Americans want new president to address global Christian persecution

Suzette Gutierrez Cachila Friday, July 22, 2016

No matter who wins as president of the U.S. in the coming election, most Americans want that person to address the persecution of Christians happening around the world, according to a new survey.

The survey, conducted by nonprofit organization Open Doors USA, found that 76 percent of survey respondents said it was important that the next U.S. president help in addressing the persecution of Christians globally.

A combination photo shows U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton (L) and Republican U.S. presidential candidate. | Reuters/Jim Urquhart

"It is important to me that the next U.S. President be committed to addressing the persecution that some Christians face around the world (e.g., imprisonment, beheadings, rape, loss of home and assets)," read the statement which majority of the poll respondents agreed with, according to Charisma News.

Open Doors, an organization that helps persecuted Christians through different programs and trainings and works to raise awareness about such issues, launched an online petition calling for both candidates to provide a "plan of action" that will help those who are suffering from persecution.

According to the petition, in the past year alone, 7,000 Christians were killed for worshiping Christ.

A study released by Pew Research Center last month identified Christians as the most persecuted religious group in the world. Pew Research Center also reported that more than three-fourths of the world's population reside in places with severe religious restrictions.

The organization's president and CEO, David Curry, said that Christian persecution has "grown exponentially" in the last few years.

He also said in a statement that many governments are "clamping down on religious freedom of expression," causing massive displacement, imprisonment and sometimes death of believers, reported Charisma News.

"Americans are looking to each presidential candidate for clear and decisive plans to address this growing global crisis," he said.

Curry added that the campaign is meant to nudge the presidential candidates to formulate a specific plan of action against increasing religious persecution.