I was shell-shocked after reading three news items last week.

A family of eight claims that they are prisoners in their own home after being attacked in the street, their car windows smashed six times, eggs thrown at their windows and, finally, driven from their home.

All this because they are Muslim converts to Christianity in a free democratic society such as the UK.

In the United States, that other arch-democratic country, a gunman shot dead nine people and injured seven others after proclaiming “Because you’re a Christian, you’re going to see God in just about one second”.

In areas controlled by IS, hundreds of thousands of Christians are facing genocide. They are being raped, sold as slaves, subjected to forced conversion, beheaded and crucified.

This horrendous scenario far exceeds the barbarity perpetrated 1,000 years ago or the holocaust of World War II.

It is dangerous indeed for Christians to escape the inhuman butchery of IS but now it seems that persecution is encroaching in all countries.

It is evident that Christians are the most vulnerable victims of this tragedy – crystal clear to everyone – except you know who.