Persecution only physical?

We think of persecution,we think of being thrown to the lions under Nero,or being beheaded by the Antichrist.But I think I've seen(and experienced}non-physical persecution.Let's say a landlord of an apartment building has a Christian tenant who has, in conversation to a few neighbors,witnessed to them..One neighbor sneaks behind the Christians back and complains to the landlord. As it's been my experience with unsaved people, one wrongdoer sides with another,so the landlord starts causing all kinds of problems for the Christian tenant.{BUT YET THERE MAY BE DRUG ADDICTSAND MANY WHO ARE ACTUALLY DOING BAD AND THEY LOOK THE OTHER WAY},{Moreover,the tenants are blasé about the real wrongdoers,but the one who did a good thing, they turn against.}Or as I've experienced,I may have a minor disagreement with someone,and ,as some unsaved people do, they'll "stretch the facts"{add their own embellishment} to whats happened}and not keep it to themselves but stir up others with their falsehoods about you, and then,the other, without even knowing, the facts, lean towards the side of the one "smearing" you{.Sometimes even those you thought were your friends.}Even with the devil ,it's not always physical.If, like I described, things have been going a certain way, and one day something happens,then person bears false witness against you, let's say the devil created the situation,you could be in perfect health, but this is his mode of attack., SOOO.....the question, is all persecution physical?I say no.

 

[Matthew01]

I agree with you. One dictionary defines persecution as "hostility and ill-treatment", another defines it as "persistent annoyance or harassment."









While many associate religion or politics with the word persecution, it can technically refer to anything that is counted as mistreatment. It doesn't just have to be physical. If it's a form of "ill-treatment" then I believe it technically is a form of persecution.