Christian Persecution: As Go the Prisons...

The American Federal Government has lubricated the slope toward Christian persecution. The Department of Justice Bureau of Prisons (BOP) has begun removing stacks of religious material from prison chapel libraries on the basis that it was too extreme. According to “Christianity Today” writer Elizabeth Lawson, in her article, “Book Bust,” at least 600 titles were removed from the libraries of Otisville Federal Correctional Institution in New York just before Memorial Day.

One of the most quoted philosophical truths about sociology is the idea that prisons are a microcosm of a society that directly reflects the degree of its civilization. Fyodor Dostoyevsky, in his book The House of the Dead, wrote, “The degree of civilization in a society can be judged by entering the prisons.” Seldom disputed, this insight has proved true over and over since its utterance. One might further postulate that, “As go the prisons, so goes the society.” The firm belief in this statement is what gives such great concern at the news of this book cull. The objections of the incarcerated usually fall on deaf ears, and the Thief sneaks up on the unsuspecting with the blind eyes of society focused anywhere but inside the walls of its prisons. The Government will act out its wishes on those whom it can, and then on the rest of us.

According to Lawson’s article, BOP (Federal Bureau of Prisons) spokeswoman Traci Billingsley said the bureau is standardizing chapel library titles throughout the federal prison system. "As books are reviewed and certified as free of discrimination, violence, and radicalization, the lists for each religion will be updated to incorporate additional books into the standard libraries," said Billingsley. Even from our lush lawns and plush easy chairs, we blind and deaf should be able to read into the words of Ms. Billingsley the warning that Christianity is in the crosshairs.

Jesus said, “No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6) One need not possess a perfect understanding of history to know how this statement will stand up to the test of society’s increasingly warped sense of discrimination. The violence represented by the crucifixion is surely enough to trigger the litmus of the critical. The very nature of Christianity is radical. According to Jesus’ apostle, John, the Lord condemned anyone who did not approach Him in a radical manner, “So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” (Revelation 3:16) If only books free of discrimination, violence and radicalization are welcome in the prisons, watch closely for the Holy Bible to be eliminated soon.

Not surprisingly, the liberal civil rights activists have praised this move by the Government to limit extremism. The arm of evil in this case is the Anti-Defamation League. Steven Freeman, Associate Director of Civil Rights for the Anti-Defamation League, is quoted by Christianity Today as saying, "It's a legitimate concern that the government has in terms of what books are available to prisoners." Christians will need to listen closely for the words, “legitimate concern,” for they will be the label applied to the Christian Church in legislative houses in years to come.

Jesus warned us through his disciples, “Be on your guard against men; they will hand you over to the local councils and flog you in their synagogues. On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.” (Matthew 10:17-22; see also Mark 13:9-13)

Be on your guard against men. Be aware that the Government is graduating toward enmity with the Way, Truth and Life. Stand up against this act of aggression as if it were against your family, for in reality this censorship affects every Christian.

Reference:
“Book Bust” by Elizabeth Dawson, “Christianity Today” Web-Only post, 07-10-2007, http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2007/julyweb-only/128-22.0.html