If you pay any attention to American ideological discourse, you’ve no doubt heard the one about “Christian nationalism.”
It’s this bogeyman idea that Christians are trying to take over the world politically, culturally, and spiritually (as if that’s a bad thing).
For anyone paying attention to the world, however, you’re no doubt aware of just how perilous — and powerless — life is for Christians outside of America’s protection.
Father Custodio Ballester, a Catholic priest in Spain, is facing the possibility of very real prison time on charges of “Islamaphobia,” according to a harrowing report from The Christian Broadcasting Network.
You can view the outlet’s most recent coverage on the issue below:
Ballester is facing up to three years in prison for this charge, as well as fines.
The big crime? Answering a question about the possibility of an interfaith dialogue between Christians and Muslims.
(It can’t be stressed enough that this happened in 2016, nearly a full decade ago.)
Do you consider what’s being done to this priest to be persecution?
“This renewed revival of Christian-Muslim dialogue, paralyzed by the alleged ‘imprudence’ of the beloved Benedict XVI, is far from a reality,” Ballester wrote in a letter, responding to the question. “Islam does not allow for dialogue. You either believe or you are an infidel who must be subdued one way or another.”
The Christian Broadcasting Network added: “In a 2017 YouTube video, Ballester expanded on his 2016 remarks, warning that Islam not only poses a threat in Europe, but also that in many Muslim-majority countries, Christians face persecution.”
Despite the rote — and fairly accurate — description of Islamic culture, Ballester incensed the Association of Spanish Muslims Against Islamophobia.
Father Custodio Ballester, a 61-year-old Spanish Catholic priest, appeared in court today, facing a possible three-year prison sentence for his criticism of radical jihadism, having been accused of Islamophobia.
Info: El Mundo pic.twitter.com/ex5nHEoemr
— Sachin Jose (@Sachinettiyil) October 1, 2025
The association responded to those remarks before filing a complaint that would ultimately lead to charges against Ballester, a fellow priest, and a journalist.
A trial was held Oct. 1 (again … he made these remarks in 2016-2017), and Ballester is currently awaiting a verdict. If he does face those potential three years in prison, he has already said he plans on appealing this with the European Court of Human Rights.
For Ballester, this struggle is about far more than himself.
“The survival of freedom of expression in today’s Spain depends on the ruling in this case,” Ballester told the Catholic News Agency. “Otherwise, we’ll be headed toward a new Cuban dictatorship. One where you were arrested for what you said as well as for what you thought, if it differed from what [Cuban communist dictator] Fidel Castro decided.”
The Catholic outlet also noted that — due in no small part to his military background — Ballester is demonstrating a remarkable calm about this monumental case.
“In the Spanish army’s special forces, we used to say: ‘Prepare for the worst. The easy stuff has already been planned for,’” he told the Catholic News Agency. “That’s why I’m calm. If everything goes well, I’ll be even happier.”
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