'US Is in Trouble': Attacks on Faith Mushrooming
WASHINGTON There's a growing sentiment that Christians are under attack more than ever before in the U.S. Now those fighting back have evidence it may actually be worse than feared.
Those faith advocates recently gathered in the nation's capital for a news conference to sound the alarm.
Lawyer Kelly Shackelford is president of the Liberty Institute, a legal group fighting for religious liberties.
"We've actually had the calls to our office requesting representation increase by over 400 percent since that Supreme Court decision on same-sex marriage," he said.
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, a GOP presidential candidate, said of the rising attacks, "We were founded by men and women fleeing religious oppression and coming to this land to avoid precisely what is happening now."
Liberty Institute helps compile a list each year of new religious hostility cases reported in America. Two years ago, it totaled 1,600 cases.
"Just in the last two years alone that has increased by over 133 percent," Shackelford said.
Those on the forefront warn much more is on the line here than a few people's religious sensibilities getting bruised.
"The Founders called religious freedom our first freedom for a reason," Shackelford explained. "They knew that if you lost religious freedom, you lose all your freedoms. So when you see this explosion of attacks on religious freedom it's a sign that your country's in trouble."
The assaults have mushroomed so much and so rapidly, Shackelford made a dire prediction to CBN News.
"I've been doing this for over a quarter-century," he stated. "We're either going to lose religious freedom or we're going to save it in the next five years."
Most of these attacks come from people who feel Christianity is so intolerant that some of its practices must be suppressed. But Shackelford thinks it's the attackers who are displaying intolerance.
"I think when you see these things happening it's because somebody's intolerant. They don't respect religious freedom," Shackelford said. "And they think that they want to use the power of the government to force somebody to violate their conscience and faith. I think most Americans believe that's wrong, and it is."
Ironically, the very thing being suppressed is what this Christian lawyer says could save the nation.
"The true answer if you're going to turn your country around is religious expression," Shackelford opined. "It's people sharing the Truth that changes lives and that could change the whole country."
