Official: Govt committed to protecting Christian culture

Christianity and Christmas "are under attack worldwide" but the Hungarian government is committed to protecting Christian culture, the state secretary responsible for aid to persecuted Christians said on Monday. Counting the Orthodox community, there are about one billion Christians in the world, Tristan Azbej told journalists in Budapest. Christians face persecution in many countries to the east and south of Hungary, "and in the West we're seeing displays of anti-Christianity", he added. Azbej insisted that even Christmas was coming under attack in the West through "anti-Christian processes". He noted that Brussels' City Hall had decided a few years ago not to put up a Christmas tree, while the city of Santa Monica, California banned nativity displays as a way of ensuring neutrality. In Germany, he said, anti-Christian sentiment manifested in the burning of Christian songbooks, while in France it is expressed in regular attacks on churches and the vandalisation of Christian symbols.