It’s at this time of year that Christians claim that they are persecuted. Perhaps they take their cue from Jesus who was persecuted and then crucified. Unlike many other atheists, I believe it is right to remember Jesus as a good man who was unjustly persecuted. And to recognise the good he taught. Where I don’t agree with Jesus was his act of violence, and my reading of the gospels would agree with scholars that it was that specific act for which Jesus was condemned under Roman law and crucified.

Let’s recap. Man becomes violent, and is persecuted. Check. Well I think now we can understand why other groups that use violence perceive themselves to be persecuted. Or feel they are entitled to use violence to achieve their goals.

Christians are persecuted in some countries (some Middle-Eastern countries, and North Korea) that’s true. But in Australia, France, Germany, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Ireland, The United States of America, Canada, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, and well most of the world – they’re not.

But Christians have in-turned showed persecution against others. Hard persecution. Not merely “intolerance” – I should know I used to be one.  I’m not in the least bit embarrassed by the persecution I showed towards others, but I do feel shame and remorse. Christians have been persecuting non-Christian groups and other Christian paradigms for two millennia. Thursday was my Graduation Ceremony. One of my fellow graduates appeared to be a transsexual lady. In times gone by, in Christian-controlled regions and eras such a thing would be unthinkable. On Thursday however there was no visible or audible persecution, although I would hasten to add that transsexuals remain amongst the most stigmatised groups in society. Which is to say that I’m sure the lady in question has experienced discrimination and stigmatisation perhaps even daily.

So, many Christians today are persecuted. Not by me, and not by most of Australia, but by North Korea, Saudi Arabia, and a slew of other States that view them as infidels. And I think we should recognise that as valid. But, it does not compare to other groups, I’m thinking pre-WWII Jews, I’m thinking Homosexuals, I’m thinking “other race”, and I’m thinking of Trans people.