Alert: Spanish Priest Dealing with Years in Jail for Remark That Offended Muslims

[ad_1] When you pay any consideration to American ideological discourse, you’ve little question heard the one about “Christian nationalism.”

It’s this bogeyman concept that Christians are attempting to take over the world politically, culturally, and spiritually (as if that’s a nasty factor).

For anybody listening to the world, nonetheless, you’re little question conscious of simply how perilous — and powerless — life is for Christians outdoors of America’s safety.

Father Custodio Ballester, a Catholic priest in Spain, is dealing with the potential for very actual jail time on costs of “Islamaphobia,” in keeping with a harrowing report from The Christian Broadcasting Community.

You'll be able to view the outlet’s most up-to-date protection on the problem beneath:

Ballester is dealing with as much as three years in jail for this cost, in addition to fines.

The large crime? Answering a query about the potential for an interfaith dialogue between Christians and Muslims.

(It will probably’t be careworn sufficient that this occurred in 2016, almost a full decade in the past.)

“This renewed revival of Christian-Muslim dialogue, paralyzed by the alleged ‘imprudence’ of the beloved Benedict XVI, is way from a actuality,” Ballester wrote in a letter, responding to the query. “Islam doesn't permit for dialogue. You both imagine or you're an infidel who should be subdued a method or one other.”

The Christian Broadcasting Community added: “In a 2017 YouTube video, Ballester expanded on his 2016 remarks, warning that Islam not solely poses a menace in Europe, but additionally that in lots of Muslim-majority nations, Christians face persecution.”

Regardless of the rote — and pretty correct — description of Islamic tradition, Ballester incensed the Affiliation of Spanish Muslims Towards Islamophobia.

Father Custodio Ballester, a 61-year-old Spanish Catholic priest, appeared in court docket at the moment, dealing with a doable three-year jail sentence for his criticism of radical jihadism, having been accused of Islamophobia.

Data: El Mundo pic.twitter.com/ex5nHEoemr

— Sachin Jose (@Sachinettiyil) October 1, 2025

The affiliation responded to these remarks earlier than submitting a criticism that may in the end result in costs in opposition to Ballester, a fellow priest, and a journalist.

A trial was held Oct. 1 (once more … he made these remarks in 2016-2017), and Ballester is at present awaiting a verdict. If he does face these potential three years in jail, he has already stated he plans on interesting this with the European Courtroom of Human Rights.

For Ballester, this battle is about excess of himself.

“The survival of freedom of expression in at the moment’s Spain relies on the ruling on this case,” Ballester instructed the Catholic Information Company. “In any other case, we’ll be headed towards a brand new Cuban dictatorship. One the place you have been arrested for what you stated in addition to for what you thought, if it differed from what [Cuban communist dictator] Fidel Castro determined.”

The Catholic outlet additionally famous that — due in no small half to his navy background — Ballester is demonstrating a exceptional calm about this monumental case.

“Within the Spanish military’s particular forces, we used to say: ‘Put together for the worst. The simple stuff has already been deliberate for,’” he instructed the Catholic Information Company. “That’s why I’m calm. If the whole lot goes properly, I’ll be even happier.”