Looking ahead

[Latias]

Tolerance doesn’t exist in liberal secular societies. They are herds that use tolerance to force uniformity. Look at the way they treat anyone who doesn’t fall into lock step. They are shouted down through social media and paid protesters. They are a mob of tools.

Secularists show their apathy toward people when they don’t even speak about the people who are being killed in the Middle East. One lion gets killed and it is the biggest story in the news. But thousands of Christians have been murdered in the Middle East and they say nothing.

Every society has a set a values that are conducive to the maintenance of its institutions and interests and the present distribution of sociopolitical power, even liberal societies that value freedom of conscious and expression. Naturally, any society would want to inculcate its citizens to accept these values and want their citizens to be compliant and docile to the social order rather than to challenge it. Those that dissent are denigrated and stigmatized by the individuals who embrace these values and sometimes repressed through the power of state if they are deemed a threat for insurrection. It is indeed a myth to suppose that one’s values are formed independently of the state and culture since one intellectually matures in a milieu influenced by those values.

Anti-communists show antipathy towards those they do not deem worthy. How many have heard about the massacre of hundreds of thousands in Indonesia by Suharto or the casualties by the occupation of East Timor, or the massacres committed by the El Salvadorian government or the Contras? There was also differential coverage of the Arab Spring since the repression of protestors in Bahrain (a US ally) was not extensively covered while the dissidents in Syria had the benefit of extensive coverage.

It is always about the Christians. What about the Shias and Yazidis that have been undoubtedly persecuted by ISIS?

 

[Pallas_Athene]

But the point is to imagine one possible scenario, not to speculate about whether it will come to pass.

That is very true. This is why I gave you all those “semi-tongue-in-cheek” possibilities for you to explore.

 

[xNoOnex]

As an avid reader and an author myself, let me offer you this advice…

Never use your religion, or any other strongly held belief, as the basis of your story.

The point of storyteller is to tell a story. While it can be a cautionary tale about the dangers of a secular society, if you make it the sole purpose of your story to push your world view it will suffer. This isn’t limited to religious writers; some of Alan Moore’s later comics become victim to Alan Moore’s beliefs and Terry Goodkind’s Sword of Truth series went downhill fast when it because a soap box for his atheist and Objectivist views.

Yes, you will have readers who agree with you. You will have others that might put up with things they don’t like if the story ends up being good in spite of it being a propaganda piece, but ultimately you limit yourself and risk alienating your audience.

If you want to write something like this, focus on something more generic.

'cause remember; a dystopian future were Christians get thrown into jail for preaching that they believe homosexuality is wrong is a future where atheist, pro-gay marriage anarchists get thrown into prison for speaking out against other crimes of the state.

 

[mathematoons]

That is very true. This is why I gave you all those “semi-tongue-in-cheek” possibilities for you to explore.

Yes, and I’ve been meaning to point out that–as incomprehensible as it may be to you as a non-Christian (and I don’t mean that offensively, as I am a convert from atheism)–those of us who are truly devoted to Jesus, in your scenario, would still spend as much time thinking of Him (maybe more!) in spite of the shocks to the genital parts. Indeed, such people would thank Him for the chance to suffer to that degree for Him, like the Apostles when they were scourged for preaching the Gospel (Acts 5:40-41). Now, I am nowhere near that far along in the Christian life, sadly. But I hope to be a saint before I die, in spite of my mountain of faults.

Latias: I don’t know anything about the Shias and the Yazidis, except that Shia is a sect of Islam. For me, it’s “always about the Christians” rather than those other religions because I am far more familiar with Christianity. Plus, I’m far more inspired by the examples of persecuted Christians than of persecuted Jews/Muslims/Buddhists/whatever, because what helps someone of one of those religions survive persecution might not work so well for a Christian.

JimG: Interesting thought. Though if society declines that rapidly, it will be easy pickings for a foreign power that wants to take over, perhaps a Communist or Muslim country–in which case, we’re back to the persecution scenario at some point.

 

[xNoOnex]

. Plus, I’m far more inspired by the examples of persecuted Christians than of persecuted Jews/Muslims/Buddhists/whatever, because what helps someone of one of those religions survive persecution might not work so well for a Christian.

Christians can either convert, pay a protection tax, or die.

Most other religions, especially other Muslims, just get covert or die. It’s easy to sympathize with Christian, but its very important to realize that true evil doesn’t care what you are.