Christians are persecuted on a daily basis all over the world, from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe. In the 2009 “Hall of Shame” report, the World’s 10 Worst Persecutors of Christians, according to the ICC (International Christian Concern’s), are as follows: (In order, from 1 to 10) North Korea, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, India, China, Pakistan, Iran, Eritrea and Vietnam.

In these and other countries, Christians are arrested, imprisoned, kidnapped, tortured, raped, murdered, and a whole list of other human atrocities committed against them, all for following Christ.   

Although the countries listed above are the worst places in the world, don’t think that Christians living in places like the United States, the United Kingdom or Israel are immune, they’re not.   

Recently, channel 10 in Israel desecrated Jesus Christ, among other Christian figures on their night show.  In a communiqué’ from leaders of the Catholic Church in Jerusalem, they stated, "The show directed its attacks to the holiest figures of our Christian belief in an attempt, as the director of the show himself specifically declared, to destroy Christianism.”

In London, the offices of a conservative Christian political organization were vandalized following the launch of a new bus advertising campaign proclaiming that there is a God.

In the United States, there has been a consorted effort by the media and now the new administration, to eliminate all things Christian, from banning Nativity scenes and the display of the Ten Commandments, to the recent so-called “Stimulus Bill”, which prohibits anyone of faith from receiving any of the stimulus money.

These are just a few examples of the more recent incidents of Christian persecution.  To mention them all, would be impossible with the limited space of the Internet.  After all, it’s been going on for 2000 years.

I hear Christians complaining about this “trend”, and I hear the perpetrators defending it.  On the perpetrators’ part, mostly I hear the same old washed up routine: “the church is full of hypocrites”, “you can’t legislate morality”, “stop forcing your beliefs down other people’s throats”, “the Church is intolerant”, blah, blah, blah, it goes on and on.

Pardon my French, but this is all a big load of crap.  Or as they say in Arkansas (and maybe elsewhere), HOGWASH!

The world is full of hypocrites, not just the church, so that argument is preposterous.  All laws legislate morality, it’s just a question of who’s morality, so out with that argument.  Of all belief systems in the world, Christians are the least guilty of ‘forcing’ their beliefs down other people’s throats.  Darwinists, Atheists, Humanists, Leftists, Muslims, you name it, have all been trying to force their beliefs down people’s throats for as long as they have had these beliefs, so that argument is garbage as well.  And as far as tolerance goes, well, Christians are the most tolerant of all.  Darwinists won’t allow any view but their own to be taught or even mentioned.  Atheists won’t allow anyone to mention a Higher Power.  Humanists won’t…well, they are Atheistic Darwinists.  Leftists won’t allow any opposing view and are currently attempting to legislate their own morality (or lack of), in an attempt to silence all dissention.  And Muslims, well, they’ll just kill you if you disagree, ‘Death to the Infidel’ and all that.

So, how do we stop this hatred and persecution?  What’s the real problem?  Where is this Anti-Christian sentiment coming from?  Very simply, we can’t stop it, and shouldn’t want to.  Why?  Because the only way to stop it, would be to stop following Christ, and God forbid we abandon Christ for our own comfort.  You see, my God-fearing brothers and sisters, the answer to all of these questions is found in the Bible, the inerrant Word of God.  Jesus warned us this would happen, and He even told us why.

¹⁸“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. ¹⁹ If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. ²⁰ Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. ²¹ But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know Him who sent me.”  John 15:18-21 (ESV)

We must realize and understand that it is not we who are being persecuted, it is Christ.  When the notorious Saul of Tarsus was ravaging the church, he was arresting, beating and even stoning Christians.  But when he was met by Christ on the road to Damascus, Jesus said, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting my people?”….No, that’s not what he said.  He said…well, here read it for yourself.

⁴ And falling to the ground he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” ⁵ And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And He said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.”  Acts 9:4&5 (ESV)

Jesus realized and understood that the persecution of Christians is really the persecution of Christ Himself.  “A servant is not greater than his master”.  This is a universal Truth.  If someone calls and chews out a customer service rep for the phone company, they aren’t angry with representative, they are angry with the phone company. 

Even the leftists understand this.  In an earlier blog, I talked about the so-called ‘racist flyers’ that were distributed in Denver.  The leftists interpreted a flyer left on the lawn of a private citizen, as a direct attack on Barack Obama.

We as Christians must stop desiring the approval of the world, it is a dangerous proposition.

¹⁵ Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. ¹⁶ For all that is in the world— the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world. ¹⁷ And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.  1 John 2:15-17 (ESV)

‘The things in this world’ would include the world’s approval.  Do not misunderstand me, I am not advocating that we as Christians should do nothing, or just lay down and take it.  Far from it, we should all take a personal interest in the sufferings of Christians, after all they are our brothers and sisters in Christ.  What I am suggesting is that we should care about persecution, and do our best to stop it, because we should care about what’s Right and Just, not because we desire the world’s approval.

When Christian persecution does arise, and be sure that it will, as difficult as it may be, we should do our level best to remember these words of Jesus Christ.

¹⁰ “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  ¹¹ “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. ¹² Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.  Matthew 5:10-12 (ESV)

So if you are persecuted for Christ’s sake, take heart, your reward is great in heaven.  If you see a brother or sister being persecuted for Christ’s sake, take action, defend, protect and comfort your siblings in Christ.