President of American Atheists attacks religious freedom argument calling it bigotry

David Silverman was a guest on Fox News' 'Hannity' programme debating two pastors on whether Christians were being persecuted

David Silverman criticised claims of religious persecution against Christians as bigotry

When Fox News invited the president of the American Atheists, David Silverman, to debate two pastors as to whether Christianity was under attack, there was bound to be a difference of opinion.

But viewers of television show Hannity on Wednesday evening were surprised after Mr Silverman claimed that rather than there being an argument over Christian teachings today, people were attempting to dress up bigotry in the guise of religion.

The argument quickly moved on to the issue of gay marriage, with each side claiming that those for and against held the majority opinion.

Mr Silverman said that rather than religious persecution or freedom being the issue, it was bigotry, supporting his claim by pointing out that 60 per cent of churchgoers support gay marriage.

Pastors Robert Jeffress and Dr. Samuel Rodriguez, argued that Christians were being persecuted religiously.

Dr Rodriguez even went as far as linking “legislative persecution in the US” with explicit threats to Christianity from Isis in the Middle East.

The debate comes after Marco Rubio, a US senator for Florida and 2016 Presidential candidate, claimed that Christian teachings “could soon become hate speech”.

During the debate it was claimed that although liberals such as Barack Obama and Hilary Clinton support gay marriage, there was an inevitable “problem” waiting to happen if legislation legalising it was introduced.”