Martyred For Our Faith, Follow Up

Q

I was stunned by your answer to “Martyred for Our Faith”, especially now, with the threat from radical Islam, whose Koran calls for beheading any who refuse to bend the knee to Islam. All over the world today believers are being martyred because of their faith. Why in heaven’s name would you think there’s such a slim chance of persecution coming to America? Would that more were taught from an early age to be willing to die for what they believe. The thousands of mosques in America are certainly teaching that to their children.

A

There are believers being martyred for their faith in some parts of the world. Credible estimates place the average at 400-500 hundred per day. Since the world population is over 6 billion that’s less than .003% (3 thousandths of one percent) per year. With almost all of these taking place in the middle and far east, the statistical probability of someone in America being martyred for their faith is too small to measure. A much more relevant teaching would be preparing children to put aside their childish dreams for their life in favor of accepting God’s plan for them. This would include an expectation of being raptured at any moment which is far more likely than martyrdom.