One Day It Could Happen To You

By Ron

Yet another college is banning a Christian group from meeting on campus for Bible study and fellowship. They will no longer be a part of the college community. There will be no pictures of that group in the college yearbook along with the various other campus organizations. No college activity fee money will go to that organization. The reason for this is their unacceptable behavior of being an intolerant, bigoted, hate group. Unless they change their ways - they are banned as a college organization.

Although anyone may attend meetings, as a Christian organization they require their officers to be Christians. Muslim and homosexual students have felt "uncomfortable" when attending their meetings and feel "threatened" by the beliefs and practices of this group since they are excluded from being officers. (It goes one way as the Christian students have no desire to be officers in Muslim or homosexual groups.)

Also, their stand indicates that not all of the students have been successfully brainwashed to believe and accept the doctrine that all are equal and that one's beliefs and lifestyle do not matter.

On the one hand, this is mild persecution. Not being included as a campus organization is not a big deal. The group can change it's name, move their meetings to an off campus location, and continue on studying God's Word and fellowshipping.

The question is for how long? If that city has adopted a no discrimination law that includes protection from religion and sexual orientation, what happens if those who felt "uncomfortable" or "threatened" on campus attend the meeting off campus and still feel "threatened" or "offended" by the beliefs of the Christian group? As these "hate crime" laws are passed by cities across the nation one day any congregation or Bible study group may be charged on the same grounds.

While Christians do not hate others or promote crime, we remain true to Bible teachings. There is nothing in the constitution that guarantees freedom from feeling uncomfortable or even threatened. Students used to feel threatened with repeating a grade if they did not get certain grades. Employees feel threatened with job insecurity. I can think of a number of groups who meet together where I would certainly feel "uncomfortable" and even "threatened" at one of their meetings. For example, I would not want to walk in on a meeting of a street gang. We feel threatened by just having such groups in our community.

While it seems way out now, many things that were once considered way out are not laws that are enforced. Persecution today is in its infancy. One day it will mature into full blown persecution of Christians. If individual Christians and our congregations do not take a stand now they will one day find themselves guilty of crimes against society and jailed just as they are in many other countries.