A recent study in the UK found that practically a quarter of British youngsters in particular are open to banning the Bible, accepting the banning of books that contain “hate speech”.
The Whitestone Insights group interviewed more than 2,000 adults to find out whether or not they agreed with the following statement:
“Unless the offensive portions can be eliminated, books containing what some consider to be hate speech should be banned from general sale, including, if necessary, religious speech such as the Bible.”
Given this, it was discovered that among young people in the United Kingdom, aged 18 to 34, they agreed with this statement, resulting in 23% of participants.
For English people aged 35 to 54, 17% agree with this and those over 55 represent 13%.
The results presented by the study shows a deep-rooted social belief in the United Kingdom, where it is believed that Christian views should be censored.
This raises a warning about what has been happening to Christians in Europe. In fact, in 2023, a street preacher was arrested in England for talking about the Bible and the Lord Jesus.
In the same year, a member of parliament faced hate speech charges after sharing his faith on social media.
These cases, together with the results of this research, show how religious freedom has declined throughout the world, leading to increasing persecution against Christians, also in Western democracies.
Nonetheless, the volunteers at the Universal Church continue working hard to help others and spread the good news – Salvation.
Every Saturday in all our Universal Churches there are several activities carried out to reach out to those in need, such as street evangelism, where the volunteers hit the streets and invite the members of the public to the services in the church.
Not forgetting the weekly food banks and soup kitchens taking place in almost all our local branches, as well as occasional community group events tailored to different people.
The Victory Youth Group (VYG), a community group in the church offering spiritual support to young people, has welcomed many despised and rejected youths, who since attending the weekly meetings have been able to change their lives around for the better.
The youths of the VYG believe and follow the teachings found in the Bible and use it to boost their faith and to see positive results in every area of their life.
Last week Saturday, in our headquarters, the VYG hosted their annual Vday event. It received more than 1,000 youths from across the UK, even as far as Glasgow and Belfast, who travelled to be at the event.
There were a number of lively performances, including song, dance, spoken word and a relatable drama with a powerful message. The youths received an inspiring message about how they can be great and make a positive impact in this world.
All in all, the meeting was successful and helped to reach out to youths from different walks of life who look forward to attending the weekly VYG meetings in their local branches.
There is always something you can do to help others at the Universal Church. If you’d like to know how you can get involved, visit us today at your local branch and speak with your Pastor who will guide you.
For more updates on future events and initiatives taking place in the community, follow us on our social media platforms to stay up to date.
www.instagram.com/uckgoutreach
Sources: https://fsspx.news/en/news/england-one-british-young-person-four-would-be-ready-censor-bible-41124
