Persecution

John the Baptist Hanging Out with Salome

When the Bible talks about oppression and persecution of Christians, it's talking about being strung up on racks and crosses and having your bones broken, your head chopped off, or having all your stuff taken and your women defiled because you're not allowed to believe what you want.  Not about politically leftist ideologies encroaching on politically rightist territory or internet trolls bashing their keyboards with anti-God sentiment.

That's why it bugs me when Christians in America seem to forget that we live in a country whose very FIRST rule is that people can believe whatever they want.

God has given us great blessings in America and in all the nations where we are free to believe and share those beliefs.  Do some folks dislike us, even hate us?  Sure.  But that's not persecution.  That's opinion.

Sticks and stones may break our bones, but, if they do, the people wielding them will go to jail.  As criminals.  That is the difference between now and the Early Church.  So suck it up when people throw angry words at you; praise God for this blessing of a country and the freedom its laws give us.