If you don't believe me, just ask Abdul Rahman, the Afghan Christian convert on trial for switching religions. He's damned if they convict him, and damned if they don't because there's a lynch mob waiting for him if he's released.
I've also just done a book review on the persecution of Christians entitled "Their Blood Cries Out" which is a little dated (published in 1997) but is still moving in its accounts of the ferocious attrocities perpetrated against followers of Jesus.
If that's not enough, the Asian Church History class I'm taking over at PTS covered what is known as the great Sassanian persecution of Christians in Persia in 340AD. This was "the most massive persecution of Christians in history, unequalled for its duration, its ferocity and the number of martyrs" (Moffett's A History of Christianity in Asia Vol.1)
This opposition is just about every where. In an editorial entitled "Cutting at Christianity" by Nora Gallagher in the LA Times on March 24, 2006, the author said, "It's become fashionable to take shots at the Christian religion. In a lot of otherwise civilized circles, the faithful and the faith itself are an easy object of prejudice; and worse, it's a prejudice you can get away with."
She ends the op-ed by pining for the "good old days" of pre-Constantine Christianity. She thinks that there were kinder gentler times in Jesus' day. But listen to what he said...
"If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember the words I spoke to you: 'No servant is greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also." John 15:18-20 (NIV)
So it doesn't get any better folks, we'll just have to get used to it... Or eat some worms.
1 comment:
Buck up Jon, I love you. :-)
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