Darrell Scott, the Father of Rachel Scott, a Victim of the Columbine High School Shootings

In 1997, in Columbine High School in Colorado, two teens, dressed in black and heavily armed, went on a killing rampage against their schoolmates and teachers.

Go to this link and scroll down to the speech of Mr. Scott, which is at the very essence of what freedom of religion is about:
http://www.ourchurch.com/member/p/propheticUSA/
The speech was given at the House Judiciary Committee's subcommittee.

Here are some alternative links to this old story (1999) which at the time media is claimed to have tried to suppress:
http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/outrage/scott.htm
http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/d/darrellscott.htm

What you will see in this speech is freedom of religion born of the freedom to believe in God. And this, it has to be clarified in religiously pluralistic world, is the Christian God, it is Jesus Christ, not just any god.

The Bible has a lot to say about freedom. One of the definitions of freedom is: to be able to discern right from wrong and to choose to do right.

Such freedom many are denied because they are denied the right to believe in God. The two teenage murderers at Columbine High School were among those denied that right. So they chose evil.

Anti-Christian Persecution Worldwide and "Hate Crimes" in the U.S.

Christians are persecuted all over the world. This article states that over 250,000,000 Christians will be subject to some form of persecution because of their belief in Jesus Christ in 2007.

The author also notes that new legislation in the US, under the guise of protecting the public from "hate crimes," may well incriminate thought and religious expression. Politicall correctness in America had become the forerunner of the tyranny of the imposed "tolerance."
http://www.crosswalk.com/news/religiontoday/1464018.html

Our right to belive in God, as Christians, means nothing unless we have the right to say to the rest of the world, who doesn't, what God said in his Book, the Bible. Freedom of speech comes from the freedom to believe.

Egypt Persecutes People Dissenting from Islam

Egyptian government denies the right to freedom of conscience, religion and speech. The authorities have arrested and are prosecuting a blogger who dared to criticize Islam in his posting.

View the article here.

This case adds to the evidence that a government that embraces a religion ends up being an oppressive government. Especially if the values of the ideology the government adopts are oppressive and intolerant of the fundamental human right to hold an opinion, even if wrong.

Islam, the Koran, and Terrorism

This is the title of a web article I've placed a link to here:
http://persecutedchurch.com/Book/Islam_Quran_Terrorism.html

The link will take you to a web page which contains an excerpt from a book by a Christian who has studied the true meaning behind the religion of Islam.

Freedom of thought, religion and speech are possible only where there is a respect for the human being based on the belief that we are made in the image of God. That concept involves the idea of man's free will and that love is true when chosen, not when imposed by force or manipulation. Not Islam's concept. Here is a quote from the article: "The word Islam means 'submission'; the word Muslim means 'one who submits to Allah.' The Quran says you cannot be a true Muslim unless you submit."

This is not the submission out of love and free will. It is a submission taken to the point of extreme: if not by will, then by force; we know what is best for you. More quotes from the article:

There are many verses in the Quran that speak of love, peace and forgiveness, but those verses are cancelled out by the latter verses. 'Fight and slay the Pagans wherever you find them, and seize them, beleaguer them, and lie in wait for them in every stratagem (of war); but if they repent, and establish regular prayers and practice regular charity, then open the way for them: for Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.' SURAH 9:5

'Those who reject Islam must be killed. If they turn back (from Islam), take (hold of) them and kill them wherever you find them….' SURAH 4:89

More details in the article as linked above.

The following link to a page in the same website gives more reasons on persecution against Chrstians:
http://www.persecutedchurch.com/Book/Persecution_Flee_or_Stand.html