Who knew prayer could be a crime?

It seems as though every time I read the news these days there’s a story about how Christianity is being sidelined in the UK.

There was the story about BBC director-general Mark Thompson, who said Christianity is treated less sensitively on TV than other religions because it is more “broad-shouldered”.

A Catholic himself, Thompson believes broadcasters are far more cautious when representing other belief systems because the threat level in the complaints received is significantly greater. He claims the BBC would never have broadcast Jerry Springer: The Opera – which depicted Jesus in a nappy – if had featured alluded to Mohammed.

Then there was the piece about Christians wearing crosses to work. ‘Equalities’ Minister Lynne Featherstone told government lawyers to oppose the assumed ‘rights’ of Christians to wear crosses at work when they try upcoming cases at the European Court of Human Rights. The Strasbourg court is set to address Nadia Eweida and Shirley Chaplin’s cases.

British Airways employee Ms Eweida was suspended from work in 2006 after refusing to remove the cross she wore to work, while Ms Chaplin was banned from working as a nurse at an Exeter hospital when she refused to conceal or remove the cross she wore.

The British government’s submission to the court is that: “In neither case is there any suggestion that the wearing of a visible cross or crucifix was a generally recognised form of practising the Christian faith, still less one that is regarded (including by the applicants themselves) as a requirement of the faith.”

However, the Equality Commission, headed by former Labour politician Trevor Phillips, is backing the two women, and David Cameron and Boris Johnson have also spoken out in support of the two women.

In my opinion, the worst of a bad batch was the story about prayer being banned before council meetings. Atheist Clive Bone, who left his post at Bideford Council because of its "refusal to adjust" its prayer policy, tool legal action in 2010. He contacted the National Secular Society and their lawyers argued that non-Christian council members were being "indirectly discriminated against”.

The judge said that: “The council has on two occasions by a majority voted to retain public prayers at its full meetings. But that does not give it power to do what it has no power to do.”

He acknowledged that the pre-meeting prayers were optional, but ruled that this turned meetings at Bideford Council into: “a partial gathering of those councillors who share a particular religious outlook, or are indifferent to it or – as in the case of Mr Bone – too embarrassed to leave in public”.

Now I’m not saying Christians should be given special treatment, but I do think we should be respected the way people of other faiths, or no faith, are. I don’t wear a cross myself, but I see no reason why a person can’t do so in the workplace; they’re not forcing other people to believe what they believe, or to wear a cross themselves. And optional prayer before meetings – the key here is the word “optional”.

As Rt Revd Michael Langrish, Bishop of Exeter, points out: "Every time there is a survey of religious beliefs in this country, around 70% of the population profess a faith and to saying private prayers.” He added that the House of Lords open with prayer and thinks this practice is unlikely to end.

And Communities Secretary Eric Pickles said: "While welcoming and respecting fellow British citizens who belong to other faiths, we are a Christian country, with an established Church in England, governed by the Queen.

"Christianity plays an important part in the culture, heritage and fabric of our nation. Public authorities – be it parliament or a parish council – should have the right to say prayers before meetings if they wish. The right to worship is a fundamental and hard-fought British liberty.”

What’s going to happen next – a ban on carrying Bibles in public? The abolition of songs that mention God? The complete segregation of Christians and non-Christians? Ok, I’ve gone too far there. But it worries me that people feel so threatened by Christianity. It’s as if people feel they will somehow be overpowered and forced to believe something they don’t want to.

If we’re expected to be tolerant of all-things non-Christian, why can’t non-believers simply return the favour?