My Response To A Correspondent Who Faulted The MSM's Lack Of Coverage Concerning The Persecution Of Christians In The World

 

Here is how my correspondent responded to my Rev. James Martin meme below... followed by my initial reply: 

AmericanViking

1 up, 3d, 

1 reply

Yes... that's why anti-Christians hate them so much.

AArchibald

0 ups, 3d, 

1 reply

I could be wrong but I sense you're using the word "hate" to set "Christians" (including youself perhaps) in a separate category where you don't have to love the people who hate you, or - for that matter - exhibit any kind of compassion or fellow feeling... as if "the haters" are "The Absolute Others" and so "I don't have to love them" when, in fact, Jesus is calling on his followers to love them even more.

Consider this:

Matthew 5:43-48 --- The Message (translation)

43-47 “You’re familiar with the old written law, ‘Love your friend,’ and its unwritten companion, ‘Hate your enemy.’ I’m challenging that. I’m telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the supple moves of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that.

48 “In a word, what I’m saying is, Grow up. You’re kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you.”

*****

I don't see "the best being brought out" of many conservative Christians.

Almost always, I detect in them a palpable spirit of spitefulness, resentment, and ill will (if not malice).

My Reply:

It is true that the MSM do not spend a lot of time covering Christian persecution in the world. 

And, yes, that persecution is real. 

But here are the measures of that persecution, including the fact that 5,600 Christians were killed in worldwide persecution  last year. https://www.cato.org/commentary/christianity-worlds-most-persecuted-religion-confirms-new-report 

In the last half year, 35,000 Gazans have been killed, almost all of them men, women and children not associated with Hamas. 

It is right to ask to what extent Muslims are persecuted by motives that are justified as being ostensibly "political," when it is widely-and-acknowledged and widespread hatred of Islam.

The following passage from Matthew's gospel remains the bedrock teaching of Jesus. Furthermore, Jesus' apostle John ("the one whom Jesus loved") -- the same John who is traditionally considered the author of John's two Epistles -- states flatly: "God is Love." And in 1 John 4:18, we read that “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.” (This link between desire for punishment and self-damaging fear reveals remarkably sophisticated psychology in a 2000 year old document. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Epistle_of_John)

Notably, in the early church, Christians welcomed persecution - and even martyrdom.

Now it seems that many Christians -- certainly those nominal "Christians" who put Donald Trump in the Oval Office -- focus on justifying their seething bitterness, and "settling the score."

Matthew 5:43-48 --- The Message (translation)

43-47 “You’re familiar with the old written law, ‘Love your friend,’ and its unwritten companion, ‘Hate your enemy.’ I’m challenging that. I’m telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the supple moves of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that.

48 “In a word, what I’m saying is, Grow up. You’re kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you.”

*****

I don't see "the best being brought out" of many conservative Christians.

Almost always, I detect in them a palpable spirit of spitefulness, resentment, and ill will (if not malice).