The Final Choice 

   Imagine that it is now 2043 in the United States of America.  Separation of Church and state has developed to the point that Christianity is no longer allowed to be expressed in public.  In words, signs, or actions all religious expression must be exercised only in private under penalty of law.

   Now imagine that the church police knock down your door with guns drawn and accuse you of being a public Christian in violation of federal law.  You are read your rights, which are now severely restricted, hand-cuffed and taken away to a re-education camp for therapy designed to remove any desire to express a belief in God.

   Does all this sound far-fetched?  Consider that quite recently the federal government of today proposed declaring anyone who attends the traditional Latin Mass of the Catholic Church as a domestic terrorist.  Also consider the many attacks against churches in the United States over the last few years that have resulted in very few arrests and fewer convictions.  Yet those who wish to pray for the souls of unborn children on public property near abortion clinics are often arrested and subjected to harassment.

   This brings up a question many Christians may be called upon to answer in the next few years.  If the persecution of Christians becomes increasingly prevalent, will you accept the persecution or deny Christ?  If faced with imprisonment or even death for your faith, will your faith be strong enough to stand for Christ regardless of the consequences?

   My prayer is that the tide will turn and those who wish to destroy belief in God or, at a minimum, remove it entirely from the public forum, will come to realize that God is not the enemy, that Satan is the driving force behind such actions.  Yet, during many periods of history Christianity has been under persecutions and many martyrs have willingly died for their faith.  Can it happen again?  It already is in some parts of the world.

   So the question remains, when facing such persecution, will you suffer for Him or deny even knowing Him?