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Christianity existed for its first several hundred years as a minority religion; I don't see why it can't do that again.
Heck, the things churches are dealing with in the Western world are small potatoes compared to what would sometimes happen under the Roman Empire.
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tWebber

Originally Posted by
Terraceth
Christianity existed for its first several hundred years as a minority religion; I don't see why it can't do that again.
Heck, the things churches are dealing with in the Western world are small potatoes compared to what would sometimes happen under the Roman Empire.
This week, anyway.
1 Cor 15:34 εκνηψατε δικαιως και μη αμαρτανετε αγνωσιαν γαρ θεου τινες εχουσιν προς εντροπην υμιν λεγω
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Originally Posted by
Terraceth
Christianity existed for its first several hundred years as a minority religion; I don't see why it can't do that again.
Heck, the things churches are dealing with in the Western world are small potatoes compared to what would sometimes happen under the Roman Empire.
The reason I believe it's vastly different this time than any other time in history is, once again, our communication technology. Yes, the Roman Empire was brutal, but it didn't have the technology we have. Christians could still avoid, for the most part, Roman authorities. This can't possibly happen under the surveillance apparatus we live under now, much less 10-20 years from now. I'm not sure there even is an "underground" for Christians to go today to avoid this.
Also, you have to consider our mindset is totally different. How many Christians do you know today could live off the grid and survive?
Also factor in the technological propaganda out there. It's much easier and far quicker for authoritative body or even a societal or cultural collective to persuade the masses against a particular group with smears and false accusations than it was hundreds of years ago.
Comparing our modern area to that of the Roman Empire is like night and day. It's really strange that Christians don't consider the differences in our eras, unless they just willingly blind themselves to that fact.
"I was the CIA director. We lied, we cheated, we stole, it was like... we had entire training courses. It reminds you of the glory of the American experiment." - Mike Pompeo, Secretary of State (
source).
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Troll Magnet

Originally Posted by
seanD
The reason I believe it's vastly different this time than any other time in history is, once again, our communication technology. Yes, the Roman Empire was brutal, but it didn't have the technology we have. Christians could still avoid, for the most part, Roman authorities. This can't possibly happen under the surveillance apparatus we live under now, much less 10-20 years from now. I'm not sure there even is an "underground" for Christians to go today to avoid this.
Also, you have to consider our mindset is totally different. How many Christians do you know today could live off the grid and survive?
Also factor in the technological propaganda out there. It's much easier and far quicker for authoritative body or even a societal or cultural collective to persuade the masses against a particular group with smears and false accusations than it was hundreds of years ago.
Comparing our modern area to that of the Roman Empire is like night and day. It's really strange that Christians don't consider the differences in our eras, unless they just willingly blind themselves to that fact.
In order to make Christianity illegal and hunted, the US Constitution would have to be changed or dissolved, as well as many other countries' constitutions. If that happened, more than just Christianity would be at stake. The entire western civilization would probably fall.
Not saying it can't or won't happen, but it isn't likely, at least in our lifetimes.
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tWebber

Originally Posted by
Sparko
In order to make Christianity illegal and hunted, the US Constitution would have to be changed or dissolved, as well as many other countries' constitutions. If that happened, more than just Christianity would be at stake. The entire western civilization would probably fall.
Not saying it can't or won't happen, but it isn't likely, at least in our lifetimes.
It wouldn't arise from demolition but from erosion. Constitutions don't have to be changed for membership in a voluntary society - which the church essentially is - to become untenable. Laws don't have to be changed, they only have to be unenforced or selectively enforced. There is enough happening already to show how easy it would be to achieve. History likewise shows that you don't have to actually ban a religion, all you have to do is define (say) sedition in such a way as to make the preaching of significant points of Christian doctrine seditious. (Noting the recent interment in "facebook prison" of one group because it posted a quote from Mother Theresa which facebook chose to define as hate speech.)
1 Cor 15:34 εκνηψατε δικαιως και μη αμαρτανετε αγνωσιαν γαρ θεου τινες εχουσιν προς εντροπην υμιν λεγω
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See, the Thing is...

Originally Posted by
Thoughtful Monk
I don't know if Christianity will be pushed underground in the west. I think it will get harder and harder to find churches and people who are anything beyond Christian in name only. I think too many churches will become social clubs with a steeple. That assumes they survive the various scandals that are breaking out. I think the more committed believers will be in smaller churches, some form of house church, and maybe a niche in a big church. Its going to take God's guidance to find them.
Yeah, I think Christianity will become more "acceptable" to the likes of Buttigieg and the media -- homosexuality, later term abortion is no problem -- don't pay much attention at all to the antiquated Bible, just "peace, love and anything goes".
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tWebber

Originally Posted by
Thoughtful Monk
I don't know if Christianity will be pushed underground in the west. I think it will get harder and harder to find churches and people who are anything beyond Christian in name only. I think too many churches will become social clubs with a steeple. That assumes they survive the various scandals that are breaking out. I think the more committed believers will be in smaller churches, some form of house church, and maybe a niche in a big church. Its going to take God's guidance to find them.
Most of that happened 1500 years ago and hasn't changed overly much since - apart from a bit of deck-chair shuffling 500 years ago.

Originally Posted by
Cow Poke
Yeah, I think Christianity will become more "acceptable" to the likes of Buttigieg and the media -- homosexuality, later term abortion is no problem -- don't pay much attention at all to the antiquated Bible, just "peace, love and anything goes".
There is a number of theologians complaining about just that procedure - it's kind of a cold war between opposing groups in academic theology. Missio Dei is also taking a fair bit of damage - though it's only superficial thus far.
1 Cor 15:34 εκνηψατε δικαιως και μη αμαρτανετε αγνωσιαν γαρ θεου τινες εχουσιν προς εντροπην υμιν λεγω
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Originally Posted by
Sparko
In order to make Christianity illegal and hunted, the US Constitution would have to be changed or dissolved, as well as many other countries' constitutions.
Like that's not happening in slow selective increments already. 10-20 years, when progressivism becomes the dominant view, piece of cake.
"I was the CIA director. We lied, we cheated, we stole, it was like... we had entire training courses. It reminds you of the glory of the American experiment." - Mike Pompeo, Secretary of State (
source).
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Troll Magnet

Originally Posted by
seanD
Like that's not happening in slow selective increments already. 10-20 years, when progressivism becomes the dominant view, piece of cake.
The biggest problem is that most things they would like to outlaw in Christianity (like speaking out against homosexuality) would also apply to Islam, and they are afraid to piss off Islam.
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Professor

Originally Posted by
Sparko
The biggest problem is that most things they would like to outlaw in Christianity (like speaking out against homosexuality) would also apply to Islam, and they are afraid to piss off Islam.
This hasn't stopped European governments from nonetheless proceeding to do just that. They just don't mind being selective in who gets prosecuted.
"I am not angered that the Moral Majority boys campaign against abortion. I am angry when the same men who say, "Save OUR children" bellow "Build more and bigger bombers." That's right! Blast the children in other nations into eternity, or limbless misery as they lay crippled from "OUR" bombers! This does not jell." - Leonard Ravenhill
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