Why Do Christians Constantly Feel Persecuted?

Question

First of all let me qualify my question and say that this question as well is not intended to persecute. I just find it very curious and would like an intelligent response.

Christians in America are the majority. They have some of the wealthiest churches in the world. They own networks and have lots of power and influence politically. They enjoy freedom like no where else to practice their religion. They are not being hunted down, fed to lions etc. like in Roman times.

On the other hand, I am one of just 4 pagans in my ENTIRE town, which is mostly S. Baptist. My kids have to endure all kinds of condemnation constantly. We have even been threatened on several occasions. Yet I still try to live peacefully with my Christian neighbours.

Where is this great PERSECUTION? Is not agreeing with you persecution? Is not liking some of your actions persecution? Is not having everyone think you are cool persecution? Please explain and I mean that in the nicest possible way.

Kerilyn just demonstrated EXACTLY what I said!

Was my question insulting, demeaning in any way?

Answer 1

why do people who practice anything other than Christianity in the US feel persecuted? Christians in the US are NOT persecuted-just everyone else!

Answer 2

I've got to agree with Catherine E - what most folks in the US see, Christian or Pagan, *isn't* persecution. Some harassment, maybe, loss of some privledges, sure. But persecution? Most of that's happening elsewhere - and, frankly, it's nasty. There's folks getting killed, or horribly abused, over religion. Having someone tell you that you can't have a nativity on public land, or having someone rant about your pentacle? That's just an inconvenience.

That said, those inconveniences can be darned annoying. Some of them are warranted, such as in cases where somebody wants special, unfair treatment. Some of them are totally unwarranted, such as in cases where people are being treated poorly just for being different.

What most Christians are having an issue with is an erosion of their traditional power base. For quite some time, they held the bulk of the power in the country, and now that other groups are fighting that, they see it, not as an attempt to equalize things by bringing others up, but as an attempt to drag Christianity down. There's a lot of parallels to the fights for racial and gender equality.

In a way, though, I can see their viewpoint. The things that some of them hold as important are starting to slip. Even worse, they're seeing some of the supposed pillars of their community failing - all those preacher scandals, etc. Now, imagine - if you believe your religion is the bastion of goodness compared to the ungodly masses, and your trusted leaders fall from grace, just how bad can it be beyond the barricades of your faith? Their hold, their power base, is crumbling, and as long as they see that as being important, anything that they perceive as threatening that will be considered persecution - be it things like school prayer, or something as minor as saying "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas."

Answer 3

Couple things. First, their deity is a martyr, remember. If they want to identify with him, they have to feel martyred too.

Secondly, the Bible says they'll be persecuted, so the suggestion is already there even though those times are long past.

What's going on is that they've enjoyed a priveledged status in this country for many years, and now that other, competing religions are demanding they cool it and make room for other kinds of thought, they feel persecuted, like a spoiled child that finally has to share the cookie jar that he's always had to himself.

I saw a great political cartoon once, where a Christian (denoted by his cross and Bible) was repeatedly whapping a gay person (denoted by the pink triangle on his shirt) on the head with a ruler. After five frames of this, the gay person said, "Will you stop that, please?" and the Christian gasped, "Why, that's anti-Christian bigotry!"

I'm sorry you and your kids are having a tough time, but I'm proud that you are rising above it and being true to yourselves at the same time. Good luck to you and them.

Answer 4

You live in a Southern Baptist community!?! Well no wonder your kids are being persecuted. I’ll let you in on a secret. Baptists persecute and make fun of everyone who isn’t a Baptist. Yes, I am a Christian but I am not an insane Christian and I do not feel persecuted by anyone except Southern Baptists.

Answer 5

simple, if you notice everyone has this political correctness junk stuck in their heads. So it's all 'anything goes, you can believe whatever you want as long as it isn't Christianity'. Have you also noticed, that people seam to be always looking for a Christian to do something wrong so they can call them Hippocrates (which I'll admit lots of Christians can be Hippocrates just like everybody else). Anyone can disagree with something, but as soon as someone brings up a Bible verse people scoff at them. And then theirs the stereotypes of the goody-good Christian and that if a Christian stops, for even one moment, being a goody-good it's proof that theirs no God.
It's more frustrating the persecution really.

and I do hope that this situation with the people in your town clears up. No one deserves to be criticized and threatened, no matter who is doing the criticizing, and to whom their criticizing.

hope that helped.

Answer 6

Well, if you just read most of the questions on here then you can see the percecutions.
Here's just a few on here right now:
It was actually a mistranslation, Jesus turned water into WHINE?

Do Christians realize that their method of conversion is highly flawed?

Is whining one of the key traits of being a christian?
Why would the Bible authors put Jesus' factual miracles in a book of fairy tales?
I need 666 points to get to level four. Does that mean hell is up?
If Christians don't like to be mocked/bashed, why do they set themselves up so nicely...?
It's sad your kids are being persecuted. I wouldn't do that!
†

Answer 7

This is the only place I feel Persecuted!I am never picked on in my day to day life, There are so many very mean hateful atheist that post mean and hateful remarks to any believer. I don't make hurtful remarks why should they? I am only talking about the atheist that come here and answer rudely. I would never treat you badly. You are entitled to have many God's. I have but one God. It is not the Christians on this site you need to worry about its the Atheists who are mean.

Answer 8

Because our rights are being taken away one by one. We used to be able to pray in school and now the government wants to take that away even though they do it themselves during their meetings! Kids can wear all sorts of satanic and vulgar shirts to school and nobody says anything but if they wear Christian shirts they suspend them from school. Why is evolution also being stuffed down our throats and creationism can't be mentioned. I thought science always liked to compare things to see if they are right or wrong. What are they afraid of, that they may be wrong!

Answer 9

I beg to differ...

Christians is too large of a group to categorize and frankly many christians have become without "Christ" Many just go on Sundays.

Christians are persecuted because they associate them usually with their legalistic and pharisaic parents who are stern and judgemental but don't follow Him anyways.

Jesus said "by their fruits you will surely know me" and hey frankly as Ameriecans, our parents failed us!

The US is not a Christian country- it's a bi-partisan country. The democrats are too busy trying to satisfy popular ideas. The republicans are too busy being greedy.

Not many on each side are following God and what's right.

If we speak about His will, they mock. If we study and debunk they say we're hypocrites because they're afraid to lose thier research money. Media sees us as sex depraved losers (although research shows that most christian couples married for longer than 10 years have had more sex than someone whose slept around for the same time.)

Just watch TV, where they're poking fun. There's always those christians!

Answer 10

Look at some of the things that are said even just on this web site and then you will understand. But it sounds like to me you have bigger problems than that on your hands. Worshipping of false gods is what you need to be worried about. I am not trying to disrespect you but I would hope and pray that you find Jesus. I don't believe in persecuting anyone but God will judge us all one day. It is not about agreeing with, or being cool as you say, it is about the truth. I will pray you find it.

Answer 11

Raven's Voice once answered a similar question to this very wisely. I thought it was so interesting, in fact, that I saved her answer. I hope she doesn't mind if I quote her.

"There is real persecution of Christians in other countries. But as far as the U.S.A. is concerned, there is none.
At the risk of repeating myself:
Whenever a group (social, ethnic, religious, etc) has had special privileges, it’s very difficult for them to see those privileges extended to others, and so it “feels” like oppression to them. It isn’t, in fact, oppression, but it “feels” that way.
One of the reasons it "feels" like oppression (to some) is that they are not persuaded by reason or humanity or compassion, and they have to be forced to extend equal rights and privileges to others. they have to be forced to give up their privileged position. They experience this as a violation. They kick. They complain. They cry foul.
In every case of this, there have been people in this “oppressed” majority that exaggerate the limitations that have been placed on their dominance, like the people who claim that kids in public schools can’t carry their bibles or read them, or people who claim that their kids cannot pray in school. This is utter nonsense; I’ve pointed out over and over that there is *constitutionally protected* prayer in public schools, and that there is TREMENDOUS leeway for religious activities – just not during instructional time and not led by any school employee (for the kids – teachers may bring their bibles to school and read them and have prayer groups, etc.). For anyone who is interested in the truth rather than propaganda, the Department of Education has a very nice website to acquaint people with what is legal:
http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/religi...
(For ease of understanding, page down to the heading “Applying the Governing Principles in Particular Contexts”).
Most of the time the people who are stirring up the idea of being oppressed are being less than truthful, and relying on the fact that their readers (listeners, viewers) don’t have a good grasp of history and don’t have the desire to find out what is the truth. My own opinion is that many of these "Christian" leaders KNOW that they are not telling the truth…and don’t care.
Like the “In God We Trust” example and the “under God” example. And like the fact that democracy was an invention of the Pagan Greeks. They're not about to inform anyone of the truths of these things, either:
http://history.vineyard.net/pledge.htm.....
http://www.treasury.gov/education/fact-s...
There is constant exaggeration, and outright lies, that are spread in order to promote the feeling of oppression – and some of the folks here have swallowed those exaggerations (and lies) whole.
I think it’s sad that this is the case. But people who have had special privileges don’t give them up easily, and this is something we’ve seen over and over. When blacks got the vote, there were white people who felt oppressed. When women got the vote, there were men who felt oppressed. And so on.
We have to be patient, we have to continue to point people toward what is actual and factual, remind them of the history of their examples of “oppression”, and continue to forge ahead on making our society one that affords every citizen the same opportunities and rights. That’s why I’m a dues-paying, card-carrying member of the ACLU - about whom there are also a bunch of lies that are regularly promulgated, like the nonsense that the ACLU is anti-Christian"