Ed Brayton is a freelance writer and speaker. He is the co-founder and president of 
I've often commented that it's not surprising that so many Christians manage to find persecution under every bed and in every closet, since the core event in the history of the religion is an act of martyrdom. There is more to that, of course. Jesus, after all, explicitly warned his followers that they would be persecuted, and further that this is something they should embrace. From the sermon on the mount:
Blessed are those who're persecuted for righteousness sake for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you, and persecute you, and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets before you.
This provides fertile ground for a persecution complex, a reason for Christians to seek out examples of persecution (though, to be fair, the habit of inventing and exaggerating persecution is limited to a certain subset of Christians). And in some places at some times, that persecution was quite real. The astonishing thing today is that they manage to convince themselves they're being persecuted even while controlling virtually every institution in our society.
Elizabeth Castelli, Professor of Religion at Barnard College at Columbia University, has a very long essay looking at the historical roots of Christian persecution, both real and imagined. Here's the final paragraph of her essay:
As the battle over "true victimhood" (Cole) continues to be waged, the emergence of Christians as the singular exemplars of innocent victims in the "war on Christians" presents a complicated new chapter in the ongoing debates within American society about identity and rights, injustice and its redress, and the very foundations of democracy and its reach. Finally, the "war on Christians" generates ever more varieties of Christian militarism, as Battle Cry and other examples show. As resentments and self-diagnosed feelings of moral injury rise and as the language of liberation and rights loses its anchoring in the historical narratives of the dispossessed and disenfranchised, what political theorist William Connolly has dubbed "the evangelical-capitalist resonance machine" takes over (869), and we are left with the Christian persecution complex -- a discursive entity impervious to critique, self-generating and self-sustaining.
It's a fascinating essay to read all the way through.
Comments
From the very beginning, even while Christianity was a cult persecuted under Roman law, the mainstream view was that persecution was to be endured (for the greater glory of God) if it happened. On the other hand, to actively pursue persecution through ostentatious acts incurred the sin of pride ("Look, God, I'm so worthy that I get to suffer for you, just like Jesus!"), and perhaps could even be considered (when it was a capital offense to be a Christian) a form of suicide.
Posted by: Farb | April 28, 2008 10:04 AM
I think a big part of the problem is that when the persecuted minority becomes the oppressive majority, they still retain the mentality of the persecuted minority and use that to justify their actions. What some hard-line Orthodox Jews do and say in regards to the Palestinians is another example of this. The historical persecution of the Jews becomes justification for the contemporary persecution of Palestinians.
Posted by: Wes | April 28, 2008 10:05 AM
They're supposed to rejoice when they are persecuted, not endure. If they truly are being persecuted as they claim, they should quit whining and start partying.
Posted by: writerdd | April 28, 2008 10:24 AM
Wes said:
"The historical persecution of the Jews becomes justification for the contemporary persecution of Palestinians."
I think there is also the distinct feeling that the Palestinian government and people actively support acts of war against Israel and its citizens that plays into that calculation. :D
Posted by: Gingerbaker | April 28, 2008 10:41 AM
partying eh? hmm.....what do you think of the popes visit to America? He seems to live in style and comfort no matter what happens to the rest of the world. Why is this? does he deserve it?
Posted by: the nomad | April 28, 2008 10:42 AM
I am not sure that the Sermon on the Mount is the best reference for the seeds of a Christian persecution complex.
As I understand it, most Biblical scholars do not feel that the Sermon on the Mount actually took place as an event in front of a large number of people or on a particular occasion.
Heck, an actual historical Jesus is becoming less acceptable these days. ( A complete and inexplicable lack of historical evidence may have something to do with that! :D )
I think the roots of a Christian persecution complex might be better found a couple of hundred years later?
Posted by: Gingerbaker | April 28, 2008 10:51 AM
I think that right wing Christian activists are seeking a kind of masochistic hegemony whereby they get to be in control and "persecuted" at the same time.
Posted by: Ericb | April 28, 2008 11:09 AM
"As I understand it, most Biblical scholars do not feel that the Sermon on the Mount actually took place as an event in front of a large number of people or on a particular occasion."
This is not about 'most biblical schoolers.' It is about those christians who have a persecution complex, which means mostly it is about fundamentalists. As far as fundamentalists are concerned, if the bible says the sermon on the mount happened, then it happened - and no secular historian can have authority to overrule the biblical account, which is an infallable historic record.
If the persecution complexers *believe* that Jesus warned them to expect persecution, then they will act accordingly - regardless of the actual history.
Some Christians seem to thrive under persecution - look at Phelps. He doesn't just thrive, but actively encourages it, doing things which he knows will only make him and his church ever more hated. For a slightly less extreme example, there are some churches who refuse to be bound by any legal authority because they view the government as an unlawful power - these churches have refused to either pay taxes or to claim tax-exempt status, then claimed persecution when the IRS comes. In one case, a church was even built on land it didn't own - an empty lot. When the owner came to evict them and get their land back, they claimed that all land was the property of God and his deed held no authority over them. Unsurprisingly, when the police evicted the squatters by force, they claimed persecution.
Posted by: Suricou Raven | April 28, 2008 11:31 AM
The Christian persecution complex is an interesting fixation, particularly given that historically, Christians were not immediately persecuted in any sort of systematic way, because the Roman Empire during the time of Tiberius (when the Christ cult was first established)was remarkably tolerant of different religions. It had to be, because the Empire had absorbed so many diverse regions, it had to be tolerant to local religions, so long as no one tried to displace the state religion of Jupiter and Juno, et al. It wasn't until the growth of Christianity, and the obsessive evangelicalism it displayed (and with it the obsessive arrogance of "ours is the only TRUE religion"--something it displays to this day) that subsequent emperors decided it was best to put these upstart christians in their proper place. And the Romans were never particularly subtle or gracious when they got in that sort of mood.
My feeling is that, historically up to this very day, much of what christians define as "christian persecution" is brought on by the christians themselves, and often only amounts to people pushing back against pushy evangelical types who feel that everyone should believe as the evangelicals do. I certainly know that's mostly the case today, where the evangelicals think they're being persecuted whenever anyone insists on maintaining the separation of church and state.
Posted by: gary l. day | April 28, 2008 11:36 AM
The persecution complex is understandable given the history, but the way it's used nowadays is really very clever.
First of all, as others have mentioned, you have the just completely non-factual belief that Christianity is one of the world's most persecuted religions to this day. This may be true in certain parts of the world but it's ludicrous to think that it's true in the USA or really any western nation.
The second part, which is the real trick (and supports the first) is to subtly redefine what persecution means. Obviously no one is killing, arresting, or burning Christians in the US! But they've set it up so that telling them they are wrong, or stopping them from prostelytizing, or not accepting their beliefs as science, becomes "oppression." It's really elegant and nasty.
Posted by: Spiderbrigade | April 28, 2008 11:59 AM
They got plenty of persecution in european history. The Catholic church surpressed a number of 'heresys' with great enthusiasm. Eventually it failed to surpress protestantism, leading to a few centuries of them fighting each other with on-and-off violence. It continued until very recently in Ireland, and the faint tail of that is still running.
Spiderbrigade is right. The Christian persecution complex - by which I mean that exibited by Americans, not christians in those countries where they are really being persecuted - depends on a very loose definition of persecution which includes such things as being denied govermnet funding, prohibited from preeching in public schools, or not being granted exceptions from secular laws that conflict with their religious positions (eg, tax, child protection, medical, non-discrimination).
Posted by: Suricou Raven | April 28, 2008 1:13 PM
Christianity is insanity.
Posted by: JImSpencer | April 28, 2008 1:29 PM
Further proof of the persecution complex so commonly found within the religious right:
Silencing Christians
Posted by: BCtheEra | April 28, 2008 1:53 PM
i don't understand why we can't all get along. they like to be persecuted, and i like to perform crucifixions. there's common ground for everyone.
Posted by: khefera | April 28, 2008 3:19 PM
I detect a hint of bigotry in gary l. day's blame the victim assessment of Christian persecution. I agree that the contemporary "war on Christmas" is whining, but Christians have suffered unjustly. Often at the hands of other Christians.
Posted by: Bill in NC | April 28, 2008 3:29 PM
I am a Christian and will freely admit that I have NO idea what it means to truly be persecuted. (Yeah the "war on Christmas" doesn't count).
In fact what the Christian churches in Europe and America could use is some good, TRUE persecution. Look at what persecution is doing to the growth of churches in Africa and other parts of the world. We're stagnating and finding "windmill" causes to get our hackles up about. Something tells me if most European/American Christians had to put their lives on the line for their faith; they wouldn't.
As far as Phelps goes; he can go (self-love) himself!
Posted by: Rev. AJB | April 28, 2008 3:47 PM
There are also the frequent, contradictory notions that the fungelicals hold (often simultaneously) that they are both a persecuted minority and the majoritarian voice of America.
Posted by: Sadie Morrison | April 28, 2008 4:02 PM
There are so many threads running through the evangelical persecution complex, it's a huge challenge to sort them out. I suspect the Sermon on the Mount isn't as powerful an influence as the stories of imprisonment in Acts and the stories of horrific repression under certain Roman emperors.
This contrasts uncomfortably with the ease of being a Christian today. Christians are aware of it, too - preachers get a lot of mileage out of contrasting the saints' willingness to die under torture to a contemporary church-goer's nervousness about being too publicly religious. It can be played both ways: "Of course we're persecuted; we've always been persecuted!" + "Whassa matter with you? The old time Christians got eaten by lions, but you're afraid to witness to the guy in the next cubicle 'cause he might laugh at you?" Very flexible, very powerful stuff.
Plus, of course, fear is an awesome way to motivate people and get them to fall in line. I would argue that our side dabbles in persecution ourselves, whenever another creationist plot comes to light. Do we get worked up about the opportunity to teach evolution, or about the threat to good science? It could be "framed" either way, but one seems to generate more action.
Posted by: Scott Hanley | April 28, 2008 4:46 PM
gary l. day,
People who know me know that I have come out strong against the repulsive (American) Christian persecution syndrome. However, the statement quoted above is just wrong.
Christians were systematically persecuted by Jews almost immediately. Saul--his moderate mentor Gamaliel notwithstanding, was a zealous persecutor. Later, as Paul, he was himself hounded, beaten and run out of more than a few towns. Furthermore while the Romans were tolerant, a religion had to be officially recognized, and Christianity was not. Just twenty or so years after the death of Christ, Nero was lighting his gardens using Christians as human lanterns. And there is no evidence that I ever read that Christians were zealous, obnoxious proselytizers in first century Rome. No, they were, of necessity, quite circumspect--Nero's persecution was not against their arrogance but because they were a convenient scapegoat. And how is "ours is the only TRUE religion" unique to Christianity? Do you think Islam or Judaism or Moonie-ism, etc. does not think it is correct and other religions are wrong?
Posted by: heddle | April 28, 2008 4:48 PM
But they're just plain ordinary folk! They're no match for the worldwide atheist/intellectual/secularist/homosexual/humanist/ethnic minority/liberal/muslim conspiracy!
(That would be funnier if they didn't actually lump all those groups together into one group. Fundamentalist christianity has to be the most paranoid worldview in existence.)
Posted by: Josh in California | April 28, 2008 4:50 PM
They're supposed to rejoice when they are persecuted, not endure. If they truly are being persecuted as they claim, they should quit whining and start partying.
Well, partying isn't exactly the prescription, but the point is very well taken. One of the many things I find so unappealing about the Christian right, and the contemporary right general, is the incessant whining about their alleged afflictions, discomforts and persecutions. Never have the persecuted had it so damned good.
And, as I understand it, the word 'blessed' doesn't quite capture the meaning of the pidgin Greek of the original scripture. The meaning is something closer to "Happy are those who..." This makes all of the beatitudes far more challenging and deeply paradoxical, even self-contradictory, on the face of it. In any case, to be persecuted and happy does not suggest that one should kvetch about persecution.
If the WWJD crowd really wants to emulate Jesus they should submit to their perceived persecutions without objection and without political or legal recourse.
Posted by: Dr X | April 28, 2008 6:17 PM
"Kick me!" It's a game played by losers. Also known as "Poor Me!" and "Threadbare."
A guy walks into a bar; he's wearing a T-shirt that says, "Don't Kick Me!" Then he proceeds to be loud, insulting, and obnoxious until somebody kicks him. Then he points to the T-shirt and says, "But it says, DON'T!" So they kick him out of the bar.
He walks into the next bar...repeat story ad infinitum.
He's such a dunce that he thinks that it's the only way he can get attention, and he doesn't like to drink alone.
Persecuted Christians play this game all the time.
Posted by: Elizabeth | April 28, 2008 7:50 PM
I don't have anything to add to this discussion, except to note that my previous comments are still correct.
Posted by: Pseudonym | April 28, 2008 9:52 PM
Thus the War Against Saint Louis Marie de Monfort Day proceeds apace.
Posted by: kehrsam | April 28, 2008 10:48 PM
There was a time (not too long ago) when Christianity was widely embraced in western society. In the space of a couple generations that has changed quite dramatically. Christians now encounter many fellow citizens who are openly hostile to their faith. But here is where fact and fiction get mixed up. It is one thing for Richard Dawkins (or the guy next door) to say that Christianity is for the birds. But it is another thing entirely to have ones religious freedom taken away by the state. Unfortunately many conservative Christians are in such a state of trauma over the cultural shift that fact and fiction have become intertwined. So as an example they walk past their local movie theatre and see that "The Golden Compost" is playing. But their reaction to the film would make you think that someone firebombed their church in the middle of communion.
Posted by: Cheddar | April 28, 2008 11:42 PM
gary l day, heddle: I was taught in high school classics that the persecution of Christians was a result of street fights between the Jews and Christians. The Romans were lukewarm on religion, but took a very dim view of public disorder. The Romans were great lovers of antiquity and so sided with the older of the two religions.
The other aspect is that a great many Christian teachings sound very odd to someone who's never heard them before. Like the tendency of Christians of the period to refer to themselves as brothers and sisters in the faith (even the ones that were married) plus there's the whole eating the flesh and drinking the blood of the dead leader. The Romans could be very literal-minded.
Add in the discretion of the Christians and they probably looked to the Romans like the Branch Davidians do to us.
Posted by: James K | April 29, 2008 1:31 AM
"So as an example they walk past their local movie theatre and see that "The Golden Compost" is playing. But their reaction to the film would make you think that someone firebombed their church in the middle of communion."
In the US and Europe, for a long time, there has been a sort of unwritten rule - a taboo against criticising Christianity. It's ok to bicker a little over details of theology, but never to speak negatively of Christianity itsself. It just wasn't something done in polite company. If The God Delusion was written a hundred years ago, chances are no publisher would have wanted to touch it. Today that rule is weakening - all religious are subject to criticism, mockery and parody. This is something that the more devout Christians are deeply upset by, and they interpret it as persecution that their ideas are no longer venerated to the point where it is socially unacceptable to question them.
Posted by: Suricou Raven | April 29, 2008 4:14 AM
There is persecution for being as asshole and then real persecution. Real persecution can two different ways in my mind: 1. Complete rejection by the majority religion and possible death. 2. Awkwardness of being different. The first is real and happens in many Non-Christian nations. The second is much milder and yet still real.
The second is done by some on this site in my mind when they say "Christianity is insanity" or the people who believe in Satan or atonement should be medicated. It also happens when you talk about miracles, virgin birth, an other things that some deem delusional.
But honestly most of it is people being assholes. They want to bash gays, tell everyone how to live, push Creationism on everyone, and a miriad of other things. I have told many Christians who have grown up in it and never really been part of the real world that people do not hate them for "Jesus" they just hate them for being assholes.
With that said, I think it is important to protect people from real persecution. This would include both severe and mild forms. The definition for each is certainly debatable and mine way be wrong. Good post really made me think.
Posted by: King of Ireland | April 29, 2008 12:44 PM
** nihilistic xian ideology born of unceasing resentment **
For 2,000 years one hallmark of xianity has remained its hatred of natural science and sceptical philosophy. The Stoics and Epicureans of Athens laughed at Paul of Tarsus when he spoke to them. Paul's anti-intellectual rejoinder is still holy writ:
20-Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21-For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. 22-Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23-but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles . . . . 1Cor1 20-23 NIV
In short, Paul and his fellow revenge seekers created a god sharing their nihilistic values.
27-But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28-He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things--and the things that are not--to nullify the things that are . . . . 1Cor1:26-28 NIV
Xianity still appeals to those who believe themselves mistreated. To those in whom resentment surges. To those who must punish their guilty selves. To those who must blame others.
Xianity is practical nihilism. Directed inward, hatred of self. Directed outward, hatred of others and the world.
This is not some peripheral ideological stance -- it is the dark heart and sick soul of Paul's life-negating world view, tarted up as a religion of "love".
bipolar2
Posted by: bipolar2 | April 30, 2008 1:05 AM
"In short, Paul and his fellow revenge seekers created a god sharing their nihilistic values"
I agree in part with what was said here. This is how Christianity is presented at times. But at its core Christianity is hopeful. That is if people forget the moralistic manner it is taught now and begin to see the beauty of God again and that he wants to fulfill the desires of our hearts with good things. This is Psalm 103. Much of Christianity teaches or implies that God wants us to crucify our desire and the He will accept us. Others teach us to blab it and grab it. Both extremes are wrong.
Posted by: King of Ireland | May 1, 2008 12:41 PM