So... Is this 'persecution'?

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JustAnotherUser

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Long story short, I've noticed one of my former friends started to trash talk about Christianity along with her friend and now I've come to realize that they're doing so because of me and my shown of interest for it, despite how she claims that she has an open mind and is pretty much one of those politically correct people. Very stupid story in of itself as to how this happened since past conflicts are involved, most likely. It was made clear that she has a problem with me as well.

I know I shouldn't be making this my problem, but of course anxiety gets the best of me. It's not so much that I am afraid or want to be, it's just the feelings in of itself when conflicts rise that I'm trying to suppress. It's not like I don't know how it is to be shamed for any given reason. But I hate it a lot.

How do or have you dealt with when being persecuted, faith wise or for just about anything? To what extent do you go about it, especially if the person or people were once close to you?
 
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Jesus said Christians will get persecuted. Few of my friends had made fun of me when i became a Christian but i dont care. Just pray for your friends and show them the love of Christ. Know that your sharing the suffering with Christ.
 
I noticed that you are only 20. The truth becomes more important than what people think of you as you age. You find you don't need their approval. You only need to know that you have done the right thing. And that you are pleasing God.
 
I recently had to unfriend two friends on facebook, I tried so hard to remain friends with them but it often doesn't work with staunch atheists. They don't like your "religious posts" and you don't like their lifestyles either - or the mocking and ridicule. They won't listen to truth and in the end I felt God was telling me to distance myself from them. God should be the focus, everything else is secondary. Joidevivre is right about age but I feel that also your Christian age is a factor.
 
JustAnotherUser said:
Long story short, I've noticed one of my former friends started to trash talk about Christianity along with her friend and now I've come to realize that they're doing so because of me and my shown of interest for it, despite how she claims that she has an open mind and is pretty much one of those politically correct people. Very stupid story in of itself as to how this happened since past conflicts are involved, most likely. It was made clear that she has a problem with me as well.

I know I shouldn't be making this my problem, but of course anxiety gets the best of me. It's not so much that I am afraid or want to be, it's just the feelings in of itself when conflicts rise that I'm trying to suppress. It's not like I don't know how it is to be shamed for any given reason. But I hate it a lot.

How do or have you dealt with when being persecuted, faith wise or for just about anything? To what extent do you go about it, especially if the person or people were once close to you?
Click to expand...

It's not that she has a problem with you as much as it is her having an issue with Christianity and religion in general. It's my guess that she's not apart of any kind of religion. I'm guessing she's more of an atheist. She sounds very opinionated. With that said, anybody who's not religious and is hypercritical is going to stir up a lot of strife for someone who is the geninue religious type. The fact that she talks trash on other people's convictions and the fact that she doesn't care if she hurts someone's feelings about it, she is definitely a toxic individual. The best thing you can do to nip this issue in the butt is to go to her and show her her sin. Tell her how she has made you feel. If she shows disregard for you and your feelings, then either rebuke her and or just drop her as a friend because a real friend doesn't behave like a jerk.
 
Another thing - I didn't have problems with being known as a Christian to people who looked down on that. What I've had to get over is being fearful of the persecutions that might come from what I've done AS a Christian.

As a Christian, I have done shameful things that have been hard to admit. And hard to admit to other Christians.

Yet, when I'm obedient to being honest in the face of possible persecution, it has always turned out good. The key to this type of honesty is not to draw attention to how "bad you were", but to testify as to what God can do in a person's life. It must give glory to God. And once I jump over the fear hurdle of what people might think, and share honestly, it always turns out to be such a strong ministry to the other person.

Fears of persecution can be the greatest block to a powerful testimony of the redemptive love of Christ.
 
That's the thing. I want to be able to invest the time and know what I can firmly believe in. That's a bit frightening in of itself since I know that means I'm going to have to think outside of what I've known and considered as my comfort zone for so long. And yes, this person can be very opinionated but at the same time she always seem to have been a people-pleaser which likely never changed and shifts her 'opinions' around for the sake of others. I think she's really doing this to try getting on my last nerves, especially since she knows that she has people to back her up with what ever she decides to say or do.

This is probably also why I should step back a bit. Not because of persecution in of itself, I've accepted that this could happen even though I'm uncertain with some things with it as well. I wish I just knew what to say since I've been no better of a person at times either. It sort of hurts no matter what way I look at it.
 
You may have been a certain way before, but now you're trying to change and grow as a person. Don't let your past dictate your present. Forgive yourself as God has forgiven you.
Don't stress. She's a bigger hypocrite than you. Usually the more someone brags about being 'open minded' the bigger hypocrite they are.
 
The measure of a peer is an equal, not in the sense that you are the same person but you are valued the same.

free to believe one thing is foolish=free to believe same thing is wise

If one friend may freely express her opinion that thing is foolish but the other is not free to express the thing as wise, then is this friendship truly equal? No, one is trying to usurp the other.

If a friend looks upon you with disdain for something that is clearly closer to your heart while the same issue is closer to her pride, it is her pride that she values more than your heart anyway. Therefore, she cannot truly be called friend by definition.
 
Even as a Christian you will make mistakes, so long as you admit to yourself and others and apologise then this should be acceptable. Explain that Christians are not perfect and that you are working on becoming a better person. Only God is perfect.
 
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