In the light of what we have seen of the fate of so many Christians in the Church of the East and in the Coptic and other churches, we in the West, should be very careful before daring to use the word ‘persecution’. The fact that some secularists bring cases against Churches or individual Christians, and the fact that some courts rule against us in ways we don’t approve of, and even the legislation in the UK for gay marriage, should not lead us to cry ‘wolf’ too loudly. Indeed, as with the boy who did just that, our word might not be currency when it becomes really true.
One feature of the British cases, picked up by The Daily Telegraph, is, however, worrying, and it is the intolerance with which local councils and employers seem to have pursued these cases. Now I am not a lawyer and can’t comment on the legality – but the Telegraph is right to focus on the loss of the old British pragmatism and tolerance. There was a time, not too long ago, when cases like these would have been sorted out without resort to the law – but not any more. But does that not cut both ways? To what extent were the Christians here willing to compromise? Even a quick reading of the cases shows that intransigence was not all on one side. If we go on about ‘persecution’ and seem to be bringing it on ourselves, then that is not, even in the short, run, going to be good for anyone.
None of that is to deny that there is a sneering and nasty atheism in our society which takes a delight in rubbishing all we hold dear – but what do we want – to be exempt from criticism? To have the right to decided what we think is fair criticism? Just because we have inherited a society which used to treat us with more respect than it does now, we don’t have the right to claim to be exempt from criticism or even ridicule.
Whether we like it or not, we live in a society in the West where defence has all but vanished. Celebrity has replaced it, but as ‘celebrities’ know, they can be torn down as quickly as they were raised up by the media. Some point out that the media does not ridicule Islam, but we know why that is, and would we really want people to lay off us because we were the sort of people who’d cut their throats?
If, as in the on-going debate in the UK over gay marriage, we Christians give the impression that we are motivated by dislike for homosexuals, then we fail to witness effectively to our Faith and to Christ. As an orthodox Christian I am convinced by the teaching of our Faith and by its tradition, and so cannot agree with those who regard active homosexuality as not being sinful. But then I take the same view on sex outside of marriage and adultery – and I don’t see my Church making much of a fuss about those two sexual sins.
So, if we are not careful, we can look both hypocritical and paranoid. Of course, some out there are out to persecute us, but let us not mistake their intentions for the actions of our society as a whole.
Yes, it is a narrow line to walk, and yet we must take care to pay attention to trends, without being alarmist. I obviously don’t have answers, even in the US, let alone the UK but, we need to start thinking quite deeply, I sense a deep shift in our societies, starting I think from the First World War era but is it, or is it an old man thinking it was better when he was young, not least because he was young.
Don’t know yet, either.
Note: SF has a post up and sends his love.
An interesting question – which I hope we can explore across the next few days. Thanks for the heads up. I am just home and will look at the reader next
Will be an interesting question, I think.
It’s a very false image to claim that to be persecuted, you need to be suffering genocide, or torture, or mass imprisonments, or any other such massively gross violations.
It gives out the message that Christians can be treated as badly as anyone wants, just so long as nobody piles us up in gas chambers and prison camps.
The increasingly pervasive inability in the West to properly practice our Faith in ordinary daily life is a gross persecution of our most basic rights, as these are defined in the West — which is to say our freedom of politics, conscience, and religion.
If the West goes down the path of deciding that it is OK to take these away under *whatever* pretext, then not only will the West be lost, but the whole of humanity will be placed before the prospect that these things might be impossible for anyone, anywhere.
These are fundamental Christian civilisational values and credences that are being attacked, and these attempts at their erosion or destruction are indeed a persecution at the very most foundational level.
We must defend against this with our very souls …
I couldn’t agree more with you Jess. Life is becoming more difficult for Christians and will probably continue to do so but there is a great gulf between difficulty and persecution. Thank you for putting it so clearly.
Thank you, Laura
“As an orthodox Christian I am convinced by the teaching of our Faith and by its tradition, and so cannot agree with those who regard active homosexuality as not being sinful. But then I take the same view on sex outside of marriage and adultery – and I don’t see my Church making much of a fuss about those two sexual sins.” That is a great point!! This is a very good post. Really blowing the whistle on some aspects of Christian hypocrisy. I’m an atheist (hopefully not the nasty, sneering kind!) and I really respect Christians who can admit that the church might have some room for improvement. Well said!
Talking about persecution, while some were ruminating on the history of the Church of the East, we missed an important Sunday, at least held here in the US, the Sunday of Peace and Justice. The Sunday that in part is dedicated to the end of the mass killings in both our countries, not Dunblane and Newtown, but the daily ones in the womb.
I didn’t know that David – we don’t have that here – but what a good idea.
I almost started shouting by the end of this post! Amen! Preach it, sister!
Thank you Jeff