Persecution

I saw this link on Facebook recently, to an article that listed "evidence" that President Obama is hostile toward Christians.

I saw it more as a list of ways Christians aren't treated preferentially above other religions anymore.

And I'm OK with that.

Let me make one thing clear: I absolutely believe that Christianity is the only path to God. But let me make another thing clear: I don't believe legislating Christian morals is a way to save anyone...wouldn't that mean we're saved by works? Christianity is about a change of heart that happens when Jesus transforms our lives. And no one is going to have their heart changed for Jesus because gay marriage is illegal.

So, that being established: I think what Christians often see as government persecution is really us losing the ability to oppress other faiths.

Here was my response on the link: "It just bugs me when American Christians get all bent out of shape about the 'persecution' that occurs in America. It is not persecution when Obama doesn't participate in the National Day of Prayer. It would be persecution if Obama sent the police out to arrest and imprison anyone who prayed on the National Day of Prayer. It is not persecution when Target won't say "Merry Christmas." I think what we're really upset about isn't hostility or persecution or preferential treatment of anyone else, it's that we're not getting the preferential treatment anymore. Persecution is when the government will not let you practice your own religious beliefs without fear of punishment. MAYBE the whole employers must cover abortion thing goes into that. But even that is a stretch, in my opinion. Seems to me persecution in that case would be the government limiting the number of children you can legally have (like China did), thus forcing you to get an abortion or break the law if you get pregnant after that number. In my opinion, Obama has done nothing to infringe on my personal rights as a Christian, and this article hasn't given any evidence that he has. Therefore, I don't consider him hostile at all."

Someone responded, noting that Obama manages to host a Ramadan dinner every year. I don't see why that's a problem. He's not forcing anyone else to observe Ramadan. When did it become hostility or persecution toward Christians that other people have freedom to celebrate other faiths?

We live in a country that was, at least in theory, built on religious freedom. But Christianity was emphasized, at least on a verbal level. So we as Christians have gotten used to a certain standard where we expect Christianity to be touted above other religions. And as this supremacy has gradually slipped out of our grasp (and not all under Obama), we feel we're being persecuted.

I think we need to put on our big girl panties and get over it. We are so spoiled we don't even know what persecution means. And we're belittling the suffering of people who do.