I am. If what Christians in America are going through is "persecution," then what they've been doing to homosexuals is also persecution.
They said that about interracial weddings too and I still don't give a **** what they think.
I would add this.
Who has forced anyone to bake a cake? Was it done at gun point? Did I miss something?
Agree with most of that. But there is some irony here. Most Americans reflexively think of religion in Christian terms. So it is illegal to do a public prayer or benediction. Now prayer is simply an earnest request and a benediction is simply uttering a blessing. Arguably these can be considered simply secular free speech but since this is a Judeo-Christian culture those are outlawed as "religious" speech. We don't understand much of Islamic or Buddhist or animist so those are not considered religious and are not outlawed. So Christians are subjected to more scrutiny.
A National Park can post some Chief Seattle quote about the Earth is our Mother or tell a story about the goddess of fire Pele and that is simply story telling or acceptable somehow. But saying God our Father probably is illegal. As an agnostic, I believe that, no, the earth is not our mother and saying that is religious nonsense.
I think that all speech should be allowed in schools and in public as attempts to ban it seems discriminatory to the Christian majority. There must be a better system of avoiding the problem of dictatorship of the majority than simply substituting dictatorship of a minority.
I can't really agree with some this.
1 - How is prayer or religious utterances illegal? My brother prays in restaurants all the time as I've noted in a different thread. It isn't illegal to talk about God or to pray in public. Not in the U.S. at least.
2 - Considering what the Native Americans went through, I think posting some of their quotes is the least we can do.
3 - Absolutely no. Free speech is not and should not be extended to kids in schools. Children should not be allowed to cuss out teachers, make rude or crude jokes in class, and several other things that adults can do in public. This also extends to the work place for adults.
Persecution - Definition
Persecution is the systematic mistreatment of an individual or group by another individual or group.
Persecuted Christians in America: Fact or Fiction?
Articles: Persecution of Christians in America: It's Not Just 'Over There'
Persecution of Christians on rise – in U.S.
Plenty of SPECIFIC EXAMPLES included.
Speak of noone presenting a single shred of evidence again and your credibility is gone permanently.
Many people that claim to be Christians are simply deceitful.
I don't tend to trust FOX news as an unbiased reporter of facts so...
Beyond that. If I leave and go home and am beaten in the street because I wear glasses. Does that mean glasses wearers are being persecuted? No.
Individual cases are not examples of persecution which in your own definition is towards a group by another GROUP. What entire groups are persecuting Christians?
err merr gerrddd.....the poor poor christians.....
:roll:
No added value to the debate.
If any of the FOX news stories posted above are true then it should not happen. People should not be charged money just for being of a certain religion, people should not be taken to task for having a prayer group or prayer circle, etc. IF the stories are true (and with FOX I would not doubt if some are exaggerated).
Persecution? Perhaps not. But prejudice against a group only goes to validate the OP.
As for groups Christians have persecuted? Why would someone who thinks Christians are terrible want to lower themselves to their level?
"When you're accustomed to privilege, equality feels like oppression."
There are times when Christians believe they should have more power over the country than they should. There are times when all groups feel this way and its unrealistic no matter the group.
Not sure why it always comes down to lines drawn in the sand but that seems to be more and more the case.
