The tragedy is that it doesn’t exist, but some Christians in the US are convinced it does.<\/p>\n
Speaking as both an American and<\/i> a Christian, here’s what I<\/i> see.<\/p>\n
Christians do still hold tremendous power in this country. They hold positions of influence. They have tremendous privilege. The national holidays, the public symbols, the social structure is all built around Christian traditions and Christian values and Christians beliefs.<\/p>\n
But …<\/p>\n
Some of that is changing. Christians are being told there are other people who want to sit at the table. Not just the Jews (who were, sometimes, tolerated), but Muslims. Hindus. Buddhists. And, heck, people who don’t believe at all.<\/i><\/p>\n
And Christians aren’t automatically deferred to, or respected, or treated as not just the norm but the core of what it means to be American. People make jokes about Christians. People want other holidays off. People question whether churches should be tax exempt. People question Christian teachings on things like divorce, or abortion, or sex, or the role of women, or homosexuality, or the origin of the universe, or the existence of God.<\/p>\n
Sure, there are a lot of Christians who have little to no problem with those things But the Christians who are most certain that they are the True Christians, the Real Christians, the Ones Christ Would Feel Were Truly His Followers …<\/p>\n
They’re not always the undisputed top dogs. They’re not the center of respect. They can’t simply assert their opinion (God’s opinion!) as to what is Right and what is Wrong and expect it to be followed.<\/p>\n
And that fall from complete, utter, and total social hegemony is perceived as … persecution.<\/i><\/p>\n
“I don’t get to shun and fire and refuse to serve immoral people any more.”<\/p>\n
“I don’t get to put monuments to my religion in the public square any more.”<\/p>\n
“I don’t get to have my prayers read in classrooms any more.”<\/p>\n
“I don’t get to forbid stuff, and shame or imprison the folk who do forbidden things, any more.”<\/p>\n
“I don’t automatically garner respect and deference for being the epitome of morality and righteousness any more.”<\/p>\n
“I don’t get to assume everyone is a Christian, and that they are Baptized, and that they have Read the Bible, and that they Celebrate the Same Holidays as me, and that they Believe The Same Stuff I do any more.”<\/p>\n
“I’m being persecuted.”<\/i><\/p>\n
The word “privilege” gets tossed around a lot, and it makes a lot of people uncomfortable, but that’s exactly what this is: *Christian Privilege. And it’s being challenged. And some Christians simply cannot stand that.<\/p>\n
Some Christians see any threat to their being Number One as being persecution. Some Christians see any challenge to their being the undisputed bosses of America as being persecution. Some Christians see criticism, jokes, disrespect, as being persecution.<\/p>\n
Again, speaking as both an American and<\/i> a Christian: suck it up, Buttercup.<\/i><\/p>\n
Jesus didn’t promise any of his followers that they would be in charge of things here on Earth. He didn’t say that they would get a country that would follow all their religious dictates. He didn’t say that everyone would respect Christians, or treat them as the top dogs in society.<\/p>\n
In fact, he pretty much said the opposite. And he said that was okay, at least according to the Bible.<\/p>\n
Now, I’m not recommending that Christians should want<\/i> to be persecuted. Or that any religious (or irreligious) group should be persecuted.<\/p>\n
Heck, I’m not even saying that I don’t get peeved when people post stuff that says that Christians \/ Theists of Any Sort are deluded idiots who are responsible for all the ills of this world.<\/p>\n
But that’s not persecution. That is, at best, a debate between worldviews, and, at worst, people being asshats. Being a Christian doesn’t threaten my job, doesn’t threaten my owning my home, threaten my kid being able to go to school, threaten my ability to go to church, doesn’t threaten my ability to vote or buy stuff or participate in society or eat in restaurants or stay out of jail. There are countries where that’s the case; this isn’t one of them.<\/p>\n
Christians aren’t being persecuted in this country. They’re simply not the undisputed lords and masters. And, frankly, that bit of humility and need to actually sell<\/i> the message of Christianity, vs. imposing it by rule of law and social diktat,<\/i> is actually a good<\/i> thing for Christians. Because, again, looking at the Bible, being the people in undisputed charge of things is not<\/i> what Jesus recommended to his followers.<\/p>\n View on Google+<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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\n<\/a>
\nNo, Christians do not face looming persecution in America – The Washington Post<\/a><\/span>
\nThe media should challenge conservative Christians on their politics of paranoia.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
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