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We must stop 'shilly-shallying' about the fact that Christians are most persecuted people, says Cardinal Vincent Nichols We must stop 'shilly-shallying' about the fact that Christians are most persecuted people, says Cardinal Vincent Nichols
(1 day later)
It is a “fact” that Christians are currently the most persecuted people in the world, the leader of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales has said. It is a “fact” that Christians are currently the most persecuted people in the world, the leader of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales has said. 
Cardinal Vincent Nichols pointed to recent ban on celebrating Christmas in Brunei, with anyone who defies the ban threatened with up to five years in prison, as well as other threats elsewhere in the world, as proof of the need to stand up to intolerance of Christianity. Cardinal Vincent Nichols pointed to recent ban on celebrating Christmas in Brunei, with anyone who defies the ban threatened with up to five years in prison, as well as other threats elsewhere in the world, as proof of the need to stand up to intolerance of Christianity. 
He said the “intelligentsia” must “stop shilly-shallying” around and recognise the increasing threat to Christians across the world. He said the “intelligentsia” must “stop shilly-shallying” around and recognise the increasing threat to Christians across the world. 
Cardinal Nichols echoed Nick Baines, the Bishop of Leeds, who wrote in The Times that Christians “represent the most persecuted people on earth in the 21st century” and said the world must not stay silent any longer to the reality of “women and girls being forced into sexual slavery and subjected to rape-at-will” simply because of their Christian faith.  Cardinal Nichols echoed Nick Baines, the Bishop of Leeds, who wrote in The Times that Christians “represent the most persecuted people on earth in the 21st century” and said the world must not stay silent any longer to the reality of “women and girls being forced into sexual slavery and subjected to rape-at-will” simply because of their Christian faith.  
Brunei is not the only country where Christians face punishment for celebrating Christmas this year. In China, where an estimated 70 million Christians live, large outdoor crosses on churches have been dismantled by officials from the atheist government. Brunei is not the only country where Christians face punishment for celebrating Christmas this year. In China, where an estimated 70 million Christians live, large outdoor crosses on churches have been dismantled by officials from the atheist government. 
Bishop Baines accused the "relgiously illiterate western intelligentsia" of being too "embarrassed" to stand up to such mistreatment. Bishop Baines accused the "relgiously illiterate western intelligentsia" of being too "embarrassed" to stand up to such mistreatment. 
Asked if he agreed that Christians are the most persecuted of faiths, Cardinal Nichols told the Today programme: “I think it’s fact. Asked if he agreed that Christians are the most persecuted of faiths, Cardinal Nichols told the Today programme: “I think it’s fact. 
A man dressed as Santa Claus water skis alongside reindeer on the Potomac River in Alexandra, Virginia.
A volunteer dressed in a Father Christmas (Santa Claus) outfit distributes gifts to children of asylum-seekers, as they arrive at the Schoenefeld train station near Berlin on December 24, 2015, before being dispatched to various refugee centres in or near the German capital.
Leandro Wendell dos Santos, 14, wearing a Santa Claus costume, plays with kids as he walks along the alley of the Mare slums complex to distribute presents to children in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Leandro is part of a volunteer group of residents of Mare slums complex that distributes donated toys to children of the community.
Winter swimmers (L) look on as a man (R) wearing a Santa Claus hat and beard jumps into a pool carved into thick ice covering the Songhua River, to celebrate the upcoming Christmas, in Harbin, Heilongjiang province, China,
In Japan Christmas is not a national holiday, however it has developed into a celebration of western culture with KFC being the most popular place to eat on December 25th. KFC's around Japan regularly see street-long lines and advanced bookings
Filipinos crowd a store that is popular in selling hams as they do last-minute shopping on Christmas eve in Manila, Philippines. The predominantly Roman Catholic Philippines boasts of having the longest Christmas celebration that starts every last quarter of the year.
A man buys Christmas sweets at a supermarket on the outskirts of Budapest, Hungary. Hungarians could outspend last year's record on seasonal treats and Christmas fondants, giving some premium brands a hard time to keep up with strong demand.
Nigerian pilgrims gather at the Church of Nativity in Bethlehem, West Bank. Every year thousands of Christian pilgrims travel to the church that marks the site of the cave in which Jesus is said to have been born.
Christmas lights adorn the Usaquen park in Bogota, Colombia. The blow to Colombiaís holiday tradition is poignant given that El Nino is thought to be a reference to the baby Jesus, a name given to the climatic phenomenon long ago by South Americans who noted that it seemed to arrive around Christmas time.
Bon Bon, a 12-month-old koala, celebrating with Christmas decorations at the Rainforestation Nature Park in Cairns, Australia,
A young Thai student wearing a Santa hat poses for a photograph during a Christmas event at a school in the world heritage city of Ayutthaya, north of Bangkok, Thailand, 24 December 2015. The annual event is one of many held to celebrate the Christmas season in predominantly Buddhist Thailand.
Sri Lankan pedestrians walk past a decorated Christmas tree in Colombo. The leader of Sri Lanka's Catholics urged priests on not to put up Christmas trees in their churches over the festive period, saying they had no religious significance. Sri Lanka is a mainly Buddhist country but around 1.2 million of its overall population of 21 million people are Catholics.
Models wearing Santa Claus costumes wait to attend a special event to promote business in coincide with Christmas at Shinsegae department store in Seoul, South Korea. A lot of South Korean companies take advantage of the Christmas season to promote their business amid weak sales and economic slowdown.
A young Thai student wearing a Santa hat poses for a photograph during a Christmas event at a school in the world heritage city of Ayutthaya, north of Bangkok, Thailand, 24 December 2015. The annual event is one of many held to celebrate the Christmas season in predominantly Buddhist Thailand.
Carved radishes are displayed during the celebration of the "Night of the Radishes" at the Ocototlan de Morelos community in Oaxaca State, Mexico. The Night of the Radishes is an annual carving event two days before christmas that has its origins in the colonial period when radishes were introduced by the Spanish. Farmers began carving radishes into figures as a way to attract customers attention during the Christmas market.
A man dressed as Santa Claus walks on zebra crossing during a Christmas charity event in central Seoul, South Korea
A Greek school's principal, Yani Demircioglu, surrounded by Greek Orthodox children, plays an accordion during a Christmas celebration at the main shopping and pedestrian street of Istiklal in central Istanbul
Reuters
A boy meets Father Christmas at a shopping mall in Kuala Lumpur
A fire-breather performs during a street show on Christmas Eve in Baclaran, City of Paranaque
Volunteers take part in a traditional Mexican Christmas celebration known as Posada Mexicana at a migrant shelter in Saltillo, Mexico. Posada Mexicana commemorates the journey of the Holy Family from Galilee to Bethlehem
Italian artist Gaspare di Caro, right, lights up Christ the Redeemer in Rio
Reuters
A view of All Saints Cathedral, decorated ahead of Christmas celebrations, in Allahabad
Firefighter Hector Chacon, centre, dressed as Father Christmas, delivers gifts to impoverished children after descending from a 150-metre bridge, behind
A Father Christmas is painted onto a wall in a Christian neighbourhood in Karachi
3D projections designed by students of the Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology are projected onto the facade of the Presidential Palace
A snowman and Christmas tree erected in Red Square
EPA
People crowd around for a view of a 3D Christmas tree erected in a shopping park
EPA
Cleaners dressed in a Father Christmas and a reindeer costume clean the windows of a shopping mall
EPA
A woman prays at the Shanghai International Chapel during a Christmas Eve Mass
Reuters
A Bangladeshi man dressed as Father Christmas entertains children during an event to mark Christmas Day in Dhaka
“Persecution and faith in Jesus have always come together. I think the point that Bishop Baines is making is that the intelligentsia ought to face up to this fact and stop shilly-shallying about it and trying to pretend it’s somehow not very significant. “Persecution and faith in Jesus have always come together. I think the point that Bishop Baines is making is that the intelligentsia ought to face up to this fact and stop shilly-shallying about it and trying to pretend it’s somehow not very significant. 
“It is a huge feature in the world today. If you think of the Sultan of Brunei initiative – he follows in the steps of Russia, of China, of Romania, of Vietnam, the Ukraine, all of which in time tried to ban Christmas. “It is a huge feature in the world today. If you think of the Sultan of Brunei initiative – he follows in the steps of Russia, of China, of Romania, of Vietnam, the Ukraine, all of which in time tried to ban Christmas. 
“What history teaches us is that it fails and it also teaches that intolerance of this kind breathes further intolerance and ends up fostering violence. So it is not a very sensible path to take.”“What history teaches us is that it fails and it also teaches that intolerance of this kind breathes further intolerance and ends up fostering violence. So it is not a very sensible path to take.”
He said he welcomed David Cameron’s emphasis on Christianity in his Christmas message this year. He said he welcomed David Cameron’s emphasis on Christianity in his Christmas message this year. 
The Prime Minister was criticised last year for stoking “alienation and division” by calling Britain a “Christian country” but he will reiterate Christian message on Christmas Day by saying: "As a Christian country, we must remember what his birth represents: peace, mercy, goodwill and, above all, hope.”The Prime Minister was criticised last year for stoking “alienation and division” by calling Britain a “Christian country” but he will reiterate Christian message on Christmas Day by saying: "As a Christian country, we must remember what his birth represents: peace, mercy, goodwill and, above all, hope.”
Cardinal Nichols said: “I appreciate the Prime Minister’s Christmas message, in which he talks about the Christian character of this country. Cardinal Nichols said: “I appreciate the Prime Minister’s Christmas message, in which he talks about the Christian character of this country. 
“I think what that puts into perspective though, is that while we do indeed strive to live from values that have their routes in Christian traditions, because if we don’t then the routes will wither. “I think what that puts into perspective though, is that while we do indeed strive to live from values that have their routes in Christian traditions, because if we don’t then the routes will wither. 
“So we do need to be more forthright about our spiritual lives, about the crucial relationship that we live as human beings with God.”“So we do need to be more forthright about our spiritual lives, about the crucial relationship that we live as human beings with God.”