Christians were — and are — persecuted. In 2022, numbers collected by Open Doors revealed that 1 in 7 Christians face high levels of persecution. That adds up to over 360 million, which is the highest level since the World Watch List began.

North Korea is rated the number one most hostile country for Christians, where they are unable to meet for worship or prayer without the risk of being sent to a labor camp or execution. Somalia, rated just below North Korea, has an open goal of ridding their country of any trace of Christianity, allowing for Christians from Muslim backgrounds to be killed on sight if discovered.

Historically, the persecution of Christians is easy to see. Throughout the New Testament, there are stories of gruesome executions and torture of Jesus’ followers. Of course, Jesus himself was executed for his claims of being the Messiah. Different denominations faced severe consequences over centuries, especially in countries dominated by the Catholic church.

Christians are persecuted. But not in America.

Out of the top 50 countries Open Door covers in their World Watch List, the United States is noticeably absent. The complaints often pushed about by Christians who believe they are losing religious liberty often include pushback on beliefs that actively harm others, particularly their beliefs on abortion and LGBTQ+ rights. Essentially, they find it difficult that their discrimination is frowned upon.

The idea of suffering in the name of Christ is somewhat glorified. Throughout the Bible, there are verses promising that Christians will suffer for their faith (1 Peter 2:21, Romans 8:17, Matthew 19:29, Hebrews 11:25, among many, many others.)  Many take these verses to heart, and they begin to seek out anything that aligns with their belief in their own persecution. This is a classic example of confirmation bias.

This idea of suffering and victimhood becomes a goal for many Christians, believing that the strife and hardship will bring them closer to God, but it often seems as though their motivations stem from a fear of a shrinking majority, despite Christianity remaining the default in the United States.

This ideology is not shared by all, but 59% of American Christians believe they are facing increasingly more intolerance for their religious beliefs. This victim mentality culture is widespread, permeating many areas of life.

My friend, a Kent State sophomore and a member of the same church that I am, received a message on Hinge from a man replying to her profile, where she says that she is Christian. For this first point of contact, he chose to say, “It’s hard nowadays with so many people being non-religious.”

While I won’t deny that there are difficulties associated with following any religion, they are essentially insignificant for American Christians. This man, however, is confident enough in the idea of Christian hardship and even more notably in the understanding that my friend would fully agree with him, illustrating how widespread these beliefs are.

Much of this could be attributed to the misconceptions surrounding the makeup of the nation. We assume that there are more people of color and religious minorities than there are, and that there are far less white Christians than there really are. This myth contributes to a scarcity mindset and feeds into a fear that what many consider to be the norm is becoming outdated and is rapidly disappearing. Essentially, this false idea of rapid change is a driving force to the perceived persecution in the U.S.

Many conservative politicians profit off of that fear, promising a return to Christian values on a nationwide scale in order to secure votes. The irony of using the threat of a disappearing majority to garner the support of the majority, unfortunately, is lost on many.

Our efforts would be much better spent in recognizing where genuine persecution is taking place and attempting to assist Christians in need of assistance. As it is, this constant trepidation and surety in hatred against those who have the greatest influence in our country only serves to harm others, often leading to further marginalization of minorities.

Christianity is marked by following God and submission to His will, not by self-inflicted martyrdom. The only way this mass delusion is being sustained is by willful ignorance of the reality of the situation in America.

The truth isn’t difficult to see as long as you’re prepared to accept it.

Virginia Doherty is an opinion writer. Contact her at [email protected].