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Is Christianity Under Attack in America?

Our nation is in the midst of an ever-changing moral and political landscape. Currently, social justice is at the forefront of our minds, and the majority is aching for equality across all marginalized groups.

Yet, while this mindset of “equality for all” seems to give Americans the opportunity to freely express who they are and what they believe in, it actually is hindering some groups’ personal rights––specifically those of Christians.

As time goes on, there is a surprisingly increasing hostility and intolerance toward Christian beliefs and values.

For example, we have wrestled for years about prayer in schools or in public forums. If a Christian student bows their head with a friend while in the school hallway to pray, they could potentially face backlash and consequences.

There are also countless examples of Christian business owners who refused to provide service to individuals based on personal convictions and were sued or penalized because of it.

In these situations, the Christians involved were not forcing their religious views on others or attempting to act mean-spirited. They were simply making a public stand for what they believed in.

If Christians can face repercussions for public displays of their faith, then does this mean all religious beliefs should be privatized?

In a country where our Constitution’s First Amendment gives us the right to freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly and freedom to petition, should we not be allowed to live out our personal convictions?

Essentially, people are free to live as Christians if their faith does not interfere with the beliefs of others.

The flaw in this argument is religious life is, in itself, public––not private. Especially in relation to Christianity, most, if not all, elements of the Christian church are public because the church is trying to reach those within the public.

Additionally, privatizing Christianity goes against the very calling Jesus passed to his disciples: “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone” (Mark 16:15, NLT).

In 2012, British Cabinet Minister Baroness Sayeeda Warsi said she feared the marginalization of Christianity throughout the Western world: “My fear today is that a militant secularization is taking hold of our societies. One of the most worrying aspects about this militant secularization is that at its core and in its instincts, it is deeply intolerant. You cannot extract Christian foundations from the evolution of our nations any more than you can erase the spires from our landscape.”

Side note: Warsi is a Muslim.

Christians in America certainly do not face the severe persecution and oppression other Christians face in countries around the world, but this growing need to stifle the beliefs of Christians from seeping into the public is not acceptable.

If we as a nation feel the need to advocate for the marginalized––to see people as people, to declare equality for all, to say every man, woman and child deserves to live according to what they believe and be loved for who they are––then we cannot forget Christians.

We cannot allow Christians to be continually told to keep their personal convictions silent in America. In a country standing for freedom for all, Christians should be allowed to live out their beliefs––in public.

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