Suffering??? American Style

Stanley Kurtz, a self proclaimed secularist, wrote an article last week that touches on the issue of how "basic Christianity" is under attack in American culture and politics. He sites a recent edition of Harper's Magazine. His article is worth the read. Scary Stuff I would also direct your attention to blogger Keith Plummer's treatment of the same article Christians and the Left: Who's Warring Against Whom?

My take on the issue of persecution is a bit different. In general I applaud Mr. Kurtz for putting himself out there at this point in time. I have searched his archives at NRO to see if any other articles by Mr. Kurtz have dealt with the topic in a similar vein as this one because I wondered if his coming to the party was as a herald or if he might be a little behind the curve. I shan't be too critical of this point it was just a musing of mine.

This kind of "incrimination" of Christianity isn't anything new, historically speaking, but even further than that it isn't exactly new in American History nor recent American cultural/political history. Ask Rachel Scott and others who have given their lives for no other reason than they believe or consider their "Christianity" as something to be lived. Please do not get me wrong Christianity in this country knows nothing of real discrimination or criminalization of its practice and beliefs. But maybe, just maybe, if God were so inclined to increase the pressure on the church in the US we will soon. Once again, please don't misunderstand I am not looking for torture and martyrdom for the body of Christ here in America. But maybe if the "heat" was turned up just a bit, maybe the church would actually seek God and His glory rather than be more preoccupied with trivialities such as which version is more "Godly." Like a friend of mine once said, and I repeat to myself often, "I don't have time to doink around."

In all honesty I do fully expect it to get much worse Mr. Kurtz. Laws are already on record in Canada where certain texts of the Bible cannot be preached without risking being charged with a hate crime. Much like the one that is mentioned in the article. Once again, nothing new. Do I think I would ever be arrested for preaching the Bible as God intended it to be preached? Not this Sunday, but hey who knows what tomorrow brings. I've thought about this for quite some time and I actually believed that persecution of an increased sort would surround the issue of abortion but maybe it will be homosexuality. Either way, by His grace, I think I'm ready, maybe not to have my fingernails pulled out, or my children to be skewered while I watched but I am ready to go to jail for what I believe. Mr. Kurtz? Reader?

Peace