Obama Admin's 'Persecution of Christians' Is 'Emboldening' ISIS' Massacres Abroad, FRC Head Tony Perkins Warns
Family Research Council President Tony Perkins, a prominent social conservative commentator, asserted Wednesday that the Obama administration's limitations on religious freedoms domestically is "emboldening" the Islamic State's attacks on Christians abroad.
Perkins, who testified before a Senate subcommittee in March and stated that the U.S.' growing intolerance toward religious freedoms in the domestic marketplace and public sector is "giving rise" to religious persecution abroad, further claimed in an email to FRC followers, which The Christian Post obtained, that the Obama administration has done little to deter Islamic extremism abroad.
"Ask Christian Wives, mothers and daughters overseas. Their husbands, sons and fathers are being beheaded or shot by radical Islamic jihadists like ISIS. They are being driven from their homes. Children are being martyred," Perkins explained. "And our administration has done little to help, and for months resisted calling this massacre of Christians by Islamic jihadists what it is."
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"As General [Jerry] Boykin and I testified before the United Nations on Friday April 17, our administration's persecution of Christians within our borders is emboldening the attack on Christians worldwide," Perkins continued. "Why would Islamic butchers fear our government, or believe the United States would defend Christians elsewhere when they do nothing to help Christians under attack for their faith right here in America?"
As an example of how religious convictions are no longer tolerated in the American workplace and public realm, Perkins mentioned how former Atlanta Fire Chief Kelvin Cochran was relieved of his duties after he published and distributed a book, which he wrote for his prayer group that briefly described his biblical view that homosexuality is a sin.
"If Kelvin Cochran can be fired, any Christian is at risk," Perkins argued. "If our government won't call religious genocide overseas what it is, any Christian, any place, is at risk."
Perkins further argued that government crackdowns on Christians like Cochran could just as easily happen to other professing Christians, who uphold the Bible's view of morality, all throughout the nation.
"The same rampage of 'political correctness' that attacked Kelvin Cochran's freedom to believe is coming to your state, your town, your church," Perkins wrote. "Christians you know are targets… maybe Christians in your own home. The same rampage of hate that destroyed the career of Kelvin Cochran tells the killers in ISIS, who closely watch America's domestic affairs, that our government doesn't value religious freedom of belief."
From Cochran in Atlanta, to grandma-florist Barronelle Stutzman in Richland, Washington, Christians across America have been punished professionally by their local, state and federal governments for their biblical stance on homosexuality.
Even Navy chaplains, whose jobs are to preach God's word to sailors seeking moral and spiritual advice, are not safe from losing their livelihoods for expressing the biblical view of sexual morality.
Perkins also explained that the Obama administration is ordering federal contractors to "compromise their freedom to believe the Bible's view of sexuality, or forego future contracts."
"No Christian is safe," Perkins claimed.
Although his email blasted the Obama administration, it did actually credit the White House for recognizing the 30 Ethiopian Christians killed by ISIS in Libya last weekend as "Christians" killed for "their faith" in Jesus.
Obama and his administration have been reluctant for the past several months to use religious terminology and motivation to describe horrific attacks on Christians by Islamic groups like ISIS and al-Shabaab.
