PLAYING THE PERSECUTION CARD

From Benjamin Corey’s blog about so called persecution of Christians in this country. Ken Ham referenced an Atlanta Fire Chief who wrote a book condemning homosexuality etc. Up front  he has the right to write the book. He has the right to use it in his Bible study class. He didn’t have the right to bring copies of his self published tome to the fire house and try to distribute them to his subordinates. He didn’t lose his job because he was a Christian. He lost it, in part, because he was using his position to in effect intimidate those under him. This is the comment that set off my post.

"That firefighter has a duty to preach the Gospel of Christ. What he did was not wrong in any sense, him being fired is just another example of what a godless, pagan culture we live in .

Christians have been persecuted since Christ ascended to heaven. We will not stop being laughed at and mocked at until Christ returns."

Guess what. If you insist that the earth is only 6,000 years old; that the earth is the center of the universe and that the Bible is a science text book don’t be surprised if the most polite reactions are snickers behind the hands followed by quick exits and hysterical laughter from the other side of the door.  That’s not persecution. It’s pity. Especially for any kids you may be “home schooling.”

Now on to the subject at hand. He did not have duty to preach the gospel on the taxpayers dime in a public building supported with the taxes of every citizen of the city to his subordinates. He can preach all he wants, hire a hall, stand on a street corner, build his own church. Nobody is going to stop him. Probably won't even throw ripe tomatoes at him.

To those who cry persecution when what is really happening is that you are faced with equal treatment under the law.

I assume your pastor is still walking free. Still holding Bible study classes. Still prepping that sermon for next Sunday. He or she hasn't been arrested. Hasn't suddenly disappeared. Hasn't been gunned down in a local cane field. Didn't get run over by a tank after being gunned down. Hasn't been accused of being a "subversive" recently.

Anybody try to stop you from going to church last Sunday?  Any troops or cops blocking the entrance to the parking lot on that morning?  If you hold a Bible study at home are there any unmarked cars parked across the street watching who is coming and going and taking notes and pictures?  Any soldiers show up and turn your church into a barracks? Is the Bible in a translation of your choice still available at the local book store or on Amazon?  Can a Catholic lay church worker make a delivery of consecrated Hosts to a small rural church without fear of being searched and murdered by the local death squads? Ever see any graffiti on the walls near where you live that reads along the lines of “be a patriot, kill a priest?

 Has any congregation in this country ever been told at the end of funeral as mourners in Latin America attending a mass for murdered student activists were told,  “stay inside the cathedral because the troops are outside and there's nowhere to run?”

Forgive me, I don't remember off hand where this happened. I THINK it was Argentina but I’m not going to bet the farm on it. The priests and other celebrants proceeded to go outside and begin walking towards the soldiers. Miraculously (I guess miracles do happen sometimes) the soldiers fell back and kept falling back until enough space in front of the cathedral had been cleared so that those inside had a fighting chance of getting down an alley or a side street. All of these events happened in Central and South America during the Reagan and Bush I years. And worse.

Oh, and BTW can your church have a cross outside or on the roof without the government (China) telling you to take it down? Or worse bulldoze the whole building. Or arrest you for belonging to a congregation that isn’t sanctioned by the state? Give me a freakin' break.

Here’s some icing for that cake. Has the Christian population of this country fallen by seventy five percent since say, 2003? This is happening in Iraq right now. In part, thanks to our “Crusade” and experiment in regime change. There were nearly a million Christians in Iraq when the war started. The number is closer to a quarter million and some of them are still there just because they haven’t had a chance to leave yet. There have been Christians in that part of the world since the beginning. Some of them still speak Aramaic. You know, the language Jesus is supposed to have spoken.

Frankly your claims are embarrassing. There are many places in many countries where Christians face real persecution ranging from being blocked from using the village well in India to being accused of apostasy from Islam even though you were raised a Christian by a Christian mother in Sudan. Please save the crocodile tears for the Hams and Corchorans and try to find a way to really help those who truly are in danger.