I read a piece of devotional writing by George Fox, founder of the Society of Friends (the Quakers) during my morning Bible study.  He spoke of how the majority of Christians in his time not only didn't understand why the Quakers refused to doff their hats in homes, bow to clergy or refer to people as "Thee or Thou", but these other Christians actually persecuted the Quakers for striving for a life of biblical simplicity.

This reminded me of something our recently retired pastor said several times over the years.  "In America, the persecution of Christians comes from within the church."  When we think of the persecution of believers we think of Nero, Stalin, Pol Pot and others.These people, in deliberate rebellion of the Gospel, tried to put an end to the church.  But the fact is, throughout church history, persecution has come from  within as often as from without.  The element of society who opposed Martin Luther and Martin Luther King Jr. would both have called themselves followers of Jesus.  The same is true of those who persecuted George Fox, the Puritans, and the Salvation Army.  Even Jesus' opponents, though not called the church at the time, were people 'of the Book' as the Koran calls us.

And I believe the same is true today.  Just this week a family connected with a local church was upset by an incident they heard -from their 10 year old, who of course always tells the whole truth - had happened at the camp I direct.  In the end, their information was only half true; their son had been slapped in the face as part of a skit that went over the top, but he was not (by his own eventual admission)  hit intentionally and violently again as he had  initially told his mom.  But, this fine church going lady decided to disregard Mathew 18 and a good chunk of the book of Proverbs, and, instead of going to the one who offended (in this case, the camp administration or camper's family)  took to, what else, Facebook.  There she ranted about the bullying being tolerated at Baptist Park, and in minutes had quite a following of mindless sheep who wanted to know every dark, untrue accusation.

OK, so this isn't King George level persecution, but it is an example of modern American Christians disregarding truth in preference of power, in this case the power of the (untrue) press.  No wonder Fox News is so popular with church folks today.

And the above mom is not a rare exception.  American Christianity's love of gossip was already primed and in full swing when the internet came along.  If I were a pastor I'd have no problem welcoming gays, addicts or homeless into my congregation. "Lord, just keep the gossips away!"  And now the internet is the means of choice for stirring up dissension by people who would prefer not to make the effort to learn the truth.

Or who love the attention.

Or  the power.

Or who were planted in the church by Satan himself. 

Harsh?  Yeah, but I didn't say this last one.  That's a quote from the creator of the universe and the Lord of the church.  Perhaps He's  on to something.