Christians often claim that they are persecuted for their beliefs in Jesus. I was a Christian for over 30 years and experienced very little persecution for being a Christian, even though I was quite open about it. The worst I got was some friendly teasing from atheists, which I gave right back, which earnt their respect and friendship.
So, a question for both current Christians and former Christians.
Honestly... are you regularly persecuted for being a Christian?
Have you suffered any real serious persecution, eg been beaten up or physically injured? Psychological trauma of any kind?
Hopefully people will be honest about this.
Were/are you regularly persecuted for being a Christian?
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Were/are you regularly persecuted for being a Christian?
Post #1Society and its morals evolve and will continue to evolve. The bible however remains the same and just requires more and more apologetics and claims of "metaphors" and "symbolism" to justify it.
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Re: Were/are you regularly persecuted for being a Christian?
Post #11Which I have never said to anyone here, so thus cannot be accused of persecution or even being uncivil. Thinking something is hardly considered persecution.bjs wrote: [Replying to OnceConvinced]
Saying “I may think it but, but I don’t say it,� is saying it.
Please provide evidence that I have ever persecuted any Christians here on this website. Your apology seems very empty when you continue to insist that I have persecuted Christians. I have never done any such thing.bjs wrote:
My apologies if you feel that I have been uncivil. However, in this case I was stating an objective fact, not an opinion.
When? Please do show me an example. Thinking about it is not the same as doing it. Persecution requires some kind of act aimed at someone in particular. Please point out any time in the last 10 years where I have ever persecuted another member of this website. Back up your accusation or retract it.bjs wrote: You have stated what you consider the standard for persecution is, and then you have done literally that exact thing.
Society and its morals evolve and will continue to evolve. The bible however remains the same and just requires more and more apologetics and claims of "metaphors" and "symbolism" to justify it.
Prayer is like rubbing an old bottle and hoping that a genie will pop out and grant you three wishes.
There is much about this world that is mind boggling and impressive, but I see no need whatsoever to put it down to magical super powered beings.
Check out my website: Recker's World
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Post #12
Moderator Commentbjs wrote:
And now as an atheist you treat Christians the way that you say you treated others when you called yourself a Christian. You say you used to persecute others, and your treatment of others has not changed.
Uncalled for and unfounded accusation, please refrain.
Please review the Rules.
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Moderator comments do not count as a strike against any posters. They only serve as an acknowledgment that a post report has been received, but has not been judged to warrant a moderator warning against a particular poster. Any challenges or replies to moderator postings should be made via Private Message to avoid derailing topics.
My theological positions:
-God created us in His image, not the other way around.
-The Bible is redeemed by it's good parts.
-Pure monotheism, simple repentance.
-YHVH is LORD
-The real Jesus is not God, the real YHVH is not a monster.
-Eternal life is a gift from the Living God.
-Keep the Commandments, keep your salvation.
-I have accepted YHVH as my Heavenly Father, LORD and Savior.
I am inspired by Jesus to worship none but YHVH, and to serve only Him.
-God created us in His image, not the other way around.
-The Bible is redeemed by it's good parts.
-Pure monotheism, simple repentance.
-YHVH is LORD
-The real Jesus is not God, the real YHVH is not a monster.
-Eternal life is a gift from the Living God.
-Keep the Commandments, keep your salvation.
-I have accepted YHVH as my Heavenly Father, LORD and Savior.
I am inspired by Jesus to worship none but YHVH, and to serve only Him.
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Post #13
Moderator Warningbjs wrote: [Replying to OnceConvinced]
Saying “I may think it but, but I don’t say it,� is saying it.
My apologies if you feel that I have been uncivil. However, in this case I was stating an objective fact, not an opinion. You have stated what you consider the standard for persecution is, and then you have done literally that exact thing.
Repeating a charge, needlessly personal. Calling "foul" on this.
Please review our Rules.
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Moderator warnings count as a strike against users. Additional violations in the future may warrant a final warning. Any challenges or replies to moderator postings should be made via Private Message to avoid derailing topics.
My theological positions:
-God created us in His image, not the other way around.
-The Bible is redeemed by it's good parts.
-Pure monotheism, simple repentance.
-YHVH is LORD
-The real Jesus is not God, the real YHVH is not a monster.
-Eternal life is a gift from the Living God.
-Keep the Commandments, keep your salvation.
-I have accepted YHVH as my Heavenly Father, LORD and Savior.
I am inspired by Jesus to worship none but YHVH, and to serve only Him.
-God created us in His image, not the other way around.
-The Bible is redeemed by it's good parts.
-Pure monotheism, simple repentance.
-YHVH is LORD
-The real Jesus is not God, the real YHVH is not a monster.
-Eternal life is a gift from the Living God.
-Keep the Commandments, keep your salvation.
-I have accepted YHVH as my Heavenly Father, LORD and Savior.
I am inspired by Jesus to worship none but YHVH, and to serve only Him.
- Tired of the Nonsense
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Re: Were/are you regularly persecuted for being a Christian?
Post #14Kids believe and fiercely defend whatever their parents tell them. I remember getting into a fist fight with another kid when I was in elementary school because he denied that Lucifer and Satan were the same thing. Because I had it on rock solid assurance from my mother and my aunt that Lucifer IS Satan. And that was as indisputable as it got. I have since come to understand that Lucifer and Satan are NOT the same thing Biblically, and the other kid was actually right. We were essentially fighting over nonsense anyway, but I could not wrap my mind around the possibility that what I had been told might not be undeniably true. Because kids develop a strong sense of simplistic loyalty to whatever they perceive as "the truth," and don't really have the capacity to reason out the strengths and weaknesses of their arguments. My mother and aunt, as it turned out, were not the end all and be all of rock solid accuracy. Unfortunately all too often some people never develop the ability to think and reason for themselves as adults either, and continue to go on mindlessly defending whatever they were brought up to believe in. Simply perpetuating nonsense because their mommy said so.rikuoamero wrote: [Replying to post 5 by bjs]
OC sayswhile you defined persecution against atheists and people of other religions as purely verbal assaults. It seems like a double standard
You called it persecution to call atheists “idiots for believing in evolution.�
I persecuted atheists calling them idiots for believing in evolution. As a kid, I even punched an atheist in the nose once for bad mouthing Jesus, causing his nose to gush.
"The word God is for me nothing more than the expression and product of human weaknesses, the Bible a collection of honorable, but still primitive legends which are nevertheless pretty childish. No interpretation no matter how subtle can (for me) change this." -- Albert Einstein -- Written in 1954 to Jewish philosopher Erik Gutkind.
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Re: Were/are you regularly persecuted for being a Christian?
Post #15[Replying to post 14 by Tired of the Nonsense]
Defend yourself on the field of honour. I choose pistols at dawn.
Le gasp! They're not? How dare you? slaps you with a gloveI have since come to understand that Lucifer and Satan are NOT the same thing Biblically,
Defend yourself on the field of honour. I choose pistols at dawn.
Your life is your own. Rise up and live it - Richard Rahl, Sword of Truth Book 6 "Faith of the Fallen"
I condemn all gods who dare demand my fealty, who won't look me in the face so's I know who it is I gotta fealty to. -- JoeyKnotHead
Some force seems to restrict me from buying into the apparent nonsense that others find so easy to buy into. Having no religious or supernatural beliefs of my own, I just call that force reason. -- Tired of the Nonsense
Re: Were/are you regularly persecuted for being a Christian?
Post #16[Replying to post 1 by OnceConvinced]
I was never really persecuted for being a Christian, aside from rude comments, and sometimes criticism from family members. But nothing that was really damaging.
The worst situation I ever knew about among the Christians that I know was a friend who became a Christian and her family strongly objected. She went to what she thought was a family reunion at a cabin in the mountains, only to find that it was an intervention. They took away her car keys and her phone, wouldn't allow her to leave or contact anyone for several days. Of course her friends became concerned when she didn't return, but no one really knew her exact location and assumed she was with her family. She didn't show up for work for a couple of days and lost her job. So, I'd say that was a pretty damaging event. Didn't change her mind about being a Christian though.
I would guess this kind of thing is pretty rare in the US. Then again, I don't recall anyone among the Christians that I know claiming that they are "regularly persecuted for being a Christian."
I was never really persecuted for being a Christian, aside from rude comments, and sometimes criticism from family members. But nothing that was really damaging.
The worst situation I ever knew about among the Christians that I know was a friend who became a Christian and her family strongly objected. She went to what she thought was a family reunion at a cabin in the mountains, only to find that it was an intervention. They took away her car keys and her phone, wouldn't allow her to leave or contact anyone for several days. Of course her friends became concerned when she didn't return, but no one really knew her exact location and assumed she was with her family. She didn't show up for work for a couple of days and lost her job. So, I'd say that was a pretty damaging event. Didn't change her mind about being a Christian though.
I would guess this kind of thing is pretty rare in the US. Then again, I don't recall anyone among the Christians that I know claiming that they are "regularly persecuted for being a Christian."