We Are Entering A New Age

Of Christian Persecution.

By David Woodbury

The spectre of the cross is beginning to cast its dark shadow once again over 21^st century Christianity. The halcyon days where the majority of the population accepted and, in some ways, loved Christianity and the Christian church are drawing to a close. The invitation of Jesus to take up our cross daily, with all its suffering, humiliation and persecution, may well turn out to be a current reality.

The recent Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse has highlighted deficiencies within the church and the opposition of many churches to the recent Marriage Equality debate have significantly impacted the influence of the church. However, two events have highlighted the current situation:

• Biased media commentary on Christchurch and Sri Lanka massacres
• The sacking of Christian Rugby Union player, Israel Folua.

Biased media reporting

Leading media commentators were quick to point out that the Christchurch attack was an attack on the Muslim faith but reticent to brand the attack on churches in Sri Lanka as an attack on the Christian faith, but rather tried to water it down as an attack on Easter worshipers or people at prayer.  We can only ponder on the rationale behind the perceived bias in reporting. Scott Simpson in the latest issue of Others puzzles over the same question.

“What I do question, however, is why we can respond in such a passionate way to Christchurch, and yet have such a casual attitude to tragedies of similar or even greater scale that occur almost on a weekly basis in other parts of our world, the majority of which are perpetrated on our fellow Christians?”

“The Pew Research Centre, which analyses religious freedom in 198 countries and territories, reveals that a shocking 11 Christians every hour – 100,000 a year – are being murdered for their faith. In Nigeria alone, estimates suggest that as many as 10,000 Christians have been murdered in the past four years. That equates to about 50 people – a slaughter of Christchurch scale – every week! Can anyone explain why?”

While I would be the first to admit that political commentators often overstate their point of view, comments by Andrew Bolt in The Daily Telegraph – 25 April 2019, are worth noting: “To admit that Christians are the target of terrorism cuts across the left’s popular narrative that Christianity is oppressive. To have Christians seen as the oppressed would undercut their crusade – driven hard by the Greens – to drive Christianity from the public space (emphasis mine).” I think there is a fair degree of truth in Bolt’s comment and the reality may well be there is a subliminal and progressive campaign to negate and sideline Christianity in today’s secular society.

Persecution of Christians

Rugby Union is colloquially referred to as the game they play in heaven, but here on earth, in the minds of Rugby Australia, you can’t reference anything of a religious expression, as Israel Folua has found out in reaction to his post on social media. The malicious campaign against Israel Folau goes wider than his comments. While we may question Folua’s wisdom and timing of his comment, what we cannot question is his right to express his Christian viewpoint. It is worth noting that the offending comment has been cherry-picked from a plethora of biblical material Folau has posted. His comments did not express any hatred, contempt or ridicule of homosexual persons and included the all-embracing love of Jesus.

Qantas, who are the main corporate sponsor of the Australian Rugby team, has come out in support of Folau’s sacking and posted the following comment: “We are pleased to see Rugby Australia’s condemnation of the comments and will await the outcome of their review.” Perhaps it is the tune of the sponsor’s millions of dollars to which Rugby Australia is dancing. One can only speculate who is behind the Qantas statement noting that its CEO, Alan Joyce, used his company’s power and standing to support the marriage equality debate

Mark Latham in his maiden speech in the NSW parliament perhaps reflected the views of many Australians:  “How did our state and our nation ever come to this? Those claiming outrage have fabricated their position solely for the purpose of censorship. This is not an argument about diversity. Australians shouldn’t have to fear being sacked for stating their religious beliefs. No Australian should be fearful of proclaiming four of the most glorious words of our civilisation: I am a Christian.”

There is much in the Bible that today’s generations would feel is offensive. We live in an age where people are easily aggrieved and the Bible is intentionally confronting, when it comes to its central message:  Humanity’s fall from grace into sin and its redemption through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. If we were to parade in the CBD of our major cities with a sign from Romans 3:23: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, many would be offended for they don’t see themselves a sinners and to suggest they are, would be offensive and some would certainly feel aggrieved. Christians need to come to grips with the realities of the Biblical message: Sinful humanity will be offended. It may well be that some of the aggrieved outrage coming from minority groups might stem from an uneasy conscience.

There are basic tenets of freedom inherent within western democracies;

• The right to free speech
• The right to religious beliefs
• The right to public assembly 

Freedoms we all embrace and cherish and seek to defend except, so it seems, when it comes to the expression of Christian belief.It is unlikely that persecution will come from direct physical assault, although that is possible. It is more likely that it will come in insidious and more subtle ways, in the schools and universities, in the workplace and in ordinary social settings. 

The alarm bells are ringing for Christianity; it may well be that the day has arrived when Christians will once again be persecuted for their faith and the question is: are we ready for it? Are we willing to pay the price of unpopularity and derision that our pioneer Salvationists paid, often by their own blood?