Is Christian persecution imagined, or is it the one distinct truth and a true reality?

oh, it's real alright.

but i find that it lessens once you make it clear that you accept and like people who don't believe, too. that's just my personal belief and it works for me. I like my friends who don't believe in god, too. I just disagree with them on religion, so we don't go there. But they accept that I believe it and they don't bash me for it.

People who don't believe seem to typically like to bash the hand-flailing ohmahluddd people and tend to lump all christians together as bible thumping jerks. But we aren't all the same.

I think what separates me from the ermergerd crowd is that I recognize and accept that i've done evil things in my life. Which makes me no better than any one else. Maybe it gives me something to feel in common with people who don't believe lol either way I don't see how we are so different when it all comes down to it.

And that's my argument for atheists: ok cool you don't believe anything. but why not be safe v. sorry and just keep the idea of god on the backburner. That way pretend I end up being right, then cool yay heaven. And if I'm wrong and you're right then no harm done, anyway!
--seems simple and logical to me ^_^

That's the thing: I think the crazed jerky bible thumpers want to feel superior and that's why they act so shiesty.

wtf double post >_<

There are some areas in the world going through religious power wars. Christianity is only one belief among others in these wars.

However, in America there is no Christian persecution.

I grew up Christian in the 50s. Over the years I have witnessed non-Christian beliefs asserting themselves.

Christianity is not being persecuted, but they are losing control and dominance. This is what they misinterpret as persecution.

It is not.

a reply to: freedom7

There seems to be an endless stream of theories regarding Christianity, Jesus Christ and the authenticity of the gospel. YET this same intense information war does not apply to other religions or schools of thoughts like Buddhism, Islam, Judaism, Wicca etc...

I have never had an atheist, Buddhist, Muslim, Jew, or Wiccan knock on my door, stop me in the mall, place flyers on my car windows, send me junk-mail looking for new converts or donations, or tell me I would be condemned for eternity for not believing like them. Nor have I seen any of those folks standing on a street corner with bible in hand, preaching to anyone that walks by. Yet, I have experienced every one of those things from Xtians and much more.

So I can't imagine why Xtianity would be one of the main religions in this "intense information war" you speak of. I can't imagine why anyone would be tired of being accosted where ever they go by Xtians trying to convert them, or get them to come to church, because they love the little heathens, and don't want us to be condemned eternally." Thanks. But no thanks.

Is Christian persecution imagined, or is it the one distinct truth and a true reality?

Of course it's a reality. Just like it's a reality that other groups are persecuted. Xtians aren't special in that regard. And lest you forget...
Matthew 5

11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

Or do you disagree with Jesus?

a reply to: freedom7 Very strange that this has come up as I have spent most of the day listening to what a YouTuber name The Vigilant Christian has to say. This guy is a very impressive young man and has renewed my faith and abolished my fears about what we are seeing in the world these days. If my last act in life was to bring your attention to him I could think of no better gift to leave this world with. Hopefully you'll feel the same. The Vigilant Christian
Be Vigilant and Fear Not.

This is what a true Christian is.

Sure, there are two kinds of "Atheists" but there are different kinds of Christians as well. But what makes Christianity the RIGHT religion? If you're a Christian and you know an Atheist, do you think it sucks to be them they weren't born Christian? Or that they decided Christianity or religion were just not viable choices for their evolving minds? Learn the history of religion, where it originates, why it was used to persecute and control, why it claimed to have answers that are easily proved false? How can you be a Christian and believe the earth really isn't 6,000 years old? Your Bible tells you it is, but you purposely choose NOT to believe it....

Rev. Faye Pama Musa, 52, was one of 2,123 Christians killed last year due to their faith, compared to 1,201 in 2012. Iraq

documented 2,123 "martyr" killings, compared with 1,201 in 2012. Syria

arrested, detained, tried, convicted, jailed. Iran. Numbers are hard to get, some stories get out.

Saudi Arabia Declares Destruction of All Churches in Region Conversion to Christianity Punished by Death.

Dozens killed as suicide bombers attack Christians. Afghanistan. Sep 22, 2013 · The attack comes as the country’s Christian minority lives in increasing fear of violence from militant groups.

Killings of Christians By Islamists Doubled in 2013. Yemen. Doctors killed in ministry raid over use of the word Allah. And a whole string of the most brutal type of hang em up and kill em slowly individual Christian slayings.



That inane babble the networks try to pass off as news has no reflection on anything that is currently real. By 2013 Christians are increasingly fleeing Islamic countries.

a reply to: mikegrouchy

Please provide link.

originally posted by: Annee
a reply to: mikegrouchy

Please provide link.

Favorite search engine +"Christians killed", click on news.


Mike Grouchy

Please provide link.

Favorite search engine +"Christians killed", click on news.

Mike Grouchy

Your chart has a web address. It's specifically a "we are persecuted Christians" site.

Yes Christians are persecuted. But, so are other beliefs.

(Just the first site I pulled up)

If Christians are persecuted in many parts of the world, so are Muslims, Hindus, atheists, Buddhists and Jews. If Christians are persecutors in other (or sometimes the same) parts of the world: as are Muslims, Hindus, atheists, Buddhists and Jews. The fact that such a list of persecutors can include Buddhists, probably the faith least renowned for its zeal or intolerance, is a strong indication that by and large we are dealing with group rivalries, hatred of minorities, political struggles and only rarely a persecution based in the specifics of Christian theology.

www.newstatesman.com...

originally posted by: Annee

originally posted by: mikegrouchy

originally posted by: Annee
a reply to: mikegrouchy

Please provide link.

Favorite search engine +"Christians killed", click on news.

Mike Grouchy

Your chart has a web address. It's specifically a "we are persecuted Christians" site.

Yes Christians are persecuted. But, so are other beliefs.

I let someone else carry the water, make the chart, yes. The number of burnt churches since the 90's is staggering. As to the rest, Christians are persecuted. Yes. That's what I'm saying.


Mike Grouchy

originally posted by: mikegrouchy

originally posted by: Annee

originally posted by: mikegrouchy

originally posted by: Annee
a reply to: mikegrouchy

Please provide link.

Favorite search engine +"Christians killed", click on news.

Mike Grouchy

Your chart has a web address. It's specifically a "we are persecuted Christians" site.

Yes Christians are persecuted. But, so are other beliefs.

I let someone else carry the water, make the chart, yes. The number of burnt churches since the 90's is staggering. As to the rest, Christians are persecuted. Yes. That's what I'm saying.

Mike Grouchy

Don't be Grouchy. It just helps to know the bias of any article or info.

In my experience, raised Christian, now atheist. Christisns tend to be pushy with their proselytizing. Some Christians in Islamic countries are "home grown", I know that. But, many others choose to go where they probably shouldn't.

According to Pope Benedict XVI, Christians are the most persecuted group in the contemporary world. The Holy See has reported that over 100,000 Christians are violently killed annually because of some relation to their faith. According to the World Evangelical Alliance, over 200 million Christians are denied fundamental human rights solely because of their faith. Of the 100-200 million Christians under assault, the majority are persecuted in Muslim-dominated nations. Christians suffer numerically more than any other faith groups or groups without faith in the world. Of the world's three largest religions Christians are the most proportionally persecuted with 80% of all acts of religious discrimination being directed at Christians who only make up 33% of the world's population.

Every year, the Christian non-profit organization Open Doors publishes a list of the top 50 countries where persecution of Christians for religious reasons is worst. The 2014 list has the following countries as its top 10 offenders:

1. North Korea
2. Somalia
3. Syria
4. Iraq
5. Afghanistan
6. Saudi Arabia
7. Maldives
8. Pakistan
9. Iran
10. Yemen

wikipedia / persecution of christians

a reply to: mikegrouchy

Number wise there are more Christians then the other religions.

Quantity over percentage. If you have 10 people with a belief, then all are killed. Which group is more persecuted?

Islam is persecuted in 131 countries, Christians in 151. There are more Christians then Muslims.

originally posted by: Annee
a reply to: mikegrouchy

Number wise there are more Christians then the other religions.

Quantity over percentage. If you have 10 people with a belief, then all are killed. Which group is more persecuted?

What a trite and demeaning little game being played here, weighing two straws. A thread is made where a bunch of first worlders are amusing themselves over the weighty matter of where the truth lies between -fiction - and - maybe- as the reality of Christian persecution, I state that it is far more real and censored that most even remotely imagine, and the replies, while no longer mirthful feel like someone is just rearranging drink straws.


Mike Grouchy

originally posted by: mikegrouchy

originally posted by: Annee
a reply to: mikegrouchy

Number wise there are more Christians then the other religions.

Quantity over percentage. If you have 10 people with a belief, then all are killed. Which group is more persecuted?

What a trite and demeaning little game being played here, weighing two straws. A thread is made where a bunch of first worlders are amusing themselves over the weighty matter of where the truth lies between -fiction - and - maybe- as the reality of Christian persecution, I state that it is far more real and censored that most even remotely imagine, and the replies, while no longer mirthful feel like someone is just rearranging drink straws.

Mike Grouchy

Like the paragraph I posted, it's a lot more then religion ---- it's about politics and power. Islamic state makes it very clear who's in power. It's not as much about religion, as it is about power. They persecute their own if they challenge the power. Didn't Jesus say something about praying silently? You' re Christian and you challenge this power. Are you nuts?

I was some form of Christian for about 60 years. They think they corner the market on being persecuted. They don't.

And I find it very egotistical that they go into areas for prosteltizing that they shouldn't.

a reply to: freedom7

I think it exists because religion is not fashionable these days, and also because people are generally intolerant these days.

The atheists who rip on Christianity are - interestingly - fundamentalist in their views and are almost creating a religion for themselves out of disbelief and mockery.

There are intolerant Christians who do their faith no favours, preaching tolerance towards their faith / citing from the bible while condemning others - that doesn't help and there are some real Christian fundamentalists out there who just act like idiots - the recent case of a preacher who stopped a funeral half way through because he found out the deceased was gay is a good example.

originally posted by: Annee

Like the paragraph I posted, it's a lot more then religion ---- it's about politics and power. Islamic state makes it very clear who's in power. It's not as much about religion, as it is about power. They persecute their own if they challenge the power. Didn't Jesus say something about praying silently? You' re Christian and you challenge this power. Are you nuts?

I was some form of Christian for about 60 years. They think they corner the market on being persecuted. They don't.

And I find it very egotistical that they go into areas for prosteltizing that they shouldn't.

Well said, feels right, and I agree. I guess I panicked a bit when the "remain silently" seemed to be a major crime of omission happening in the discussion. As to power, if it is about power, then is seems to be poorly organized power. The Christian persecution that is.


Mike Grouchy

a reply to: freedom7

If you were the devil, and the beings you hated more then anything in this world had the truth and were truly trying to connect with God and bring light into this world it would only stand to reason that you would put a special emphasis on targeting them.

Why would the devil do that. didnt jesus say it is sufficient that you are the light. Or do you need a devil to make your cult special, ie an adversary.

a reply to: freedom7

Most of the posters on this forum are either Christians or ex-Christians. It isn't surprising that this is the religion that is talked about more than any other religion here. But it's not like such things aren't discussed.

Islam's Incorruptible Qur'an Is Corrupt
That thread has gone on for 53 pages now.

By the way, the reason I don't trust Jesus is because all the claims made about his divinity and his actions on Earth violate the laws of physics. I'm not going to believe in something that defies sound scientific principles. Especially when the source for those claims, the bible, is an old book of subjective evidence.