“ARE YOU
PERSECUTED?”
What’s
the first thing you think about in answer to the above question? Don’t you think of some type of physical
punishment, torture, or imprisonment?
Besides physical persecution, there are other ways to be
persecuted. In short, I feel persecuted! Allow me to present my case and tell you
what I mean.
First let me just remind you how
history is replete with many, many extreme examples of physical suppression,
torture, and death enacted in the name of religion. All these are still going on in various parts
of our world as I am writing. I have a
book entitled, “On This Day In
Christian History” by Robert Morgan.
It has 365 short summaries of various Christian martyrs over the
years. [Just a few examples]
-
In
1536 William Tyndale was burned at the stake for his working on the first
translation of the Bible into English.
-
Thomas
Bilney preached and spread Tyndale’s Bible all over England Tower of London
-
Anne
Askew became a Christian; and as a result, her husband cast her out and would
not let her see her two children. She
was arrested for heresy and tortured on the ‘rack’ [she was so injured that she
never walked again]. Still she refused to recant her Christian belief and was
burned at the stake. [1546].
-
The
Crusades from Europe to the “Holy Land ”
brought about suffering and death to countless people – in the name of
religion.
-
Just
yesterday [Sunday - October 28, 2012] a bomb was detonated in a church in Kaduna , Nigeria
I’d
be remiss if I didn’t first quickly remind you of Jesus’ punishment and killing
by religious people of His day. And also
the fact that historically [or traditionally] all Jesus’ apostles, except John,
were killed because of their Christian teaching.
Of
course there are many current examples of people being tortured and killed
because of their Christian beliefs. What would you do if you were tortured and
threatened with your life? Would you
confirm or deny your Faith? What would I
do? Have you ever thought about it? In truth, in our USA
Okay,
so why and how am I persecuted? I am
definitely persecuted spiritually and
psychologically! What do I mean? I
mean that it is emotionally painful to see anti-Christian behavior, laws, and changes
in our country – a country that was absolutely founded on Christian
principles. You might still be thinking,
“What are you talking about?” I’ll list
several specific areas that cause me spiritual and psychological pain. [You can add areas that cause you pain].
·
Christianity
being excluded from many universities, most public places and public life [Christian speech and representation in
public as being not “politically correct”]
·
The
very essence of our being a Christian nation being questioned and abandoned
·
Basically
all religions being deemed as ‘acceptable’
[“As long as it ‘works’ for you”]
·
Christians
being branded as intolerant bigots and called by many “names” because of our Biblical stance on
issues
·
Abortion
·
The
national push [by the minority] to accept homosexuality and same sex marriage
as “normal”
·
The
high percentage of single parent homes
·
Divorce
·
The
horrors of HIV/AIDS [especially in the Third World ]
because of not adhering to God’s laws of sexual behavior
·
** My
list could continue. Also add your areas
of persecution. **
Am
I totally surprised by this persecution? No! Why is that? We are promised [yes, promised] persecution
in the Bible. [Jesus tells us this in John 15:18ff - Paul
tells us the same in 2 Timothy 3:12]. Of
course they are referring to physical persecution [but are they referring to
the physical only?]. My contention in
this article is that our persecution is also severe and comes in the realm of
spiritual and psychological persecution.
What do you think? I’ll deal with
this further in a future article. I’ll
deal with the “What now”? – “What can I do”? - Etc. -- Frank Black, Oct. 2012
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