Millions of Christians across Australia are being forced to keep their religious beliefs secret despite society “championing” other religions, according to a groundbreaking new report. Source: Daily Telegraph.
According to a nationwide Christian Freedom Survey of 10,808 Christian Australians released yesterday, 92 per cent of believers said it was riskier to profess their faith today than five years ago while almost half reported self-censoring their beliefs.
“Nearly half (43.9 per cent) of all Australians are Christians and find themselves living in a country where they are self-censoring, where institutions don’t feel protected, and our freedom of religion and speech are being eroded,” said Michelle Pearse, chief executive of the Australian Christian Lobby, which helped prepare the report.
According to the report, laws and regulations about healthcare referral mandates for euthanasia and abortion, rules and regulations about teaching and praying about sexuality, and vilification laws have all contributed to a worsening environment for Christians.
Victoria was ranked as the most restrictive state for Christians, while New South Wales was relatively freer, coming in fifth.
According to the most recent 2021 Census, around 11.1 million people in Australia identify as Christian, or about 44 per cent of the population.
FULL STORY
Almost half of Christians now self-censor their faith: Christian Freedom Survey (By James Morrow, Daily Telegraph)
RELATED COVERAGE
74 Laws Restrict Christian Freedom in Australia: Historic Index Launches at Parliament House (Daily Declaration)
