We say it in the Pledge of Allegiance every time we recite it: “One nation under God.” But right now, it is not one nation under God and Christianity is under attack more than it has ever been. President Obama, in fact, stated that we are not “one nation under God,” declaring, “Whatever (the U.S.) once was. We are no longer a Christian nation.”
There have been countless acts of intolerance towards the Christian faith and those who practice it, while other religions remain protected. There have been countless acts of intolerance regarding students who choose to pray in public schools or mention Jesus Christ in an assignment, and professors tell them it is “wrong and unacceptable” while others are free to mention their religious preferences without penalty.
Andrew Biar of Chron News stated, regarding our US military, “The Pentagon brass simply said that those in uniform cannot proselytize. If they did they could be court-martialed and imprisoned. This also included chaplains. Is it not the job of a chaplain to talk about his faith and share it? Additionally, I must have missed it in my reading of the First Amendment where it says soldiers cannot talk about Jesus. It is nowhere to be found.”
Now, given that we are the Untied States of America, we certainly don’t have it as bad as other countries where violence is the answer and persecution is common. However, that is not to say Christianity is not under attack.
It has become increasingly aware to me that the tolerance of Christians, and their beliefs, as well as the standing up for their faith, is decreasing rapidly. Given the recent events that have taken place in our country, i.e. the election, our country is arguably more divided than it has ever been, especially in regard to religion.
Throughout my collegiate career, I have had liberal studies professors tell me that Christianity and Jesus have no place in their classroom. I have been told that I am foolish for believing so strongly in something I can’t see or touch. I have been told that if I continue on the path of “one of those self righteous, white privileged Christians” people won’t like me or listen to what I have to say when I use the Lord as an example of peace and sovereignty. Potentially, the most offensive thing that I have heard to date is that I shouldn’t be “one of them” because they “treat people badly.”
When I say that Christianity is under attack, I also mean what Christianity is and how Christians should act, is under attack. To be called “one of them” – what does that mean? It means that we, as Christians, are not doing what we are called to do and acting how we are called to act. In Ephesians, it is discussed how we are God’s workmanship and are called to do good acts and deeds. In Romans, we are called to be “holy and pleasing to God.” In James, we are called to be “doers of His word.” In John, it is said that our actions are supposed to “Glorify God,” but we don’t see that from Christians every day, do we? We have an entire book about how to act, so why is it so difficult?
It is hard to be a Christian and live a life that glorifies God. I will not say that it isn’t. It is hard to follow the rules of the Bible when it comes to love, life, and fellowship.
It is hard to understand that the words we say, and the actions we carry out, directly reflect the things we are trying to show as Christians. While it is hard to remember, it is imperative so that we are not called or perceived as “hypocrites,” “bigots,” “privileged,” “racist,” “judgmental,” “uniformed and backwards,” “stupid,” etc.
Biar also stated, “In our country there is no problem expressing your Christian views and living them out until it is not in line with what someone in government or those opposed to Christianity.” To be a Christian means going against the grain, it means standing up for the things you believe in, it means opposing the popular opinion, it means standing your ground no matter what others say about it.
Matthew 7:15 says: “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.”
Christianity is under attack in America, and in a world of wolves, I will remain a sheep.
Sources:
http://www.alltherightnews.com/10-ways-christianity-is-under-attack/10/
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+7:15-20
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/27/19/ab/2719ab089911bfe871ac5b06c6c93f7e.jpg