So many Christians claim to be persectured. I am a Christian. I do not feel that I am persecuted at all. There are people in different countries who are dying, whose families are being taken from them. There are some to are dying for their beliefs. Who are starving. Who fight for their next meal. Who give up. That is persecution to me. What is it to you? If you live in a safe country, if you live in a warm home, if you live with a family that is not threatened by envading forces - how is that persecution? In all innocence, for I truly have no idea ... how is someone not agreeing with you persecution? That seems to be the running definition for it.
2007-01-21 16:20:15 · 10 answers · asked by Je veux changer le monde 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
If you are not being ethnically cleansed then you really have little to complain about.
2007-01-21 16:27:53 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
I'm encouraged that you "want to change the world". Today, persecution refers to the constant challenges (or attacks) on the character, beliefs, and faith that you as a Christian should embody. The early Christians were martyrs who were persecuted (physically) for their faith. It is true that to some extent, there are Christians all over the world who are still killed for their dogma as well.
I do not know where you live per se, nor how old you are, but if you truly profess you are a Christian, then to some extent you will be persecuted. You must remember (and this was SO HARD for me when I was a teenager), that as a Christian you are in this world, not of this world. If you will follow scripture, you will be a stranger among men who are worldly, for as a human, you are of spirit and flesh, and it is the flesh (the desires, the lusts) that you must resist and deny.
I'm in America, one of the most blessed countries in the world. But unfortunately, we are the WORLD'S GREATEST WHORE. Our god, our idol (do not believe separation of church and state; that is ideologically IMPOSSIBLE GIVEN THE HISTORY OF THIS COUNTRY) is the ALMIGHTY DOLLAR. You will find (forgive me for my political incorrectness) Third World conditions right here: in the rural South, in Appalachia (e.g. West Virginia) and so forth. Ironically for the feminists out there, WE HAVE REGRESSED AS A SOCIETY, WE HAVE BECOME MORE MISOGYNISTIC. All you have to do is listen to popular music (across more genres than rap, thank you) to know. If you have been following the politics over the past five years, we as a nation have committed a great sin: PRIDE. A pride that has literally cost us a generation of future leaders in a war against an ISM: Terror.
I could expound further but I won't. Just remember as a Christian, you will stand on principles that will alienate you to some extent. You know what scripture stands on such topics as adultery, homosexuality, murder, and so forth. But what a growing number of Christians are conveniently forgetting is that with the exception of Pride (or is it Blasphemy?), no one sin is more egregious than the other. If I were God, the sin that I would find worse than the sins regarding sexual depravity would be the one that most humans do on a daily basis, especially here in the United States. That would be to covet. For coveting leads to envy and envy to some of the most bizarre behavior known to man. Alas, I am not.
In closing, taking up the cross is a MAJOR DECISION. You are expected to SACRIFICE, SACRIFICE, SACRIFICE. In other words, DIE (in every sense of the word) for Christ. In other words, leave everything, everyone behind and follow him. That is why during his time, most Jews thought Christianity was a cult. Can you blame them?
2007-01-21 16:54:52 · answer #2 · answered by Grendel 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Your right. there are different degrees of persecution and different realms. The east is more physical persecution and the west (US) is more mental. Persecution is persecution, but I take my hat off to those who are willing to die for their beliefs in those eastern countries. God Bless them. I pray that I would have the same convictions.
2007-01-21 16:32:05 · answer #3 · answered by ? 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Disagreement is most definately not persecution.
Persecution implies putting unfair restrictions on you. For example like what happened to jewish people in germany during WWII. Having to wear yellow stars, get registered, only live in certain places, have certain jobs, eventually imprisonment and then the unthinkable. That is extreme case.
Some persecution is less, for example. putting one in jail for worshipping or what ever.
2007-01-21 16:29:05 · answer #4 · answered by rostov 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
I live in America I have Freedom of Expression and have yet to face persecution.
2007-01-21 16:23:40 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
For me persecution occurs when my cat open the door when I'm using the toilet.
2007-01-21 16:29:38 · answer #6 · answered by Lost. at. Sea. 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I'm Jewish I've been a slave to the Egyptians and thrown out of my home in Spain. Then there were the Nazis. How's that for persecution? Hey there's gotta be more but I can't recall.
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SMOKE
.............SUE ME.............praise Allah. *****.
2007-01-21 16:25:53 · answer #7 · answered by The Platinum Mage 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
I love the picture in your avatar. Isn't that gal from Afghanistan?
2007-01-21 16:24:06 · answer #8 · answered by Evil Atheist Conspirator 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
it's a mind set
2007-01-21 16:28:03 · answer #9 · answered by Dr. Brooke 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Its good to be grateful for what you have.
2007-01-21 16:25:43 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋