When I grew up, persecution was a dark and powerful force--the frightening oppression of a group of people whose origins, race, class system, or religion were systematically abused by those in power.

But today if you’re an American teenager, you can easily own a share of such suffering.

We know that the narrative of suffering is one of literature’s most enduring archetypes. Nearly every fairy tale or legend has at its core an element of persecution. Whether it’s Cinderella herself, rapper Eminem, or the narrator in Dave Pelzer’s bestseller A Child Called It, the suffering narrative speaks to teenagers in particular because, by comparison, they probably feel relieved to know that their own lives are not as lousy they thought.  

Lately, however, the suffering narrative has become a slick marketing campaign for everything from LGBT power to a cheaply made T-shirt. Apparently, whatever you want to sell to teenagers, especially an ideology, is best sold when it’s shrink wrapped in persecution. 

I was recently perusing around the Voice of Martyr's website, as I do from time to time, when I came across a pretty incredible group of teenagers. I am always blown away by the stories I read of so many Christians around the world dealing with issues of violence and persecution. Their stories are horrifying, real, sobering and yes, inspiring.

I came across this video and was so impressed by the teenagers shown here, I wanted to share it with you, the CL community. Check out some real, Reality Television: