What is Persecution?
A recent article described the frustration of people involved with the Jesus in the City parade in Toronto. Because of some construction issues, the city has cancelled the parade even though much of the planning has already gone into it. I am very much in sympathy with the Jesus in the City planners. That would be extremely disappointing.
However, there was something in the article that really caught my eye. One of the organizers made this statement, “Christians are being slaughtered around the world and now persecuted at home.”
What?!
The persecution of our brothers and sisters around the world has really been brought to our attention lately. We have seen Christians crucified. We have heard about children cut in two. We have heard about forced conversions and bloody executions.
And now persecuted at home? No sir, we are not persecuted at home. Hitting an unfortunate snag in planning a parade is not the same thing as watching your wives raped and your children killed. It is not the same thing as communities with a historical Christian presence being cleared out of all Christians.
I understand that the Church does not have the same respect in the west as it once did. I understand that our culture has lost its Christian veneer. I understand that many people would rather not encounter the Christian message.
But we are not being persecuted. At least not in any way that makes sense in a global context.
To claim that Christians in the west are being persecuted is to minimize the true suffering that is taking place around the world.
We must learn to choose our words carefully.
