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What Isn’t Persecution?
by Mark Matlock
The word persecution is thrown around a little too casually these days.
While the persecution of Christians globally is rising at an alarming rate (the Religious Liberty Commission World Evangelical Fellowship estimates that 200 million people in more than 60 nations are denied their human rights solely because they’re Christians), claims of persecution in the United States are a bit overblown.
Protecting the meaning of words should be important. Allowing the meaning of persecution to diminish, especially as it relates to the torture and indignity faced by many of our brothers and sisters in Christ around the world, is a disgrace.
Whether it fuels the fervor of a rally, raises funds, or gives a group the feeling of true unity with Christ, American Christians have watered down the real meaning of persecution—what’s worse is that this idea-virus is even more prevalent in youth ministry…