Christian Freedom in the U.S., Russia, Israel and Brazil
By Julio
Severo
Even
though overwhelmingly evangelical in its origin, the United States does not privilege
today evangelicalism and the U.S. government clearly does not favor it. In the
U.S. religious freedom, all the religions are equal. So the evangelicalism that
founded the U.S. is officially in the same level as Islam, Hinduism,
Catholicism, witchcraft, etc.
According
to this system, the U.S. government cannot honor its evangelical foundation
above Islam, Hinduism, Catholicism, witchcraft, etc. If the U.S. government
wants religious partnership, it cannot give preference to evangelicalism. It is
obliged to give equal partnership to Islam, Hinduism, Catholicism, witchcraft,
etc.
In
Russia, which is the largest Christian Orthodox country in the world, there is
no such equality. The Christian Orthodox Church is recognized by the Russian
government as the largest Christian religion in Russia. Catholics and
evangelicals, who are 2 percent of the Russian population, are second-rate
religious citizens. Orthodoxies have their reasons to do it with Catholics,
considering that the Vatican has always antagonized the Orthodox Church, seeing
it as an opponent of its supremacy.
Orthodoxies
seem to bear a grudge against Catholics because of an invasion of Catholic
crusaders in Constantinople, which was the capital of the Orthodox Church.
Constantinople was looted, raped and victimized because of this old hatred.
Even though with its focus largely on Muslims, the Catholic Crusades victimized
also multitudes of innocent Jews and Orthodox Christians. But evangelicals
never acted this way toward Orthodox Christians. Then Orthodoxies should not
put evangelicals in Russia as second-rate religious citizens.
Brazil
imitates the U.S. in religious freedom. In the recent Olympic Games in Brazil,
football player Neymar, who is a nominal evangelical, was criticized by the
Olympic Committee because he used a headband titled “100% JESUS.” But the same
Olympic Committee did not criticize the official closing of the Olympic Games,
which showed fetishistic sorcerers and a blatant glorification of
Afro-Brazilian religions (which are similar to voodoo).
Many
Christians protested that it was discriminatory. But what did they want? Did
they want the same respect and consideration afforded to demons to be equally granted
to Jesus? Did they want Jesus to be equated with demons?
In
the equality democracy, Jesus is no better than a voodoo demon or Satan. In Jornalismo
TV Cultura (Brazilian Culture TV News) on August 20, 2015 Brazilian historian
Leandro Karnal said, “If it is forbidden to mock or insult religions, an issue
being considered in Rio de Janeiro, let us remember that Satanism is also a
religion and when an evangelical minister begins to expel the devil of someone,
we can fine him because he is insulting the faith of a Satanist, because the
devil also produces a religion. Whoever wants to attack the devil, whip the
devil should also be fined because he is insulting faith on Satan.” You can
watch his comments here: https://youtu.be/VkXm3nOm-rg
Many
can think that the fight for legal equality is helpful, but it is bringing more
rights to Satan and his demons and does not glorify Jesus, and to glorify Jesus
is the most important mission for a Christian. A Christian’s mission is not to
fight for Jesus to have, in democracy, the same worth as Satan and his demons.
Whether
laws acknowledge it or not, Jesus is above demons and Satan, who are fallen
creatures condemned to Hell. He is the Creator and Lord. It is blasphemous to
agree with laws that equate fallen creatures with the Lord who creates, saves
and changes.
I do
not like the current American system that equates Jesus with Beelzebub. If
risen today, George Washington would fight this system, because he supported
the practice, common in the U.S. beginnings, that all politicians, to be
inaugurated, should swear, with his hand on the Bible, that he believed in the
Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
And I
do not like the Russian system that puts the Orthodox Church as a Christian
church above evangelical churches. But the current U.S. system seems the worst.
Yet,
if the U.S. thinks the Russian system worse, why not criticize Israel too? Just
as in Russia, evangelicals in Israel are no more than 2 percent. Pew Research
Center has identified Israel as one of the countries that places high
restrictions on religion. Pew said,
“But the list of countries with high
restrictions also contains some that are widely seen as democratic, such as…
Israel. Israel’s score is driven up by… its preferential treatment of Orthodox
Jews. The government recognizes only Orthodox Jewish religious authorities in
some personal status matters (such as marriage) concerning Jews and devotes the
bulk of state funds provided for religion to Orthodox Jews, even though they
make up only a small portion of all Jews in Israel.”
In
his book “Persecuted: The Global Assault on Christians” (Thomas Nelson, 2013),
Paul Marshall says,
“In another instance, in Israel,
proselytism is legal as long as no material benefits are offered for
conversion. But elements within the government sometimes act as though this
isn’t so. People suspected of being missionaries have been denied visas and
sometimes detained and required to post bail and pledge not to evangelize.
There are also occasional mob attacks on churches or other buildings hosting
converts.”
In
comparison with Islamic nations, Israel offers much more freedom to Christians.
But in comparison with the U.S., Israel offers them less freedom. In fact, if
in the U.S. the Jews were treated as Christians are treated in Israel, there
would be complaints of “anti-Semitism.”
The
same reality is applicable to Russia. In comparison with Islamic countries,
Russia offers much more freedom to Christians. But just as Israel protects and
privileges its main religion, Russia does the same thing for the Russian
Orthodox Church.
Therefore,
the U.S. media’s hysteria against Russia is baseless. When Russia establishes
some restriction for non-registered religious activities, the U.S. media cries
“censorship” and a “return of the Soviet Union.” But this same media does not
cry anything over the Israeli restrictions on activities of Christian
evangelism in Israel. In fact, it remains silent.
The
media, which makes a great stir against Russia, does not make the same stir
against Saudi Arabia, which murders Christians and bans the Bible and worship
meetings. The only difference seems to be that Russia is a political enemy of
the U.S. and Saudi Arabia is officially a “friend.” Just as Israel, Russia does
not murder Christians and does not ban the Bible and registered worship
meetings.
Evidently,
all these nations need a powerful change.
Israel
needs a revival, to live the wonders of Messiah Jesus Christ.
Russia
needs a revival, to understand that better than the Russian Orthodox Church is
to live for Jesus Christ.
The
U.S. and Brazil need a revival, to stop equating Jesus and Satan and putting them
in the same level in their laws of religious freedom.
The
Pink Swastika author Scott Lively, who is very familiar with the
religious-freedom challenges in the U.S. and Russia, has offered his
comment for my blog:
In this age-old conflict of
doctrinal camps, it is important to recognize the failure of all denominations
and church institutions to fully reflect “The Way of the Messiah” as it taught
in the Whole Bible. Any religious movement or institution that pretends to
speak for God or provide the “one true path” to fellowship with Him commits the
sin of arrogance. None of the Apostles claimed infallibility and their
perspectives varied widely, resolving their differences practically (by
voting). Paul addressed the question of doctrinal disputes squarely in 1
Corinthians, admonishing the church “do not go on passing judgment before the
time, but wait until the Lord comes.” In the meantime, we should seek the
spiritual unity of ALL believers in Christ on the points on which we can agree —
including the Torah-faithful Jews who simply haven’t yet recognized Jesus as
the Messiah — and approach our differences with charity and humility.
Portuguese
version of this article: Liberdade cristã nos EUA, Rússia, Israel
e Brasil
Source: Last Days Watchman
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