Counter-Culture

“I didn’t know that he is Catholic,” the man told the priest, when the name of one person was mentioned during their conversation. The clergy said that the subject went to church every Sunday, and he found it surprising that the other individual didn’t know about the subject’s religious belief.

But then, when one lives in Western countries where secularism is the norm; openness to one’s faith is looked upon with disfavour. Thus, most people who believe in God would just go with the flow, abiding by rules twisted for liberated culture. Non-conformity becomes a threat to modern mores.  Those who stand firm on their faith are then subjected to discrimination.

For instance, boxer Manny Pacquiao reacting to a question on gay marriage, said that he was against same-sex marriage, contrary with President Barack Obama’s stance. While free thinking Americans lauded Obama, Pacquiao was inundated by criticisms to the extent that one group asked Nike to discontinue the boxer’s endorsement of the latter’s products. Pacquiao has realized that his opponents in this issue are more vicious than his archrival Floyd Mayweather, who has nothing but despicable words for him. 

Similarly in 2011, American football quarterback for the New York Jets and practicing Christian Tim Tebow had sour relations with secular media due to his agreeing to a pro-family advertisement sponsored by Focus on the Family for the Super Bowl.  There were loud objections from some sectors that such ad had no place on television, with others calling for a boycott against the network to pressure it to cancel the advertisement.

But the criticisms against Pacquiao and Tebow are nothing compared to the persecution of people of faith since the crucifixion of Jesus Christ until today.  Writer James Emery White says that “More Christians will be persecuted in 2012 than any year in recent memory.” He pointed out as the source of the phenomenon to the “clash of civilizations between the Muslim world and the predominantly Christian West, and Christianity is moving south toward the heart of the Muslim world.”

One writer in Australia even declared that “for some time now the Church has found herself under persecution in Australia, as she has in other parts of the world as well. The relentless and continued reporting in news media of criminal behaviour by a few clergy has become more than an attack. It has become persecution. The Catholic Church in Australia is being excoriated by enemies of the Church, by enemies of religion, by enemies of God.”

When Jesus warned the disciples on the sufferings that they would undergo, He was actually addressing us as well: "If the world hates you, remember that it hated me before you" (John 15:18). Saint Peter and Paul were both killed for their faith as did many saints and martyrs after them.

We Christians are tasked to counter culture. For the devil can easily tempt leaders and impose his rule upon societies in the material world. God has clearly set His commands, and that has not changed, and will not change.

We Christians must fight against the Dark Shadows that tend to cover the earth. We cannot lose against Satan, for we have God at our side. "I am with you always, yes, to the end of time." (Mt 28:20).