Why do people think that Catholics and Non-Catholic Christians in the United States are not being persecuted?

[andrewstx]

Christians in North America are not being persecuted. When you compare what is happening at the hands of Islamist and Zionist extremists in the Middle East and Africa, we are at most being inconvenienced.

Bishops, priests and nuns are being kidnapped and murdered. Churches are being set on fire and razed. Their homes are being seized and destroyed. Children are shot dead in the streets on their way home from Christian services. That is persecution.

Prayer for the Middle East

God, Our Father,
have mercy on the Middle East.

Your faithful servants – young and old alike –
are called to witness to Christ.
May they be strengthened during this time of turmoil
as they seek to follow your beloved Son,
who Himself walked their ancient homelands.

In union with Benedict, our Pope,
we pray that Christians in the Middle East
may be enabled to live their Faith in full freedom.
Embolden them to act as instruments
of peace and reconciliation,
united with all the citizens of their countries.
Through Jesus Christ, Our Lord,

Amen

Prayer for Aid to the Church in Need by Coptic Catholic Patriarch Cardinal Antonios Naguib of Alexandria, Egypt.

Wonderful prayer… but the Pope is now Francis and no Longer Benedict.

 

[JimG]

No persecution yet. Religious institutions and religious business owners who cannot in conscience accept the HHS mandate, for example, need only pay exorbitant fines or go out of business. Or they can convert to the state religion enforced by Ms. Sebelius.

 

[mikekle]

I have to agree with the OP here, but I think in the US, it is mostly being done in a secretive manner, but I do think in the near future, it will probably become more and more common, eventually, I think the individual cities and states will create new laws regarding churches and the christian faith, the bible even tells us at some point, the faithful will have to celebrate mass in secret, and people WILL be persecuted for their belief in God, so I trust the bible versus what any Govt agency tries to tell me.

However I believe this persecution will be done slowly and methodically until it is at such a level, people will wonder how it got to this point, but by then, it will be too late to stop it.

 

[Oreoracle]

The bible even tells us at some point, the faithful will have to celebrate mass in secret, and people WILL be persecuted for their belief in God, so I trust the bible versus what any Govt agency tries to tell me.

In other words, you believe that you’re being persecuted as a matter of faith, regardless of any evidence to the contrary?

 

[mikekle]

In other words, you believe that you’re being persecuted as a matter of faith, regardless of any evidence to the contrary?

Well, lets look at the gay rights and hate speech, in our world today, it is almost getting to the point of anyone can be guilty of hate speech if they even speak out against gay rights or gay people, this will get more serious in years to come no doubt.

The church does not support gay marriage and is against homosexual lifestyles in general, if it involves sex of any kind(which in todays world, is a given), I believe the gay activists will target the church more and more and eventually they will have the Govt on their side…The govt will tell churches it must stop speaking out against the gay lifestyle or face hate speech charges…being that the church is against the gay lifestyle, what else does it believe that is ‘not inline’ with modern day norms.

Eventually (and this is no indication that I know or can guess when this will take place), the govt will have the church in its target sight.

 

[Oreoracle]

Well, lets look at the gay rights and hate speech, in our world today, it is almost getting to the point of anyone can be guilty of hate speech if they even speak out against gay rights or gay people, this will get more serious in years to come no doubt.

Firstly I don’t see any evidence of this. Christians have been vocal about this for a while, and legal action only seems to take place when there is harassment or when the “speaking out” occurs in a religiously neutral institution (like public schools) by an official. Christians are free to vent in churches, on national television, and on the streets.

Secondly, this doesn’t answer my question. You pointed out that the Bible predicts your persecution and that you would believe it on those grounds alone. So even if there were zero evidence of any persecution, you would still believe it, correct?

 

[mikekle]

Firstly I don’t see any evidence of this. Christians have been vocal about this for a while, and legal action only seems to take place when there is harassment or when the “speaking out” occurs in a religiously neutral institution (like public schools) by an official. Christians are free to vent in churches, on national television, and on the streets.

Secondly, this doesn’t answer my question. You pointed out that the Bible predicts your persecution and that you would believe it on those grounds alone. So even if there were zero evidence of any persecution, you would still believe it, correct?

Im just guessing the persecution will come about thru the gay rights ‘war’ that is going on, but it could be anything, any issue…maybe something that happens in the future will bring about this persecution, IDK?

I do know the bible says in the end times, the CC will go thru persecution and people will have to attend mass in secret, people will be jailed, tortured for their beliefs. In some parts of the world, this is happening to Christians now, but not so much in the US, however thats not to say it wont sometime in the near future.

 

[kozlosap]

The so-called “gay rights” war has been over for almost a year now. How you can actually compare those physically persecuted and killed with some Christians being miffed about the fact that several prominent social issues that are currently evolving are not headed in their favor is unbelieveable. Most Catholics at my parish are much more concerned with helping those in need than whining about being discriminated against because the majority of people in this country disagree with their social stands.

 

[Tzimisce]

I think it’s interesting that the same people who believe in “Institutionalized Racism” - i.e. Racism, but we can’t show it to you; are the same people who don’t see the HHS mandate, forcing businesses to service gay marriage, the president’s push to control who is in charge of churches, etc as discrimination.

 

[sallybutler]

Hey everyone. I keep seeing some people saying that Catholics and non-Catholic Christians here in the United States are not being persecuted. This is simply not true. We most certainly are being persecuted. The USCCB even said so as regards the HHS Mandate. There is also the fact that Christians are being sued for practicing their religious beliefs by justly discriminating against immoral activities such as “same-sex marriage”.

Inevitably when they talk about this they always say that if we want to see real persecution we should look to the Middle East. Okay, it’s true that in the Middle East and other places such as North Korea that there are far worse forms of persecution. However, just because the persecution here does not include martyrdoms and such that does not mean we are not being persecuted.

If you are being persecuted for His sake, you should be thankful. Christ did not promise us that it would be easy or fair if we follow him.

 

[tomgosse]

If you are being persecuted for His sake, you should be thankful. Christ did not promise us that it would be easy or fair if we follow him.

Great point!

10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 “Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so men persecuted the prophets who were before you.( Matthew 5:10-12)

 

[Tablefor9]

I think it’s interesting that the same people who believe in “Institutionalized Racism” - i.e. Racism, but we can’t show it to you; are the same people who don’t see the HHS mandate, forcing businesses to service gay marriage, the president’s push to control who is in charge of churches, etc as discrimination.

Exactly! When my livelihood (used to be a freelance wedding coordinator–you figure out why I didn’t go that route full time) is circumscribed by a lobbying agenda that is anti-Christian and anti-God, that’s not in the same ballpark as seeing my daughters raped, my sons shot, or losing my head, but it isn’t fair or just treatment.

When our hospital organization is forced to provide insurance through a secular financial partnership that does cover repugnant services, no, that’s not freedom.

Religious freedom is being restricted to a greater degree all the time, whether we would call it persecution or not.

 

[Zoltan_Cobalt]

Cardinal Burke, who heads the Apostolic Signatura, the highest court at the Vatican, said:

“It is true that the policies of the president of the United States of America have become progressively more hostile toward Christian civilization. He appears to be a totally secularized man who aggressively promotes anti-life and anti-family policies.”

First published in Polish in Polonia Christiana magazine and republished exclusively in English at LifeSite News,

 

[livingwordunity]

A Christian has to be beheaded for their faith before people will consider it persecution whereas getting offended is considered persecution for everyone else.

 

[Usagi]

Centuries of cultural dominance have made us as Christians accustomed to things mostly going our way, to the point that we consider a change in that situation to be persecution.

Sts. Peter and Paul would have known the difference. They experienced actual persecution for their faith and ultimately died for it. They also spent the rest of their lives living in a pagan culture that promoted atrocious things as matters of public policy, things they could do nothing about. I’m sure that wasn’t pleasant, but it wasn’t the same thing as the times when they were locked up and beaten and stoned and ultimately executed.

If this is what we consider persecution, we are in no way ready for the real thing.

Usagi

 

[Eruvande]

A Christian has to be beheaded for their faith before people will consider it persecution whereas getting offended is considered persecution for everyone else.

A very good point.

 

[Captain_America]

An 80% majority is being persecuted, you say? :banghead:

Just to avoid confusion, is that the same group whose god is printed on the money and written in the pledge? Is it the same group whose celebrations are recognized as national holidays?

Join us.

 

[Captain_America]

I have to agree with the OP here, but I think in the US, it is mostly being done in a secretive manner, but I do think in the near future, it will probably become more and more common, eventually, I think the individual cities and states will create new laws regarding churches and the christian faith, the bible even tells us at some point, the faithful will have to celebrate mass in secret, and people WILL be persecuted for their belief in God, so I trust the bible versus what any Govt agency tries to tell me.

However I believe this persecution will be done slowly and methodically until it is at such a level, people will wonder how it got to this point, but by then, it will be too late to stop it.

I agree. And I think Catholic commentators, etc., should begin discussing civil disobedience and establishing a fund to provide legal representation for Catholics who conscientiously dissent from Big Nanny.

 

[digitalpapist]

Hey everyone. I keep seeing some people saying that Catholics and non-Catholic Christians here in the United States are not being persecuted. This is simply not true. We most certainly are being persecuted. The USCCB even said so as regards the HHS Mandate. There is also the fact that Christians are being sued for practicing their religious beliefs by justly discriminating against immoral activities such as “same-sex marriage”.

Inevitably when they talk about this they always say that if we want to see real persecution we should look to the Middle East. Okay, it’s true that in the Middle East and other places such as North Korea that there are far worse forms of persecution. However, just because the persecution here does not include martyrdoms and such that does not mean we are not being persecuted.

If this is true, then every group that has some sort of legal or cultural slight against their views is an example of persecution…which would probably include virtually every group in the country.

 

[Publisher]

Hey everyone. I keep seeing some people saying that Catholics and non-Catholic Christians here in the United States are not being persecuted. This is simply not true. We most certainly are being persecuted. The USCCB even said so as regards the HHS Mandate. There is also the fact that Christians are being sued for practicing their religious beliefs by justly discriminating against immoral activities such as “same-sex marriage”.

Inevitably when they talk about this they always say that if we want to see real persecution we should look to the Middle East. Okay, it’s true that in the Middle East and other places such as North Korea that there are far worse forms of persecution. However, just because the persecution here does not include martyrdoms and such that does not mean we are not being persecuted.

Ummm…because we’re NOT being persecuted.