Persecution: expectation vs. result
Mike argues persecution is a base-level result, not something to go looking for — a natural outcome of promoting God's kingdom in a world that isn't His. Ben adds that being reviled in the US differs from Sudan or Iraq, and that American Christians often can't see where Christ's kingdom actually clashes with their culture; Herrick adds that the culture defines good by humanism rather than by God. Modern persecution looks like being thought a fool, losing jobs or promotions, or quiet discrimination (e.g., scrubbing religious references from a resume).
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Article: why people reject Christianity, and record unhappiness
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