Christians think we have it so rough in America - It is far easier to set our hopes in a Christian “Geneva”

There are so many facets to be considered here, but a few thoughts.

It’s true we are not in the situation the church faced in the first century, and exaggerating our struggles doesn’t help, but there are other ways our situation is different than the early church’s, and not just in regard to persecution. (I do agree we should remember the persecution is not as bad, though even then it was sporadic.) But consider the fact that there had not been a culture strongly influenced by Christianity in the first century. The early Christians were building something, but hadn’t lost their civilization. Modern Christians have to deal with a post-Christian hostility, which in key ways is quite different from the first century experience. We are not “winning the world” as they were then, we are facing decline. Should we hide? No. But our role is shifting. The grief of loss is real and should be expressed and honored for what it is, not put down or labeled a “martyr complex.” I don’t think that helps. Do we have to work past that grief and embrace the Gospel for our sad times? Yes, indeed! Running away is not the answer. It is understandable that some will want to, especially for the sake of their children. The church needs to carefully think about it’s role and mission in a post-Christian society (which is different than a pre-Christian society), and instruct our people accordingly.

Politically our situation is different, too. There were not compulsory education laws in the first century. Christians were not asked to hand over their kids to the state for 35 hours a week of state indoctrination in paganism. Public, private and home-schooling are still options for those with means, but those liberties have to be defended. Should we engage publicly on matters related to the shaping of the next generation? I think we have a right and a duty to do so. The first century church had no voice in the state. As a representative republic, we are supposed to have a voice, and we’re supposed to be free to express it. The truth is we don’t know what the early church would have done had believers possessed elective powers. The Bible doesn’t address it because it wasn’t a possibility.

So, no, persecution here isn’t as bad as it is in other lands, but losing one’s business, or a job, or grades, or being denied a course of study because of your Christian convictions is real persecution and does real damage to people’s lives. That, in fact, is the more typical persecution believers face in Islamic, or Communist nations. It’s not a martyr complex if you are discriminated against in academia or lose your business because you don’t want to bake a cake for a same-sex wedding. That kind of persecution has started here and will get much worse, I believe. It’s also not a martyr complex when people are concerned after a man is inspired to kill everyone at the Family Research Council and smear their bodies with Chick-Fil-A sandwiches. He almost succeeded. He was inspired by an approved hatred of Christians as the enemy.

Christian concerns about the direction of post-Christian America with an increasingly pervasive state motivated by anti-Christian ideologies shouldn’t be dismissed, but acknowledged. Then we can ask: “Okay, that’s the hand we’re dealt by God’s providence. How can we serve Him in this?”

You bring up good points, Wayne. So is a proper answer to your last question, to board a ship and sail off to a far-off island, hoping that will improve your condition? That is what I’m more speaking to in my post. Yes post-Christian America presents challenges, but for too many, Christianity is about safety from problems and insulating their kids and families from the problems out there. The worse it gets the harder it will be to isolate ourselves and that is a good thing. We do have a responsibility to stand in this dark age - and we need to speak up too. But realizing that we don’t deserve a Christian state, might help us not focus too much on public morality and not enough on spreading a sufficiently clear gospel to those around us.

No easy answers for sure, and I don’t mean to malign people by choosing intriguing words for my title. But this is an important discussion to have. Thanks for joining it.

Blessings,

Bob Hayton

I think we do agree, Bob. I took the story of sailing off, which is certainly a loopy thing to do, to be representative of something else which I thought you were identifying with the paragraph on a Christian Geneva…something broader than folks on a boat. And I agree with you about a “holy huddle.” It’s the wrong way to go, like monasticism, but I sympathize with those who feel that desire for a Geneva (although the real Geneva didn’t work out so well either). Our Pilgrim fathers actually did hop on boats to build their own better place, and I’m glad they tried.

I do hear some castigating believers for not really suffering and making much of cultural reversals, as though they are not significant. I think they are significant, but I strongly believe we need to accept where we are and push ahead with the Lord’s work to a darkening world. I’m with you there!

but this case is not a good example. If people by the boatload were doing this that would be one thing, but it isn’t the case. This was an isolated incident that hit the wires and the media picked it up. It tells us nothing about America other than that there are a few flakes, and nuts among us…and more power to them. At least they are free to do what they desire.

[Mark_Smith]

but this case is not a good example. If people by the boatload were doing this that would be one thing, but it isn’t the case. This was an isolated incident that hit the wires and the media picked it up. It tells us nothing about America other than that there are a few flakes, and nuts among us…and more power to them. At least they are free to do what they desire.

But we have one it in a sense with schooling. Christians “by the boatloads” have pulled their kids out of the public school system and have placed them into their own schools or even homeschooled them, because they are fed up with the government control of the schools and the wrong agendas. Christians are pulling back from a lot of different aspects of our lives. At some point we may not be able to send out kids to Christian schools or homeschool them. What will we do then?