Editorial: Christians Deserve Applause

An editorial at the Colorado Springs Gazette had an interesting perspective on the comparative treatment of religions and the response by their respective adherents.  Wayne Laugesen writes that while Christianity is accused of trying to intolerantly dominate the world,

Christianity may be the most openly blasphemed religion in the world today, yet it’s American Christians who walk on eggshells in a valiant effort to respect other cultures and religions of the world.

He brings up some interesting stories, several of which haven’t been in the mainstream press:

Back in the United States…crosses belonging to a Christian group at the private George Washington University in Washington were desecrated…The desecration incited no hint of violence. 

As a Catholic organization assembled peacefully…a man who didn’t like their message walked up and said “(expletive) your Bible.” He tore up the Bible and threw pages of it in the faces of the protesters. Pages blew through the streets, and Catholics responded with nothing more than “you’re littering.”

And in a story that many have forgotten, Laugesen notes:

The U.S. military burned Bibles last year after the books were sent to Afghanistan by a church in the United States. Our government officials burned the sacred texts because they were concerned the Bibles might circulate, which “could be perceived by Afghans that the U.S. government or the U.S. military was trying to convert Muslims,” said Air Force Lt. Col. Mark Write, as quoted by CNN. Christians didn’t revolt, and generally understood the decision.

The context of the editorial is the destruction of “art” in a government funded display that was “offensive” to Christianity.  A woman has been charged with destroying the display.  While not excusing her conduct, Laugesen notes people have died in other countries in response to far more benign affronts to their non-Christian faiths.