Are Christians "persecuted" in the U.S.? If so, how should they respond?

[Sky Dancer]

Neither are christians. Seriously.

You must have missed Marie last thread. The pray away the gay one dedicated to me personally. Plenty of Christian posters here are trying to do just that.

'Plenty'? All I've seen Marie do is be nice to you, not 'convert' you. But, then again, you see someone wearing a cross around their neck as trying to 'convert' you. So, you really can't be taken seriously on the topic.

I don't care if someone wears a cross around their neck. Marie targeted me. She wants me to no longer be gay and to come over to Christ.

I was very kind to her about it too.

She is trying to convert me. Worse, she wants me to leave my wife.

 

[Newby]

http://www.usmessageboard.com/religion-and-ethics/196017-for-skydancer.html

Ah, SKy, just don't read it....

 

[L.K.Eder]

Katz, that is just too stupid for words. No, Christians are not being persecuted. And most of what is being billed as persecution is backlash from the hateful 'Christians' that try to force their beliefs on the rest of us.

I seriously can't wait until 'gay marriage' is legalized, that's the last claim of 'forcing' anything down anyone's throat that can be claimed is due to 'christians'. Otherwise, you have no leg to stand on with that argument. And while you're at it, let the polygamists have that 'right' too, or anyone that wants to marry their cat, dog, goat, etc... I'm all for it. When it comes to social/personal affairs, anything should be allowed, no restrictions. Why draw any lines, we wouldn't want to force any one person's morals onto another.

you can marry your own canard.

 

[Si modo]

What a surprise! The thread has become all about Sky!

 

[Dot Com]

Katz, that is just too stupid for words. No, Christians are not being persecuted. And most of what is being billed as persecution is backlash from the hateful 'Christians' that try to force their beliefs on the rest of us.

I seriously can't wait until 'gay marriage' is legalized, that's the last claim of 'forcing' anything down anyone's throat that can be claimed is due to 'christians'. Otherwise, you have no leg to stand on with that argument. And while you're at it, let the polygamists have that 'right' too, or anyone that wants to marry their cat, dog, goat, etc... I'm all for it. When it comes to social/personal affairs, anything should be allowed, no restrictions. Why draw any lines, we wouldn't want to force any one person's morals onto another.

It isn't as if 1/2 of most marriages are ending in divorce as it currently stands? The gays would, ironically, help to bring that statistic down.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Divorce#United_States

In 2008, 49% of all marriages involve a remarriage for one or both spouses. It is estimated that 40% of all marriages have ended in divorce as of 2008.

 

[Sky Dancer]

http://www.usmessageboard.com/religion-and-ethics/196017-for-skydancer.html

Ah, SKy, just don't read it....

Consider your own position. Marie is openly proselytizing and you support her. You support her conversion agenda, not only does she want to convert me to Christianity, she wants me to be straight too.

Notice which side you're on.

I read every word of that thread. She means well, but she is seriously deluded.

 

[Si modo]

http://www.usmessageboard.com/religion-and-ethics/196017-for-skydancer.html

Ah, SKy, just don't read it....

Consider your own position. Marie is openly proselytizing and you support her. You support her conversion agenda, not only does she want to convert me to Christianity, she wants me to be straight too.

Notice which side you're on.

And, you thanked Marie for it.

 

[Newby]

http://www.usmessageboard.com/religion-and-ethics/196017-for-skydancer.html

Ah, SKy, just don't read it....

Consider your own position. Marie is openly proselytizing and you support her. You support her conversion agenda, not only does she want to convert me to Christianity, she wants me to be straight too.

Notice which side you're on.

How you love to lie, I don't know why I even responded to your post, I learned my lesson long ago, apparently I needed a refresher! Thanks!

Really Sky, I could give a rat's ass about you or your life, or who you live with. Honest!!

 

[Newby]

Ah, SKy, just don't read it....

Consider your own position. Marie is openly proselytizing and you support her. You support her conversion agenda, not only does she want to convert me to Christianity, she wants me to be straight too.

Notice which side you're on.

And, you thanked Marie for it.

Oh, the irony!!!

 

[Si modo]

Consider your own position. Marie is openly proselytizing and you support her. You support her conversion agenda, not only does she want to convert me to Christianity, she wants me to be straight too.

Notice which side you're on.

And, you thanked Marie for it.

Oh, the irony!!!

Thank you Marie.

 

[Newby]

Katz, that is just too stupid for words. No, Christians are not being persecuted. And most of what is being billed as persecution is backlash from the hateful 'Christians' that try to force their beliefs on the rest of us.

I seriously can't wait until 'gay marriage' is legalized, that's the last claim of 'forcing' anything down anyone's throat that can be claimed is due to 'christians'. Otherwise, you have no leg to stand on with that argument. And while you're at it, let the polygamists have that 'right' too, or anyone that wants to marry their cat, dog, goat, etc... I'm all for it. When it comes to social/personal affairs, anything should be allowed, no restrictions. Why draw any lines, we wouldn't want to force any one person's morals onto another.

It isn't as if 1/2 of most marriages are ending in divorce as it currently stands? The gays would, ironically, help to bring that statistic down.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Divorce#United_States

In 2008, 49% of all marriages involve a remarriage for one or both spouses. It is estimated that 40% of all marriages have ended in divorce as of 2008.

Dotty, my post was most sincere, it wasn't sarcasm sweetie.

 

[Sky Dancer]

Ah, SKy, just don't read it....

Consider your own position. Marie is openly proselytizing and you support her. You support her conversion agenda, not only does she want to convert me to Christianity, she wants me to be straight too.

Notice which side you're on.

And, you thanked Marie for it.

Yes, I did thank her. I forgive her. She knows not what she does. She means well, but she's ignorant.

When I protested the first time she tried this I was viciously attacked by a pack of Christians led by Newby. They damn near verbally eviscerated me. It was a Christian pile on of magnum proportions.

I asked Newby to read my response to Marie in this thread, because I did not respond in anger. Marie has no idea that what she is engaged in is a form of harassment.

 

[Newby]

Consider your own position. Marie is openly proselytizing and you support her. You support her conversion agenda, not only does she want to convert me to Christianity, she wants me to be straight too.

Notice which side you're on.

And, you thanked Marie for it.

Yes, I did thank her. I forgive her. She knows not what she does.

When I protested the first time she tried this I was viciously attacked by a pack of Christians led by Newby.
I asked Newby to read my response to Marie in this thread because I did not respond in anger.

Marie has no idea that what she is engaged in is a form of harassment.

 

[Si modo]

Consider your own position. Marie is openly proselytizing and you support her. You support her conversion agenda, not only does she want to convert me to Christianity, she wants me to be straight too.

Notice which side you're on.

And, you thanked Marie for it.

Yes, I did thank her. I forgive her. She knows not what she does.

When I protested the first time she tried this I was viciously attacked by a pack of Christians led by Newby.

I asked Newby to read my response to Marie in this thread because I did not respond in anger.

Marie has no idea that what she is engaged in is a form of harassment.

You THANKED her (ie. expressed gratitude for what she said).

Should we believe what you said then, or what you say now?

Personally, either scenario doesn't concern me. But, I am always interested in consistency.

Irrespective of that, I was not aware that Christians traveled in 'packs'. You mean, like wolves? They are out to get you, right? Yet, you thank them for it.

I can understand why you are thankful - you can play victim once the 'pack' comes after you. Oh no!!!!!!

You know, the boogie man isn't all that scary once you realize he is only in your head.

 

[Sky Dancer]

And, you thanked Marie for it.

Yes, I did thank her. I forgive her. She knows not what she does.

When I protested the first time she tried this I was viciously attacked by a pack of Christians led by Newby.
I asked Newby to read my response to Marie in this thread because I did not respond in anger.

Marie has no idea that what she is engaged in is a form of harassment.

You spent MONTHS on it. You wouldn't let it go even though Marie and I had worked it out between us.

You never take any responsibility for your own nastiness, Newby. You're one of those "holier than thou" types. As I recall, you thought I had NO RIGHT to be upset by Marie's proselytizing.

 

[Dragon]

I think that a persecution complex is built into Christianity. I'm not sure why that is; maybe it's the whole early-Christian martyr tradition or something.

It's not just that they claim they're being persecuted today when they're not, they also grossly exaggerate the persecution that happened in ancient times. To hear Christians talk, it's as if first the Jewish authorities in Judea, and then the Roman Empire, systematically tried to wipe them out 24/7 for centuries. But there was a community of Jesus' followers living and worshiping in Jerusalem for a long time after the Crucifixion, initially led by the Apostles, and that means that Jewish persecution of Christians was sporadic, not systematic. And Christianity spread far and wide throughout the Roman Empire, which means that Imperial persecution was also sporadic, not systematic. Most of the time, Christians were left alone. On rare occasions, an Emperor would initiate a persecution, but you can identify specific ones, such as the persecution of Diocletian, which means it wasn't happening most of the time (nor could Christianity have spread the way it did if it were). Even Diocletian's persecution, which was quite severe, was confined to the Eastern Empire as that was the only place he had authority, and was neither thorough enough nor widespread enough to suppress the religion. Diocletian was followed by Constantine, who legalized Christianity and founded the Imperial Church.

Even the Emperor Julian, during the brief attempt at a pagan restoration, did not persecute Christians. Actually, systematic, widespread persecution of Christians has been done in history only by Christians, and, once in a great while, by Muslims. But mostly by Christians bent on eradicating "heretical" forms of the religion.

Today, Christians call themselves persecuted when the government does not grant them special privileges or endorse their religion openly, which of course is forbidden by the First Amendment. The same First Amendment also forbids any actual persecution or suppression of Christianity, though, and that is definitely not happening, nor can it without amending the Constitution to permit this, which nobody really wants to do.

 

[Sky Dancer]

And, you thanked Marie for it.

Yes, I did thank her. I forgive her. She knows not what she does.

When I protested the first time she tried this I was viciously attacked by a pack of Christians led by Newby.

I asked Newby to read my response to Marie in this thread because I did not respond in anger.

Marie has no idea that what she is engaged in is a form of harassment.

You THANKED her (ie. expressed gratitude for what she said).

Should we believe what you said then, or what you say now?

Personally, either scenario doesn't concern me. But, I am always interested in consistency.

Irrespective of that, I was not aware that Christians traveled in 'packs'. You mean, like wolves? They are out to get you, right? Yet, you thank them for it.

I can understand why you are thankful - you can play victim once the 'pack' comes after you. Oh no!!!!!!

You know, the boogie man isn't all that scary once you realize he is only in your head.

Yes, I thanked her because I recognize she has NO idea how offensive she is. I forgive her. She means well, but she's completely ignorant of gay and lesbian life or the rights of American citizens to choose our own religious path freely.

I learned my lesson, that telling a Christian "no" results in an extreme group outrage and personal attack.

For once, put yourself in my shoes. How would you like to have some group attack you because you said no to a poster who is pressuring you to convert to homosexuality or Buddhism.

You don't like my choice of words. Substitute group, or clique for "pack". It was a concerted group effort to pummel me for daring to talk back to Marie about her harassing behavior.

I'm interested more in change than consistency. I have changed my attitude toward Marie. I have softened. She has too. Newby? NEVER. IMO, she has a grudge against me the size of Mt Meru.

Some Christians feel they have the right to intrusively and aggressively proselytize anywhere and everywhere. I don't.

Christian missionaries at an Arab Festival in Dearborn Michigan is inappropriate. Four Christians were arrested for disturbing the peace.

 

[Si modo]

Yes, I did thank her. I forgive her. She knows not what she does.

When I protested the first time she tried this I was viciously attacked by a pack of Christians led by Newby.
I asked Newby to read my response to Marie in this thread because I did not respond in anger.

Marie has no idea that what she is engaged in is a form of harassment.

You spent MONTHS on it. You wouldn't let it go even though Marie and I had worked it out between us.

You never take any responsibility for your own nastiness, Newby. You're one of those "holier than thou" types. As I recall, you thought I had NO RIGHT to be upset by Marie's proselytizing.

You can feel anything you want. And, we can comment on it, too.

If Christians scare you sooooooo much, why do you bother reading anything they post? If they 'attack' you so much, as you claim, and if that upsets you so much; why are so many of your posts right in the heart of their threads about their beliefs?

Why thank them for it, too?

 

[catzmeow]

Katz, that is just too stupid for words. No, Christians are not being persecuted. And most of what is being billed as persecution is backlash from the hateful 'Christians' that try to force their beliefs on the rest of us.

I seriously can't wait until 'gay marriage' is legalized, that's the last claim of 'forcing' anything down anyone's throat that can be claimed is due to 'christians'. Otherwise, you have no leg to stand on with that argument. And while you're at it, let the polygamists have that 'right' too, or anyone that wants to marry their cat, dog, goat, etc... I'm all for it. When it comes to social/personal affairs, anything should be allowed, no restrictions. Why draw any lines, we wouldn't want to force any one person's morals onto another.

So, I take it you're a Ron Paul supporter? Good for you.

 

[Si modo]

Yes, I did thank her. I forgive her. She knows not what she does.

When I protested the first time she tried this I was viciously attacked by a pack of Christians led by Newby.

I asked Newby to read my response to Marie in this thread because I did not respond in anger.

Marie has no idea that what she is engaged in is a form of harassment.

You THANKED her (ie. expressed gratitude for what she said).

Should we believe what you said then, or what you say now?

Personally, either scenario doesn't concern me. But, I am always interested in consistency.

Irrespective of that, I was not aware that Christians traveled in 'packs'. You mean, like wolves? They are out to get you, right? Yet, you thank them for it.

I can understand why you are thankful - you can play victim once the 'pack' comes after you. Oh no!!!!!!

You know, the boogie man isn't all that scary once you realize he is only in your head.

Yes, I thanked her because I recognize she has NO idea how offensive she is. I forgive her. She means well, but she's completely ignorant of gay and lesbian life or the rights of American citizens to choose our own religious path freely.

I learned my lesson, that telling a Christian "no" results in an extreme group outrage and personal attack.

For once, put yourself in my shoes. How would you like to have some group attack you because you said no to a poster who is pressuring you to convert to homosexuality or Buddhism.

Expressing thanks is very different from forgiving, and certainly doesn't remotely imply forgiveness. Gratitude doe not mean forgiveness.

Just so you know.

But, how cool is it that the thread is all about you, now?