Brunei's draconian new laws don't just affect gay people, Christians are at risk too

As the backlash grows over Brunei's new gay stoning laws, some Christians are wondering why there isn't more outcry about the threat of death to the country's Christian community.

The full extent of Sharia law came into effect in the majority-Muslim country on April 3, threatening anyone who engages in gay sex with punishment by stoning or whipping.

The news has angered celebrities like George Clooney and Ellen DeGeneres who have called on people to boycott hotels owned by the Sultan of Brunei, who has pushed the implentation of the new laws since 2014. 

Protests have been held outside the Dorchester in London, which has shut down its social media pages over the backlash. The Universities of Oxford and Aberdeen are both considering revoking honorary degrees awarded to the Sultan. 

Despite the focus of media attention on the threat to LGBT people, the laws also affect the Christian community, with conversion from Islam and insulting the Prophet Muhammad both carrying the death penalty.  

"The newest and third phase of the law is difficult news for Christian converts who are expected to have to go into deeper hiding," said Open Doors USA. 

The first phase, which rolled out five years ago, already curtailed the freedoms of Christians and other faiths by making it a crime to "persuade, tell or encourage" Muslim children under the age of 18 "to accept the teachings of religions other than Islam".  Anyone who does so risks being fined or imprisoned. 

Brunei ranks 36th on the Open Doors World Watch List of the 50 worst countries for persecution against Christians.

Around two thirds of the population are Muslim and the Islamic faith is strictly enforced.  In 2015, the Sultan of Brunei cancelled Christmas celebrations.

Tomas Muller, a persecution analyst for Open Doors' World Watch Research unit, said converts stand to be particularly badly affected by the latest changes to the law, with risks including separation from spouses and children, or forced divorce.

"It is to be expected that not only society will change—depending on what exactly will be considered as 'anti-Islam' –but also that the country's Christian converts will be forced to hide their faith even more carefully," he said. 

The threat to religious freedoms was pointed out by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bauchelet.

"Any religion-based legislation must not violate human rights, including the rights of those belonging to the majority religion as well as of religious minorities and non-believers," Bauchelet said in a statement.

Amnesty International also warned that the changes are putting women at risk too.

"Brunei's Penal Code is a deeply flawed piece of legislation containing a range of provisions that violate human rights," Rachel Chhoa-Howard, a researcher for Amnesty International, said in a statement.

"As well as imposing cruel, inhuman and degrading punishments, it blatantly restricts the rights to freedom of expression, religion and belief, and codifies discrimination against women and girls."

Writing on Twitter, the Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu said it was a "crime against the innocent" to outlaw sex between two consenting adults.

"The Criminalisation of sex between two Consenting Adults is,in my book,repugnant to Natural Justice!Therefore,it is a Crime against the innocent!What the State of Brunei has just passed as"law" must NEVER be implemented in our Global Village!PLEASE GOD!!" he tweeted.

But other Christians raised questions about why the plight of believers in the country is being largely overlooked. 

Dr Ian Paul, Director of Publishing at Grove Books, said: "Christians and gay people are being threatened with death; one group is highlighted; the other is ignored. If any other group was made invisible like this, we could call it out as media bias. I find it odd that Christians go along with this, rather than critically reflecting."