Since Christianity began with Jesus' death, Christians have been persecuted for their faith. This is not a little known fact, and should be noted by every Christian. From Diocletianic Persecution in the early Roman Empire, to the murders by Hindu Nationalists in India, an estimated 70 million Christians have been martyred, of which 65 percent (around 45.5 million) happened in the twentieth century [1]. Seventy million is too many lives to be kept quiet. People have the wrong outlook on life, and I'll prove it in the following examples of this inhumanity.
Some of the best-known historical martyrs were in early Christianity, with the deaths of Saints Paul, Stephen, Barnabas, and other apostles. Paul was to be scourged (Acts 22:24), and he was stoned (Acts 14:19) and beheaded in Rome [2]. Stephen was also stoned (Acts 7:58-59), and John the Baptist was beheaded (see Matthew 14:1-12). More can be learned about early Christian martyrs in John Foxe’s book, Foxe's Book of Martyrs (Forgotten Books, 1888). His book (co-authored by A. Clarke) gives an excellent historical perspective on early Christian martyrs, with specific information on many of these people.
Christian martyrdom has not stopped in the last 2,000 years. In Poland during 1939–1945 of World War II, an estimated 3,000 Catholics were by killed by Nazis (1,992 of these in concentration camps) [2]. At the Dachau concentration camp in Germany, 2,600 Catholic priests from 24 different countries were murdered [2]. Many more Christians from most all denominations were killed during the war.
China has long been famed as an anti-Christian nation, with the distribution of Bibles and Christian literature outlawed. A February 18, 2009 article by Worthy News reads, "Over 60 Christian leaders, including two South Korean pastors and an elderly well-known evangelical believer, were detained in Central China as part of a crackdown on unauthorized worship..."[3]. Worthy News has reported various other cases of Christianity under fire in China, such as the closing of a House Church Law Firm [4], a woman not being allowed to see her imprisoned Christian husband [5], and a Christian bookstore owner detained [6].
China is not the only area where Christian persecution has spread. For example, practicing Christianity is banned in Saudi Arabia [8]. Also, on April 18, 2007 in Malatya, Turkey, three employees of Zirve Publishing House were attacked, tortured, and killed by Muslim assailants [7]. There are other such cases, like those listed on ChristianPersecution.info and by The Voice of the Martyrs.
Article comments
1 - Christine Lakatos
Hey J.J., from one Christian to another, unfortunately, it probably won't end until Jesus returns. Just keep in mind the words of Jesus, "Blessed are those who are persecuted for MY names sake"! However, you are so right, how can anyone do such inhumane things? Great article and keep the faith!
2 - Dr Dreadful
I hope this thread doesn't turn into a 'my religion is more persecuted than your religion' oneupmanship contest.
3 - J.J. Biddinger
Christine Lakatos, thank you very much for the comment. It was greatly appreciated! To Dr Dreadful, I don't see how that would be a worthwhile discussion.
God bless, J.J.
4 - Dr Dreadful
I don't either, JJ. [projecting]But you do get some very odd people online sometimes.[/projecting]
Historically, Christians have been persecuted a lot because they're very visible, with an in-your-face approach to evangelism which is often seen as a threat.
At the moment, Christians are taking a fair bit of heat because there are a lot of them, and in many quarters of the world they're colliding head-on with adherents of what will soon be the world's largest religion - Islam. Consequently, Muslims are suffering a fair bit of persecution too.
But I hope you're bearing in mind that for its sheer impact over time, if not in terms of overall numbers, Christian persecution pales in comparison to the systematic enmity levelled against those of the Jewish faith, which has led to the commission of some of history's most horrendous atrocities and which shows little sign of abating.
Before you say anything, I'm an adherent of none of these three faiths, at least not particularly.
5 - roger nowosielski
Take it easy, JJ. I see this is your first article for BC.
Just to let you know, discussion does get a little rough now and then, so don't get discouraged. Keep the the faith and we hope to see more of you.
Roger
6 - Irene Wagner
JJ " There isn’t a smidgeon of vindictiveness expressed in your article. Thank you for mentioning
7 - Irene Wagner
Thank you for mentioning Voice of the Martyrs as they give practical ways for us to share the burdens of specific brothers and sisters in jail, or family members of martyrs. But you ask, "will it ever end?" People can ask "how can there be an almighty loving God who allows suffering and humiliation?" There are some people who’ll never understand that the answer is "Jesus" until they’ve driven the nails into him for themselves. Those are the people who end up loving him most.
8 - roger nowosielski
I don't think you're being fair, Irene. The kid is eighteen years old, and you should cut him some slack.
And yes, the greatest sinners end up being the greatest advocates.
9 - Irene Wagner
I finally see what's going on, Roger. You (and possibly JJ, so I'm glad you'
ve alerted me to the need to clarify) might have thought I was implying this article is asking the question "how can there be an almighty and loving God..." but I wasn't.
10 - roger nowosielski
My apologies, Irene, I misread the following
"There is{n't) a smidgeon of vindictiveness expressed in your article."
Read it as an affirmative. I don't know could I could.
11 - Irene Wagner
You were defending someone you thought was being treated unfairly. That's OK.
Things like that happen to me ALL the time, Roger Nowosielski, when I'm reading. My husband gave me a gardening book for my birthday called "Square Foot Gardening," Me, when I unwrapped it: "Square Root Gardening! It's about vegetables and math!"
12 - roger nowosielski
Thanks for understanding, Irene. I should have known better, especially in your case.
13 - Ruvy
Welcome to Blogcritics Magazine, JJ.
I hate to break up this love-fest, but this is an article about religious persecution, and when looking at such articles, one would be well advised to remember that there are usually at least two sides to the story.
First of all, (and this has nothing to do with you, JJ), this article should be under Politics and not Culture. It is a mistake of the owner and his editors to have only one exclusive category for history that is under Culture. History is as often involved as not with politics - deeply involved. Issues of religious persecution are perfect examples of this, as the persecution is more often than not politically inspired.
Now to the article you wrote, JJ. In 1944, Rabbi Michael Weissmandl, of blessed memory, appealed to the highest Catholic prelate he could reach in Slovakia to save Jews from being murdered off by the Nazis, saying that the innocent blood of Jewish children should not be shed.
This was the response of the prelate, a papal nuncio in Bratislava named Monsignor Giuseppe Borzio.
"There is no such thing as 'the innocent blood' of Jewish children! All Jewish blood is guilty, and the Jews must die for that is their punishment for that sin."
[Pg 76, Cracking the Bible Code, by Jeffrey Satinover, M.D., William and Murrow, Inc. © 1998]
What comes around goes around, JJ. Now, Christians in India are murdered off because Hindus, being a proud and ancient people, have little tolerance for the lies Christians tell poor Hindus to win them away from their ancient faith.
And since Christianity represents a real threat the Confucian people of China, Christians are persecuted there as well.
You need to ask yourself some uncomfortable questions, JJ. Who was it who murdered off the faiths of the Incas? Who was it murdered off the faith of the Aztecs? Who was it incited rape, robbery, massacre and murder of Jews for 19 centuries? Who walk the streets in Jerusalem today, doing their damndest to steal Jews from their faith?
The answer to all of these questions is "Christians".
To be blunt, Christians are getting their just desserts.
They have no business lying to poor Hindus in India to steal their souls, they have no business in Jerusalem trying to steal the souls of Jews, they had no business persecuting the Native Americans of the Americas, they had no business inciting Christian peasants and burghers to rape, massacre, murder and Mayhem every Easter.
But they did. And now payment is being collected. And you, JJ, have nothing to complain about. If Christians had practiced what was written in the Book of Luke all this time, "Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you," you would have a legitimate beef. But they practiced murder in the name of love, and would not see the image of G-d in innocent children being sent off to die.
14 - Irene Wagner
Christianity is the fastest-growing religion in Iran, persecution notwithstanding.
The evangelists there perhaps read Ruvy's recent justification of the genocide of Iranians, and decided they needed to start passing out those tracts double-time!
15 - roger nowosielski
That's very kind of you, Irene. But then again, one could expect nothing less.
16 - Irene Wagner
I could say a lot more, Roger.
But I'm too "kind" to be that courageous.
17 - Cindy
Irene,
I have to stick my nose in here and just say, if you haven't ever read it, and you get The Ruth Stout No-Work Garden Book: Secrets of the year-round mulch method, you will be extremely pleased. Everyone always is.
To me, a square-foot or other intensive space utilization method plus Ruth Stout--pure love.
(My next new gardening thing will be to try permaculture. But I will include Ruth Stout's mulch in there.)
18 - Irene Wagner
I went to Amazon.com in a limousinnnnnnnnne link! Cindy, the whole world could be puttering around a Garden naked right now instead of arguing over religion on the internet. But noooooooooooooooo.... Permaculture sounds like the next best thing. Thanks for the gardening tip.
19 - Bill
This is to adress Ruvy's comments. Regardless of how Christians have behaved in the past, persecuted Christians of today bear no responsibility for that. To blame these poor, oppressed people makes as much sense as blaming all Jews for the death of Christ.
20 - Ruvy
Bill,
That comment of yours is pretty lame. I still remember being called "Christ-killer" by Catholic bullies in Brooklyn. I'm sure other Jews could say the same. And go check out the movie "the Passion" and you get the same concept pushed onto a modern day snuff film.
We've been held responsible for the "deeds" of our ancestors for generations, whether you like that fact or not. And now, you are being held responsible for the murderous deeds of your ancestors - whether you like it or not. Welcome to the pleasures of being a Jew.
Enjoy, and stop whining like a Jew that it's unjust. Justice is being served - at long last.
21 - Irene Wagner
Bill, There are other Jewish perspectives, though.
From The Jewish Journal:
"...Last year, in an unexpected turn of events, the municipality suddenly requested that [Bialik-Rogozin School in south Tel Aviv] accept 21 new Sudanese refugees... Many of them were traumatized after witnessing their parents’ massacre and their homes burned to the ground and subsequently being forced to flee Sudan, travel through Egypt and eventually find a safe haven in Israel.
"We’re friends with the kids from Darfur now," said Maor, a well-spoken 11th-grade student..."We play with them, study with them and help them with their Hebrew..."
"...We want our students to understand that there are no differences between foreign workers, Israelis, Arabs, Jews, Christians and Muslims," [school director Karen Tal] said. "We are all the same, and we all deserve the same rights..."
22 - Jimmy
You all should be persecuted for crimes agains humanity.