In this age of religious freedom it sounds outlandish. But who would have guessed Muslims would fight and kill each other over doctrinal differences? Wouldn't the same thing happen elsewhere? Will there come a time when people who don't embrace certain beliefs will be arrested, have their assets seized, jailed or even executed?
What causes you to believe that religious persecution ever stopped? History just repeats with some variations of the levels and types of atrocities. The most notable persecutions were of the German, Austro-Hungarian and Russian Jews were in the years leading up to WW2. As George Santayana, poet and philosopher, wrote "Those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it."
I think that as a society we always are going to have this problem, there are a lot of people out there who hate when other people have different opinions about a lot of things such as religion, political beliefs, diversity, etc. and sometimes they can even harm this people. And I agree with you, this is not as radical and/or common as it used to be, but I think that is always going to be there.
Oh well, with what the ISIS is doing, isn't it religious persecution already? Those ISIS are extremists who are building their own nation because they think ALL nations are doing it wrongly as far as religion is concerned. So those ISIS are not actually political rebels but religious rebels wanting to build utopia. However, their means do not satisfy the end so we see them as violent terrorists. Now with the persecution, Christians are inching toward that issue although they are trying their best to be discreet.
In North Korea being religious is a Capital offense. In China, the rural parts, Christians are regularly persecuted. But comparing it against the inquisitions and the persecution of Christians in the days of Nero, Claudius and other Roman emperors it isn't as bad. As you say, history certainly does repeat itself but question is which group will be persecuted in future? Muslims? The irreligious?
Persecution has always been and will always be there till the very end of age...from Biblical point of view to this digital age...persecution still reigns supreme..the sad fact is, it can't be stopped no matter how hard we try.
It's always gonna be a never-ending war with religions. Muslim extremism, the Holy wars and other civil conflicts have been going on for centuries it's not about to stop just because we want it to. I hope to god that the future will find a way to stop all this hunger and death but as a species I think we haven't evolved to that time yet.
To answer your question, persecution is already happening all over the world. It is just that it has evolved. How many terrorists victims have been killed because they are not Muslims? Look at the war in Middle East. Although, the war in middle east does not have much to do with religion but land and oil. Remember the North Carolina shooting? Persecution is already here.
Yeah, I kind of have to go with the crowd here. The only people who think there is no persecution are the ne who are not in, or close friends with anyone in, one of the groups currently being persecuted. Once I would have said: well, at least it is less severe persecution if you live in a country with secular government and the rule of law. But the more ubiquitous phone camera become the more clear it is that certain groups of people are being persecuted right I plain US daylight and have been for years--but more privileged people did not know or believe it because there was no objective roof.
As others have already said, religious persecution as never gone away in my opinion, and more to the point, I don't think it ever will. People will always have different opinions and points of view, and when it comes to religion that is magnified. People don't seem to be able to believe in something without trying to force their views on others.
