Where I belong

I am reading a book called Stink Alley and it is about pilgrims from England.
They move to Holland because of their religion. The Separatists really don't feel at home in Holland because where they are from in England, everyone could work. Farming isn't as popular in Holland as it is in England because they don't have as much land to spare. I can relate with the Separatists because as a Christian not all places I visit feel safe. I think that once you adapt to a specific environment it is hard to move into a different one by choice, but even harder when you don't have a choice.
I base my opinion on John 15:18-20 “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours."
And also on, Matthew 5:10-12 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you."
I base most of my opinions on Scripture. I do this because it is written and it is True. My point is that Christians are being persecuted at all times in America and all over the world, and that makes going from where Christianity is welcome to where it is not very difficult. Here are just a couple examples of Christianity being persecuted in the world today.

- Saudi Arabia bans churches, public Christian worship, the Bible and the sale of Christmas cards. Christians are regularly imprisoned and tortured on trumped-up charges of drinking, blaspheming or Bible-bashing.

- Egypt law states that Christians must get permission from the president to build or repair churches, but he usually refuses. Christian girls and even the wives of Christian ministers are abducted and have their religion forcibly converted.

- In Indonesia, some 10,000 Christians have been killed in the last few years.

- In Pakistan, dozens of Christians have been killed in bomb and gun attacks on churches and Christian schools in the last few years.

- In Nigeria, thousands of Christians have been killed in the last few years.

- In Sri Lanka, religious tension led to 44 churches being attacked in a four month period, with 140 churches being forced to close because of intimidation.

- In India, there have been hundreds of attacks against the Christian community. The government’s affirmative action programme for untouchables guarantees jobs and loans for poor Hindus and Buddhists, but not for Christians.

- In China, more than 100 ‘house churches’ were closed down and dozens of priests imprisoned. If you join the Communist party you get special privileges, but you can only join if you are atheist.

I can't imagine how it felt for the Separatist people to move into such a religiously loose culture. I have to admit that it would be very difficult for a large group of people to go through their life knowing that everyday in their country they are breaking the law because of their religion.