About forteen years ago, a white, Middle-class woman told me that whites were on the run and Christians were terribly persecuted. We were both in the gym at a nice hotel in the major city of our state--I, visiting for a family celebration, she for a football game and to see her son off to the military.
"Christians in this country, we're all being persecuted," she said as we plodded away on the stair master.
I listened, my face carefully wide-eyed. "Wow. That's terrible. What was it like? You were refused a job because of your religion? Or forced out because you're Christian?"
"Oh, no," she said.
I tried again. "Then--somebody wouldn't rent you an apartment? Or sell you a house?"
"No, no no," she said.
I was pretty sure this wasn't the case, but. . ."Then, they called you names and threatened you?"
"No. Of course not," she said.
"Well then how have you been persecuted?"
She leaped on it, her face redder than ever, and not from the exercise. "It's these judges.. These activist judges. Telling us we can't say Merry Christmas, taking away prayer in school. It's terrible. It's a sin."
I took a deep breath so I could reply without audible sarcasm. "Oh. You mean they won't let you tell other people how *they* have to live?"
"Yes." She was so relieved. Finally somebody understood. "Yes. Absolutely. These activist judges are persecuting us."
Just like Saint Euphemia, (above) supposedly thrown to the lions for refusing to sacrifice at the altar of Ares, this woman is being forbidden to throw others to the lions. Persecution. Right?
