Rupert Shortt, the author of the book Christianophobia: A Faith Under Attack, fruit of his research done while travelling to various conflict-prone countries, expressed his unease with so much government passivity. “Persecution of Christians has increased dramatically since the turn of the millennium”, he said. “200 million Christians currently live under threat, far more than the adherents of any other faith group. And it’s troubling to see this persecution so widely ignored.”

The lecture was introduced by journalist Daniel Arasa, the author of a book on the same subject, Cristians, entre la persecució i el mobbing (Christians: Between Persecution and Mobbing). Arasa said that these Christians “represent a far from negligible 10% of the world’s Christian population”.

Shortt discussed the direct and indirect harassment experienced by Christians in the different countries he researched. “There is hardly a country between Morocco and Pakistan where Christians can practice their faith without being subjected to persecution or discrimination”, Shortt contended. He went on to say that in some countries, such as Turkey, “persecution isn’t direct, but Christians are nevertheless continually monitored. In many places, for example, the simple designation ‘Christian’, which must be placed on identity cards, is a strike against people looking for work.”

Shortt was also deeply critical of many political decisions made in recent years. “I think the 2003 invasion of Iraq was a very serious mistake and I’m entirely convinced that the West has played a role in encouraging this negative sentiment towards the Muslim world.” He also said he believed that “if Obama had acted sooner, the situation in Syria could have been resolved by now, or at least improved. The problem is that no one there is prepared to govern, which is just the opposite of what’s happening in Ukraine”.

In his discussion of the ongoing silence surrounding these issues, the Times journalist said, “A lot of the media, especially in Europe, make the mistake of confusing criticism of Muslims with racism. It’s like saying Christianity is a Western faith. Nothing could be further from the truth.” Shortt rejects the belief that this is a battle of good and evil, with Islam pigeonholed as a violent religion. “That kind of mistaken thinking”, he said, “tends to arise from an inability to distinguish between Muslim piety and Islamism as a totalitarian political ideology”.

Shortt concluded his talk by stressing the importance of religion when it is understood and lived properly: “Religion is best when it has lots of influence, but not much power. That’s why religious people must have a voice. I think it’s fundamental to democracy.” Shortt continued, “Faith-based convictions have mobilized millions of people who oppose authoritarian regimes, lead democratic transitions, support human rights and work to alleviate suffering”.