In America there are legitimate difficulties in following Jesus. Historically, prosperity has been toxic to the Christian faith and the culture wars and politicizing of Christianity can make the message muddled. On part of the Christian message has made it through though, that Christians can be persecuted. This message seems to have been received and clung to by many American Christians (myself included). When someone on TV makes a jab at Jesus, we are persecuted. When the media focuses on a corrupt Christian leader, we are persecuted. When someone gets tight or weird around us when they find out what we believe, we are persecuted. But is this really persecution? In a world where people actually die, are imprisoned and are disowned by their families for their closeness to Jesus, can American Christians talk about persecution?
I say no.
I think that we have been sold an "us vs. them" theology where we must always be on guard for those that are out to get us. We forget that every US President has shared the Christian faith. We forget that the majority of the country label themselves as Christian!
Christians (like me) also fail to see what happens when we cry "persecution"; we insult and hurt those who are actually persecuted. We waste all of our compassion on ourselves. We take the message of a murdered teacher, who used is final moments to pray for compassion on his murderers and make his message about self-preservation. We are commanded to love those who are truly oppressed.
I propose that American Christians take every bit of energy that we apply to our persecution and focus it on loving, serving and advocating those who are persecuted in the US today. Let us befriend and serve those who are persecuted on the basis of their sexuality, race, economic class or part of the country they live in. Let's stop giving our compassion only to those we agree with and share with all those who would benefit from the servant love of the largest and most powerful group in the US.
I have complained and been hurt by reactions to my faith, but it is only recently that I have asked those who disagree with me what it is like to live in this country. They suffer more than me. They are mocked and characterized more than me.
Note: I have no desire to make light of those in the world who are truly persecuted for their faith. Christians die daily for their belief. Those people are heroes of the Christian faith and all respect is due to them.
