A recent poll of Christians in Scotland has identified a “palpable feeling of exclusion” from public life.
In the survey of over 1,000 Scots, greater than 70 per cent of those identifying as Christian felt that the Scottish government doesn’t support them, the Herald newspaper reports.
Three quarters of Christian respondents said they were concerned about abuse directed at Christian politicians.Â
Around seven in 10 said they’d experienced prejudice for his or her faith, including “negative comments or attitudes towards them”, while an identical proportion said they were “reluctant to discuss their faith in public”.
Non-Christian respondents different of their perceptions, with a majority saying that Christians in Scotland don’t face any discrimination.Â
The survey was carried out by Christian think tank Logos Scotland, which is looking on First Minister John Swinney to do more to enhance tolerance of Christians.
Logos CEO Shona Haslam said: “These findings expose a palpable feeling of exclusion amongst Scotland’s vibrant Christian community.”
It follows recent hostility towards SNP MSP Kate Forbes over her affiliation with the Free Church of Scotland, especially her Christian beliefs about abortion and same-sex marriage.Â
Data from the newest Scottish Census in 2022 revealed that non-religious Scots now outnumber followers of a faith for the primary time within the country, while the proportion of Scots belonging to the Church of Scotland declined within the previous decade from 32.4% to twenty.4%.
Haslam continued, “One in three Scots hold a Christian faith, yet it’s clear that there’s much work to be done to extend tolerance towards this faith group.
“Swinney has promised a more inclusive, unified government and country under his latest leadership. We hope the information may help guide leaders to take heed to the views of all Scots within the decision-making processes of our country – including Christians.”
