THE UK Home Office has quoted violent passages from the Bible in a rejection letter to an Iranian asylum seeker, which his immigration caseworker worker is describing as an “unbelievably offensive diatribe”.

The man said he had converted to Christianity because it was more peaceful than his original religion, Islam.

However, the Home Office rejected his claim, with the refusal letter quoting Leviticus and Revelation.

It read: “In Leviticus, chapter 26, God states ‘You will pursue your enemies, and they will fall by the sword before you. Five of you will chase a hundred, and a hundreds of you will chase ten thousand, and your enemies will fall by the sword before you’.

“Similarly, the book of Revelation is filled with imagery of revenge, destruction, death and violence … These examples are inconsistent with your claim that you converted to Christianity after discovering it was a ‘peaceful’ religion, as opposed to Islam which contains violence, rage and revenge.”

Redacted images of the rejection letter were shared online by London immigration caseworker Nathan Stevens, who told the National: “I’ve seen a lot over the years, but even I was genuinely shocked to read this unbelievably offensive diatribe being used to justify a refusal of asylum.”

A Home Office spokesperson said: “This letter is not in accordance with our policy approach to claims based on religious persecution, including conversions to a particular faith.

“We continue to work closely with key partners, including the APPG on International Freedom of Religion and a range of faith groups, to improve our policy guidance and training provided to asylum decision-makers so that we approach claims involving religious conversion in the appropriate way.”