This is What Actual Christian Persecution Looks Like

[cleanhippie]

Jonathan Merritt at Religion News Service has a fantastic article in which he talks about what real Christian persecution looks like:

As many as two-thirds of Christians in Iraq have fled the country to escape massacres and church burnings. There are reportedly fewer than 60 Christian churches left in the war-torn country, a fact that adds another level of critique to the prudence of waging such a conflict. Just this month, an angry mob in Pakistan torched 40 Christian homes. And even Lebanon, once a safe haven for Christians, is experiencing a mass exodus.

I think I speak for many atheists when I say I stand behind all those Christians who are dealing with those battles. They deserve better than that.

Now, on the flip side, what doesn’t qualify as persecution?

Pretty much all the stuff Christians complain about in the U.S.:

American Christians have a persecution complex. Whenever a public figure criticizes the Christian movement or offers believers in other faiths an equal voice in society, you can bet Christians will start howling. Claims about American persecution of Christians are a form of low comedy in a country where two-thirds of citizens claim to be Christians, where financial gifts to Christian churches are tax deductible, where Christian pastors can opt out of social security, and where no one is restricted from worshipping however, whenever, and wherever they wish.

Damn right. Hearing Christians complain about how tough they have it is like hearing Oprah complain about high gas prices: No one’s going to take you seriously because the rest of us play by the same rules and you have every advantage already at your disposal.

So why don’t Christians focus on the real battles instead of the fake ones? Merritt explains:

The answer, it seems, is that many of their attentions have been focused elsewhere. Some are too busy protesting Target employees who wish them “Happy Holidays” and others have been mobilizing to boycott JCPenney over selecting Ellen DeGeneres, an outspoken lesbian, to be their spokesperson. Isn’t it time that American Christians reinvest their energies in addressing the actual persecution of their brothers and sisters happening outside their borders?

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2013/04/09/this-is-what-actual-christian-persecution-looks-like/

[skepticscott]

1. Certainly nothing that happens on DU

qualifies as "persecution", crybaby whinings of some religionists here to the contrary notwithstanding...

[hrmjustin]

19. crybaby? I hope I never appear to be a crybaby.

[skepticscott]

23. No, you are not one of those

Who claim that they are "persecuted" here.

[hrmjustin]

24. .

[dimbear]

2. That sort of slaughter kills the body but not the soul.

That's why we're the bad guys.

[EvolveOrConvolve]

3. It's like white men complaining

about "reverse racism". It's just fucking silly.

[rug]

4. That's very true.

What's happening to atheists in Bangladesh, among other places, is also actual persecution.

Let's face it. These first world theist and atheist skirmishes pale in comparison to what's happening around the world.

[Phillip McCleod]

5. they aren't disconnected.

as atheists have become more vocal in the first world, the rest of the world has listened thanks to the internet. it's no coincidence that they are targeting atheist *bloggers* reaching out to the rest of the world nonbelieving community.

[cleanhippie]

8. Exactly. It's vocal non-believers in the first world showing the rest that there is another way.

The rise or blasphemy laws and persecution of those that choose non-belief in the majority religion is directly attributable to the Internet and the "rise of the nones".

[Starboard Tack]

6. Christians complaining about being persecuted in the US? Really.

I must have missed that one. Do you have some links?
The only religious adherents I've seen persecuted here are Muslims and others who are mistaken for Muslims.

[gcomeau]

7. "War in Christmas" or "War on Easter" sound familiar? -nt

[Starboard Tack]

10. I'd hardly call such rhetoric a cry of persecution.

Have there been some attacks on christians? Are they being segregated and ostracized? Are they forced into hiding?

[gcomeau]

13. Not the point.

THEY call it persecution, and that's ridiculous. That's the point.

And yes, they actually literally use the word "persecution".

http://www.mediaite.com/tv/bill-oreilly-kicks-off-crusade-against-the-war-on-easter-laura-ingraham-warns-of-new-era-of-persecution/

[Starboard Tack]

18. "They" being nutjobs like O'Reilly and Ingraham.

Hardly representative of the Christian community.
The point of the OP was obviously another attempt by CH to smear Christians in general. That's his MO. Otherwise he would have provided a link like you did to the loonies who want to impose their religious beliefs on children in public schools.
That said, the only reference to persecution in your link was this

Ingraham agreed with O’Reilly that society has become a lot more secular, adding that religious people probably recognize this and worry about a “new era of persecution” in the United States.

Even crazy Laura didn't say there was persecution, the key words being "probably" and "worry". So we have idiots on both sides of this using inflammatory rhetoric.

The OP is a typical attempt to be divisive, while pretending to be be sympathetic to the plight of Christians in other countries. There is plenty of persecution in this country, but it is not religious.

[gcomeau]

21. They are hardly the only ones.

And they're pretty damn representative of the religious right.

[Starboard Tack]

22. Agreed, they are representative of the religious right.

However, I don't think the religious right is representative of Christians as a whole.
Don't get me wrong, I detest fundamentalism of any stripe, be it Christian, Jewish, Muslim or Atheist. Ironically, fundies are not true to the belief systems they claim to represent. They exploit the weakness of others and promote intolerance and divisiveness, by spreading fear of the "other". Our OP is a classic example of this.

[skepticscott]

25. No Christians do it

Oh wait...some Christians do it, but they're not "representative".

More NTS horseshit.

[Starboard Tack]

26. Do you really think bigotry is the way to accomplish anything positive?

[skepticscott]

27. If you do, go for it

It might work better for you than bogus claims and flawed arguments.

[Starboard Tack]

28. No, I don't support bigotry.

I advocate tolerance of ideas and beliefs. That way, others might tolerate mine. I don't ridicule others for their beliefs, but I might for their actions. I don't broad brush any group based on their personal religious beliefs.

What is this supposed to mean?

If you do, go for it
It might work better for you than bogus claims and flawed arguments.

Why do you encourage bigotry with such comments? Is that how you roll?

For a fellow liberal Democrat, you are very disappointing.

[skepticscott]

29. It means I'm making fun

of your lame and idiotic attempt to introduce the smear of bigotry into the conversation where none existed, to distract from your false claim and failed argument.

Figured it would go over your head, and you didn't disappoint. Just wish your claimed policy of not ridiculing others for their beliefs ran in the family.

[Starboard Tack]

30. Well, aren't you just hilarious. Soooo funny!

To make "fun" would necessitate a sense of humor. Your continual smearing of me and my family proves my point. Have a nice day Scott.

[skepticscott]

31. Ah, yes...the persecution meme

every criticism of claims or arguments is a "personal attack". Something else that seems to run in the family.

[Starboard Tack]

32. OK enough with the "family" references. You are way out of line.

If you can't be civil, you really don't belong here.
Try addressing the issues and leave the personal slurs out of it. You've been warned before about this kind of shit and took a voluntary time out. You might want to consider doing that again. This is an internet forum for like minded liberal Dems. If you want to sling shit, I'm sure there are lots of places where you will be more comfortable.

[trotsky]

33. "Try addressing the issues and leave the personal slurs out of it."

I would encourage you to do the same, ST. You've been warned. You've been blocked from the A&A group because of your abusive behavior, even. Shape up and start being the change you want to see.

Or just attack me for posting this. Your call.

[cleanhippie]

9. Sure. Links galore.

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=Christian+persecution+in+America+

[Starboard Tack]

11. You can search for anything and come up with links

You obviously didn't look at any of the results. Try doing that and then get back to me with anything that is slightly credible, not the loony paranoid fringe like the first link.
Whining is not persecution. You, of all people should understand that.

You'll get more links when you search for

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=hippie+persecution+in+America+

[cleanhippie]

12. Wow, your comprehension is at an all time low.

The whole point of the OP was about REAL persecution, not the made-up nonsense coming from many Christians in America. That was really, really clear. The only one who didn't seem to get that from the OP that states that clearly and directly was you.

Pay attention next time, you will look less petty and silly.

[trotsky]

14. "you will look less petty and silly"

Dude, that is CLEARLY not a concern of his.

[cleanhippie]

15. Clearly, but I'm trying to be as polite as I can be, even though its not deserved.

I hate passive-aggressive bullshit like that, but I'm trying to turn the page.

[Starboard Tack]

16. No, your whole point was to ridicule all Christians in the US

You love to broad brush them as extremists. The links you found hardly support the notion that more than a handful of ignorami think there is any kind of persecution going on.
Pay more attention to what you post and you will look less petty and silly.

[cleanhippie]

17. Run along. You're dismissed.

As are your baseless allegations and passive-aggressive taunts.

[hrmjustin]

20. There are persecuted Christians throughout the world.

The US does not have them.