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Free Speech and Religious Persecution

Normally, people would want us to mind our business. And that's the norm. Frankly, I'm one with you on that. So now, why am I blogging on a sensitive topic about religious persecution?

Recent events have caused Muslim groups to protest angrily at US embassies around the Middle East - Tunisia, Egypt, etc. People point to a video of the Prophet Muhammad being portrayed as a lustful man. Frankly again, I have watched the beginning of it and yes, I believe in getting all the facts first before making a serious judgment.

Okay, so I watched the video. I would see why our Muslim brothers were so offended. One, the video is not based on facts but as an entertaining sarcastic way of portraying a historical figure such as Muhammad in a bad light. The wrong - it is false, a lie; a slander; disrespectful; promotes lust; and maybe a little mixed with hatred for the race. I would have no complete idea. I did not watch the video completely either. Just a few seconds to see what the commotion was about.

I am deeply saddened by this video because it is not accurate and does not promote good will and brotherhood towards man. Free speech could be free speech as is the word "free" but watch out that your speech does not promote good will and causes riots and factions. Free speech is not an excuse to delineate humans.

In the opposite, where is free speech in this situation? Free speech is protesting that this video violates human principles and does not promote brotherhood and peace. THAT IS FREE SPEECH my friends.

Free speech is about speaking the truth and edifying people in a way that builds them up. And if you don't like how things are run, that's fine. Then speak it out. That is free speech as democracy would call it.

See the contrast? This video is not FREE SPEECH. This video is far from free speech. It does not promote any good in humanity and it's only about one person's view point. Free speech is to be used to communicate to all and if it does not benefit other people listening, why bother promote your view point under the guise of "free speech"?

That said, there is another point I must make in this entry. We know how hurtful it is to be under religious persecution. Muslims have had a taste of that the past month or maybe more so. I am deeply sorry about what you go through as people.

We Christians have had our own taste of religious persecution as well. Our God has been mocked, cursed, portrayed inaccurately, disrespected. Our people have been hated, murdered in other countries because of what we believe. We went through the darkest periods of Christian life where we were hunted and put in prison, burned at stake, were fed to lions because of what we believed in.

We all mourn for our heroes of the faith who did not fear death but accepted it willingly in the hopes of going to a better world where there are no more tears and no more sorrow or pain.

Why we have not reacted in revenge to the people that persecuted us and maligned our faith? It is because of our encouragement in this verse:

"We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.
Romans 5:3-4 NLT

God encourages us in persecution in this verse:

Encouragement during Persecution


Dear brothers and sisters, we can’t help but thank God for you, because your faith is flourishing and your love for one another is growing. We proudly tell God’s other churches about your endurance and faithfulness in all the persecutions and hardships you are suffering. And God will use this persecution to show his justice and to make you worthy of his Kingdom, for which you are suffering. In his justice he will pay back those who persecute you.

And God will provide rest for you who are being persecuted and also for us when the Lord Jesus appears from heaven. He will come with his mighty angels, in flaming fire, bringing judgment on those who don’t know God and on those who refuse to obey the Good News of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with eternal destruction, forever separated from the Lord and from his glorious power. When he comes on that day, he will receive glory from his holy people—praise from all who believe. And this includes you, for you believed what we told you about him.

So we keep on praying for you, asking our God to enable you to live a life worthy of his call. May he give you the power to accomplish all the good things your faith prompts you to do. Then the name of our Lord Jesus will be honored because of the way you live, and you will be honored along with him. This is all made possible because of the grace of our God and Lord, Jesus Christ.(2 Thessalonians 1:3-12, NLT)

Keep your faith up. God rewards faithfulness in the midst of persecution. There is no need to pay back what was done to us.

The reward is in Christ and participating in His suffering. When He was still on earth, Jesus was mocked, spit on, brutally whipped and crucified. Peter had an opportunity to draw a sword and revolt but Jesus told him not to. He went with the people who would make him suffer and be tortured to his dying death. He told Peter not to revolt. He told Peter, "No more of this.” And he touched a soldier's ear who will lead him to his death and healed him. (Luke 22:51)

To the religious leaders arresting him he said, “Am I some dangerous revolutionary,” he asked, “that you come with swords and clubs to arrest me?" (Luke 22:52)

Jesus suffered much more. 
The guards in charge of Jesus began mocking and beating him. They blindfolded him and said, “Prophesy to us! Who hit you that time?” And they hurled all sorts of terrible insults at him.
(Luke 22:63-65)

Jesus was sentenced to death on claims that were not true. 
And they began to accuse him, saying, “We have found this man subverting our nation. He opposes payment of taxes to Caesar and claims to be Messiah, a king.”
(Luke 23:2)

He was crucified and insulted while he was hanging on the cross,
The crowd watched and the leaders scoffed. “He saved others,” they said, “let him save himself if he is really God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.”
(Luke 23:35)

God set the example how we should treat people who are persecuting us. Not in forceful revolt but in correction, and if it does not go as intended, be faithful to God to the point of death inflicted by others (not the death you inflict on other people - for there will be no reward in heaven for that), and receive Him and your reward in paradise. Thank you for reading. God bless your souls and hearts. Amen.

Comments

  1. Normally I do not learn post on blogs, but I would like to say that this write-up very forced me to take a look at and do so! Your writing taste has been amazed me. Thanks, quite great post.

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    1. Thank you my friend. The beauty of God's truth is even I myself read it in different times and different situations it will still speak to me no matter what. The Lord gives me the inspiration and the framework by which I view past and current events. Thankful for the compliment. It is indeed God who makes all things possible.

      Marie

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