By James Thompson
Across the globe, religious believers are under siege. Churches burned, synagogues defaced, mosques bombed—what once might have been dismissed as rare or isolated incidents has now become an undeniable pattern: a rising tide of hostility against people of faith and the institutions they hold sacred. Tens of thousands of Christians are being murdered, and no one seems to be that concerned about it.
This surge in anti-religious violence is not merely the work of fringe extremists. It reflects something deeper and more dangerous—a cultural shift, fueled by political agendas, ideological indoctrination, and in some cases, governments themselves. Faith, long seen as the backbone of communities, is now deliberately painted as an obstacle to “progress.”
America: The Unspoken Epidemic
In the United States, the evidence is overwhelming. Christian churches were vandalized and torched at a pace not seen in generations, and are now bombed and shot up by anti-religion zealots, while national media outlets give these crimes a fraction of the coverage they would if the targets were secular institutions. Synagogues in New York and New Jersey are repeatedly defaced, as are other Christian churches across the nation, while the left holds antisemitic protests verging on riots on our university campuses and in our city streets.
But instead of outrage, we hear silence—or worse, rationalizations. Some argue that attacks on churches are “understandable backlash” against historic wrongs, or that Christian institutions “deserve criticism” for their values. When trans mass murderers attack Christian schools and churches, left-leaning media all but ignore it. The moral right of religious people to worship freely is now openly questioned. That is not tolerance. It is bigotry dressed up as cultural critique.
Europe: Secular Ideology Turned Hostile
Europe offers a sobering warning of what happens when militant secularism takes hold. France’s radical brand of “laïcité” has turned crosses, headscarves, and church spires into lightning rods for political conflict. Germany has seen antisemitic attacks rise sharply, and in the U.K., religious minorities face harassment with little more than token government concern.
This is not just vandalism—it is a war on identity. Religious symbols are torn down because they remind people that tradition, morality, and transcendent values still exist. For activists who want to erase history and redefine society, faith communities are enemy number one.
Around the World: Violence Without Shame
Beyond the West, the persecution grows even bloodier. In Nigeria, Islamist militias slaughter Christian villagers while international organizations look the other way. In India, sectarian mobs destroy houses of worship with impunity. In China, the Communist regime bulldozes underground churches and fills Uyghur mosques with surveillance cameras.
The message is unmistakable: religion must bow to ideology—or be crushed.
Why This Matters
Attacks on religious institutions are not just crimes against property or individual believers. They are attacks on freedom itself. The right to worship—whether in a cathedral, a synagogue, or a mosque—is the most basic human right, one that pre-dates governments and constitutions. When that right is ignored, restricted, or mocked, societies lose their moral compass.
It is no coincidence that history’s greatest tyrannies have always begun by silencing faith. Stalin dynamited churches. Mao banned temples. Hitler vilified Jews. Today’s mobs and militants follow the same script, while calling the defenders of Jews Hitler. It is twisted Orwellian blather.
The Road Ahead
If governments continue to look the other way—or worse, encourage hostility toward religion—the violence will only escalate. Protecting houses of worship and parishioners, prosecuting hate crimes without political bias, and rejecting the narrative that faith is “dangerous” are urgent necessary steps.
The rise in anti-religion attacks is not just another social problem. It is a flashing red warning light for civilization. A society that cannot or will not defend its churches, synagogues, and mosques will not long defend anything else.
James Thompson is an author and ghostwriter, and a political analyst.
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