persecution is coming???

i don't know about other countries, but i think Australia's going to have persecution, although perhaps not open or official, of non-compromising churches within the next 10 years, if not sooner. this is why:
1. The new anti-terrorism laws. these allow for pre-emptive house arrest of people suspected of planning terrorist attacks or inciting to terrorism.
2. Registers of religious ministers and organisations: already clerics listed as 'dangerous' have to be registered, soon it will be all religious organisations and ministers. organisations that don't register will be looked at suspiciously, and monitored by the government. as it is, churches have to register with the government if they want to receive their 10% tax rebate.
3. anti-vilification laws. these allow for prosecution of people making statements against homosexuality, other religions, &c. &c. these laws are already in place
4. laws against incitement to hatred. this can be on the basis of religion, sexual orientation, &c. &c. these laws are already in place in many states, and already a Pentecostal group has been prosecuted for 'inciting hatred' against Muslims, and had to give an official public apology.
5. laws allowing Sunday trading. in place in almost all states, these laws discriminate against those who won't work on Sunday (ask me, i just can't get a job as i won't work on Sunday).
6. New industrial relations laws: these will make it easier to fire people who won't work Sundays, or who are creating a disturbance in the workplace. this could eventually be used against Christians witnessing in the workplace.
7. Government encouraging inter-faith dialogue. the whole idea is to create wishy-washy religions that brush over all their differences and work together for peace, love, and harmony among all people.

these are some of the reasons why it will be harder to be a Christian in Australia within the next 10 years. if churches won't compromise, they'll face trouble.

perhaps hardship for the Church and Christians will help to sort out who's genuine and who's not? most of the nominal believers will drop out of Bible-believing Churches, and either leave Christianity altogether, or join some morally compromising, ecumenically minded, government-controlled "Church." it will also show us who's the true Church and who's not. we can only pray that God will send revival and genuine persecution doesn't become a reality.

i think here it will be the happy-clappy seeker-sensitive churches that will flourish, all those that are willing to engage in 'inter-faith dialogue,' be kept track of by the government, teach moral compromise, &c. &c. they will flourish as pawns in the hand of the government.
it's the churches that teach against things like homosexuality, condemn compromise to other religions, &c. that will have problems.

I am aware of much present day persecution in other countries, pastors being tried and jailed for preaching God's Word! Hard to imagine and yet even in our country a pastor was reportedly taken to jail for preaching scriptural truths regarding homosexuality! Soon even here, our pastors may have to account to government authorities for all they choose to preach to their congregations!

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we had some pastors who were prosecuted for 'inciting hatred against Muslims' (not in my Church though), they didn't go to jail, but did have to give a public apology and retraction of what they said.

coffeeswirls, that was absolutely fantastic! reps for that.