What is essential to religious persecution?
Ecclesiastical control of the civil power, or a union of church and state. Since persecution is invariably wrong, what must be true of persecuting governments? They likewise must be in the wrong. NOTE. – “There are many who do not seem to be sensible that all violence in religion is irreligious, and that whoever is wrong, the persecutor cannot be right.” Thomas Clarke, History of Intolerance (1819 ed.), Vol. 1, p. 3. What terrible deception would it require for religious people to persecute Christians? “These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended. They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.” John 16:1,2. Who is the original murderer? “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the
