The vulgar joke by queer comedian Reuben Kaye on Channel Ten’s The Project has once again raised this issue: Why is Christianity the target of jokes, ridicule and even outright persecution? While at the same time, other faiths are not treated with the same disrespect?

Why the disparity?

According to the Rt. Rev. Philip Mounstephen, Bishop of Truro, in his Independent Review for the Foreign Secretary of FCO Support for Persecuted Christians, 80% of all religious persecution is directed against Christians. Yes, that’s 80%! Yet statically, just over 30% of the world’s population is regarded as Christian. This vast disproportionality between the rate of religious persecution versus the number of adherents is a startling fact. How can it be that Christians are the target of just so much religious persecution?

There are of course many varied and legitimate reasons that could explain this phenomenon.

Meek and Mild

Sky News host Paul Murray — a self-professed atheist — in an opinion piece puts forth the reason that Christians are “soft targets” because they won’t riot in the streets or turn violent.

Indeed, Jesus taught His disciples to “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matt 5:44). Christians may tune out of the program, write letters of protest and call for an apology. But a joke, crassly spoken, will rarely elicit a more severe response than that.

Murray then comments about Reuben Kaye and his willingness to target other religions in this way:

“Let’s see what his reaction would be, and to his ‘bravery’, if he decides to do just a few words about Mohammad, maybe a costume or two. See what the reaction would be.”

As Murray wholeheartedly agrees, there is no room at any time to target people from any religion. “[A]nyone who uses their faith to repeat that hate on somebody from any community, well they are not going to get a champion in me.” And few would disagree with his comments here.

But is the fact that Christians are “soft targets” enough to explain the disparity?

Prophecy

Jesus taught that there was a deeper, fundamental spiritual reality behind the disproportionality. The night before He faced his own violent death, He prepared His disciples with these prophetic words:

“If the world hates you, understand that it hated Me before it hated you…
If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you.” (John 15:18, 20)

And as John would later write, “We know that… the whole world is under the sway of the evil one” (1 John 5:19).

It’s uncomfortable and flies in the face of modern society’s secular and naturalistic worldview. Nevertheless, Jesus and His disciple John point the finger at the condition of the sinful human heart and the evil supernatural realm as the real reason for the disparity.

This understood, the 80% statistic is actually an encouragement. It’s yet another reason to trust the Bible’s words: the situation is exactly as predicted. If the Bible really is what it claims to be ­– the very inspired words of the Creator God Himself (e.g. 2 Tim 3:16) — then isn’t the 80% statistic precisely what we would expect? It’s just as Jesus Himself said, “See, I have told you ahead of time.” (Matt 24:25)

Omniscience

Let’s consider the alternative explanation. Let’s say that Jesus was simply an obscure, deluded individual who thought of himself as Messiah and God incarnate.

What is the chance that such a crackpot could accurately and pinpointedly predict the religious persecution lay-of-the-land some 2000 years later? How could someone so deludedly wrong predict something so accurately right?

It beggars all rational belief.

It is difficult and confronting. But disciples of Jesus are taught to consider themselves “blessed when they insult you and persecute you and falsely say every kind of evil against you because of Me. Be glad and rejoice, because your reward is great in heaven.” (Matt 5:11–12)

We can now add another reason to rejoice. The ‘80% statistic’ confirms the Bible is true. Our Christian faith handed down to us through Scripture confirms the words of Jesus our Saviour, the One Whom we love.

This should ultimately encourage us, galvanise us and keep us pressing on — no matter the cost and no matter our circumstances.

Just as Jesus said: “I have told you these things to keep you from stumbling.” (John 16:1)

May The Project’s disdain for Jesus further strengthen the righteous to be as bold as lions! (Proverbs 28:1)

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Photo by Tofin Photography Creations.