Is this religious persecution?

Question

I was driving past a church today, and the sign out front read, "Are you full of Christ, or just a fool?" It takes more than that to even begin to offend me, but it got me wondering. Why did this church think that was okay? For that matter, why do Americans apparently think that it's okay? If it had been a mosque with a sign reading, "Are you a Muslim, or a retard?" you can bet there would be an angry mob.

Persecution is a strong word, I agree (and I know I don't belong in any agnostic book of martyrs, Reef :p ), but weaker words don't sound right. Religious spite? Religious insensitivity?
But like I said, I'm not even upset about this- just curious regarding my culture's permissiveness toward certain types of callous speech.

Answer 1

I guess that was a pretty insensitive approach - I am all for trying to get people to love God and seek him and his wisdom. But even that is a turn off for me. I am sorry they offended you. It seems like they were trying to be clever, but it backfired.

Answer 2

No, it was not religious persecution. No one was making your life harder (denying you a job, evicting you from an apartment, arresting you) because of your beliefs. For true religious persecution, look at almost any Muslim or communist country on the planet. They all have varying degrees of religious persecution.

The First Amendment to the Constitution allows for freedom of speech. Free speech is about protecting all speech, not just the stuffy you personally agree with. The church was simply stating their opinion, and doing so in a mildly amusing way (puns aren't the height of wit, but they are on the scale).

And, no, there would not have been an angry mob if the sign said "Are you a Muslim, or a retard?" There are people in San Francisco, Washington, DC, and Dearborn, MI, who routinely demonstrate in favor of Al Qaeda and Hezbollah, yet no one attempts to stop them from exercising their free speech.

Answer 3

Persecution? I don't know. But the way I see it, in our society, he who has the most money wins. The Christian churches (especially the Catholic church) seem to have a ton of that, and right on the front it says "In God We Trust". So, I guess that's why we call it the "Almighty Dollar".

And yes, there would be an angry mob at that mosque quicker than a Jesus Saves billboard appears over the horizon on any interstate in the country.

Answer 4

youdamnedkid,
No, I don't call that persecution. This is persecution:

Julian, a native of Cilicia, as we are informed by St. Chrysostom, was seized upon for being a Christian. He was put into a leather bag, together with a number of serpents and scorpions, and in that condition thrown into the sea.

Peter, a young man, amiable for the superior qualities of his body and mind, was beheaded for refusing to sacrifice to Venus. He said, "I am astonished you should sacrifice to an infamous woman, whose debaucheries even your own historians record, and whose life consisted of such actions as your laws would punish. No, I shall offer the true God the acceptable sacrifice of praises and prayers." Optimus, the proconsul of Asia, on hearing this, ordered the prisoner to be stretched upon a wheel, by which all his bones were broken, and then he was sent to be beheaded.

Nichomachus, being brought before the proconsul as a Christian, was ordered to sacrifice to the pagan idols. Nichomachus replied, "I cannot pay that respect to devils, which is only due to the Almighty." This speech so much enraged the proconsul that Nichomachus was put to the rack. After enduring the torments for a time, he recanted; but scarcely had he given this proof of his frailty, than he fell into the greatest agonies, dropped down on the ground, and expired immediately.

Denisa, a young woman of only sixteen years of age, who beheld this terrible judgment, suddenly exclaimed, "O unhappy wretch, why would you buy a moment's ease at the expense of a miserable eternity!" Optimus, hearing this, called to her, and Denisa avowing herself to be a Christian, she was beheaded, by his order, soon after.

Answer 5

I'm a Muslim and I would ignore the Muslim sign too!! If people have got nothing better to do in their lives then so be it!! The sign was extremely rude though and must offend all christians!!

Answer 6

I agree and I'm a Christian. The word "fool" in the Bible means something very different than how society takes it. To me, that's not an appropriate sign.

Answer 7

i agree u should do something about it.
it isnot right to have something like that at a temple of God.
but dont u think it was trying to tell u something else too.?

many people here say so many bad things about muslims, quran and their prophets. dont u think it is a sign from God that we stop cussing others and follow the footsteps of jesus.

Answer 8

Actually, the Bible uses the word "fool" in a manner befitting those who careen carelessly down life's path even after being exposed to God's Word in the proper manner! "Thou fool, verily this night, thy soul shall be required of thee." is a prime example.

Answer 9

It is a sign on private property. Get over it. I would just drive past the Muslim one too. (yawn)

-Dio

Answer 10

No this is not religious persecution. The problem is when you don't understand the context to which this was given you can easily mistake the purpose of the message. What this church put on its sign has been taken from the bible...

An example is in Romans 1:18-32

God's Wrath Against Mankind

18The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

21For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.

24Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.

26Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. 27In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.

28Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. 29They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, 30slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; 31they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.

The message itself may sound harsh, but there is reasoning behind it. As you see in the above passage, man by nature thinks they know better than God and are wise, yet when you compare their wisdom to that of God's and the truth that is present their wisdom becomes foolish and has no basis.