Christians in America Are Not Being Persecuted: It's a Myth, Hype, Self-Pity

View from One Side

(the persecuted side)

The Other Side 

(more rational side)

Updated (provided via Vox.com - thanks for this video - it's about 4 minutes):

Headlines about a “hot” topic these days: “Fearful American Christians, who happen to be in the majority, yet feel persecuted and powerless.”

Sub-line: Why do all those Christians — most populous religious group in the country feel victimized?

First from here – good read. Seven “tales of horror” (as it were):

1.  Two middle school girls are forced into a lesbian kiss as part of an anti-bullying program.

2.  An Air Force sergeant is fired because he opposes same-sex marriage.

3.  A high school track team is disqualified from a meet after an athlete thanks God for the team’s victory.

4.  A Veterans Affairs hospital bans Christmas cards with religious messages.

5.  A man fixing the lights in a Christmas tree falls victim to a wave of War-on-Christmas violence.

6.  An elementary school student is punished for praying over his school lunch.

7.  A little boy is forced to take a psychological evaluation after drawing a picture of Jesus.

Horrible stories, just horrible I tell you – how about a Rick Perry “oops” moment? None of these stories is true. Each one like this has become a stock tale for Religious Right broadcasters, activists, and in some cases elected officials. These myths – which are becoming ever more pervasive in the right-wing media – serve to bolster a larger story: That the majority religious group in American society (Christians) is fast becoming a persecuted minority – who are being driven underground in its own country and worse, by its own government. Wow – heck, double wow!!!

Putting any and all historical records and examples aside regarding past persecution of any Christian or group of Christians, who can these days resist the temptation (no pun intended) of

the deliciousness of having both the upper hand of power (for your side) and the righteousness (self or otherwise) of being the oppressed? The conflicts over gay rights and contraception and such are polarizing the country and actually endanger religious and other liberties more generally than being helpful to either side in the fights wherein they seem to not have any respect for the liberty of the other side.

For sure, there are Christians in the world who face persecution, from Copts in Egypt to Catholics in northern Nigeria. But, NOT in the U.S. per se. Consider these facts:

• Christians in America and their institutions have never been more pampered by government t (at both the Federal and state levels).
• 75 percent of the U.S. identifies themselves as Christians.
• 57 percent believe in the devil.
• 8 in 10 believe the Bible to be the “inspired or literal” word of God.

Even with the separation of church state idea, under President Geo. W. Bush social welfare programs were out sourced to tons of faith-based organization, with more than 98 percent going to Christian churches and religious schools who were largely Christian who also, BTW, have long enjoyed a de facto public subsidy as tax-exempt 501(c) 3 organizations funded by tax-deductible contributions.

Also, consider these:

1.  On March 2, 2015, three Baptist ministers in Akron, OH arranged for the local police to mock-arrest them in their churches and haul them away in handcuffs for the simple act of preaching their faith all captured on their pre-arranged video stunt. It was then posted on YouTube to drum up buzz and well over 24,000 who saw the video in Ohio alone took the stunt as reality — and thus a confirmation of their wildest fears about a government clampdown on Christianity.

2.  On February 26, 2015, AZ Gov. Jan Brewer (R) vetoed a bill that would have allowed businesses to refuse services to people who violate their religious beliefs like being opposed to gays and lesbians as one FOX News pundit, Todd Starnes, tweeted that Christians have been demoted to second-class citizens in AZ.

3.  Coming out in May is a feature film titled: “Persecuted” – it is a political thriller about a federal government plan to censor Christianity in the name of liberalism that features former Sen. Fred Thompson and FOX News host Gretchen Carlson. The movie received a rapturous reception at the annual C-PAC Conference this last March 10, and it ties into other Christian film like “God’s Not Dead” – a story about a college freshman bullied into proving the existence of God by his atheist professor.

Related (some further research sites):

Here from Alternet.org  — extract: There’s been a lot of media attention recently to the changing demographics of the United States, where, at current rates, people who identify as “white” are expected to become a minority by the year 2050. But in many ways, the shift in national demographics has been accelerated beyond even that. New data from the American Values Atlas shows that while white people continue to be the majority in all but 4 states in the country, white Christians are the minority in a whopping 19 states. And, nationwide, Americans who identify as Protestant are now in the minority for the first time ever, clocking in at a mere 47 percent of Americans and falling.

Here from Pew Research — extract: The Landscape Survey confirms that the United States is on the verge of becoming a minority Protestant country; the number of Americans who report that they are members of Protestant denominations now stands at barely 51%.

Here from Politicususa.com — extract: There is a gross misconception among incredibly ignorant Americans that this nation was founded on the tenets of the Christian bible and is therefore a Christian nation. It is this willful lack of information about the nation’s founding that, in large part, is why Americans are not the smartest people on the planet. Maybe they believe that because white Christians make up the majority of the population, the Founding Fathers were wrong in creating America as a secular nation. White Christians who believe they own the right to control politics and culture in America are “losing their majority status” across the country.

My bottom line: No state should ever be allowed to legalize discrimination, period. And, for my GOP-rightwing Christian friends; stop the hype. You are not being persecuted. Two final thoughts:

1.  Needless to say this “movement” about persecuted American Christians floats far and wide minus one key element passed over skillfully: Reality. No, not like a “reality show” on TV – but minus the truth based on facts.

2.  Just saying something or someone is against you, or that something is true, or the country and government are out to get you and your religious beliefs just because you can’t win an argument on public policy or political debate is not democracy; not one bit or any stretch.  

Thanks for stopping by - enjoy further research.