Editing Persecution (section)

===Christians===
{{Main|Persecution of Christians}}
{{See also|Sectarian violence among Christians}}
{{Category see also|Persecution of Christians|Persecution by Christians}}

[[File:Siemiradzki Christian Dirce.jpg|thumb|400px|''A Christian Dirce'', by [[Henryk Siemiradzki]]. A Christian woman is martyred under [[Nero]] in this re-enactment of the myth of [[Dirce]] (painting by [[Henryk Siemiradzki]], 1897, [[National Museum, Warsaw|National Museum]], [[Warsaw]]).]]
The persecution of Christians is [[religious persecution]] that [[Christians]] may be subjected to as a consequence of professing [[Christianity|their faith]], both [[History of Christianity|historically]] and in the [[Christianity in the modern era|modern era]].  [[Early Christians]] were persecuted for their [[Faith in Christianity|faith]] at the hands of both [[Persecution of Christians by the Jews|Jews]] from [[Split of early Christianity and Judaism|whose religion Christianity arose]] and the [[Persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire|Roman Empire]] which controlled much of the [[Early centers of Christianity|land across which early Christianity was distributed]]. [[Christianity in the 4th century|Early in the fourth century]], the religion was legalized by the [[Edict of Milan]], and it eventually became the [[State church of the Roman Empire]].

[[Christian missionaries]], as well as the people that they converted to Christianity, have been the target of persecution, many times to the point of being [[Martyrdom|martyred for their faith]].

There is also a history of individual [[Christian denominations]] suffering persecution at the hands of other Christians under the charge of [[Heresy in Christianity|heresy]], particularly during the 16th century [[Protestant Reformation]] as well as throughout the Middle Ages when various Christian groups deemed heretical were persecuted by the Papacy.

In the 20th century, Christians have been persecuted by various groups, and by [[state atheism|atheistic states]] such as the [[USSR]] and [[North Korea]]. During the [[Second World War]] members of many Christian churches were persecuted in [[Germany]] for resisting the [[Nazi]] ideology.

In more recent times the Christian missionary organization [[Open Doors]] (UK) estimates 100&nbsp;million Christians face persecution, particularly in [[List of Muslim-majority countries|Muslim-dominated countries]] such as [[Pakistan]] and [[Saudi Arabia]].<ref>[[Open Doors]]: [http://www.opendoorsuk.org/resources/country_profiles.php The worst 50 countries for persecution of Christians] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120304014428/http://www.opendoorsuk.org/resources/country_profiles.php |date=2012-03-04 }}</ref><ref>Open Doors: [http://www.opendoors-de.org/downloads/wvi/weltverfolgungsindex2012.pdf Weltverfolgungsindex 2012] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120713221505/http://www.opendoors-de.org/downloads/wvi/weltverfolgungsindex2012.pdf |date=2012-07-13 }}, p. 2</ref> According to the [[International Society for Human Rights]], up to 80% of all acts of persecution are directed against people of the Christian faith.<ref>{{citation |last=Philpott |first=Daniel |title=Pope Francis and Religious Freedom |url=http://berkleycenter.georgetown.edu/essays/pope-francis-and-religious-freedom |publisher=Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs |location=Washington, DC}}</ref>

====Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormonism)====
{{Main|Anti-Mormonism}}
{{unreferenced section|date=May 2021}}
The Missouri [[Missouri Executive Order 44|extermination order]] forced Mormons to move to Illinois. This was after [[Sidney Rigdon]] gave his [[Rigdon's July 4th oration|July 4th Oration]] which meant to state that Mormons would defend their lives and property. This speech was taken critically by the [[Government of Missouri|state government]]. Missouri state militia troops slaughtered Mormons in what is now known as the [[Haun's Mill massacre]]. Their forcible expulsion from the state caused the death of over a hundred due to exposure, starvation, and resulting illnesses. The founder of the church, [[Joseph Smith]], was [[killing of Joseph Smith|killed]] in [[Carthage, Illinois]] by a mob of about 200 men, almost all of whom were members of the Illinois state militia including some members of the militia who were assigned to guard him. The Mormons suffered through [[tarring and feathering]], their lands and possessions being repeatedly taken from them, mob attacks, false imprisonments, and the US sending an army to Utah to deal with the "Mormon problem" in the [[Utah War]] which resulted in a group of Mormons led by [[John D. Lee]] massacring settlers at the [[Mountain Meadows Massacre]].

====Jehovah's Witnesses====
{{Main|Persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses}}
Throughout the history of [[Jehovah's Witnesses]], their beliefs, doctrines and practices have engendered [[Criticism of Jehovah's Witnesses|controversy]] and opposition from local governments, communities, and mainstream Christian groups.