Why right-wing Christians think they’re America’s most persecuted group

[mr blur]

A recent Pew study found that white American evangelical Christians think they experience more discrimination than blacks, Hispanics, Muslims, atheists or Jews.

Really?

Christianity is the majority religion in the U.S. Many kinds of legally ensconced religious privileges are on the rise including the right to woo converts in public grade schools, speculate in real estate tax-free, repair religious facilities with public dollars, or opt out of civil rights laws and civic responsibilities that otherwise apply to all. By contrast atheists are less electable than even philanderers, weed smokers or gays; Hispanics and Muslims are being told to leave; Jews get accused of everything from secret economic cabals to destroying America’s military; and unarmed black youth continue to die at the hands of vigilantes.

Given the reality of other people’s lives, a widespread evangelical perception of their group as mass victims reveals a lack of empathy that should give thoughtful believers reason to cringe. And indeed, Alan Nobel, managing editor of Christ and Pop Culture, and a professor at Oklahoma Baptist University, wrote a thoughtful, pained analysis this summer of what he called “evangelical persecution complex.” Nobel contrasted the privileged position of American Christians with the real and serious persecution Christian minorities experience under ISIS, for example, and he examined the ways in which victimization can become a part of Christian identity and culture to the detriment of Christians and outsiders alike. What he neglected to spell out clearly was the extent to which the Bible itself sets up this problem.

-snip-

The whole piece is at SALON, HERE

Just how paranoid do you have to be to feel like a persecuted Christian in the US?

[unblock]

1. they use the language of persecution but it's really entitlement and privilege

paranoia isn't actually what it is because yeah, they actually are out to get you. except that what they then want to do with you is to simply chip away at your outsized privilege and unfair extras you've gotten based on your majority status and unjust sense of entitlement. whittle you down to average is all.

but when you've been a majority religion for so long, and feel entitled to all that stuff, the thought of getting it taken away can be scary.

add to that a religion centered on martyr and surprise, surprise, some of those people are going to think they're being nailed to a cross whenever things don't go their way.

[cbayer]

4. What is really striking is some of the legislation that gets proposed

and sometimes passed.

When the christian right presents it, they don't even recognize that what they are proposing will apply to all religions, not just theirs.

This has happened repeatedly and the shock they express when, say, muslims use the new law can be pretty hilarious.

While religious persecution, including persecution of christians, is a very real thing, persecution of christians in the US is a fantasy.

[cbayer]

2. Excellent analysis. It is often hard to understand where this comes

from, but I think she makes a great case for it's source.

“evangelical persecution complex" is exactly right.

[Act_of_Reparation]

3. If I had to take a guess, I would say it is because...

...they are afraid of losing their privileged status in society (you know, the privilege we are told doesn't exist).

The martyrdom complex plays a role, definitely, but I don't think it does much more than amplify the butthurt over church & state issues that don't go their way, mainly because I think this kind of douchebaggery is conserved across privileged groups who can't help but whine and fret whenever a move is made to level the playing field. Whites moaning about "reverse racism"... men joining MRA's... all that jazz.

[cbayer]

5. Who tells you the privilege doesn't exist?

It clearly exists in this country and I agree that it plays a role in their inability to recognize that there is no persecution.

[AtheistCrusader]

7. Evangelicals often insist to me that they are persecuted for their beliefs in this country.

The same anti-discrimination in public accommodations rules that applied to the 1964 CRA, when applied to homosexuals, is viewed as Christian persecution by these people.. as one example. Whether it's a family bed and breakfast, or a cake maker, or wedding photographer, or public venue available for weddings, etc.

[shenmue]

6. They think they have a right to everything they want, immediately

And if they don't get it, they throw a tantrum. They refuse to acknowledge that there are people with other beliefs who have just as many rights as they do.

[rug]

8. Whining about persecution is a sign of intellectual weakness.

There's a lot of it going around.