CLIFTON (CWN): Bishop Declan Lang said in an article in the Universe on March 8 that the Catholic community in England and Wales has a role to play in ensuring that the government maintains this position and continues to speak out when people are imprisoned, tortured or killed on account of their atheism.

Bishop Lang cited the case of one person who was killed two years ago because he had taken an atheistic position on his blog. 

He said that five more atheists have subsequently been murdered in Bangladesh. “In Saudi Arabia, atheism is classified as a form of terrorism,” he said.

The bishop said that Christian support for persecuted atheists would be a practical expression of solidarity and would promote religious freedom.