Persecution: real or imagined?

A couple of things regarding persecution came across the wire in the past week or so.  First, the Internet Monk explores the question, "Are American Christians 'Persecuted?'"  He looks at persecution in Biblical times and persecution today in third-world countries, and contrasts that with what American Christians tend to call "persecution."

I would suggest that the culture war mentality of American evangelicals proceeds on an exaggerated sense of persecution based on Christian mythology. The nature of American history and society makes a certain tension with a pronounced sense of specific religious entitlement inevitable. When Christians seem to expect that they be given a privileged place they also give themselves an excuse for claiming “persecution” when that is hardly the case.

A visitor from Sudan or India would find most of our discussions of persecution to be rather odd when compared to their own.

But that same third world visitor might make another observation: the observation that American culture contains many challenges to the faith of American Christians that are far more seductive and polluting to the faith and practice of Christians than the clear demarcations of persecution by obvious enemies.

Our third world friend might point out that in America Paul’s statement that the “godly will be persecuted” is challenged more in the matter of what it means to “godly” than in what it means to be persecuted.

That's some statement. Do you agree that American Christians tend to blow things out of proportion and cry “persecution” where none exists? What might that do to our witness in the world?

Before you answer, check out the video below (from Christians in Context via Vitamin Z). It depicts a very different view of persecution than we (American Christians) are used to: a woman is fearful of conversion from Islam to Christianity because of what her husband might do to her. Does this video change your reaction to the article above?

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Comments (11)

No. No. No. No. NOT IN ANY WAY.
We may suffer from hurt feelings, but no one is killing or disappearing our relatives.
"Our third world friend might point out that in America Paul’s statement that the “godly will be persecuted” is challenged more in the matter of what it means to “godly” than in what it means to be persecuted."

Amen!
Ah yes, those darn evangelicals. It's so fun to attack them. Who exactly is claiming that American Christians are persecuted? Any examples anyone can quote or is this just a blanket accusation, a generalization? A negative stereotype?

The other thing I would say is, we so love the promises in the Bible. Well, here's another one, "all who desire to live Godly in Christ will suffer persecution"

I think we have to regard persecution as a sliding scale. In America that may begin with verbal harrasment and teasing, loss of friends, even job discrimination. Exceedingly mild compared to loss of home, physical abuse or death. But nevertheless, a scale. If we don't experience some of this one inference is that we may not be living godly. Just a thought.
Rick, I'm a 57yo conservative evangelical. I've been in church, parachurch, and missions ministry for 35 years. I can't tell you how many times I have heard the argument by evangelical Christians that we are "persecuted" by the secular culture by rejection, slander, injustice, unfairness, ad nauseum. It is a common and widespread attitude and teaching still today. No one's making it up.

Some observations about Paul's statement, "all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted." It seems to me that it's the "desire" to live like he does (vss. 10-11) that will put Timothy, and other Christians like him, in conflict with those who oppose Christianity (the "evil men and imposters" of vs. 13), just as Paul experienced in Timothy's home in Lystra where he was stoned (Ac 14:19). Sure, you can read into that a "scale" of opposition in Asia Minor, but Paul clearly meant physical persecution (from which God "rescued" him). It is the "desire" to live godly that will result in persecution, and that is a certainty in Paul's mind, not just a possibility. Apparently, there also will be many who "live godly" but are not persecuted.

If "desire to live godly" (like him) is the point, then I'd have to say that there probably aren't that many American evangelical Christians who could walk in Paul's sandals. We may experience a little cultural opposition and resistance now and then, but it doesn't rise to the level of "persecution" Paul was describing. I think you are right, Rick, in turning the passage around, with one small difference--if we aren't being persecuted, perhaps it's because we don't really "desire" to live godly. It is not a judgment on lifestyle, but a judgment on the condition of our hearts.
I believe you Clay. It's just that I haven't heard it or read it (in Christianity Today, Charisma Magazine and other Christian pubs). I am also a 57 year old conservative evangelical (registered Republican) who has sat in innumerable church services since I was 9 years old. My background includes attendance at Christian Missionary Alliance churches, Foursquare, Conservative Baptist, American Baptist, Church of God in Christ (black pentecostal), and evangelical Anglican. These were all either in the San Francisco Bay Area or Oregon. Is there a regional or denominational element to this perception that they are being persecuted for the faith?

I also don't doubt that witnessing American Christians have experienced rejection and loss of friends (I have), slander, even verbal abuse, but you are right that it's doubtful anyone in America is experiencing persecution on the level that Paul is describing. I would not characterize that as persecution and I can't recall anyone around me or in a Christian meeting claiming persecution. Real persecution, loss of life, home and liberty is unfortunately common in half the world.

Ooops...I just googled Christians persecuted in America and I found the blog sites of half a dozen fringey fundamentalist kooks. But I wouldn't say they represented the general opinion of evangelicals.
No argument. Just to clarify, I don't think I have ever heard the "opposition means persecution" argument at the regional or denominational level. It probably has always been at the local and individual level. Maybe its an evangelical-fundamentalist self-image thing--a way to assuage the repressed guilt of being rich, comfortable, American Christians who want to reach for spiritual ideals but don't know how. And I certainly am not thinking of any subcultures where the threat of real persecution is real--that's an entirely different discussion.

Anyway, it sounds like we would have much to commisserate and talk about as fellow 50-something believers. My influences are CCC, ISI, CBA, Bible churches, and conservative Anglican. At the moment we attend (I hesitate to say "belong to") an evangelical-charismatic megachurch--go figure. Since 1994 my wife and I write books and speak to families.
I said in the article that in some subcultures- such as the American Muslim community- there might be true persecution of Christians, esp for conversion.
I agree that there might be true persecution of Christians. But I don't think that's the tendency; I tried not to characterize your position or the situation in general in any sort of absolutes, since that's just ASKING for a counterexample. :-)
Thank you for posting this thought provoking essay and this excellent video. It is true that we in America have yet to face such difficulties as our brothers & sisters throughout the world, especially those living under Islamic & Atheistic-Communist regimes. However, let me point out that persecution begins with small steps of slander and the incremental removal of basic human dignity and religious rights. This is historically documented & eviidenced by Hitler's persecution of the Jews in Europe. In America we already experince the constant barrage of ridicule of our faith in art ("remember piss on Christ"?) and in 'comedy' shows mocking Christians and drama's depicting ministers as either evil hypocrites or passive cowards.
These are the beginings and they will increase. Let us use the voice & the freedom that remain and speak the truth in love to a darkened generation.
Denny www.persecution.org
Persecution can come from within your own church, especially if you don't do what the ruling party wants. If you don't go with the eb and flow of what the congregation wants. If you are perceived by the new graduate pastor as a threat to his/her being the leader of the church. They can and do lie to you and about you to others, rumors that you no longer believe in what they believe. Calls to your home saying how disappointed they are in what you are doing, but at last you haven't changed. It's what they heard from the committee or pastor that has them upset and you need to change your attitude. Persecution can come in many forms and not always from outside the church; it can come from within. In God's Grace John
My thoughts on this mirror Denny's. The one thing I would add about the subject is that the progression from being a "Christian" nation to being "inclusive/diversified" of all faiths EXCEPT Christianity has also started an evolution in Me from being very private and shy about my faith to wanting to wear it it more forthrightly. There is something in me that resents the ridicule and wants to stand up and be counted.

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