Percentage of Christians (persecution)

[mikekle]

**Many in the U.S. think that the United States is a Christian nation and that God will not allow any major judgment to come to her. That theory fails for a couple of reasons. The United States is not really a Christian nation. The United States has taken the God of Christianity out of just about everything and has inserted materialism, paganism and every lust anyone can imagine in His place. As Billy Graham once said, “If God does not judge America He will have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah". What if judgment brings repentance and what if Christianity has become so corrupted in the United States that God has to judge the nation in order to get His people to trust in Him rather than in their riches and their self help programs?

The theory fails for a second reason as well. True Christians all over the world in many countries are suffering and being persecuted or killed. In reality, there are more true Christians in China than there are in the United States but the persecution against Christians in China continues. In the 9/11 attack on the trade towers many true Christians were killed. In the hurricane Katrina disaster many true Christians died. God promises to be with us through the troubles of this world; He does not promise us the security of long life in the flesh. As proof, Christians have about the same life span as non Christians.**

I was reading the above bolded statements and it got me wondering if TRUE Christian persecution took place in the US today, how many or what percentage of people who ‘claim’ to be Christian would openly admit it, even if it meant their torture and death. In my opinion I think a very small percentage of people would, I think the great majority of ‘christians’ would try to save their own butts by saying they are not Christians.

Im mainly referring to US Christians, because I believe many of these people are actually ‘fair weather worshippers’ and would not put themselves in any danger if they could avoid it by just denying to be Christian.

Im curious what everyones opinion on this is.

 

[powerofk]

There has been true persecution of Christians in the United States in the past, though it was generally Protestants persecuting Catholics (which was why the Catholic school system was created and why the Knights of Columbus were founded), or one Protestant denomination persecuting other Protestant denominations (especially during the colonial era, and is the reason for the Establishment Clause to the First Amendment to the Constitution).

According to Jesus himself, persecution will destroy those who have no true roots in their faith (this comes from the Parable of the Sower, which is found in at least the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, and I think also in the Gospel of Mark). But those of us who have roots will persevere and produce great fruit. Persecution occurs to test our faith. And persecution does happen in the US today, but it is more covert. In other words, persecution in the US today occurs by way of ridicule, by pressing other “rights”, and by way of political correctness. In a way, it is harder to stand firm in this type of persecution because it is unseen and often unnoticed - it is the current of the culture. In times of overt persecution, there is a known persecutor. Not so in times of covert persecution.

 

[mikekle]

Well, eventually we all know here in the US, there will be persecution of christians on a large scale, where they will be jailed and put to death for their beliefs, I can see this coming within the next 20-40 yrs, but I have a hard time believing the major parishes will instruct its members to dis-obey mans laws and stand strong in their beliefs.

For example, when the time comes when everyone must accept the mark of the beast (whatever this may be, a tattoo/brand, microchip, ID card, etc) and no one without this will be able to buy or sell, hold a job, make money,etc. I think it will tough for churches to tell their members to refrain from getting this mark, no matter what, knowing its a death sentence. In fact I think this global ID is slowly being implemented,but its being done on such a slow and methodical ways, most people will not even realize what it is! A good example of this is the social security number system, when this came out, it was touted as a great thing, and everyone in the US today has one, no one questions it, or refuses to get one, even if they do, they cant work and would end up in jail or dead, so the SS ID was kind of telling how the population responds to this sort of mass ID…when looked at in this perspective, it doesnt bode well when you consider the mark of the beast that will come eventually.