Christians, Supporting Those That Hate You

Religious persecution, specifically persecution of Christians in this country is moving apace, and the results of the 2012 elections will strengthen it. My view is this was a tipping point election, where government greed, government enabled sloth of the people, culturally approved lust, government wrath directed to those that do not adhere to the secularist\atheist faith in the State over God, barely literate uneducated students thinking they know everything out of pride, envy of those that have more of anything, and gluttony (we have become an overweight nation desiring things more than God). In short, we have embraced the seven deadly sins. The Judeo-Christian values that form the foundation of this nation's success have been rejected. This Christian Conservative is not going to stop the fight for free minds, free markets, and religious liberty. 

It's been said, and I've said many times, that totalitarians must oppress Christians to be successful in their rule. Their success may be eased now because even though this administration and Democrat Party openly attacked and tried to take control of doctrine and force them obey the State, most Catholics still voted Democrat and for Obama. It's clear Obama is an anti-Semite, and his political party is anti-Semitic, yet Jews voted for Obama and his Party. Stunning because governments have a long history of pogroms to eradicate Jews from the planet, and the Democrat Party is the party of the government, the State.. I had written earlier of Christians getting upset when elected officials pass regulations and laws limiting religious free speech, deny the posting of the Ten Commandments, abolishing Nativity Scenes from public view, and the rest we're all aware of. Then Christians turn around the next election and vote again for anti-Christian secularists, atheists and bigots.  

It's all part of persecuting Christians in this country, and I'm ever so grateful I'm not faced with martyrdom, torture or imprisonment, as in China and Islamic countries. Soft persecution is persecution none the less. Christmas can't be celebrated at schools, Christian clubs and groups can't be recognized on school campuses from K through college. Some colleges allow Christian groups if they are "diverse" and let atheists attend and even run for office in the group. Of course LBGT groups and Islamists can meet without any restraints because they're "diverse". Huh? The point of this is it marginalizes Christians.

Marginalizing is one aspect of persecution. Another is that constant refrain Christians have an intolerant criminal history. You remember the Crusades (a thousand years ago) and the Inquisitions (500 years ago). Of course this history proves how oppressive and violent Christians are. That's the "knowledge" secularists and atheists have in the present day.

Stereotyping, which we all do to some extent is particularly effective. You find a Christian or two that falls short on Christian behavior, and keep repeating that's what all Christians are like; intolerant, bigots, closed minded, stupid. We know all the names. Of course very few Christians are these things, but enough non-Christians "know" this, so it must be true.

This may be the first time in history Christians are contributing to their own persecution. Vote for the persecutors. Not standing up for your faith. Being afraid to speak of Christ in public, allowing secularists to prevent public prayer. Not witnessing. Confining your religious practices and beliefs to Sunday. Of course then you become the hypocrite they claim you are because you are only Christians on Sunday, and forget about it the rest of the week. Catch 22.

The time has come for Christians to take a stand. Better now than when we reach the point when Jesus says in Matthew 24:9: "Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake".

In Matthew 10:22 He says "And you will be hated by all for My name's sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved".

I appreciate the sentiment, but right now in this country we can avoid being delivered up for tribulation and death. The path we're on though, it will lead to that.

The Sermon on the Mount he said, "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake."

Evil is being said about us, and it is false. I'd rather be blessed for some of the other reasons in that Sermon.

How long before being against homosexual marriage becomes a hate crime? If you're a Catholic and stand against the State mandate that contraception and abortion must be paid for by Catholic institutions, and it becomes a crime, you will be imprisoned and\or fined, where is your religious freedom? When you are against abortion for religious reasons, what will you do when it becomes a hate crime? What will you do when wearing a cross or crucifix becomes a hate crime?    

This is rather long, but is what Jesus said would happen, and it is happening, from John 15:18-27 and 16:1-4.

The World's Hatred

“If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 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 keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. He who hates Me hates My Father also. If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father. But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, ‘They hated Me without a cause.’ 

The Coming Rejection

“But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning. “These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to stumble. They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service. And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor Me. But these things I have told you, that when the time comes, you may remember that I told you of them. And these things I did not say to you at the beginning, because I was with you.

Jesus has told us what would happen. Our culture has passed the tipping point. Ignored is the true history of Christianity, that it saved civilization when the Roman Empire collapsed. That in the pagan world the concepts of hope, charity and love were nonexistent. There were no charitable institutions. No hospitals. Altruistic love was a non-starter. It was Christians that ended slavery. Ask just about anybody, and all they know about Christianity is bad stuff. None of the good stuff, that far outweighs the negatives. 

Now we have churches and charitable institutions that provide millions upon millions of dollars of food and money to help, but it's ignored by the secularist press, and the government. The secularist government is forcing Christian adoption agencies to shut down because they think a male and a female together are best to raise a child. Hospitals and Christian social services are being shut down because the they won't obey the atheist/secularist anti-Christian government. It's more important to the government to shut down Christianity and its institutions than it is to serve people. The money taken in by government to help the poor goes to middle class bureaucrats, that let a pittance dribble down to those in need, with the purpose of keeping them in need. They're not there to serve anyone but themselves.  

And who will the Helper recognize when Christians that supported and voted for those against Christianity, that have not been with Him. We are stumbling, because we're supporting those that hate us, and Christ, without cause. We are being put out of our churches. Jesus told us of these things, and not only are we ignoring these prophecies, but we are contributing to our own oppression and enslavement to the State. 

Many, even Christians will mock this prophecy of Christ. Naw, not here in America. Well, it is happening, here, in America. 

What Christians Have Offered Through the Centuries

This is a vid about and from the Catholic Church. Though I'm a Protestant, I'm proud and happy to be a part of this tradition.

http://youtu.be/9gu3UOoLcos

Don’t dis them that brung ya to the dance

If you are against Christianity, yet care about children, charity, humanity, love, the old, the homeless, and the sick, why?

Secularists, in whatever form, anti-traditionalists, atheists, communists, statists, pagans, all claim to be charitable, care about the sick, the disabled, the mentally ill and the rest, at the same time saying hateful things about Christians. I’ve been reading quite a bit lately about the ancient world, especially about the ancient Mediterranean; their beliefs and behaviors.

In the pagan world infanticide, murder, slavery, letting the sick, poor, old people and children just die because of they were of no value or use, was the way of philosophy and life. Women had fewer rights than male slaves.

We in the West have the opposite view and practices. It all began because of what Jesus taught. Jesus Christ said to let the children come to Him, “Jesus took children in his arms and blessed them. ‘Let the children come to me; do not hinder them.’ . . . And He took them in His arms and blessed them, laying His hands on them.”   Even the Disciples were against this. Children at that time were seen as a burden, another mouth to feed. Girl babies were often left to die or outright killed right after birth, and any baby not seen as fully healthy was killed. Many were abandoned. As a result, over the centuries, abandoned children were taken care of by Christians. Christians created orphanages or cared for them in their own homes (precursor of the foster care system) rather than buy into the notion that children were of no value. Those against Christianity will point out all the failings of orphanages and foster care. I can only suppose then they approve of leaving abandoned children to die.

Leaving children to die, not seeing the worth and sanctity of human life extended to all people. Life had no value. Murder was acceptable. Infanticide was acceptable. Abortion (as it is now) was acceptable; thousands were slaughtered in the arenas of the Roman Empire, and human sacrifice was acceptable all over the world. Jesus taught all life was sacred. This was antithetical to the pagan beliefs of the time. Secularists and atheists claim to care for people. This is a Christian belief. Secularists and atheists being true to their rejection of Christianity, to be true to their beliefs, would advocate for murder, infanticide and human sacrifice.

Before Christianity marriage was for political and child bearing reasons. Men wanted an heir, and women’s purpose was to have babies. They were baby factories with no rights. Unmarried women were often, if not usually, prostitutes. Temples were glorified brothels filled with prostitutes. Jesus had many women followers, cared and ministered to them against the norms of His society. Jesus had women spread the news of His Resurrection. The early church met primarily in homes, usually run by women. In that society, such things were just not allowed. Women weren’t even allowed to speak in public, but in Christian services they were. Are atheists and secularists for the abuse of women, forcing them to be silent, forcing them into prostitution?

Marriage was not between equals in pagan society as it is now. Based on Jesus’ teachings, the Apostle Paul wrote extensively about the equality of women in marriage, that men should love and listen to their women, should share equally in the marriage. Divorce then was a one way street. The man could just throw his wife out on the street with no possessions or money; that was divorce. A husband could commit adultery as long as it wasn’t with another man’s wife. Not out of any concern for the wife, but because the wife was property, and adultery was using (stealing) another man’s property. Plus there were plenty of prostitutes around, so it was just insulting to use another’s wife.

Slavery was the social norm of the day. It was until the 19^th century. It was Christians, using the teachings of Apostle Paul and Jesus that put into practice the notion that we are all created in God’s image, so all equal before Him, and so to each other. In pagan times one was free man or slave (or woman). It was Christians that fought to free slaves all over the world. Do atheists and secularists endorse slavery, or embrace the Christian belief and practice that men are equal and slavery is evil.

There was no such thing as charity and compassion. There was no caring for the sick, poor, or homeless. If one were in such a condition, it was punishment from the gods. Based on Jesus’ teaching, Apostle Paul said, “Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others”. At that time looking after others was thought of as useless and a waste. The thinking of the time was that the poor and sick should be left to die if they can’t work. They weren’t worthy of help. Jesus showed compassion for the sick and poor. If atheists and secularists so reject Christianity, then they reject the notion of caring for the sick and poor, like those before Christianity did.

There were not charitable organizations before Christianity introduced them. There wasn’t any charity at all. Jesus said, “Whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.” An absolute contradiction to the mores of the time. Rejecting the teachings of Christianity, would secularists and atheists reject charities for the sick or the homeless, the poor?

Part of caring for the sick was the creation of hospitals, that didn’t exist in pagan times. Atheists and secularists accept this as just a part of modern society. Schools, the idea that everyone, even women, should be taught, regardless of class or ethnicity, was a Christian development and practice. Before Jesus Christ, education was only for the sons of free men. There was of course push back against this, even among Christians, but the idea became the reality we have today.

Art, music, architecture, literature all benefitted and improved as a result of Christianity. That’s a whole other posting. My point here is atheists and secularists all embrace, practice and benefit from the beliefs and sacrifices of Christians. Maybe they should reconsider their wholesale attack on Christianity since it is what gives them their own sense of humanity, care, compassion and love. Such things did not exist before Jesus Christ. Don’t dis them that brung ya to the dance.