The majority of Scottish Christians are deeply concerned about the abuse and negative comments and attitudes experienced by Christian politicians in the media, according to a survey by think tank Logos Scotland.
More than 70% feel the Scottish Government does not support them.
With faith and politics increasingly in the headlines, we thought it timely to ask both Christians and non-Christians about their feelings in Scotland today, living and expressing their faith, and their views on politics and the news.
These findings reveal a strong sense of exclusion among Scotland’s vibrant Christian community.
Almost three-quarters of Christian respondents “disagreed” or “strongly disagreed” that “The Scottish Government has been supportive of Christian principles in its recent legislative programme.”
Two in three Scots surveyed believe Christians “face opposition in Scotland (e.g., negative social attitudes, incidents of prejudice, exclusion, and discrimination).”
While the data shows that Christians are confident in speaking out, they are very concerned about the abuse that Christian politicians experience in the media and have encountered negative comments or attitudes.
- Almost 70% of Christians surveyed had experienced prejudice through negative comments or attitudes towards them.
- Around 75% are concerned at the abuse Christian politicians receive.
Non-Christian respondents do not share these views, with the majority saying that Christians do not face any discrimination and that they are not concerned by the criticism Christian politicians receive.
However, this perception changes significantly when asked whether the Scottish Government supports Christians.
- Over 70% of Christians feel that the Scottish Government does not support them. In contrast, over half of non-Christians (55%) either didn’t know or also thought that the Scottish Government was not supportive of Christians.
The survey also looked at how prepared Christians feel to speak in the public arena and which denominations discuss public policy issues the most. We found that:
- Those attending the Free Church felt most equipped to speak on public issues.
- Catholic and independent churchgoers were most likely to discuss and encourage involvement in public policy.
- The Church of Scotland was the least likely to discuss public issues and ways to get involved.
The Daily Telegraph in Scotland reported that a spokesperson for the Scottish Government said, “The Scottish Government supports and values Scotland’s diverse faith and belief communities and recognizes the important role they play in making Scotland a more inclusive society.”