Synthesis Essay: A Cry For Religious Tolerance

Nataly Diaz
Mrs DeGregorio
Advanced Placement Language and Composition
29 April, 2016 A Cry for Religious Tolerance There is no denying the fact that in recent years, religious persecution has spread across the world more rapidly than ever before. However, religious persecution does not only affect one specific religion around the world. Many different religions and sects are being targeted each day because of their beliefs. “ The Catholic charity, Aid to the Church in Need, concluded that 75% of all religious persecution is directed at Christian minority groups.” “Studies have shown that across sixty countries, more than 2 million Christians are being persecuted each day. Out of
Many Protestants believed that the Catholics church was the Whore of Babylon mentioned in the Book of Revelations. The Whore of Babylon is a beast that has seven heads and ten horns. She is said to represents all evil. Protestant leaders also “attacked the Catholic Church as not only theologically unsound, but an enemy of republican values” (Source M). Then in 1835 the Plea for the West excluded Catholics from settling on Western lands. Nativism in the United States brought hostility towards the Catholics. Their property and possessions were destroyed, broken, and burned and many of them were killed. “Irish Catholic immigrants were blamed for spreading violence and drunkenness” (Source B). In 1910, The Menace, a popular newspaper contained a lot of Anti-Catholicism views. Then in 1920, “the Klu Klux Klan, believed that Catholicism was incompatible with Democracy and that parochial schools encouraged separation and kept Catholics from becoming loyal to Americans.” In 1925, A Catholic church was built in a large Protestant area in Royal Oak, Michigan named the church of the little flower. Days after the church was built members of the Klu Klux Klan arrived at the church and set a cross on fire and rejoiced as they watched it burn in front of the church (Source
Whether they were Catholics, Jews, Muslims, Protestants, other Christian denominations, or other religions, each of these religious beliefs have been persecuted and targeted at one point in history. Amnesty International, an organization committed to preserving and protecting human rights is fighting to achieve religious freedom around the world. They are asking for any prisoners who have been kept captive for professing their faith to be let free without a charge and for other bands that are limiting the freedom of speech or the freedom of expression to be subtracted from the law books. A reform is being called to change the world’s outlook on relies freedom. A plea to take action. A plea to create equality. A plea to defend freedom (source