGBTQ+ environment and randomly kill six individuals would that be considered a hate crime? Naturally, it would.
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