From Lonette Welch’s Facebook page
The following was written by Ben Stein and recited by him on CBS Sunday Morning Commentary.
My confession:
I don’t like getting pushed around for being a Je…w, and I don’t think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians.
I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period.
I have no idea where the concept came from, that America is an explicitly atheist country. I can’t find it in the Constitution and I don’t like it being shoved down my throat.
Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship celebrities and we aren’t allowed to worship God as we understand Him?
I guess that’s a sign that I’m getting old, too. But there are a lot of us who are wondering where these celebrities came from and where the America we knew went to.
In light of the many jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this is a little different: This is not intended to be a joke; it’s not funny, it’s intended to get you thinking.
In light of recent events – terrorists attacks, school shootings, etc. I think it started when Madeleine Murray O’Hare (she was murdered, her body found a few years ago) complained she didn’t want prayer in our schools, and we said OK.
Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school.
The Bible says thou shalt not kill; thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbour as yourself. And we said OK.
Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn’t spank our children when they misbehave, because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr. Spock’s son committed suicide). We said an expert should know what he’s talking about. And we said okay.
Now we’re asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don’t know right from wrong, and why it doesn’t bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves.
Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with, ‘WE REAP WHAT WE SOW.’
Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world’s going to hell. Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says.
Funny how you can send ‘jokes’ through e-mail and they spread like wildfire, but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing.
Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace.
Are you laughing yet?
Funny how we can be more worried about what other people think of us than what God thinks of us.
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My comment:
This wouldn’t have been posted if I didn’t think there is a good amount of truth in Mr. Stein’s statement.
If we are Christians, we are to expect (not excuse) persecution. Check out the following verses:
Romans 8:34-36
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
34 who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. 35 Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 Just as it is written,
“For Your sake we are being put to death all day long;
We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
2 Thessalonians 1:3-5
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
3 We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brethren, as is only fitting, because your faith is greatly enlarged, and the love of each one of you toward one another grows ever greater; 4 therefore, we ourselves speak proudly of you among the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure. 5 This is a plain indication of God’s righteous judgment so that you will be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which indeed you are suffering.
There are others, but these two make it pretty clear. If we are Christ followers, there is a good chance we will face some form of Persecution. I think that most Christians in America have no idea what real persecution is, myself included. May we be considered worthy if or when difficult persecution comes.
CR
Wings of the Wind 
Old Ben gets it done. I agree with you Chris we don’t really have any idea about persecution. I think about Christians i have read about for instance a Pastor in Uganda when Adi Amain DaDa was ruling. He would fill a soccer stadium with Christians and then stand in front of them and tell them to renounce Christ and you will live.
Many did, many did not. If not he would hit the person on the forehead with a heavy ball-peen hammer killing them.
Another Chinese Christian spent thirty years in a prison after Mao tae Sung took over. He and others were given very little food The Lord showed them to dig under their huts and eat grubs. He lives in America now.
Thanks for sharing these stories, Manny. These are stories of real persecution. I’m so glad to hear that the Chinese man survived. I’m sure he is happy to live in a free country, but he must be saddened by the changes in morality here.
I always appreciate your comments my friend.
May God bless you and your family.
I usually like Stein’s commentaries even though he has a different understanding of God than we do.
But on the issue of persecution, I believe there is more persecution against the Church (the real authentic body of Christ) now, than ever. It is mostly concentrated on the continents of Asia and Africa.
You guys may be shocked to know that there is persecution in Eastern Europe against believers. This comes from the most unlikely of places.
The Eastern Orthodox Church.
This apostatic church is doing everything in its power to inhibit the evangelical church there. There is even physical violence against believers. There is political action against believers, and events like evangelisms and crusades are protested by organized Orthodox gangs. and pastors are threatened and beaten.
Imagine being one of the few evangelical families in a small town or village when orthodoxism is a religion mixed with magic and mysticism. These orthodox have no clue who apostle Paul, is for instance. They have no clue what Resurrection is. But they are calling themselves Christian. So sad.
Global persecution is severe and I agree with you that it will come to America in some fashion in the near future.
It is quite a surprise that The Eastern Orthodox Church is involved in persecuting true believers. I think, at one time the EOC was one of the most faithful groups of Christians on the planet. How things have changed.
Magic and mysticism is spreading like wildfire, as you have written, Delight. It is infiltrating the “Church” in America.
I can’t imagine a Christian not being familiar with the Great Apostle.
I know an Orthodox Priest who lives here in Hot Springs. He ministers to the Romanian community in the area. As far as I know, he would be against such evil behavior.
Thanks for sharing. I always appreciate your comments.
God’s blessings…