Discrimination revealed: UK Christians have to keep faith hidden Discrimination revealed: UK Christians have to keep faith hidden British Airways employee Nadia Eweida, who was forbidden to wear a cross around her neck, won her case at Europe's human rights court in 2013 Ny Ruth Gledhill CHRISTIAN TODAY http://www.christiantoday.com/ 12 March 2015 The little Christian girl had been taught in church that God created the universe. When she repeated this belief at school, the teacher ridiculed her in front of the class and said only "religious nutters" held such beliefs. This is just one of the stories of discrimination against Christians in the workplace uncovered in a new consultation, which also found evidence that atheists were being discriminated against by some Christians. Employees feel under increasing pressure to keep their religion hidden at work and they also feel discriminated against when it comes to wearing religious symbols or expressing their beliefs, the consultation found. Christians in particular feel discriminated against. Christians said they were mocked for their beliefs by colleagues who assumed they were bigoted. Jewish and Muslim respondents also reported discrimination, such as finding it hard to get time off work, even as part of their normal annual leave, for religious observance. Others alleged that they were excluded from meetings, or passed over for promotion or recruitment due to their beliefs. They felt unable to raise the issue for fear of repercussions. Humanists and atheists also described discrimination, such as unwanted religious proselytising at work. They complained they did not have access to counselling support in hospital as chaplains were provided on a religious basis. Atheists also felt excluded in workplaces which held prayer meetings or events in religious buildings. The Equality and Human Rights Commission public consultation is the largest ever of its kind and revealed wide confusion over laws protecting religion or belief. The Commission wanted to find out what people experience in their day to day lives, including how to deal with the right to express beliefs which others might view as offensive. A report on how well the laws protecting religion or belief are working will be published later this year. Nearly 2,500 people of all faiths and none, across the public and private sectors, responded to the call for evidence. Christians provided the most responses, with some fearing that religion is losing its place in society. Christian parents also reported their children being ridiculed in schools for their beliefs, such as believing that God created the world. Humanist parents also reported their children being mocked. One young child was told that he didn't deserve Christmas presents because he didn't believe in God. Some Christian-run services or businesses were "in turmoil" about behaving in ways that they feared might breach the Equality Act 2010, which protects people from discrimination in the workplace and in access to goods and services. Mark Hammond, chief executive of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, said: "What came out strongly was the widespread confusion about the law, leading to some resentment and tensions between groups and anxiety for employers who fear falling foul of what they see as complicated equality and human rights legislation." Click here for the rest of the article: http://virtueonline.org/discrimination-revealed-uk-christians-have-keep-faith-hidden