In Reply to: Re: Persecution: Interview with David Limbaugh posted by ray on November 30, 2003 at 04:18:33:
Ray,
I understand where you're coming from, but give readers of Limbaugh's book a break. I'm sure they are smart enough to understand the difference in severity between getting fired from your job for wearing a crucifix, and a Christian being tortured or killed in a third-world country.
The error in that Christianity Today editorial is their attempt to trivialize the increasing intolerance, Christian-bashing and persecution in this country. If left unchecked, it will escalate.
Yes, Paul was eventually emprissoned and later executed, but you can't ignore the use of his Roman civil rights on several occasions. There is nothing contrary to Biblical standards for Christians to rely upon the civil laws in order to defend themselves from attack.
You can't confuse how Christ responded to evil with how his followers should respond. Christ didn't resist being beaten and crucified because that was his ultimate mission. But Jesus wasn't allways a pacifist either. He used a whip on the money-changers and trinket sellers in the temple, and in Luke Chapter 22, he told his disciples to buy some swords, to which a disciple answered, "We have two swords, Lord." Jesus answered, "That's enough."