The Truth

It says in the Bible somewhere that those who have a relationship with God will be beaten and bruised for their love for Him. I've only just come to realize that the bruises we receive are not just physical. Here in America, we have the freedom of religion. We have the right to believe what we want and worship however we choose without fear of physical pain or death. This does not mean, however, that we won't face persecution.

Yes, people will pick on you for your confessed belief in God, and yes, you will be shamed for the way you live when it doesn't line up with modern secular humanism. But really, I'm talking about something a little different. I'm talking about persecution that is a little harder to see.

More often than not, religious persecution in America is not anywhere near what we see in other countries such as China or Korea. Here, we are ridiculed on a much more basic level. We are called out not for our Bible thumping or long skirts, but for our attitudes. The basic, unspoken attitude of Christian love offends people.

and you don't even have to say anything!

My favorite example here is the recent controversy over Invisible Children, a philanthropy that's done nothing more than to try and raises awareness. Any yet, the media, along with seemingly every liberal on the planet, has jumped to the offense, saying the video wasn't released soon enough or the founders are making too much money. Here again, I think we're missing the point.

People (and organizations) are constantly under attack simply for telling the truth.

We are told that "they will know we are Christians by our love." This is perhaps the truest statement I've heard in at least the last year. The truth, whether spoken out loud or just exemplified, will usually offend someone.