Evangelical Leaders Manufacture ‘Persecution’ to Avoid Accountability for Real Harm

The Department of Justice just released a 48-page report claiming there’s been “systematic discrimination” against Christians under the Biden administration. And if you’re wondering why this sounds familiar, it’s because evangelical organizations have perfected the art of playing victim whenever they face any pushback for causing actual harm. Let’s be clear about what’s happening here: This isn’t about protecting religious freedom. This is about maintaining the power to discriminate while crying persecution when anyone calls them out for it. Think about it. Evangelical organizations receive billions in tax breaks, run massive political operations, and wield enormous cultural influence (they literally helped elect a president twice). But the moment anyone suggests they shouldn’t be able to fire LGBTQ+ employees or deny services to same-sex couples, suddenly they’re “under attack.” This victim mentality is incredibly damaging because it prevents any meaningful accountability. When evangelical leaders face criticism for promoting conversion therapy, covering up abuse scandals, or pushing harmful purity culture, they don’t address the actual harm—they just claim they’re being persecuted for their “biblical beliefs.” The psychological impact on people raised in these environments is devastating. I’ve talked to countless ex-evangelicals who struggled for years to recognize the harm they experienced because they were taught that any criticism of the church was really an attack on God himself. When your entire worldview is built around being a persecuted minority, it becomes almost impossible to acknowledge when you’re actually the one causing harm. This manufactured persecution complex also serves a more insidious purpose: it keeps followers from looking too closely at what their leaders are actually doing. Why examine whether “biblical counseling” is causing more depression and anxiety when you can focus on how the secular world just doesn’t understand your faith? Why question whether complementarian teaching is enabling domestic abuse when you’re too busy defending your right to hold those beliefs? The real tragedy is that there are Christians around the world facing genuine persecution—imprisonment, violence, death—for their faith. But instead of using their platform to advocate for those believers, American evangelical leaders are busy whining about having to follow anti-discrimination laws like everyone else. Here’s what actual religious freedom looks like: You can believe whatever you want, worship however you want, and teach whatever you want within your religious community. What you can’t do is use those beliefs to harm others and then claim persecution when society says “no.” (Revolutionary concept, I know.) The next time you hear evangelical leaders claiming they’re under attack, ask yourself: Are they actually being prevented from practicing their faith, or are they just being told they can’t impose their beliefs on others? Because there’s a huge difference—even if they’ve convinced their followers there isn’t. Source: The Christian Post