I think that one of the big problems with Christianity is that it makes itself out to be marginalized and oppressed even when it has enormous political and social power.
I understand that there's a common mindset among Christians that if you aren't being persecuted, you aren't Christian enough, but I see a problem in this approach:
- people who think that they're threatened can feel desperate. Desperate people often make bad decisions that harm others.
- lots of people hold to the idea of "
punching up": defend the oppressed, side with the little guy against the big guy, etc., but this martyrdom mentality on the part of many Christians creates the impression that Christianity is always the oppressed and always the little guy, so a Christian can take on
anyone and never be "punching down."