Persecution, Truth, and Freedom

On a pedestrian bridge in the very heart of Oslo, Norway there is an illuminated sign that sums up perfectly what has happened to Europe, a collection of nations that once formed the very heart of Western Civilization, the heart of Christendom. The sign reads: "Truth Is Flexible."

Recently I read several articles, interviews really, with four very different people: a woman philosopher, a male Hollywood actor, a well-known Evangelical preacher, and a Catholic Cardinal. And yet, despite their differences in occupation and background, each stressed the importance of speaking the truth during our largely untruthful times.

Jennifer Frey is a professor of philosophy at the University of South Carolina. At the time of her interview (read the entire interview here), she was quarantined because she had contracted COVID-19. Married and the mother of six, she was, of course, separated from her family. And yet, although a victim of the pandemic, she disagrees strongly with the closing of schools, political decisions that tell us how non-essential education is to many of those we've elected to represent us. In her words:

"So it seems like somehow we've decided that education comes last, or that teachers cannot in any way take on risks. My personal preference is for what my own university has done: they have enabled those who are in a high-risk category to completely teach online. Face to face instruction is strictly voluntary. I volunteered, and I don't regret my decision. And I have Covid!"

Dr. Frey describes her earlier self as one of the "new atheists" who had gone to college to study English, but found most of the teaching focused on identity politics rather than literature. Remarkably. an undergraduate philosophy course changed her, introduced her to Augustine and Aquinas, and ultimately led her to Catholicism. It also led her to the truth that although human history changes, human nature remains the same. Her initial exposure and later study of humanity's great written works changed her deeply:

“It’s always both. Joy and terror! To me the real value of great books, the reason why I will fight for them with my dying breath, is that they help you transcend your time and place. They make you see that this thing of being a human, you’re experiencing it in a certain limited way, but it’s so much bigger than you.”

The entire interview is fascinating, but her comments on the "temptation" to place personal and ideological considerations, or "any practical goal," above the truth are worth mentioning here:

"One thing that is a constant temptation...is to let your ambitions get to be more important than the truth. And tying your pursuit of the truth to your ambitions and your political ends, so that what you are willing to think about and write about is determined by your ambitions within the academy. That's something that I've had to fight my entire life. If I wanted to have a fancy job I wouldn't be writing about the things I care about. So, you have to ask yourself, 'Why am I even doing this?'"

If you would like to know more about Dr. Frey and her thought, you can access her podcast and her blog:

Apple Podcast: Sacred and Profane Love

Blog: The Virtue Blog

Jim Caviesel is an actor, perhaps most famous for his unforgettable portrayal of Jesus in the 2004 movie, "The Passion of the Christ." He is a remarkable man, a Catholic working in the midst of Hollywood. The interview may be found on LifeSite, a wonderful pro-life website that YouTube has suspended because LifeSite speaks the truth about abortion and other life issues. Like most of the mega-companies that control social media, the folks at YouTube (a Google subsidiary) can't stand the truth when it conflicts with their leftist ideology. They actually call Christian teaching, the teaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, "hate speech," and of course try to suppress it. 

In another LifeSite interview, Caviesel described the challenges of being openly Catholic in an industry that largely rejects the Church and its teachings:

"It's part of the cross you take up when you choose to believe in Him...we all have the desire to want to be liked...but what we should be asking God is the desire for humility."

Addressing the war in which we are currently engaged, a war both cultural and religious, Caviesel states that the persecution of Christians isn't confined to the past, to the early history of the Church,

"Barbaric Christian persecution is something that still goes on today...No one ever rode to victory on the back of fake moral platitudes. We have to speak the truth boldly."

These are words one doesn't expect to hear from a Hollywood actor. But even more surprising is his prediction that massive persecution of Christians is coming, and coming soon. Of course, Caviesel is correct: Christians are already suffering from severe persecution in other parts of the world, especially in the Middle East, East Asia, and Africa. In Europe and North America, although the persecution is more subtle, Christians are beginning to realize they are the prime targets of those who wield political power in many formerly "Christian" nations, including our own. 

Speaking of abortion, a presage of things to come, Caviesel stated that "We have murdered on a level that is unprecedented" and rightly called many of our abortion laws "Luciferian." He doesn't soften his words as he sums up what is happening in our world today:

"You'll wish that you never even knew what democracy was. This Christian way of living will soon be gone...We're talking about massive, massive persecutions."

Caviesel issues a call to action, encouraging us to not to sit on our hands:

"The goal would be to create a sense of urgency and relevance to Christians and non-Christians who should engage in this issue."

Really, Caviesel is asking us to follow the lead of St, Paul:

"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith" [2 Tim 4:7].

Yes, indeed, we must "fight the good fight" and avoid the apathy that infects so many Christians today, those who falsely assume that remaining quiet is "the holy way to go," seemingly unaware that worldly powers are intent on destroying Christian culture and life. Rather than being strong evangelists for their faith, too many Christians seem more intent on "going along to get along." Concerned about such attitudes, Caviesel turns to Jesus in the Gospel:

"When I read the gospels, I've never seen a Jesus who would sit there and say, 'Too bad for him.' And that is not the gospel I know."

He also expresses concern about the Christian family, asking, "What happened to prayer? What happened to prayer in the family?"

Is Jim Caviesel right about what we can expect in the near future? Personally, and based on the direction our nation seems to be headed, I believe he is. And he's also very right about the need for Christians to resist, to let themselves be heard, to fight the forces of evil that surround us.

Franklin Graham, the son of the late evangelist, Billy Graham, has followed in his father's footsteps. He, too, is concerned by what he see in our society. In a recent interview with Laura Ingraham, he stated:

"I think we are in a moral freefall in this country. And the only hope for our country, I believe, is God. And for that to happen is we've got to come to Him in repentance, turning from our sins, and putting our faith and trust in His Son, Jesus Christ. And I think if we do that, then God will hear our prayers, and He will heal our country."

On Veterans Day, as he spoke to honor those who have served our nation honorably in times of war and peace, Rev. Graham stated:

"It seems our nation is under attack -- attack from within, from socialists who want to bring anarchy to our streets. The hard-won freedoms that we have enjoyed in America are very much at stake."

And in another interview, looking to the future, he added:

"I think we will see these kinds of attacks from the left against Christian businesses, Christian organizations, and that will happen. I think they will try to come after churches, attack churches, attack exempt organizations doing humanitarian work, social work throughout the country."

Rev. Graham also reminded Christians that:

"To show us the only true way to salvation and eternal life, the Bible points directly to 'the message of truth, the gospel' [Eph 1:13] and tells us that the 'truth is in Jesus' [Eph 4:21]. Jesus Himself said, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me' [Jn 14:6]. That's the most important truth anyone can hear."

And just a few days ago, Graham tweeted the following passage, from Isaiah 59:1-4: 

The Holy Word of God says:

“Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened,

That it cannot save; Nor His ear heavy,

That it cannot hear.

But your iniquities have separated you from your God;

And your sins have hidden His face from you,

So that He will not hear.

For your hands are defiled with blood,

And your fingers with iniquity;

Your lips have spoken lies,

Your tongue has muttered perversity.

No one calls for justice,

Nor does any plead for truth.

They trust in empty words and speak lies;

They conceive evil and bring forth iniquity.”

It's as if Isaiah is pointing to directly to us and to our times, isn't it? Well, in one sense I suppose he is. He was, after all, a prophet. And today justice and truth are forgotten or simply pushed aside by too many, including too many Christians.

Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York, the new Chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Committee on Religious Freedom, stated that the bishops of the United States are engaged in "legitimate and ongoing struggles to protect our [American] first and most precious freedom." 

But he then reminded us that we cannot stand by idly as our brothers and sisters in other parts of the world suffer horrendous persecution:

"But even our problems as towering as they can be at times and as ominous as the future might now seem, they pale in comparison, don't they, to the 'via crucis' that is currently being walked by so many of our Christian brothers and sisters in other parts of the world who are experiencing lethal persecution."

The Christian martyrs of the 20th century account for over half of the martyrs who gave their lives for Christ throughout the entire 2,000-year history of the Church. Reflecting on this, Cardinal Dolan added: 

"This 21st century, I'm afraid, doesn't seem to promise much better. This century, only two decades old, has already seen 1.25 million people killed around the world, simply because of their belief in Jesus Christ. And that threat to religious believers is growing."

The Cardinal stressed that we all must become advocates:

"We want to make people aware of the great suffering of our brothers and sisters using all means at our disposal...We need the enthusiastic backing of our people, not just our leaders. If we don't have that, we're not going to get too far."

In addition to the action of public advocacy, he also calls on Catholics to storm heaven with prayers for persecuted Christians, developing a "culture of prayer" within our families, our parishes, our communities, and our nation. 

Yes, indeed, we certainly live in interesting times.