I draw a distinction between the kind of behavior that people exhibit towards a new religion when the majority of a population is questioning, "Do the followers of X religion REALLY believe X, or is this some sort of hoax?" (ie the church of major appliance worship) And realistically the federal government may authenticate a religion based on six believers, but it takes more than six people believing something to make the rest not consider it a personal delusion. So what I'm trying to say is this . . . Wiccans may not be able to have their religious symbol marked on their gravestones or not be able to buy religious symbols/memorobelia at the grocery store, but IMO, while that's not right or perfect, it's a far cry from persecution. Persecution is an active word, implying actions taken by groups of people. Jews were persecuted in Nazi Germany. Christians were persecuted in the early Roman Empire. Now, I'm not saying that it's fair to not give Wiccans equal treatment, but I would say it falls short of "persecution."
That being said, I can think of quite a few persecution myths that still are part of everyday culture. For instance, the Jewish myth that their ancestors were enslaved in Egypt building the pyramids. Whether or not they *were* slaves, or possibly household servants or in a similar caste to serfs is debatable. What *is* clear? . . . There's no way they built the pyramids.
Which leads to the next question, . . . when followers of X religion invade another country, enslave and murder their people, and steal their property, then those people rise up and run X people out of their country, is that persecution? If so, then we persecuted the Germans after both world wars. If not, then we need to rethink about half of the "Jewish persecution" in the Old Testament.
Can one group said to be persecuted by another when they both mutually hate, murder, and anihilate each other? For instance in Ireland where you have the Catholics v. the Protestants. Is one group persecuting the other? (Personally, I think we have slow-acting mutually assured destruction in action, but that's just my view.) How many other "religious wars" went both ways, with each side antagonizing the other?
Also, very few religions will admitt that they were acting as the aggressor in a religious war, especially in modern times when most religions tend to believe in tolerance and understanding towards people of other faiths, rather than forced conversion and intollerance. Religious leaders don't like to talk about things that paint their forefathers in a bad light. I wouldn't be surprised if many of the supposed "persecutions" they suffered were precipitated by their leaders' actions.
ranty-rant-rant
That being said, I can think of quite a few persecution myths that still are part of everyday culture. For instance, the Jewish myth that their ancestors were enslaved in Egypt building the pyramids. Whether or not they *were* slaves, or possibly household servants or in a similar caste to serfs is debatable. What *is* clear? . . . There's no way they built the pyramids.
Which leads to the next question, . . . when followers of X religion invade another country, enslave and murder their people, and steal their property, then those people rise up and run X people out of their country, is that persecution? If so, then we persecuted the Germans after both world wars. If not, then we need to rethink about half of the "Jewish persecution" in the Old Testament.
Can one group said to be persecuted by another when they both mutually hate, murder, and anihilate each other? For instance in Ireland where you have the Catholics v. the Protestants. Is one group persecuting the other? (Personally, I think we have slow-acting mutually assured destruction in action, but that's just my view.) How many other "religious wars" went both ways, with each side antagonizing the other?
Also, very few religions will admitt that they were acting as the aggressor in a religious war, especially in modern times when most religions tend to believe in tolerance and understanding towards people of other faiths, rather than forced conversion and intollerance. Religious leaders don't like to talk about things that paint their forefathers in a bad light. I wouldn't be surprised if many of the supposed "persecutions" they suffered were precipitated by their leaders' actions.