A long while back friend posted on social media that the only persecution Christians get these days is that someone wishes them “Happy Holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas.” My initial reaction was to chuckle, and then to feel a little offended. Indeed, I am grateful we don’t live in a day and age where biblical persecution exists. I don’t have to worry about getting crucified, stoned, or physically tortured for my beliefs (in this country anyway). Additionally, at least in this country, I think there has been a realization that imminent death is not quite as effective as before; people might actually sympathize with the decedent and such cruel actions might actually give credence to the beliefs of that individual.

However, that is not to say that Christians in this country don’t endure persecution, it’s just a different kind. Frankly, the persecution that Christians suffer in this country is significantly more subtle, attacking only one belief at a time, almost indirectly, as if to weaken each individual principal, without ever directly going to the core. You are unlikely to have a friend or peer mock one’s belief in Jesus Christ directly on social media. However, they’ll poke at something he may have taught, or some principle that does not fit with the lifestyle they’ve chosen. For example, while it is unlikely for someone to mock another for being a Christian, the same individual will find no difficulty in mocking, humiliating, or verbally assaulting someone for believing in traditional marriage, saving one’s self for marriage, believing in the sanctity of life, donating money to their church, or virtually any individual belief that runs with traditional Christianity, leaving only a hollow shell of Christianity left untouched. Indeed, those on social media will likely treat those beliefs, if not the individual him/herself, as a pariah, unworthy of existence, not because he or she is a “Christian,” but because he or she actually acts or believes like one.

This is not to say that some Christians don’t probably deserve a slice of humble pie. For example, there are many self-identified Christians who neither walk the walk nor talk the talk, but for some reason throw the title in your face as if saying a little prayer makes them better than everyone else. As a Christian there are beliefs that I hold dear: that Jesus Christ is the Lord and that he died for my sins. No work, no refraining from sin, nothing I can individually do will ever save me; Christ saved me and he continues to save me and helps me to sin less, and live a life more closely to the way he lived. Those “Christians” who utilize social media to harass or condemn others are failing to realize their own Christian principles. I can’t help but think of a bumper sticker: “don’t judge me because I sin differently than you.”

It’s true. We are all sinners. We are all imperfect, stupid, and wicked. But who did Jesus Christ break bread with? Who did he spend his time with? He didn’t hang out with the Pharisees because they were really good at keeping the letter of the law. Further, Jesus Christ did not come to condemn the world, but to save it. “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:17, NIV. What did he tell us about “casting the first stone?” To those artificial Christians judging the world and those around them, they should first look at getting that “beam” out of their own eye removed. Luke 6:42.

So what’s the point of this? The point is that as a Christian, I will do my best never to judge you, regardless of your belief system. I know I’m not perfect and Jesus Christ himself told me that I was not to judge. “Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.” Matthew 7:2. I have plenty of beams in my own eye that I need to work on.

However, I would ask the same of you, whoever you are. I won’t mock your beliefs, I won’t mock your choices, and please don’t mock mine. Please don’t preach to me what a Christian should be in this day and age, or mock my traditional beliefs. I don’t care what choices you have made, I will be your brother, I will serve you, I will help you and be there for you, and I will respect you enough not to decry you for your beliefs and actions, and hope that you will do the same for me. None of us are perfect, but we are all in this together.