Speaking on ‘The View’, where the accusation by Comedian Joy Behar was made, she claimed “it was a joke”.

“I mean comedians are in real danger these days,” she added.

 “I’m a Christian – I give money to the Church. I actually help Christians with my pocketbook. I’m not insulting Christians.”

 However, Mike Pence and thousands of people on social media didn’t find her “joke” funny.

 After being made aware of Behar’s comments about his faith, Mr Pence said in an interview with Axios: “But I have to tell you, to have ABC maintain a broadcast forum that compared Christianity to mental illness, is just wrong.

 “And it’s an insult not to me but to the vast majority of the American people who like me cherish their faith.”

Actor and fellow co-host Whoopi Goldberg denied claims that the organisation was intolerant but co-host Meghan McCain, daughter of 2008 presidential nominee and US Senator John McCain admitted she felt very uncomfortable when Behar’s comments were made.

McCain thanked Behar for recognising “so many people were upset and offended” and also apologised to Mr Pence and his family.

“I’ve had a very hard time – the last two days with this. My in-laws are evangelical, my entire family are devoutly Christians,” she said.   

“I think we’re living in incredibly divisive times right now – we all know that. But…

Humza Yousaf, Scottish Minister for Transport and the Islands, invited Twitter followers to vote for one of three food and drink ‘vices’ he should forgo during the six-week fasting period and the orange fizzy beverage was selected – ahead of chocolate and crisps.

Mr Yousaf has pledged to give the money he saves on the drink often described as ‘Scotland’s other national drink (after whisky)’, to Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), a Catholic charity which supports persecuted Christians in Muslim-majority regions.

Nearly 2,500 people took part in the SNP member for Glasgow Pollok’s poll.

He tweeted: “Think I’ll join Christian friends doing Lent this year. Any money saved from not consuming my vice will go @ACN_Scotland who support persecuted Christians across the world.”

Think I’ll join Christian friends doing Lent this year. Any money saved from not consuming my vice will go @ACN_Scotland who support persecuted Christians across the world

So tweeps gimme a hand, what should I give up for next 40days?

I mean how hard can it be, I do Ramadan?

— Humza Yousaf (@HumzaYousaf) February 13, 2018

In another tweet, he said: “Should say reason I’m supporting @ACN_Scotland is because the persecution of Christians worldwide in some Muslim majority countries is something that deeply saddens me, and most Muslims.”

Kate Higgins, special advisor to First Minister of Scotland Nicola…

The pastor says he was falsely accused of calling one inmate a “terrorist”, which he claims was part of a Muslim senior colleague’s campaign to end “Christian denomination” at the south London prison.

Mr Song, who started volunteering at the prison nearly 20 years ago after moving to the UK from South Korea, taught Christian courses such as the Alpha course in the prison, which led to many prisoners becoming Christians.

However, he said the prison’s senior chaplain since 2015, Imam Mohamed Yusef Ahmed, began scrutinising the material, claiming it was “too radical” and that the Christian views expressed were “extreme”.

The final decision to dismiss Mr Song was taken by the prison’s management, not Imam Mohamed.

Mr Song has made contact with the Christian Legal Centre, which is now considering legal action against Her Majesty’s Prison Service.

A spokesperson for Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service told Premier: “We do not comment on individual members of staff.

“However, we recognise the importance of faith and the positive impact that it can have on the lives of offenders, which is why there are multi-faith chaplaincy teams in every prison.”

The charity has urged people to sign the petition.

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