Do Christians Believe Persecution is a Part of Their Identity?

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Accepted answer

The Catholic Church believes that those who truly follow Christ will encounter all manners of hardship and persecution, but that persecution is not simply for persecution's sake; it is instead an effect of Original Sin and its effects upon the world: because true disciples fight for justice and right, those who hate justice will hate its bearers. See John 3:19–21:

19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

In fact, the Pastoral Constitution Gaudium et Spes says, in its paragraph 38:

To those, therefore, who believe in divine love, He gives assurance that the way of love lies open to men and that the effort to establish a universal brotherhood is not a hopeless one. He cautions them at the same time that this charity is not something to be reserved for important matters, but must be pursued chiefly in the ordinary circumstances of life. Undergoing death itself for all of us sinners,(12) He taught us by example that we too must shoulder that cross which the world and the flesh inflict upon those who search after peace and justice.

EDIT: Korvin Starmast mentions in a comment the Beatitudes (Mt 5:10–11;Lk:22–23):

10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

22 Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake.

23 Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.

In these passages, as well, Christ promises suffering for his disciples, but suffering for the Son of man's sake, or for righteousness's sake. Here, as well, the key is righteousness (which is Christ). The suffering comes, but it is a means, not an end. Bruce Alderman, too, quoted 2nd Century theologian Tertullian in an answer:

[I]t is quite true that it is our desire to suffer, but it is in the way that the soldier longs for war. No one indeed suffers willingly, since suffering necessarily implies fear and danger. Yet the man who objected to the conflict, both fights with all his strength, and when victorious, he rejoices in the battle, because he reaps from it glory and spoil. It is our battle to be summoned to your tribunals that there, under fear of execution, we may battle for the truth. But the day is won when the object of the struggle is gained. This victory of ours gives us the glory of pleasing God, and the spoil of life eternal. But we are overcome. Yes, when we have obtained our wishes. Therefore we conquer in dying; we go forth victorious at the very time we are subdued. … The oftener we are mown down by you, the more in number we grow; the blood of Christians is seed.

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