Would I be a martyr?
Could I die for what I believe?15 total reviews
Comment from Jean Hornby
Exceptional. Inspiring , heart felt poem. Lots of truth and full of scripture. So had to give six stars for this exceptional work
reply by the author on 02-Jul-2019
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Exceptional. Inspiring , heart felt poem. Lots of truth and full of scripture. So had to give six stars for this exceptional work
Comment Written 01-Jul-2019
reply by the author on 02-Jul-2019
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Thank you so much Jean. I'm honored. Rox
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My pleasure 😊
Comment from Ulla
Hi Roxanna, now, I liked your poem a lot and I thoroughly understand what you're saying here. But man has always killed in the name of religion. Throughout history Jews have suffered only to be killed on assembly during the last world war. Yes, Christians are killed as well as they're seen to be the infidels in recent history. Hence 9/11, so America has been hit and badly. I think that the most peaceful religion is Buddhism. But then again. I'm not religious. It's beyond me that anybody can kill for something that doesn't even exist. A sad state of affairs. I'm sorry, but I got carried away here. I still love your poem. Good luck. Warm regards. Ulla:)))
reply by the author on 01-Jul-2019
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Hi Roxanna, now, I liked your poem a lot and I thoroughly understand what you're saying here. But man has always killed in the name of religion. Throughout history Jews have suffered only to be killed on assembly during the last world war. Yes, Christians are killed as well as they're seen to be the infidels in recent history. Hence 9/11, so America has been hit and badly. I think that the most peaceful religion is Buddhism. But then again. I'm not religious. It's beyond me that anybody can kill for something that doesn't even exist. A sad state of affairs. I'm sorry, but I got carried away here. I still love your poem. Good luck. Warm regards. Ulla:)))
Comment Written 01-Jul-2019
reply by the author on 01-Jul-2019
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I don't know of any time in history that Christian have killed because of people not believing as they do. In fact I know of no time. The crusades are said to be Christians but they were not in anyway. They were greedy men hoping to get rich by plundering another country. Bloody Mary of England killed the protestants who had forsaken the Catholic faith, she was not a Christian. Catholics have started wars and caused death, but Christian and Catholic are not the same thing. But many Catholics are Christians. Confusing I know.
Christian are not only the most martyred group but also the most hated. You may not be around to see it, and I hope I'm not either, but they will start to imprison and kill us in the US as well. I have no doubt of it.
I don't know if more Jews have been murdered than Christians, I only know more Christian are killed today then ever in history. Everyday in Africa 100s are being killed, but the news doesn't care so no one knows. The world for some reason also hates the Jews, and Israel is attacked almost every day by rockets, right now it's Pakistan. Someone is always trying to kill them off and take their land. One day the whole world with come together and go against them. It's called Armageddon. But guess what? The Jews will win that war too.
No body but on body messes with Gods people and gets away with it. God says those who try will be destroyed as if they never existed. I'm so glad the US is on their side, one day they won't be but for now, we are.
I have seen too much prove of God in my own life and the lives of the amazing people I work with and am friends with not believe. People say if there is a God why is there suffering in the world. Why do you think. Because people don't fear God and crave power and money. Almost all human suffering has to do with the greed and selfishness of man. Even in many natural disasters many die because the builder didn't want to spend extra money to make the homes, buildings safe. Greed. And because people want to live by the ocean or on the sides of hills or in flood zones because of the view, or it's pretty. They rebuild in the same place! Builders build on toxic waste dumps, flood zones, companies pollute the waters with toxic waste because they can make or save money. My tiny home town was destroyed by the electric Co that polluted the ground water and gave a ton of people cancer, my sister is one who died because of it. Should I be mad at God. If they knew God, if they lived according to the bible, none of this would happen. The bible has an amazing plan for living, government. The world would be an amazing place, still have problems because people are human, but everyone would be free and well cared for.
Sorry, hope I didn't peach too much. =} I had one person basically call me a liar, that my fact are not in anyway true. I told her differently, but was very Christian about it. =} Thanks so much for the stars and for reading it anyway, Love ya, Rox
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I take it all on board, Rox, and I appreciate that. Warm regards. Ulla:)))
Comment from Sandra du Plessis
A very well-written faith poem. We are all willing to declare our faith when things go well, but the real question is are we willing to die for our faith when it comes to it.
reply by the author on 02-Jul-2019
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A very well-written faith poem. We are all willing to declare our faith when things go well, but the real question is are we willing to die for our faith when it comes to it.
Comment Written 01-Jul-2019
reply by the author on 02-Jul-2019
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Yes that is a hard question. We all want to live, God put that in us, so giving up your life is hard no matter what. I fear this will only get worse for Christian, but God is always there in that moment. Thank you Sandra. Rox
Comment from Rachelle Allen
Oy, Rox! The poem I found appealing; the Author's Notes, not so much.
In fact, as a Jewess, I found them, quite honestly, abhorrent.
The 'independent study done by a university who had no affiliation with any Christian org.'? That about blew my mind. Anyone with common sense knows this is not correct.
And what's with the "Christians tend to think more, question more and speak out more"? More than what? More than they should? More than any non-Christians? More than anyone cares to hear? That seems like hubris! If a group wants to be ill-regarded, I can think of no better words with which to accomplish that. But if memory serves me, Rox, I believe Jesus taught humility.
Ordinarily, I disregard sanctimony. I simply file it under "someone who doesn't know any better." But you're someone too smart for me to consider as such. So, for that reason, this was both painful and disturbing.
I have to say, I am absolutely flabbergasted by this read.
reply by the author on 01-Jul-2019
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Oy, Rox! The poem I found appealing; the Author's Notes, not so much.
In fact, as a Jewess, I found them, quite honestly, abhorrent.
The 'independent study done by a university who had no affiliation with any Christian org.'? That about blew my mind. Anyone with common sense knows this is not correct.
And what's with the "Christians tend to think more, question more and speak out more"? More than what? More than they should? More than any non-Christians? More than anyone cares to hear? That seems like hubris! If a group wants to be ill-regarded, I can think of no better words with which to accomplish that. But if memory serves me, Rox, I believe Jesus taught humility.
Ordinarily, I disregard sanctimony. I simply file it under "someone who doesn't know any better." But you're someone too smart for me to consider as such. So, for that reason, this was both painful and disturbing.
I have to say, I am absolutely flabbergasted by this read.
Comment Written 01-Jul-2019
reply by the author on 01-Jul-2019
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Nothing I said was untrue. The group who did the study was not Christian. Their findings are what was recorded. They actually wanted to prove that Christians are not necessary to society. They found out differently. Christians do speak out against injustices more then most, they are not easily cowed or brain washed as some think. We do think for ourselves and this is in no way bragging, just fact. Christ while on earth was not some meek humble little man. He strongly confronted the priests of His day, He drove those selling sacrifices out of the temple, with a whip, he pulled no punches when talking to sinners. He told the truth and people don't always like the truth. The only time Christ talked about humility was the sermon on the mount when he said the meek shall inherit the earth. Even then I don't think he meant the mousy little people. We are told to put on armor, to be soldiers, to fight the good fight, to run with endurance. To be strong and courageous. I wouldn't make up my facts or lie about them, I promise you. If the report was a lie that's one thing, but I don't doubt the truth of it because I hear and see the truth of it all the time. I'm not saying all Christians are wonderful humans beings that never sin. We all sin and there are plenty of lousy people who call themselves Christians. But over all they are what I stated. I know because I know so many and have found it to be true. I work for a mission group that works all over the world and Christian outside the US are even more so this way. They even feel joy when persecuted because they count it a privilege to suffer for Christ. They also expect it because He said this was how it would be. Many have been killed, their homes burnt, run out of town because they will not longer work in the cocaine field, they won't mine the blood diamonds. They won't cheat the people when they are expect to. All the truly amazing people I know, people with PHD's, multiple masters, brilliant men and women, one was nominated several times for the Noble Peace Prize, they are invited to Washington, meet with high officials, have met the President of the US and other countries. They are all unbelievable, outstanding Christians, who live out their faith every day and some have died because of it.
I hope I don't sound upset because I am not at all, just defending my facts and I guess myself, as I am in no way a liar, not about this anyway. But don't ask me how much I weigh. =} You can believe as you wish, and have an opposing opinion. That is perfectly fine. I do thank you for still giving me 5 stars. I really do appreciate it. =} Rox
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I gave you the rating for the poem, which, as I told you, I liked. It was the narrative afterward with which I took umbrage.
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I'm sorry but still stand by my facts. This was a study done only on Christians. I'm not saying others wouldn't get the same high praise, but they were not included.
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It's fine. I've stopped thinking about it.
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I deleted the comments since I didn't have a source for them. I can't remember what the report was called, but I do know the main purpose was to discredit Christians. They hoped to find the opposite of what they did. That felt real good. They found out we're not all the big piles of poop the world like to think of us as. =}
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Okay.
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I don't think you have forgiven me. =}
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What?!
I didn't like what you wrote. So what? It's nothing personal, and it has no impact on our FS relationship. It's a new day. I've stopped thinking about it anymore. No harm, no foul.
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Sorry
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Me, too. It's over now.
Comment from nancy_e_davis
I have often wondered the same thing, Rox. Can you imagine what they go through? What they have gone through? The coliseum in Rome. The Lyons. Burned at the stake. The beheading in this day and age. Good post for the contest. Nancy:)xxx
reply by the author on 02-Jul-2019
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I have often wondered the same thing, Rox. Can you imagine what they go through? What they have gone through? The coliseum in Rome. The Lyons. Burned at the stake. The beheading in this day and age. Good post for the contest. Nancy:)xxx
Comment Written 01-Jul-2019
reply by the author on 02-Jul-2019
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Thank you so much Nancy.
Comment from Janice Canerdy
This spiritual piece is very well-written, moving--and probing. I too wonder if I will ever be faced with the choice of living by denying Jesus
or dying for proclaiming my Christianity. "The Baptist Record" often tells
the heart-wrenching stories of Christians who are with the Lord today because, offered that choice, they chose correctly. I pray I could do that too!
reply by the author on 02-Jul-2019
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This spiritual piece is very well-written, moving--and probing. I too wonder if I will ever be faced with the choice of living by denying Jesus
or dying for proclaiming my Christianity. "The Baptist Record" often tells
the heart-wrenching stories of Christians who are with the Lord today because, offered that choice, they chose correctly. I pray I could do that too!
Comment Written 01-Jul-2019
reply by the author on 02-Jul-2019
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Me too! Thanks so much Janice. Rox
Comment from Michele Harber
Roxanna, let me start by saying that I enjoyed your poem. Your personal faith comes through very strongly, and you support your comments with biblical quotes that are important to you. In fact, what I enjoyed most about your poem was how personal it is in its expression of your beliefs, and how you feel about things you see going on around you.
For the same reason, though, I find your comments afterwards highly offensive. You say that "Christians tend to think more, question more, speak out more." More than who? I'm Jewish, and I don't think, question or speak out less because of it. How I think or feel or react are based largely on my life experience and my education. My religion having a heritage of persecution, which continues to this day even in this country - as the neo-Nazis so kindly point out - has, if anything, made me more tolerant of others than I might, perhaps, have been otherwise. It doesn't make me better or worse than anyone who observes any other religion, however.
I also must question the results of the university study you quote saying that
Christian are:
More honest
More dependable
Better citizens
Better employees
Rarely commit murder, or theft
They care for the poor
In fact the one of the conclusions of the study was if not for
Christians, the homeless would die.
This is all meaningless information without telling the parameters of the study. What group was studied, where and how many? Where do these conclusions come from? It could be saying there were fewer Christians fired from jobs at McDonald's that there were Sikhs fired from hospital jobs. What even is the definition of a better citizen? As far as the homeless, I live in NY, with a large homeless population, and homeless shelters that many of those for whom they're designed consider more dangerous than the streets. These people are not surviving on Christianity but on the kindness of strangers of all heritages who give them money for food, and on the local soup kitchens. The nearest soup kitchen in my neighborhood, by the way, welcomes all, but is run by a Jewish organization and serves kosher food.
I'll agree with you that more orphanages were started by Christians, but Jewish families, in general (and, of course, there are exceptions here too), take care of their own, so if a child is orphaned, other relatives will usually take him in. Similarly, few Jewish babies are put up for adoption for the same reason. Again, there are exceptions, for which I'm personally grateful. I adopted a child who was born Jewish.
My point is that it's as prejudicial to cast one religion as better than others as to cast another religion as being less worthy - which is exactly what you're doing when you say that Christianity is "better than" or "more than" anything else.
You say that "you have to be a Christian to know the great reward of being one," and I'm thrilled that you have personal beliefs that offer you peace and hope and comfort. I only ask that you don't claim yourself to be better than me, or anyone else, because of those beliefs. I surround myself with relatives and friends who are honest, kind, hard-working, generous, family-oriented - and of various religious beliefs, ethnicities and sexual orientations, and none of us view ourselves as better than anyone else.
I'm sure I've shown, in all of our previous communications, how much I like you, and what a nice person I've always thought you to be, and I doubt you meant your words to have the effect that they had on me, but I want you to know, as your friend, how those words are coming across.
reply by the author on 02-Jul-2019
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Roxanna, let me start by saying that I enjoyed your poem. Your personal faith comes through very strongly, and you support your comments with biblical quotes that are important to you. In fact, what I enjoyed most about your poem was how personal it is in its expression of your beliefs, and how you feel about things you see going on around you.
For the same reason, though, I find your comments afterwards highly offensive. You say that "Christians tend to think more, question more, speak out more." More than who? I'm Jewish, and I don't think, question or speak out less because of it. How I think or feel or react are based largely on my life experience and my education. My religion having a heritage of persecution, which continues to this day even in this country - as the neo-Nazis so kindly point out - has, if anything, made me more tolerant of others than I might, perhaps, have been otherwise. It doesn't make me better or worse than anyone who observes any other religion, however.
I also must question the results of the university study you quote saying that
Christian are:
More honest
More dependable
Better citizens
Better employees
Rarely commit murder, or theft
They care for the poor
In fact the one of the conclusions of the study was if not for
Christians, the homeless would die.
This is all meaningless information without telling the parameters of the study. What group was studied, where and how many? Where do these conclusions come from? It could be saying there were fewer Christians fired from jobs at McDonald's that there were Sikhs fired from hospital jobs. What even is the definition of a better citizen? As far as the homeless, I live in NY, with a large homeless population, and homeless shelters that many of those for whom they're designed consider more dangerous than the streets. These people are not surviving on Christianity but on the kindness of strangers of all heritages who give them money for food, and on the local soup kitchens. The nearest soup kitchen in my neighborhood, by the way, welcomes all, but is run by a Jewish organization and serves kosher food.
I'll agree with you that more orphanages were started by Christians, but Jewish families, in general (and, of course, there are exceptions here too), take care of their own, so if a child is orphaned, other relatives will usually take him in. Similarly, few Jewish babies are put up for adoption for the same reason. Again, there are exceptions, for which I'm personally grateful. I adopted a child who was born Jewish.
My point is that it's as prejudicial to cast one religion as better than others as to cast another religion as being less worthy - which is exactly what you're doing when you say that Christianity is "better than" or "more than" anything else.
You say that "you have to be a Christian to know the great reward of being one," and I'm thrilled that you have personal beliefs that offer you peace and hope and comfort. I only ask that you don't claim yourself to be better than me, or anyone else, because of those beliefs. I surround myself with relatives and friends who are honest, kind, hard-working, generous, family-oriented - and of various religious beliefs, ethnicities and sexual orientations, and none of us view ourselves as better than anyone else.
I'm sure I've shown, in all of our previous communications, how much I like you, and what a nice person I've always thought you to be, and I doubt you meant your words to have the effect that they had on me, but I want you to know, as your friend, how those words are coming across.
Comment Written 01-Jul-2019
reply by the author on 02-Jul-2019
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I seem to have upset the Jewish population on FanStory with my comments. It was in NO WAY INTENDED TO OFFEND. In fact the study was intended to discredit Christian. It intended to find out if Christian are necessary. That didn't make me feel to great. And they found out that yes, we are an important part of the population. It was a study done comparing Christians to the general populations, not to find out if we are 'better than'. I got the feeling the findings were a disappointment, they hope to find out just the opposite of what they did.
I do believe what I wrote because I see it daily. But I won't say anymore and will delete the comments since they are not properly documented. I didn't think to make it official. =} Was just trying to say that Christians aren't the big piles of poop the world in general thinks we are. =}
I do believe 100% that the Jewish nation are God's chosen people.That going against them is deadly and I thank God we have a pres right now who is on their side. One day the whole earth will go against Israel and they will lose. No body messes with God chosen and gets away with it. One day He will also avenge the Christian who were tortured and martyred. God is so much greater then the world knows.They always think they win, but God has already won. =}
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Thanks, Roxanna. Let's face it, all religions are necessary if they give their followers hope and comfort, and guide them in moral ways to live their lives and to treat others.
Let's hope and pray that, before anyone else has to be tortured or martyred, or G-d has to dramatically intervene, people realize that they are the cause of their own problems and that, through tolerance and acceptance, they can solve those problems.
Comment from patcelaw
It is not an easy thing to be tested in our faith, but there have been times in all our lives where we indeed are tested. I have never been tested as have been many martyrs of the faith have been and some are still being tested.
Patricia
reply by the author on 02-Jul-2019
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It is not an easy thing to be tested in our faith, but there have been times in all our lives where we indeed are tested. I have never been tested as have been many martyrs of the faith have been and some are still being tested.
Patricia
Comment Written 30-Jun-2019
reply by the author on 02-Jul-2019
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Being a Christian is not for the coward. But thank God He gives the courage when needed. Thank you Pat.
Comment from royowen
You're absolutely correct, it's the light of the gospel that the world despises, not you, they fear the truth, it exposes our shame, our sin. Even we Christians can become defensive if someone points out our weaknesses, I don't care anymore, I'm incapable of being perfect, only God is. But I only declare the truth, we all need His forgiveness, we should be contrite and unproud, well done Rox,love the message,Blessngs Roy
reply by the author on 02-Jul-2019
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You're absolutely correct, it's the light of the gospel that the world despises, not you, they fear the truth, it exposes our shame, our sin. Even we Christians can become defensive if someone points out our weaknesses, I don't care anymore, I'm incapable of being perfect, only God is. But I only declare the truth, we all need His forgiveness, we should be contrite and unproud, well done Rox,love the message,Blessngs Roy
Comment Written 30-Jun-2019
reply by the author on 02-Jul-2019
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The Jewish people on FanStory also despise me right now. I seem to have upset them greatly with my written comments at the end. Oh well. They all took it as my saying Christian are better than everyone else. Well, we are. =} Thank You. Rox
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God justifies, the world will condemn
Comment from Y. M. Roger
Wow -- now that is a very strong statement of faith as well as testimonial witness, Roxanna -- very well done! ;) ;) I've included a couple of catches below... :) Thanx for sharing! ;) ;)
play is safe? --> play it safe?
the times comes --> the time comes
reply by the author on 02-Jul-2019
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Wow -- now that is a very strong statement of faith as well as testimonial witness, Roxanna -- very well done! ;) ;) I've included a couple of catches below... :) Thanx for sharing! ;) ;)
play is safe? --> play it safe?
the times comes --> the time comes
Comment Written 30-Jun-2019
reply by the author on 02-Jul-2019
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Thank you so much. Fix my boo boo's Rox
