Martyr de Poseur

From Zanecorpwiki

2010-03-25

It is, I would hold, undeniable that modern, that "martyrdom" is intimately bound up with the self-identity of mainstream US Evangelicalism. The Evangelicals meditate on ancient persecution and, to some degree, see themselves as persecuted.

There is no question that modern Christian persecution does exist. However, the idea that the dominant religion in the US today, whose members constitute--at the very least--the largest numerical, economic, and political plurality are somehow the victims of such prosecution is ludicrous.

The problem for the modern Evangelical lies in reconciling an absolutist literalism and modern day reality. "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you." (John 15:18-19) "I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves." (Matthew 10:16)

Even to a literalist, these words need not to apply to today. They can literally be true 2000 years ago without being true for all Christians at all times. This (not so) subtle distinction, however, is lost on the US Evangelical. In their mind, if they're not persecuted, they are not Christian. They therefore must invent persecution, even when none exists.

This plays out in strange ways. My favorite example is the Evangelical reaction to the Da Vinci Code. It takes a special mind to think it necessary to launch a national campaign to "debunk" a fictional film. As if the AMA would launch a campaign to debunk Outbreak, software developers boycott Hackers, or judo practitioners decry Drunken Master.