Helo

Why do many religious people feel the need to claim persecution?

In all fairness, I have seen this more from Christians than any other group. Jews to a certain extent but not really, Muslims a little more but its not as though they dont have a little bit of liscense.

Christians cite some act of brutality on a Christian in some 3rd world country and take that as evidence of the world conspiring against Christianity.

I say, if you live in a first world country and are Christian, you are NOT being persecuted.

BMSMCMAM

They get angry when their skydaddy doesn't like them, and try to blame it on the nearest 'satanic' religion.

They're all children, moaning and pissing when things don't go their way. The sun revolves around them.

Izmir Stinger

I dispute your premise that Christians aren't being persecuted. Think about it. In this country, if there weren't a massive government conspiracy to persecute Christians, there would be Christian Churches on every other street corner, Christians could stand on the sidewalk talking to strangers about their faith without fear, public places would be decorated during important Christian holidays, many politicians could be openly Christian and still get elected, lawmakers would jockey for the support of Christian religious leaders and Priests and Pastors would wield tremendous power over local, State and Federal government. We might even have some sort of public statement of faith written on a ubiquitous symbol of government... not sure where, though...

I look forward to the day when the Secular Humanist conspiracy collapses and lets Christians come out in the open and celebrate their beliefs freely. It might just happen in my lifetime. We may one day even see a Christian President in the White House!

...or 27 consecutively

Edward Gorey

It's fairly easy to back up the claim that Christians are currently being persecuted. However, anyone who makes the claim that they are being persecuted in the US is full of crap.

Clete

:notworthy:

Demigawd

Izmir, be a good boy and give proper credit to The Daily Show, m'kay?

Izmir Stinger

I would, but I can't remember if this gem of reductio ad absurdum was offered by Jon Stewart, Steven Colbert, or that balding guy that replaced Steven when he got his own show. I think I missed some of the items on the list; I was quoting it from memory.

There are plenty of people that buy into that "War on Christmas" crap at my workplace, and I popped some version of this joke on them dozens of times last December.

DreamBotCaptain

The persecution complex is indoctrinated into part of the belief system for many Christians. As far as I understand it, this mostly comes from the early days of Christianity, when they were actually persecuted and had to hide from authorities. I remember being taught that people hate Christians and they want to kill Christians, etc, but to stand strong and proud and not allow myself to be persecuted.

The result of this is that many, but not all, Christians today (at least in the US), see any action that restricts Christianity from doing everything it wants as persecution.

Taking down the 10 commandments in a gov't building - persecution.
Allowing homosexuals to...be themselves - persecution.
Not teaching ID next to evolution - persecution.
Allowing abortion - persecution.
Taking prayer out of the public classroom - persecution.

All of the previous are examples of trying to keep Christianity out of gov't and its seen by many as persecution.

Real persecution is happening in China. Where people are imprisoned, silenced or even tortured and killed for their beliefs. However, this is happening to all sorts of groups in China, not just Christians.

US politicians need to call BullShit on the Christians here claiming persecution.

Lanakila

There is a scripture that states: All who live Godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. So, Christians invent persecution where none exists to prove to themselves and others that they are Godly. It's the opposite of humility to proclaim persecution where none exists.

Unbeatable

I don't know about other religions, but it wouldn't come as a particular surprise to me to see persecution complexes among people who worship a guy whose main achievement was being crucified.