THE Home Office rejected a Christian convert's asylum bid by quoting violent Bible verses to "prove" his claim that Christianity is a religion of peace was wrong.

In his 2016 application, the Iranian national said he wanted to stay in Britain because he'd be persecuted in his home country for his beliefs.

3 A Home Office asylum rejection letter said the claimants suggestion that Christianity was peaceful was 'inconsistent' because of images of 'violence' and 'revenge' in the Bible

3 The Home Office letter appeared to use religious justification to turn down an asylum bid

But it was turned down by officials who said his conversion from Islam was "inconsistent" with his claim Christianity was a peaceful religion.

The rejection letter spelled out bloodthirsty Bible passages in an attempt to justify their grounds for rejection.

Six verses are quoted in the refusal letter - which was posted on social media by immigration caseworker Nathan Stevens.

The letter also claimed that the book of Revelations is filled with "images of revenge, destruction, death and violence."

Mr Stevens said he was "genuinely shocked" to read what he described as the "unbelievably offensive diatribe."

These examples are inconsistent with your claim that you converted to Christianity after discovering it is a 'peaceful religion, as opposed to Islam which contains violence, rage and revenge' Home Office Letter

He added: "Whatever your views on faith, how can a government official arbitrarily pick bits out of a holy book and then use them to trash someone's heartfelt reason for coming to a personal decision to follow another faith."

The verses also feature lines lifted from the Old Testament book of Leviticus.

A statement below them reads: "These examples are inconsistent with your claim that you converted to Christianity after discovering it is a 'peaceful religion, as opposed to Islam which contains violence, rage and revenge'." Mr Stevens said his client, who has not been named, will be appealing the decision and he will be complaining to the Home Office. Some on social media were so shocked that they did not believe the letter was real - with one saying they were left "gobsmacked". 'PICKING HOLES' IN ASYLUM BIDS

Legal expert Conor James McKinney, deputy editor of website Free Movement, claimed the case showed the Home Office’s tendency to “come up with any reason they can to refuse asylum”.

He told the Independent: “You can see from the text of the letter that the writer is trying to pick holes in the asylum seeker’s account of their conversion to Christianity and using the Bible verses as a tool to do that.

He added: "The Home Office is notorious for coming up with any reason they can to refuse asylum and this looks like a particularly creative example, but not necessarily a systemic outbreak of anti-Christian sentiment in the department.”

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