Seventh-day Adventist religious liberty leaders marked International Religious Freedom Day October 27 by asking church members around the world to remember those who suffer discrimination or persecution for their faith.
According to recent statistics from the Pew Research Institute, some two-thirds of the world’s population lives in countries where religious freedom is compromised either by laws or by social attitudes. Dr. Ganoune Diop, director of Public Affairs and Religious Liberty for the Adventist world church, says these religious freedom challenges can take many different forms.
“For some church members, Sabbath-keeping in the workplace or at school is a continuing challenge that makes it difficult to find a job or advance professionally,” he said, citing recent cases reported from South Korea, India, and some African nations. “In other countries, there may be discrimination within the legal system, making religious minorities vulnerable to false accusations or injustice.”
