The Maligned Christian

" Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your Hope, but do it with gentleness and reverence, keeping your conscience clear, so that, when you are maligned, those who defame your good conduct in Christ may themselves be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if it be the will of God, than for doing evil." -[1 Peter 3: 15-18].


Throughout history, it has been extremely demanding to be a Christian.

During Roman Emperor Nero's time, so many Christians were crucified, Rome ran out of crosses. So, Christians were nailed to fences.

Emperor Nero was so evil, he commanded the burning of Christians at night, so that he had some evening light by which to read. Then, Nero blamed the Christians for setting the fires in Rome. Christians were also wrapped in wild animal hides and set upon by dogs. [Hence, Psalm 22: 16: "For dogs have surrounded me; a band of evildoers have encompassed me."] Sometimes, Christians' lives were violently ended in a spectacle in a public amphitheater, when wild animals such as lions, or armed men such as gladiators, mauled the Christians to death.

We can relate to all this today, as horrific persecution of Christians continues worldwide, by beheadings, burnings in steel cages, and modern-day concentration camps in North Korea. Christian persecution in the 21st Century is actually much worse than it was in Nero's Rome.

In America, the persecution is mild in comparison. But it is there.

Christians are regarded as backward, unintelligent, even extremist-- in the community, at work, at school.

In the classroom, some teachers instruct on the Bible in comparison to literature. But they use the Bible as a "foil" against the literature, as a way to teach the "Untruth" of the Bible.

At work, a man is asked, "What are you?" Non-plussed, he replies, "Uh? I'm a guy?"-- No. --Then, he identifies his profession. --No.-- Then, he identifies his ethnicity. -- No. -- Finally, he is asked his religion. He says, "I am Catholic." The boss says to him, "I thought you were smarter than that."

Growing up in my family, I was a believer. My family was not.  
In a talk I attended, given by a lively and insightful nun, I learned that whenever there is a believer, in a group of unbelievers, there is persecution.

Yes, even in families. . . . I was mocked by my family for modeling Love to all ethnicities. I was mocked for wanting to give to charity out of our excess. I was mocked for believing in a Higher Being, than any one of us ever could be.

Eventually, I took my Faith underground, deep inside me. I said, "My God", silently. I sang hymns softly, alone in my room. As I look back, I realize that as a child, I had decided to cling to my Faith no matter the cost, because somehow, I knew the Truth. I would not be mocked into denying the Truth, I would not be cowed or bribed or tricked out of my Faith. I took my Faith underground because arguing Faith with my family was a waste of breath. They would never convince me otherwise.

It is a long road back from burying one's Faith. I became literally afraid to show my Faith, to anyone, even as an adult.

When I finally converted and became a member of my church, I had a panic attack, as I walked the long aisle down to the altar to receive the Eucharist. I shook and felt dizzy. I prayed to my Irish Nana, to my deceased best friend who was Italian-Catholic, to my great aunt. When I got back to my pew, I was overcome with emotion, as I bowed my head. I had tears in my eyes, because finally, I had burst through the Fear, in favor of Christ.

This Scripture asks us not to shy away from speaking about our Faith. As Christians, we are ALL "defenders of the Faith."

We are NOT asked, however, to be obnoxious, ostracizing of others, or constant soap box orators.

We ARE asked to "be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks", and to speak with gentleness and reverence.

I have found that doing my best to "keep my conscience clear", trying always to avoid sin and transgression, is the best example of Christianity to others. There is no worse advertisement for Christianity than an evil Christian.

Sometimes, however, folks who are not so clear of conscience can become ashamed of their own behavior, and resentful of Christians. This is a fine line. In my own family, my Faith showed up my family's blasphemy pretty starkly. The more I demonstrated Christian behavior, even as I did not profess my Faith verbally, the more I was shouted down and shut down.

In the end, I had to leave home. I did not "become" them. St. Paul says, in Romans, "Do not repay Evil with Evil." -- I became instead, a fully realized Christian, with Christ sanctified as Lord in my heart. I approach all with gentleness and reverence. I will always explain my Faith if asked.

Today, we must support persecuted Christians. We must attend church FOR and in the stead of those who cannot. (On this stance alone, by right, our churches should be overflowing). We must pray for them. There are ways in which we can financially support dwindling Christian communities in the Middle East.

I will never apologize for my Faith. I will not become ensnared in ugly arguments over my Faith. If ugliness abounds, I will walk away. But I carry my Faith with me, always.

My Faith speaks for itself.

[Resource:  Check out www.opendoorsusa.org. Open Doors USA, for a list of the World Watch List of Persecuted Christians. (North Korea is No.1) ]

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