Is there persecution of christians in the west.?

Question

I mean its one thing to be told at work that you cant ram your beliefs and tell people they are going to hell (isint work for work and by spending time evangelising you are commiting the sin of theft) however there is no real persecution of christians in the west.

i read somewhere that a girl claimed that she had the right to have the bible thought in schools etc, however as part of the tollerace stance you must agree that everyone has the right to have peace and quiet.

what i have found is that the persecution is in fact just a rational response to obnoxious behaviours.

ie. a bunch of fundies go into a bowling alley and try to 'convert" the patrons, as it is hurting the business the manager kicks them out and they call it persecution.

what do you think.

if a normal person goes to church, believes in christ and just tells people that they happen to be a christian they will not face any negative events in america.

Answer 1

I think you have not been involved in Christian work or you would know there is persecution in the West. I know of two ministers who have feared for their lives because of persecution in their own community.

Answer 2

Well, I don't know about the entire "west" but Christian are not persecuted in the US. The Christian religion has enjoyed a favored status in the US, both socially and by the gov't. Other groups are now standing up, and either :

Wanting the same privileges once bestowed on Christians only now be extended to ALL

or

Asking that the special privileges given only to Christians be completely withdrawn

A perfect example is all the foaming at the mouth done by a handful of radical right wingers when ONE non-Christian led a senate prayer, after decades of ONLY Christian prayer be offered. They call this "persecution" when in fact, it is just extending something that Christians have been enjoying for decades to someone else.

Christians are viciously persecuted in other countries tho, and I have signed petitions and letters asking that this be stopped, through the Unitarian Universalist Congregation that I sometimes attend.

I find ALL religious persecution to be wrong, weather it is directed AT Christians, BY Christians, are amoung the various Christian denominations.

However, I see no evidence of "persecution" of Christians in the US, just a lot of whining from SOME Christians, that they are no longer allowed to dominate everyone else.

ready4sea - All students legally have the same right to voluntarily & non-disruptively pray, in the manner you have suggested. (see link below) What no one is allowed to do is press their prayer, worship, hymn singing, devotional scripture study, etc. on a captive audience. Usually when Christian prayer in public schools becomes a "bone of contention" is when someone is trying to force their prayer on a captive audience, instead of just allowing the willing students to participate, while leaving the unwilling students alone.

BTW, I do see that Muslims are being allowed special prayer privleges in school, much like the ones that Christians have been demanding. I am against special priveleges for ANY group, Muslims included. If they MUST pray at a certain time, they should be excused to from class to do so, but they should NOT suspend the lesson. I think the Muslims who need to pray, would do well to schedule their prayer time, to co-incide with lunch, recess or study hall, if possible, instead of expecting the school to drop the lesson plan, so they can go practice THEIR religious ritual. As for installing foot washing stations in the school using OUR tax dollars, I say NO WAY !

Answer 3

Many of us like to cry persecution (especially the Christians, quoting the words of Jesus that they would be hated), but there's HARDLY any. If you want to call flinging insults persecution, you have to accept, then, that EVERYONE is persecuted here. But we all know we aren't really exposed to violence as some in other countries are. And guess what? Once again, it's not just limited to Christianity.

Using this word over here is an insult to those who are really feeling it.

Perhaps the Christians who do this think that they are somehow doing what Jesus wants them to do... but they're wrong. Some even gloat over it, so you know it's a sham.

Answer 4

Thankfully the persecution is mild compared to what Jesus and his disciples had to endure, as well as the Christians in Rome, but there are a lot of people who are intolerant of Christians, and they are right on this website. In addition to how Christians are portrayed in the media, what people are saying about us right here is a sign that persecution is happening. We are accountable to God for our actions, and while certain things are tolerable, some things are not, and as citizens of our cities, states, and countries, it is not always correct behavior to sit back and let evil come in and roost.

I am not the type to insist that prayer happen in a public forum like work or school, but also, people should be allowed to pray (themselves), providing it is not intrusive on those around them. Christians praying in school has been a major bone of contention but I challenge anyone to elaborate on anyone trying to keep a muslim from praying.

Thus far, the persecution is mild, but it is here and it is creeping upward.

Answer 5

"if a normal person goes to church, believes in christ and just tells people that they happen to be a christian they will not face any negative events in america..."

except if they come on here, or are met by disrespectful unbelievers...

I believe friend, that we are not persecuted in the same way...No, we are not murdered...and normally we aren't discriminated against (although there are exceptions to that!)...and we don't have to fear for our lives --

However, we certainly aren't shown tolerance either. Otherwise, we wouldn't find ourselves fighting for the right to maintain laws/legislation that has been in place for ages!(Like the definition of 'marriage', etc.) Seriously, don't get me started.

and while we're talking about "tolerance", why is it: They'll teach other religious cirriculum in schools without opposition (in the name of 'education') yet if a someone mentions educating a child as to how to pray a Christian prayer than all hell breaks loose?

I mean seriously, isn't that a double standard?

Answer 6

Playing the victim game is an excuse to persecute others and call it self defense. The muslim terrorists are playing that right now.

Answer 7

I would agree that people are free to worship as they please in the West (certainly in the US). The opinions you gave make sense in that there needs to be a time for worship, and then a time for business and school or whatever, and that the two should not be mixed. If you feel the need to evangelize someone, invite them to your place of worship. Isn't that just common sense?

Answer 8

Much of Christianity requires that it believers spread the word and bring others to believe as they do....many believe that preventing them from mining the minds of our children is an intolerance to their faith. Frankly, they have no right to special access to my child. It is not much different than allowing a person to sexually molest children because the pedophile wants it. It is an invasion to children to allow anyone to influence them to ANY belief without the parents consent.

Answer 9

No one outside a small group of delusional Christian Fundamentalists believe s Christians are 'persecuted' in the West.

Answer 10

Christians have a big martyr complex. They WANT to be persecuted--it makes them feel more holy. Ergo, any teensy tiny resistance they meet in trying to control the world they blow out of proportion and call it "persecution".