What Exactly Constitutes "PERSECUTION" For Most Christians?

Question

1) Not being popular or liked
2) No interest in your beliefs or in converting
3) Not being praised for being Christian
4) Having questions asked about your faith
5) Having someone object to one of your doctrines or scriptures or interpretation or sect traditions
6) Having someone call your faith- untrue, or silly or unfounded
7) Being made fun of, teased, ridiculed verbally.
8) Being left out of social groups because of your faith
9) Seeing non-Christians get more popular, successful than you
10) Not seeing your religion get preferential treatment every single time in popular culture, education etc.

And why is it persecution when you receive such treatment but if I receive such treatment from a Christian I must consider it, "Loving interest to show me the right way?"
Why are your feelings and faith more deserving than mine of special treatment? Please explain.

No disrespect meant. Honest answers, no rants or cut & pastes please.

Answer 1

I understand your point. Christians in America do not know what persecution is. Let them go to China, Korea, Saudi Arabia, or these jungle nations in Africa and see what persecution is. In some nations around the world Chrisians are being killed for their belief. Christians in america are simple fussing over nonsense like "why do we have all the denominations?". Those Christians in the African nations that are hiding out in secret, afraid of being killed by the nation, would love the freedom to have different belief styles. American Christians does not know about persecution.

Answer 2

OK I'LL TRY TO ANSWER THIS ONE WITH SOME UP FRONT DISCLOSURE,

I AM A CATHOLIC, I NEVER GO TO CHURCH , I'D MOST LIKELY BE BOOTED UNDER MAN MADE REASONS.

BUT I CONSIDER MYSELF A CAUTIOUS BELIVER IN JESUS (MUCH MAN MADE INFLUENCE ON ORIGINAL MSG OVER 2000 TEARS :)

THREFORE I'M CHRISTIAN

I DO NOT STOMACHE EVANGELICALS WELL EITHER

BUT THEY ARE NOT ALL CHRISTIANS OR EVEN MOST AT LAST COUNT

BUT I DO NOT JUDGE THEM AS A GROUP AND I WOULD LAY DOWN AT THE FEET OF THEM OR ANY JEW, MUSLIM, BUDDIST, ATHIEST OR ANYONE WHO WAS BEING PERSECUTED BASED ON BELIEFS

I'M HAPPY TO SAY THATS THE AMERICAN IN ME.

YOU ASK SO MUCH I ANSWERED IT LINE BY LINE.

1) Not being popular or liked

Yes If not like just because of being A CHRISTIAN.

2) No interest in your beliefs or in converting

no

3) Not being praised for being Christian

no

4) Having questions asked about your faith

no

5) Having someone object to one of your doctrines or scriptures or interpretation or sect traditions

no

6) Having someone call your faith- untrue, or silly or unfounded

no

7) Being made fun of, teased, ridiculed verbally.

Yes if just because being A C.

8) Being left out of social groups because of your faith

YES

9) Seeing non-Christians get more popular, successful than you

yes if only because of being A C.



10) Not seeing your religion get preferential treatment every single time in popular culture, education etc.



MY VIEW IS no preferential treatment NO EXCUSES



And why is it persecution when you receive such treatment

MY VIEW IS no preferential treatment NO EXCUSES





but if I receive such treatment from a Christian I must consider it, "Loving interest to show me the right way?"

MOST OF THEM REALLY THING ITS THIER JOB TO GUIDE YOU? I HATE THAT TOO.

Why are your feelings and faith more deserving than mine of special treatment?

MY VIEW IS no preferential treatment NO EXCUSES



Please explain.

I TRIED HOPE IT WAS HELPFUL.





No disrespect meant.

NONE TAKEN :)

Honest answers

ALWAYS :)

I LEAVE YOU WITH THIS FROM A FAVORITE 20TH CENTURY PROFIT



FATHERS OF THE FUTURE PLEASE TELL YOUR CHILDREN BEFORE ITS TOO LATE,

TO FIGHT EACH OTHER THERE IS NO WINNING

WE MUST FIGHT ALL THE HATE

OZZY OSBOURNE

:)

Answer 3

Persecution to Jehovah's Witnesses means being imprisioned, beatings, banned from practicing, death.



In France, priests openly insited crowds to beat up women and tear up literature, burn homes and kingdom halls.



African countries both government and rebel leaders alike persecute JWs by beatings, imprisonment and death for not taking part in their political rivalries. For just not having a political card.



Torture is always part of imprisonment. Conditions that American prisoners would riot about are standard. Brain washing is also a favorite among the more patient torturers. Except it usually does not work with JWs because our faith is based in our whole hearts, our lives, not just what is done on one day of the week.



Also in America, during WWII, it meant imprisonment for holding to Bible principals and not joining in the politics. Some were held for years. Interestingly, the Nazis did the same thing. In the death camps, all they would have had to do was a "heil Hitler" and they would have gone free. None did.



My grandparents were arrested off the street leaving three young children on the street where they were walking for being witnesses. This was in North Carolina, USA during WWII.

Answer 4

Former Christian turned Taoist.



I remember my pastor telling me things like "One day someone will shoot eveyone that's a Christian" Well considering that 85% of the pop. in America is Christian, i find that hard to believe. Christians won't rest until all of America is a "Christian Nation" with the Govt ran by more and more "Christian Values" and teaching Christian Beliefs in the public school system. Also they would prob want all the media to revolve around Christians also. Then they will say "everyone who isn't Chrstian can leave!"

Answer 5

Some in this country think that someone persecuted them by putting a shopping cart behind their car.



What does that say to you?



Most seem to have enough of a clue to remember that whole "Thrown to the lions" era of the religion and realize that christianity has it pretty nice here in the US.



It's just the ones you actually hear about which buy into those.

Answer 6

because their religion may be rather odd like the mormon faith. they believe their founding leader saw god and jesus above his head. and then the angel moroni told joseph smith where the golden plates were to the history of an ancient american tribe, not indians, and that the tribe saw jesus in the clouds over america. now to a lot of christians that's pretty strange. so odd religous groups are persecuted for such beliefs.

Answer 7

We aren't looking for self-praise or praise from other men, we are trying to gain favor with God. Its not a popularity contest. We welcome reasonable questions about having faith. Scripture speaks for itself; you question it, you question God. Ridicule is futile and petty, not worth entertaining. We have fellowship open to any non-believers, and aren't cliques or exclusive to believers. Again, living for God is not a popularity contest. What we care about is getting God's attention, not seeking special treatment from other men.



We only try to spread truth, weeding out the distorted perceptions and lies about the Word of God. We often get accused of doing stuff that was intended to spread love, but the perception gets distorted into a crime. Jesus was accused of blasphemy by the people, and Barabbas was released because committing murder was less criminal than blasphemy. Jesus was persecuted for proclaiming something the people thought he was not. Jesus did not have a criminal record. But Barabbas had a laundry list.



So, after the longwinded explanation, to me as a Christ follower, persecutions are accusations by non-believers who think that Christians who love God are more threatening than the known felon next door. There's nothing farther from the truth.

Answer 8

Your list omits the reality of Christians in other countries.

What you list is not persecution, it is mere human rudeness in the "civilized" West.

Christians are still persecuted with death threats (Arab Countries), people hunting them down (Tanzania), singled out for starvation (as in the southern Sudan & Darfur), being restricted in their ability to congregate, worship together and being arrested and beaten for promoting the Gospel (China, India, and most Islamic ruled nations. Even in Jerusalem, one cannot open their Bible while visiting and walking on the Temple Mount.

Just because you do not see it in your neighborhood, does not mean severe and lethal persecution is not going on in other places. Christians are still dying for their faith in Jesus Christ.

Answer 9

I don't think very many Americans (or American Christians in particular) have any idea what persecution is. Discrimination, maybe, but not persecution. In a lot of countries, you can be killed because of your religious beliefs, but I think that that is relatively rare here.

If any of the above happens to me, I just move on. Life's too short (and too good) to let stuff like that bother me.

Answer 10

I don't consider 1-10 to be actual persecution,because those are to be expected. Real persecution would be if someone would actually physically harm me in any way because of my beliefs. Since that hasn't happened,I don't consider myself to be a persecuted Christian.

I have to say that minority groups(homosexuals,atheists,etc.) are persecuted daily. I may not condone homosexuality,and I may not agree on the atheist stance,but I can in no way condone the abominable way they are treated in our society,either by religious or non-religious groups,most especially if they are attacked physically.

Answer 11

there is no real problem with persecution in the US for the most part



however it is very real in other countries, men are beat, and bruised and left for dead, some even stoned and that is today, as well as attempts of kidnapping family and threats of death, with the country not stopping the threats. these are all things my pastor has seen for himself in his mission trip not rumors but real events, and only a few.

Answer 12

Anyone having an opinion that does not fit comfortably within the narrow range of my dogmatic beliefs persecutes me by their mere existence.

Answer 13

Not being able to terminated the employment, housing agreements or any other contract with homosexuals without legal repercussions...oh wait..they can still do that.

Answer 14

Persecution is being ridiculed or berated for your beliefs (much like what goes on on this forum). The bible says we will go through persecution in this life because we are Christians.

Answer 15

Persecution can be anything from general harassment to death. It happens everyday...all over the world. (Death generally doesn't happen in the U.S.A. but harassment is another story.) Not everyone...and not all the time.



Jesus tells us in the book of John (chapter 16...I think) that we live in a world full of trouble. He's right.



Peace be with you.

Answer 16

Being ridiculed and bashed defending my faith in Christ.

Answer 17

Someone made me think about my beliefs once. It was very uncomfortable

Answer 18

How can you expect to gat an honest answer with no rants or disrespect when that is all that your question is.

Answer 19

This may help you to understand their persecution and daily struggles that make christians' lives so difficult.



http://atheist-community.org/images/cartoon/2N121218JHy191215Q9eQ.jpg

Answer 20

Not believing their 3 in one god is Monotheism.



They cant get over that one cause they know it is polytheism deep down.



.

Answer 21

Standing against liberal, mentally-ill ways of our time and being ridiculed for it. However, it's a compliment.

Answer 22

LOL pray to jesus

Answer 23

I have been spit in my face by a Jewish woman while I was sharing on the street from the Jewish Scriptures the Messiah Jesus-i call that persecution. But I got even with her=She said "You are a disgrace to our Jewish people talking about Jesus" I said "I have not mentioned a name, I am reading Isaiah chapter 53 from the Hebrew Mazoretic text of the Jewish Scriptures, and you spit on me and say I am talking about Jesus, maybe you are seeing something.

why not see the big persecution=extremist muslim terrorism of those that believe in Jesus=the God of Israel is to be the God of the muslims too even if you have a different covenant as a gentile=non Jew-it is given in acts-not to eat blood, fornicate or eat food offered to idols.

the issue is what will you do with Jesus the Messiah for the whole world-the only one given as without sin in the Koran.



ISAIAH 9:6 SAYS "Unto us is born a child, a son is given, and he will be ALMIGHTY GOD and the prince of PEACE.

hopefully those that have determined to destroy the simple truth of salvation in Jesus will see the light



and those (most Muslims are for peace and I have many Islamic friends-in fact in Israel as in Jerusalem they are my best friends and live peaceably with their Jewish neighbors like me when i am there.) Yet in extreme in Islam they are determined to destroy the truth of salvation in Jesus, and all non muslims -and those trying to be free of these terrorists in those countries will be comfortable when they come to know the Messiah Jesus as best friend too. thinking all the way back to before we got there and the Iraq mass destruction of its own people and its neighbors even as we prepared to go there to help?

to those Muslims in the bombings of the Golden Mosque and the Sunni and Shiite contined blowing up of each others mosques and pulling out each others muslim leaders and murdering them in the street? why not cartoons of Mohamed marrying a little 9 year old child at 40 years old-they show others on their way to prison that do such things!

Iraq has had weapons of mass destruction-they used poison gas on their own people-the Kurds in Iraq and slaughtered hundreds of thousands there and in their neighbor country where they burned their oil fields before we forced them to leave. The question today is will we yield to the liberal media and pull out of Iraq and let the terrorists take over for a terrorist muslim base paid for by the oil to terrorize the non muslim infadels for mohamed against the love of Jesus-who says to love your enemies and share the gospel-which is being done right now freely in Iraq-where when it was said that some muslims are terrorsts-they answered we will kill all the Christians in our country unless you take back that statement.





ok-WWJD what would Jesus do-He cares about all people heart and soul, so true believers in Jesus love others, and love them enough to share-.the Book insists that all mankind "must be born again," that is, they must be "changed from their carnal and fallen state" or" they can in no wise inherit the kingdom of God." It proclaims one must "become a new creature" by having "spiritually been born of God" and by having "experienced this mighty change in your hearts" to receive the new birth.



there are only two destinies for mankind: eternal happiness or eternal misery. Those who die rejecting Christ receive eternal torment, with no second chance after death. They are "cast into fire, from whence there is no return" and "must go into the place prepared for them, even a lake of fire" Revelation 19-22nd chapters and heavens joy for those born anew is givent here too.

Thus we have as follows

"For by grace are you saved by faith and not of works, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any one should boast." Ephesians 2:8&9

sharing truth with those in error who are unwilling to come to total salvation in Jesus-most often leads to their being set in their error and further blindness on their part.

I am born Jewish and for believing in Jesus, I was kicked out of my own Synagogue for believing the Jewish prophecies as given and Isaiah 52:13-53:12 "He will be rejected and lay down his life to make an atonement for our sins."

In Salvation there is only one way=Jesus way! any other way added or subtracted is a false way.



John 3 Repent of sin and be born again, Revelation 3:19&20 Jesus says I love you and knock on your heart door to come in deliver from sin if you repent-even of one lie, and become your helper and personal friend."



I prayed "Jesus I am sorry for my sins, come into my heart and help me, be my friend, amen." A NEW LIFE BEGAN FOR ME WITH MY MESSIAH JESUS MY SAVIOR AND NOW BEST FRIEND.



even as you can see there is possibility of truth as given above in the secular world -in the spiritual world-the door of their minds was opened that God's word is right in Jesus -but Jesus said if you add to my word you will get plagues-Revelation 22nd chapter=the closing chapter to the word of God.



well even if you disagree with me I love you and as a friend, and pray for you too to help the error to end, as my love and care I send, David