Ethics

The Roots of the Christian Persecution Complex

By Ed Brayton

I've often commented that it's not surprising that so many Christians manage to find persecution under every bed and in every closet, since the core event in the history of the religion is an act of martyrdom. There is more to that, of course. Jesus, after all, explicitly warned his followers that they would be persecuted, and further that this is something they should embrace. From the sermon on the mount:

Blessed are those who're persecuted for righteousness sake for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you, and persecute you, and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets before you.

Full post as published by Dispatches from the Culture Wars on April 28, 2008 (boomark / email).