Christian persecution in USA

[LovelyGiselle]

I'm not going back to anything. I'm pointing out the blinding irony that if anyone else treated you the way you are treating others, you'd decry it as persecution.

Again you missed the point. You should re-read his article. And re read the very first comment I made. I addressed this already.His piece not about what you think it is.

And I already stated that I do not support violence against any church or anyone

His article was NOT sincerely about true Christian persecution.

He grabbed/cherry-picked cases that he can exploit and manipulate people with to support his own agenda.

That is what folks like David seek to do. Get folks to see the these tragedies in his own worldly based way in order to justify umbiblical teachings. For example, do you actually think that it is just a coincidence how folks like him and the mainstream media are comparing the LGBT agenda to the struggle of civil rights for black people? They want to legitimize perversion. And then slap it as "Christian" which is why so many people have already fallen for it

 

[LovelyGiselle]

Here, here. Great post.

It's like what the culture has done with love itself: made biblical abominations and acts of perversion into barometers for love.

Our Culture completely turns biblical commands and truth topsy-turvy and then points to its defenders (true Christians) and calls them bigots and haters. But I suppose it has always been thus for God's people...

 

[Armoured]

His article was NOT sincerely about true Christian persecution.

So now we're "No True Scotsman "-ing Christian persecution?

Not really sure what else to say.

 

[LovelyGiselle]

Not really sure what else to say.

The reality is that "social injustice" is being exploited and manipulated to promote something else.

And yes, the Bible defines what TRUE Christian persecution is. And it is the persecution of those who stand with God. (Doesn't mean that I support the violence that he mentioned in his article by the way)

Christians do not seek to conform with the world.

David was downplaying the real issue of persecution and sought to cherry pick cases that he can exploit to promote his OWN ungodly agenda/ideology.

 

[Winken]

I will never forget (I see the scene now) many years ago, waaaay back then, encountering our Pastor in the hallway, asking him a question about a particular passage in the Bible, only to hear him say, "What does it mean to you?", with a flattering smile on his face. A response like that gave me not glory bumps, but chills.

 

[Winken]

Ooops, okay, I take this back - this kind of persecution DOES happen - Christians persecuted by other Christians DOES happen in the United States................sorry - I should read the article before I jump to conclusions!

Could you define persecution, please? Thanks.

 

[Aardverk]

There is no other brand of Christianity

There is only one truth. And that true body of Christ are those who do not seek to change scripture to conform with the world.

I'm afraid I don't understand this viewpoint at all. There are approximately 200 major Christian denominations and Orders plus a few thousand more Christian sects. Whichever one you may follow it is difficult for you to claim that there is only one truth. Each of those denominations and sects exist because they believe something different - i.e. they interpret scripture differently from others, differently from you.

For any one of those groups to say, 'we are right, everyone else is wrong' is sheer arrogance. Clearly there is only one truth - but what is it? You obviously think that you know what it is and I hope that makes you happy BUT the majority of Christians , simply because of the disparity of beliefs, do NOT think you have all the right answers.

Whether you should humbly accept that you may not be right in all things is an interesting question but the rest of the world probably believes that you are not right in all things. At its simplest, you criticised those who question the accuracy of scripture but most of us are well aware of the fragile and unreliable origins of scripture - but that really is a different subject. I only mention it to try to make you stop and think and hopefully realise that what you/we are suffering is a carry over of the bigotry of the scribes who have passed scripture down to us.

 

[Kitfox88]

What this says to me is that it's not Christians (as a whole) who are racist and homophobic but racist homophobes who are Christians which is the problem.

If people want to be Christian that's great: but using it to promulgate racism and homophobia? Racists and homophobes give decent, good hearted Christians a bad name.

Yes. There's a multitude of people who are Christian in all but name, using it to promote hatred and sorrow. Very sad.

 

[Ringo84]

"No...it's not persecution because they're just not True Christians (tm) like me".

Convenient.

 

[Archivist]

For any one of those groups to say, 'we are right, everyone else is wrong' is sheer arrogance. Clearly there is only one truth - but what is it? You obviously think that you know what it is and I hope that makes you happy BUT the majority of Christians , simply because of the disparity of beliefs, do NOT think you have all the right answers.

Well said. Look at the differences just on the question of Holy Communion.

 

[D. A. Taylor]

Is the following instruction God's truth?

Do not judge, and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; pardon, and you will be pardoned (Luke 6:37).

And how about these passages:

and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we commanded you (I Thess 4:11).

First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity (I Timothy 2:1-2).

Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler (I Peter 4:15).

And how about this:

Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm" (John 18:36).

I wonder if we Christians create many of our own problems?

 

[A New Dawn]

So, what YOU believe is the Truth, what anyone else believes is false doctrine. Got it.

The point is, you can't ignore, or even speak against, most of the stuff Christ taught and still consider yourself a Christian. If you pull out a few truths that "feel good" because that is all you think God wants from you and create your own set of beliefs surrounding them, then it is not Christianity. It is nothing but humanism.

 

[nomadictheist]

This is going to be argued forever, and for one reason.

If you can't accept the Bible as the source of truth, then you'll interpret the Bible according to your source of truth.
When the Bible says that God created sex to be a one-man one-woman thing, and that anything else is sin, that's what I accept as truth. Because if anything in the Bible isn't truth, then why believe any of it?

When you start re-interpreting the Bible to fit a worldview, the Bible no longer stands as your truth. It then becomes subject to what you consider a greater truth. The problem is, if there's greater truth than the Bible, then the Bible can't be the word of God.

 

[Armoured]

The point is, you can't ignore, or even speak against, most of the stuff Christ taught and still consider yourself a Christian. If you pull out a few truths that "feel good" because that is all you think God wants from you and create your own set of beliefs surrounding them, then it is not Christianity. It is nothing but humanism.

Sure. But noone here is speaking against anything Christ said.

 

[Armoured]

This is going to be argued forever, and for one reason.

If you can't accept the Bible as the source of truth, then you'll interpret the Bible according to your source of truth.
When the Bible says that God created sex to be a one-man one-woman thing, and that anything else is sin, that's what I accept as truth. Because if anything in the Bible isn't truth, then why believe any of it?

When you start re-interpreting the Bible to fit a worldview, the Bible no longer stands as your truth. It then becomes subject to what you consider a greater truth. The problem is, if there's greater truth than the Bible, then the Bible can't be the word of God.

The Bible doesn't say that, though. Now sure, you may interpret it to *mean* that, but it certainly doesn't say anything of the sort.

 

[DJKWord]

There is no other brand of Christianity

There is only one truth. And that true body of Christ are those who do not seek to change scripture to conform with the world.

Enough said. Glad for the reminder.

 

[jonesdon]

"Christian persecution in the US is real." http://www.patheos.com/blogs/davidh...ourmatrix&ref_post=answer-to-americas-prayers

=== REPLY: Yes, it's becoming clearer every day as the minority, non-Christians or whomever minority, gets more rights than our 70% Christian majority. Our traditional American principles & values, our strengths, are being stepped on and/or thrown away by seculars. Just to name a few recent situations:

1) Marriage had to be redefined to take away our national common good norm of traditional American Christian marriage -- for families & children. For the rights of 3.8%. Wedding services are being persecuted. And, just the beginning of this.

2) Today, a battle begins (again) on "In God we trust"! Again, what specific church is threatening seculars? Is this about the Christian God vs. the secular god? Is prayer in Congress a next target? 3) Youth orgs, like the Boy Scouts & YMCA, can no longer support the Christian traditional American principles & values w/o threats.

4) Personally, I've been evicted by a secularist, w no official cause (legal in most of CA) as there are no legal reasons. This is, because I've had anti-secular letters-to-the editor published and written in local blogs.

Secularists have the advantage as they can hide behind our secular law (as our Founding Fathers intended) w/o the Christian practice which our Fathers assumed. Love & care, understanding & respect, cannot be legislated.

 

[Armoured]

=== REPLY: Yes, it's becoming clearer every day as the minority, non-Christians or whomever minority, gets more rights than our 70% Christian majority. Our traditional American principles & values, our strengths, are being stepped on and/or thrown away by seculars. Just to name a few recent situations:

1) Marriage had to be redefined to take away our national common good norm of traditional American Christian marriage -- for families & children. For the rights of 3.8%. Wedding services are being persecuted. And, just the beginning of this.

2) Today, a battle begins (again) on "In God we trust"! Again, what specific church is threatening seculars? Is this about the Christian God vs. the secular god? Is prayer in Congress a next target? 3) Youth orgs, like the Boy Scouts & YMCA, can no longer support the Christian traditional American principles & values w/o threats.

4) Personally, I've been evicted by a secularist, w no official cause (legal in most of CA) as there are no legal reasons. This is, because I've had anti-secular letters-to-the editor published and written in local blogs.

Secularists have the advantage as they can hide behind our secular law (as our Founding Fathers intended) w/o the Christian practice which our Fathers assumed. Love & care, understanding & respect, cannot be legislated.

Wedding services are being persecuted?

 

[Newswatcher]

Did anyone read about this Church?

The vandalism comes almost three weeks after a rainbow flag had been stolen from the front of the church.

A downtown church whose pastor was part of the first gay couple to receive a marriage license in Richmond County.

On Tuesday evening, about 50 members of the church, Augusta Pride and supporters of the LGBT community held a rally on the church steps as a show of solidarity.

They seem to support the Gay movement here in Augusta. Maybe the Church is the problem, not persecution?

 

[Armoured]

Did anyone read about this Church?

The vandalism comes almost three weeks after a rainbow flag had been stolen from the front of the church.

A downtown church whose pastor was part of the first gay couple to receive a marriage license in Richmond County.

On Tuesday evening, about 50 members of the church, Augusta Pride and supporters of the LGBT community held a rally on the church steps as a show of solidarity.

They seem to support the Gay movement here in Augusta. Maybe the Church is the problem, not persecution?

Rarely does one see such overt victim blaming.