Reply #19: Something I'm sincerely bewildered by

[starroute]

In the old days, Christians used to feel that they thrived on adversity. That their faith was never as strong or as pure as when it was subject to challenge and persecution. There's an essay by the 17th century writer, Sir Thomas Browne, in which he complains that in his own day it's too easy to be a Christian and that he wishes he'd lived back when it took real determination.

So why is it that they don't make Christians like they used to? How come the professional Christians of our time seem to crumble into tears the moment anybody says an unkind word about them or their god or tells them they can't have public displays on the courthouse lawn? You'd think that sort of thing would just make them break out all over in choruses of "I am Christian, I am invincible."

(Please understand I am not referring here to any real Christians who may be tuning in to this discussion. I assume that real Christians are mostly keeping their mouths shut these days and getting on about the serious business of all genuinely pious people in a troubled world.)

Is it possible that the fake Christians know they actually have the upper hand almost everywhere and that they feel guilty when somebody points this out? Guilt would certainly explain the shrillness of these responses -- as well as the somewhat odd forms of projection in which they tend to engage.