Smoky Mountains Sunrise

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

The Real Meaning of Religious Persecution


From The American Spectator
By Doug Bandow

"The persecution of Christianity in America has begun," complains Rick Scarborough of Vision America. He points to criticism of Christian supporters of California's Proposition 8, banning gay marriage, and cites an email to him "so vile that I cannot reprint the letter." He asks for contributions "to assist us as we confront the growing threat of domestic terror being perpetrated by homosexual activists."

The protests against Prop 8 backers, particularly the Mormon Church and individual Mormons, took an ugly turn. There may even be "growing hostility against religion in America and particularly against Christians," as Scarborough asserts, at least in the cultural realm. But this hostility does not amount to persecution. After all, America's outgoing president is an avowed evangelical, the Republican Party's 2008 vice presidential nominee was an outspoken evangelical, and the new president is a self-identified Christian. The last chose a high-profile evangelical minister to pray at the inaugural. Some Christians may be treated badly, but Christians are not being persecuted.


In America, that is.

Elsewhere in the world there is persecution of Christians and other religious believers. Real persecution. The faithful are arrested and imprisoned. Their homes and churches are invaded and confiscated. And hundreds or thousands every year are martyred -- sometimes by mobs and other times by governments.

Read the rest of this entry >>


1 comment:

Anonymous said...

From the American Spectator article:

"Christians still enjoy a privileged existence in America."

This may be slowly eroding through our new president's "stimulations" -- if we aren't vigilant. And determined!!!

http://www.cbn.com/CBNnews/534690.aspx

http://www.aclj.org/TrialNotebook/Read.aspx?id=725

~Mab