Monday, April 16, 2007
Persecution
Someone asked me today, "Do you think Christians are being persecuted?" The conversation was directed toward how Christians are being treated in the U.S. I must admit that I have been steaming over this question and conversation all day. Let me say unequivocally NO! No, Christians are NOT being persecuted. I have a couple of thoughts to defend my answer. First, Christians are experiencing mild discrimination and some hypocrisy, especially from the media. But, we are not being persecuted. If you got up on Sunday and went to a church building and worshipped without fear of being arrested, imprisoned, or summarily executed, you are not being persecuted. If you went to a Christian bookstore and publicly purchased Christian literature, you are not being persecuted. If you are not being hunted like an animal because you are a Christian, you are not being persecuted. If you can stand up and say publicly that you are a Christian without being beheaded, you are not being persecuted. Christians are not being persecuted in the United States. We are being MILDLY discriminated against. This leads me to my second statement. The reason these immature Christians believe that we are being persecuted is because many have confused being American with being Christian. Somehow, Christians, especially evangelicals, have confused politics with faith. Let me be even more blunt. Quite your cryin'! My challenge to you is that if you think that Christians are actually experiencing persecution, try going to Albania and having a simple, public worship service. Let me challenge us again. If we actually did what the Bible said to do, we WOULD experience persecution. But, somehow we are surprised when someone talks bad about us. Imagine that!
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3 comments:
What if the church had no climate control? What if the seats were not padded? What if the restroom was an outhouse? What if Bibles cost $1000 each or had to be transcribed at each service? Many people would not worship if they were not comfortable. How few the flock would be; if we were persecuted.
What if the church had no climate control? What if the seats were not padded? What if the restroom was an outhouse? What if Bibles cost $1000 each or had to be transcribed at each service? Many people would not worship if they were not comfortable. How few the flock would be; if we were persecuted.
I almost have to disagree with Gary above...and agree entirely with you Lee. I think if we actually 'raised' the bar-we'd see people getting SERIOUS about their faith. No more cushy, whiny, wimpy, powerless faith? AMEN!
Go ahead and take away the a/c, the padded pews...and I bet we lose a few people, but I bet we'd gain some others...and they'd be SERIOUS CHRISTIANS!
Anything worth working for holds value to us. Sure...faith is FREE, but it costs us EVERYTHING if we do it right. That is not EASY. Too bad we only advertise the 'free' part of faith in America.
We have made faith 'too' easy in the American church. "Come to Jesus, and all your problems will go away" "Come to Jesus and you'll be happier than ever!" Sorry, but that isn't what my Bible says.
Lee, you got it. Suffering...persecution...mocking...hostility...that is sometimes what Christians must endure. And what does that do? Well, if you have TRUE faith (not this cushy Americanized kind) YOUR FAITH GROWS DEEPER!
Naturally...we do NOT go around seeking suffering. We don't go around seeking persecution. We should be amazed and soooo thankful in America for the freedom we have.
But as the saying goes..."you don't know what you got, until it's gone."
Lee, your challenge will hold true. Go to a place where you don't have the same freedom as here, and I promise you...YOUR FAITH WILL NEVER BE THE SAME.
Amen.
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