War has been declared on everything we value. How will you respond?
Make no mistake: the secular left hates Christianity and it hates Christians. Their hatred of the West is fuelled by their hatred of what is the basis of the West: the Judeo-Christian worldview. The current round of rioting and revolution, of cities being set on fire, and mob violence erupting everywhere, is simply the latest manifestation of all this.
There have always been those who exist to destroy, and not to create. They exist to tear down, not to build. They exist to hate, and not to love. They exist to bring darkness, and not light. They exist to find problems everywhere, but not solutions. They exist to rage and riot, instead of to mend and to fix.
The rioting on our streets that we see today, the buildings being set on fire, and the churches and symbols of authority being attacked are just a part of this. There have always been such dark revolutionary days. Radical secular leftism and Communism have often led the way, seeking to destroy the churches in particular and whole cultures in general as they sought to sweep away everything in their path.
But they have never fully succeeded. The French Revolution failed in the end. The Russian Revolution failed in the end. The 60s countercultural revolution failed in the end. Although all these revolutions caused tremendous destruction, suffering and carnage along the way, they were not the last word on such things.
As to the 60s cultural revolution, sadly I must confess to being a part of this. I wanted to see cities burn down. I wanted to see cops killed. I wanted to see revolutions explode everywhere. I did my best to aid and abet the destruction of the West and its Christian roots.
As a godless and messed-up teenager I was up to my ears in the revolution. I detested the West and all it stood for, and I detested things like Christianity. ‘Away with it all! Burn it all to the ground and start afresh!’ Of course, I was self-destructing as well, while trying to destroy America and the West.
Many of my friends did not make it – dying of suicide and drug overdoses. I should have been one of them. I was suicidal and I was a regular drug user. But God had other plans, and he broke into my life as a really screwed-up 18-year-old and gloriously saved me. For those who are interested, my story is found here: https://billmuehlenberg.com/2012/06/27/coming-home-my-testimony-part-1/
So when I see this latest round of rioting, rebellion and revolution, I know a bit about it. I have been there and done that. And as a student of history, I also see things repeating. I understand that there is nothing new under the sun. All that we see is angry, rebellious humanity lashing out at whatever is around them, with God as their final object of rage.
Indeed, Christians know that this has always been the case. From day one the very good plans and purposes of God for us have been opposed and resisted. Satan has been working 24/7 to thwart God and his intentions for mankind. Biblical history is about one thing: God’s attempts to redeem mankind through the Messiah, and Satan’s attempts to prevent that from happening at all costs. A brief overview of the biblical storyline makes this quite clear:
-Satan tried to destroy God’s plans way back in the Garden by turning our first parents away from God.
-Satan tried to turn man against God at the Tower of Babel.
-Satan tried to destroy mankind by provoking the judgment of God on their horrific evil – but a godly remnant (Noah and his family) survived through it all.
-Satan tried to wipe out the Israelites early on by Pharaoh’s war on male babies.
-Satan tried to stop the new nation of Israel at the Red Sea – but God intervened.
-Satan tried to repeatedly corrupt Israel, but God raised up godly judges.
-Satan tried to kill off the Jews, but God raised up Esther and Mordecai for such a time as that.
-Satan tried to kill off the first-born males by Herod to prevent the birth of the Messiah.
-None of that has worked, so now Satan is trying to destroy the church – God’s people.
In these and so many other episodes that we read about in Scripture and in church history, it so often looked like Satan had gained the upper hand, but God always prevailed – often by means of a faithful remnant. But this life and death struggle continues today.
So all the chaos, carnage and craziness that we see all around us is simply a continuation of this age-old struggle between God and Satan – between God’s people and Satan’s people. The good news is, we know how it will all end. But in the meantime, the battle continues.
A very real war is upon all of us, whether we like it or not. As expressed in the second part of Tolkein’s Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Two Towers:
Theoden: I will not risk open war.
Aragorn: Open war is upon you whether you would risk it or not.
That pretty well sums up so much of the Christian church today. War has been declared against our faith, our families, and our freedom, yet most Christians are blissfully unaware of this – or just do not care. They really seem to think that they can just sit this one out. They really think this latest manifestation of the perennial war against Christianity will not impact them.
Tell ‘em they’re dreaming. We ALL will be impacted by this. None can escape. Just as many small business owners thought they could ignore the rioting and thought they would be OK, until their own business burned to the ground, so too we have the majority of Christians with their heads in the sand.
They are oblivious to the warfare taking place all around them. Or worse yet, they may be vaguely aware of it, but they do not give a rip. They foolishly think they are safe from it. They are living in la la land, oblivious to the reality that is now taking place.
Some voices have been sounding the alarm for many decades now. Christian prophetic voices have acted as watchmen on the walls, but their clarion calls went unheeded, just like the prophets of old. I can think of so many relatively recent voices that sought to sound the alarm – but mostly in vain. Think of Chesterton or Fulton J. Sheen or Malcolm Muggeridge or Francis Schaeffer or A. W. Tozer or Chuck Colson or so many others.
Yet we have chosen to ignore them, pretend everything is just peachy, and naively think we can just go about our lives. Such delusion is killing us, and if we do not wake up very soon, it really will be too late. To paraphrase the famous quote from the German pastor and Holocaust survivor Martin Niemoller:
-In the West they first came for statues of “racist” figures – but I did not speak up because it did not concern me.
-Then they came for statues of Columbus and Washington and Jefferson and Captain Cook – but I did not speak up because these are just ‘old dead white men’.
-Then they came for religious statues and monuments – but I did not speak up because it is just ‘religion’.
-Then they came for Christian figures and stained-glass windows – but I did not speak up because it is just physical stuff.
-Then they came for churches and Christian institutions – but I did not speak up because ‘we are the church’.
-Then they came for Christians – but by then it was too late.
Let me close with some sobering words from an American Catholic philosopher. Melissa Moschella penned a piece some years ago entitled “A Time for Heroism”. In it she said this:
Perhaps there are times and places in the history of the world in which it is possible to go through life as just an ordinary, good person—a faithful spouse, a loving parent, a concerned citizen, a regular church-goer, an honest and industrious professional—leading a normal, quiet life, not making waves or standing out in any way. Perhaps. But the United States of America in the year 2014 is not one of those times and places. Rather, in our contemporary society, the only way to be good is to be heroic. Failing to act with heroism inevitably makes us complicit in grave evils.
Obviously this is even more true of the West in 2020. Open warfare is upon us. What will be your response? You decide – before it is too late.
19 Replies to “They Are Out To Get Us – And We Are Letting Them Do It”
Thank you for words Bill, perfectly written and exactly what was on my mind. You are a gift.
Many thanks Mathew.
“As to the 60s cultural revolution, sadly I must confess to being a part of this.”
I know your head won’t swell Bill, but you are a modern parallel to the Apostle Paul – been studying Acts the first half of the year.
Those Christians who support the movements who are trying to destroy Christianity will not know that their support is misplaced – until it’s too late, one way or the other!
Obviously echoing the misguided optimism of appeaser Neville Chamberlain in 1939, “There will be peace in our time.”
Thanks Bill.
I have put a teaser and a link to this article on the Richardson Post.
The whole of 1Pet1:13 is relevant for believers.
The first part of 1Pet1:13 is the war strategy that we should be encouraging even non-believers to engage with right now. “Gird up the loins of your mind, be sober.”
There has to be a change of thinking and I suspect that many will be searching for it before long.
Thinking according to the truth will lead to hope and faith.
I contribute regularly to a Christian forum where you can post whatever you want. All has been going well until…….
I started talking about abortion and I illustrated what I was talking about by posting a picture of an aborted baby and said a picture tells a thousand words.
I was forced to remove the picture because it was considered offensive. I told them that abortion is offensive and needs to be exposed.
Take it down or we will ban you.
Thank you, Bill, for your bracing messages and for keeping your readers up to the mark.
Your article today is a particularly powerful one.
Thanks John.
Dear Bill, another timely article for everyone. I have been following events abroad and in Australia. The US is in critical condition, I pray for them daily.
My dilemma is a human one, not to love this world – how do I do that? I have 7 young grand children another to arrive in December ( God willing ), my own children I adore. I pray that they will not be ripped from their parents arms, tortured or worse. It is difficult to see my life and consider theirs.
Nations Hitler conquered probably saw these things, but were unaware they were coming.
As I work when I am not concentrating on the job at hand or have free time I pray.
I pray for you too Bill and will continue to do so,
God bless you & your family and you work here
Mark Bryant
Many thanks Mark.
Thanks Bill, I agree we shouldn’t stop fighting and telling others what we think about rioters like BLM, which now I’ve heard, has a more fitting name in America – Burn, Loot, Murder.
The quote from The Two Towers perfectly sums up the church’s position, Bill. There hasnt been any rioting or burning of cities here in Ireland. But we are nearly as bad as America (no offense intended) and as bad as Europe on moral issues. The days when same sex “marriage” and abortion were legalised here were two of the blackest days in Irish history.
Why Some People Hate Cops (An Ex-Con Explains)
It’s a weird way people are reacting… the more obvious and in our face this agenda of creating chaos to destroy democracy is, the more people just don’t want to listen. So frustrating! Another great article Bill.
There is no end to the reporting of evil. We can watch aghast and feel quite helpless sometimes, but your latest reporting on what God’s plans and purposes are for His people is at another level altogether.
I fully agree with John B, “Your article today is a particularly powerful one.”
Freedom of speech is closing in the State-sponsored arts, most importantly, the Australian film industry, where Screen Agencies have select criteria that is fuelled by identity politics, most obviously in Gender, Equality and Indigenous issues. The objective is to change the culture to suit these criteria and in the process, compromise artistic expression. The result is easily seen in the content advertised by the streaming platforms, with a rise in films labelled ‘dystopian’.
I thought the following was significant:
“Nevertheless, the long-dead foreign dictator [Vladimir Lenin] is being honoured in the German city of Gelsenkirchen with a statue, a 1950s relic of the former Soviet vassal state of Czechoslovakia — even as statues of historic Westerners are being torn down across the world amid the now-global Black Lives Matter unrest.”
Thanks Bill.
I keep thinking of the Lord of the Rings too:
“I wish it need not have happened in my time,” said Frodo.
“So do I,” said Gandalf, “and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time given us.”
May God give us the strength to stand!
Some are afraid not wanting to start a war but war has started the only question that remains is what side are you on?? There are no spectators in war, no neutral observers as either side will tell you “you are either with us or against us” there is no in between. “Maybe we can prevent this war or forestall it”. The avalanche has already started it is too late for the pebbles to vote! (from Babylon five)
People like gentle safe Christianity you sit down over coffee or tea and talk over your differences. Too many are afraid to fight for their faith. Can’t we just coexist with them??? What fellowship has darkness with light??? What fellowship has Jesus with satan???? They weren’t having a coffee clatch in the wilderness there. They weren’t laughing and joking and trying to get along. They weren’t holding a interfaith service. Has Christianity become so neutered so feminized that we can’t ever fight to save it from extinction???? Are we do weak and docile that we can’t lift a finger while our faith is assaulted and torn down??? Are we far gone all we can do is SING LOUDER????
God to communists: the first commandment to my followers is “thou shall have no other gods before me”
Communists to God: we have the same commandment “thou shall have no other gods before the state”
Thanks for your words today. I needed to see this perspective today as I studied God’s word. “There have always been those who exist to destroy, and not to create. They exist to tear down, not to build. They exist to hate, and not to love. They exist to bring darkness, and not light. They exist to find problems everywhere, but not solutions. They exist to rage and riot, instead of to mend and to fix.”
Thank you for words Bill, perfectly written and exactly what was on my mind. You are a gift.
Many thanks Mathew.
“As to the 60s cultural revolution, sadly I must confess to being a part of this.”
I know your head won’t swell Bill, but you are a modern parallel to the Apostle Paul – been studying Acts the first half of the year.
Those Christians who support the movements who are trying to destroy Christianity will not know that their support is misplaced – until it’s too late, one way or the other!
Obviously echoing the misguided optimism of appeaser Neville Chamberlain in 1939, “There will be peace in our time.”
Thanks Bill.
I have put a teaser and a link to this article on the Richardson Post.
The whole of 1Pet1:13 is relevant for believers.
The first part of 1Pet1:13 is the war strategy that we should be encouraging even non-believers to engage with right now. “Gird up the loins of your mind, be sober.”
There has to be a change of thinking and I suspect that many will be searching for it before long.
Thinking according to the truth will lead to hope and faith.
I contribute regularly to a Christian forum where you can post whatever you want. All has been going well until…….
I started talking about abortion and I illustrated what I was talking about by posting a picture of an aborted baby and said a picture tells a thousand words.
I was forced to remove the picture because it was considered offensive. I told them that abortion is offensive and needs to be exposed.
Take it down or we will ban you.
Thank you, Bill, for your bracing messages and for keeping your readers up to the mark.
Your article today is a particularly powerful one.
Thanks John.
Dear Bill, another timely article for everyone. I have been following events abroad and in Australia. The US is in critical condition, I pray for them daily.
My dilemma is a human one, not to love this world – how do I do that? I have 7 young grand children another to arrive in December ( God willing ), my own children I adore. I pray that they will not be ripped from their parents arms, tortured or worse. It is difficult to see my life and consider theirs.
Nations Hitler conquered probably saw these things, but were unaware they were coming.
As I work when I am not concentrating on the job at hand or have free time I pray.
I pray for you too Bill and will continue to do so,
God bless you & your family and you work here
Mark Bryant
Many thanks Mark.
Thanks Bill, I agree we shouldn’t stop fighting and telling others what we think about rioters like BLM, which now I’ve heard, has a more fitting name in America – Burn, Loot, Murder.
The quote from The Two Towers perfectly sums up the church’s position, Bill. There hasnt been any rioting or burning of cities here in Ireland. But we are nearly as bad as America (no offense intended) and as bad as Europe on moral issues. The days when same sex “marriage” and abortion were legalised here were two of the blackest days in Irish history.
Why Some People Hate Cops (An Ex-Con Explains)
It’s a weird way people are reacting… the more obvious and in our face this agenda of creating chaos to destroy democracy is, the more people just don’t want to listen. So frustrating! Another great article Bill.
There is no end to the reporting of evil. We can watch aghast and feel quite helpless sometimes, but your latest reporting on what God’s plans and purposes are for His people is at another level altogether.
I fully agree with John B, “Your article today is a particularly powerful one.”
Freedom of speech is closing in the State-sponsored arts, most importantly, the Australian film industry, where Screen Agencies have select criteria that is fuelled by identity politics, most obviously in Gender, Equality and Indigenous issues. The objective is to change the culture to suit these criteria and in the process, compromise artistic expression. The result is easily seen in the content advertised by the streaming platforms, with a rise in films labelled ‘dystopian’.
I thought the following was significant:
“Nevertheless, the long-dead foreign dictator [Vladimir Lenin] is being honoured in the German city of Gelsenkirchen with a statue, a 1950s relic of the former Soviet vassal state of Czechoslovakia — even as statues of historic Westerners are being torn down across the world amid the now-global Black Lives Matter unrest.”
https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2020/06/22/cultural-revolution-lenin-statue-goes-up-washington-jefferson-more-fall/
Thanks Bill.
I keep thinking of the Lord of the Rings too:
“I wish it need not have happened in my time,” said Frodo.
“So do I,” said Gandalf, “and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time given us.”
May God give us the strength to stand!
Some are afraid not wanting to start a war but war has started the only question that remains is what side are you on?? There are no spectators in war, no neutral observers as either side will tell you “you are either with us or against us” there is no in between. “Maybe we can prevent this war or forestall it”. The avalanche has already started it is too late for the pebbles to vote! (from Babylon five)
People like gentle safe Christianity you sit down over coffee or tea and talk over your differences. Too many are afraid to fight for their faith. Can’t we just coexist with them??? What fellowship has darkness with light??? What fellowship has Jesus with satan???? They weren’t having a coffee clatch in the wilderness there. They weren’t laughing and joking and trying to get along. They weren’t holding a interfaith service. Has Christianity become so neutered so feminized that we can’t ever fight to save it from extinction???? Are we do weak and docile that we can’t lift a finger while our faith is assaulted and torn down??? Are we far gone all we can do is SING LOUDER????
God to communists: the first commandment to my followers is “thou shall have no other gods before me”
Communists to God: we have the same commandment “thou shall have no other gods before the state”
Thanks for your words today. I needed to see this perspective today as I studied God’s word. “There have always been those who exist to destroy, and not to create. They exist to tear down, not to build. They exist to hate, and not to love. They exist to bring darkness, and not light. They exist to find problems everywhere, but not solutions. They exist to rage and riot, instead of to mend and to fix.”