Phony victimhood, predictions

This letter is written in regards to the article "Rally warns of perceived dangers of secularization in U.S." (Southeast Missourian, August 30).

Selling victimhood status to Christians in the United States is big business. Seventy-one percent of Americans identify themselves as Christian. That's over 220 million potential people.

Besides the perennial phony "war on Christmas," American Christians are now feigning persecution because same-sex couples were recently allowed to also enjoy the benefits of marriage. According to pastor Robert Hendrix Jr., Christians are having their constitutional rights taken away from them through the legalization of same-sex marriages.

The reality is that Christians who use the law to enforce their religious beliefs on others are the ones guilty of violating the Constitution and individual rights.

Just in case that didn't spook the audience enough, Hendrix also included an absurd statement (and broke Godwin's Law) that U.S. Christians' "persecution" is akin to the Holocaust.

The rally's keynote speaker, William J. Federer, made the repulsive comment that LGBT people "want your little kids." That is pure hate speech.

Fortunately, the views expressed by the fear mongers at the rally are not shared by most Christians in this country. It was encouraging that the rally was so sparsely attended.

If U.S. Christians truly want to prevent the current mass exodus of individuals away from organized religion, they would do well to stop allowing people like the speakers at this rally to continue to spread hate, fear, paranoia, and ridiculous made-up problems in their name.

RICK VANDEVEN, Chaffee, Missouri