Christians and conservatives are the new scapegoats:
I could stop writing about every other subject and now just do daily updates on the secular left’s crackdown on Christianity – especially conservative Christianity. It is happening all over the West, and daily, even hourly examples of this are now to be found. Indeed, I might be well-placed to rename CultureWatch something like CrackdownWatch.
Especially with the new administration in the White House, we see a whole new wave of persecution, complete with purges and show trials. And there you thought the days of godless communism were over. If you dare to speak truth you WILL be purged. In case you ever wondered what it would be like to live under tyranny, well now we know.
We are now going through it firsthand. In just five minutes of going through my newsfeed this morning I came up with a half dozen more examples of this. Let me share a few of them here, along with a few bits of commentary on this as found in the social media.
As I have documented so often now, and as Rod Dreher has carefully explained in his new book Live Not By Lies, Big Government and Big Tech are working hand in glove to silence Christians and muzzle any opposition to the radical left agenda.
Groups like Twitter and Google and Facebook and YouTube are leading the way here. One of the new taboos is this: we are NOT allowed to speak truth about the trans agenda. Anyone who does will suffer the consequences. Here are a few more examples of this fascism and anti-Christian bigotry in action:
Twitter has suspended a Christian magazine’s account for reporting that one of President Joe Biden’s nominees is a man who believes he’s a woman. The Daily Citizen, a publication of the Colorado Springs-based Focus on the Family, tweeted on Jan. 19 that Biden’s nominee for assistant secretary of health, Rachel Levine, “is a transgender woman, that is, a man who believes he is a woman,” along with a link to an article about the nomination. As a result, the social media giant locked the magazine out of its account, informing the publication that the tweet violated Twitter’s user rules forbidding “hateful conduct.” https://www.christianpost.com/news/twitter-suspends-christian-mag-over-biden-trans-nominee-tweet.html
A chaplain is under investigation for a Facebook post saying transgender troops are “mentally unfit” and “unqualified to serve” days after President Biden overturned the Trump administration’s policy. Chaplain Andrew Calvert, a member of the 3rd Security Force Assistance Brigade at Fort Hood in Texas, commented on the Army Times Facebook page. “How is rejecting reality (biology) not evidence that a person is mentally unfit (ill), and thus making that person unqualified to serve?” Calvert asked. https://www.toddstarnes.com/values/army-chaplain-under-investigation-over-opposition-to-transgender-troops/
Simply daring to open an account on a verboten social media site can result in a heavy-handed fascist purge:
I could offer examples like this all day. I trust you are getting the message. A crackdown on conservatives and Christians is now under way, and we are quickly catching up to what we saw happening under communist rule. As Daniel Greenfield puts it: “Unite and Heal With Show Trials and Fascist Purges.”
He says this:
Unity is when Democrats get their way. Unity is when no one opposes them. Unity is when they terrorize their political opposition into submitting and keeping their mouths shut. . . . The show trial of President Trump and the city full of soldiers is just the opening act to the Great Purge of a domestic terrorism crackdown on anyone who ever retweeted the wrong meme….
D.C. isn’t the epicenter of unity and healing, but of a wave of political purges targeting everyone from President Trump to ordinary Americans whose political views are being criminalized. There’s no healing to be found in show trials and political purges. Only the unity that comes from eliminating the political opposition in your very own Bidenist banana republic. https://www.frontpagemag.com/fpm/2021/01/unite-and-heal-show-trials-and-fascist-purges-daniel-greenfield/
And with 40 executive orders already signed by Biden in his first week in office, the remaking of America is well under way. And that includes undoing most of what Trump had done. Big on Biden’s list is the move to fully push baby-killing, and ensure that the taxpayer is forced to fund it, both in America and overseas. As one report states:
The Biden Administration announced that American taxpayers will now fund the killing of unborn babies not just in Mexico – but around the world. “It will be our policy to support women’s and girls’ sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights in the United States, as well as globally,” said Dr. Anthony Fauci during his remarks at the World Health Organization Executive Board Meeting last week.
Pro-life advocacy groups were rightfully disgusted by the president’s heinous actions. President Biden’s memo rescinding the so-called “Mexico City policy” on the eve of this year’s March for Life, “is a deeply disturbing move, especially when the president says he wants national unity,” tweeted Jeanne Mancini, president of the March for Life Defense and Education Fund. “President Biden is returning to the pro-abortion policies of Barack Obama and forcing taxpayers back into a partnership with the overseas abortion industry,” said Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council.
The author goes on to say this:
I don’t blame President Biden. I blame Never Trump Republicans. I blame “woke” Evangelical Christians including the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and liberal Catholics. They knew what would happen if the Democrats gained power. But the Never Trump Evangelicals were so triggered by the former president’s Twitter feed, they made a deal with the Devil.
Yes, woke Christians literally have blood on their hands. The evangelical Never-Trumpers knew full well what would transpire if they ensured that Biden got elected. And it gets worse; increasingly these leftist Christians are joining in on the purge.
Jesus of course was put to death by a combination of Roman political leaders and Jewish religious leaders. And the war on Christianity is actually starting to be aided and abetted by so-called Christian groups that move more and more to the left and end up supporting the crackdown. As Robert A. J. Gagnon just put it on the social media:
Being tacitly canceled and banned from publishing anything in the Gospel Coalition, Christianity Today, and the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission at least affords me the opportunity to respond truthfully and reasonably to their miscues. They don’t receive criticism well, even when the critique is well reasoned, justified, and presented in a way that would be mild by biblical standards. They have a party line and woe to the person who can articulate the problems with it.
And another social media post I came upon from Susie Dunlap Tucker Boer nicely ties all this together:
This time we are in reminds me of the era between the two world wars in Europe. During that time the Jews became the scapegoat for all the evils in society. Propaganda against Judaism was constantly being spread throughout the civilized world. “The Protocols of the Elders of Zion” explained the evil plotting of Jews. Germany did take the lead, but propaganda-driven anti-semitism in surrounding countries discouraged those outside of Germany from intervention.
Now the concerted propaganda is against “right wing conservative Christians” portraying them as racist white supremacists who are stupid and smelly on one hand and cunningly evil on the other. These conservative Christians deny climate change, they hate, they hate, they hate. Evidence not needed. Repetition is an effective tool against Christian conservatives.
Reading the biography of Bonhoeffer by Metaxas is enlightening about the era in between world wars. The era in which hatred of the Jews united a population willing to self-sacrifice to save the world from them and to promote the “master race”. Right now disdain and mockery of Pro-Life Christians is expressed on mainstream and social media and also by neighbors with yard signs about love (??). (See actor Jim Carrey’s distorted cartoon of Mrs. Trump for an example.)
What to do? Looking back at 1930s for insight, it seems likely that there will be confusion between the various factions, some imperfect leaders, a betrayal of the institutionalized church, and in general, lots of miscalculated moves. These are all likely to repeat themselves. In every situation, God can still be called on and can still be worshipped, if only in the interior of the mind.
Nevertheless I think it’s a time to stock up on commodities and wisdom and telling your loved ones how precious they are. Time to memorize Bible verses and good hymns.
This limbo we are in could go on a long time but we don’t know.
Yes quite right. Conservative Christians today really are the new bogeymen. We are to blame for the world’s problems, and until we are fully purged and/or re-educated into full submission, we will continue to see the crackdown accelerate and worsen.
But some of us have been warning about these very things for decades now. Whether anyone starts to listen now is a moot point.
15 Replies to “Scenes from the Conservative and Christian Purge”
The other good thing about reading Metaxas’ book on Bonhoeffer (which I’ve just done again recently) is to observe the resolve with which he faced the Nazi threat head-on. The kind of resolve we all need to exercise prayerfully and daily, with our bibles open and our eyes open to the current times. I have grandchildren, and I pray earnestly they also will learn to do these things.
Quite right Ronald.
Bill…I was somewhat surprised to see Rod Dreher mentioned here. I have thought him to be a Never-Trumper during this past few months (along with David French) and thought he belonged to the Evangelicals for Biden crowd. Am I wrong about this?
Would really love to see you to start cataloging practical measures taken by persecuted Christians in other areas more experienced in this harsh reality: 1) how to communicate with each other; 2) how to take a principled stand and when to defer on things non-essential; 3) how to prepare spouses for the possibility of their husband’s incarceration; 4) personal preparation: Bible memorization, Hymn memorization. I really have no solid clue on what to do beyond aggressive memorization, but I suspect persecuted believers have worked out some things particularly with regards to communicating with each other off-line, or using technology but in a safe manner. I also suspect there are practices on meeting for worship, that we can start practicing now, like meeting a remote area known to the congregation. And how about dealing with spies in the fellowship? Do you spot them and out them, or do you see them as part of God’s plan and thus witness to them? We all know its coming, but who is prepared in a practical way? Simply stocking up on food, weapons, and other common prepper actions is not what I am referring to.
Another separate comment, more controversial perhaps: how do we respond to God’s judgement of His Church in the west on some key matters: 1) God is purging His Church, so there will be many false professors feeling pressure to leave. Do we witness to them, trying to hold them in at all costs, or do we let them go, recognizing this part of God’s plan? 2) Do we start “lightening” the Church of its tackling in preparation for simplicity under persecution? For instance, how much of the Church budget is really for overheads? Extravagant expenses on sound, lights, staffing suitable for a free society enjoying the frivolities, but unessential and burdensome under persecution? 3) What about physical structures, buildings, assets? All of these are soft targets for our persecutors in govt as well as instigators. Is it good to rent, have little in assets both as a church as well as individuals? God is cleansing us, and He really doesn’t car about boats, fancy organs, etc. Controversial, yes. But the vast majority of our brothers and sisters live this way every day, as did their fathers in the faith. Who are we to cry that we don’t deserve this? We are the sons of God, and we should expect and prepare for chastisement and purgings and scourgings, because God really does love his people and has a wonderful plan for His Children’s lives. But it won’t be pleasant for use westerners.
Last remark, what about all those who have monetized their Christianity? Authors, pastors, muscians, teachers, etc.? I suspect the earliest victims of the ‘new measures’ will be those who are making a living through their faith. In persecuted and economically challenged areas, it is not unusual for ministers to be tent making to earn their bread. Their flocks and mission fields are not supporting them. Should ministers and faith-workers start looking to develop monetizable skills, or brushing up ones they once had? Also, should believers start imagining and planning on being faithful when ministers become scarce because we cannot support them, or when they leave the field for fear or because many ministers are themselves false professors?
I hope to be writing more such pieces. But in some ways we are in uncharted waters. Most Westerners have not had to deal with hardcore persecution. But now it looks like we are and will be, so the questions you ask are vital indeed.
Dear Bill, may our Lord Jesus Christ strengthen and His Holy Spirit lift you as you pen your words of wisdom to us.
How heavily I read your words these days and with an ache in my heart for our many young Grand-children. All we can do is pray.
Sadly I have been sounding a warning for over 30years, since I first read the abridged quote by Edmund Burke “the price of freedom is eternal vigilance”.
Many of my immediate family think I’m a nut case and will not listen to or read what I forward on to them.
Is it Luke 12:53?
Come Lord Jesus come, Amen.
Mark Bryant
It’s getting to the stage that the only hope I can see for America – barring a revival, is for the Left to be cancelled. Their hatred and bigotry in the name of unity and healing is tearing the country apart. I’m also increasingly struggling to see how the country will survive 4 years – barring a total collapse into Third Reich\Soviet Union style totalitarianism\enslavement. The peaceful Right are being decried as terrorists, and actual terrorists (BLM etc) are being praised as peaceful, even nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize! When good is evil, and evil good, when love is called hate, and hatred or perversion called love, what hope is there for peace or dialogue?
Satan is having a field day!!!
How many of these so called Christians had the attitude of ‘all of creation can fall around us as long as the “orange demon” is out of office.
Randall for those wanting to leave I would try a little to get them to stay, they may just be scared and need strength, but I wouldn’t push too hard. If they are chaff not wheat then pushing too hard would keep people in the church who don’t belong. Also if they are stiff necked leaving the church for a time and finding things out the hard way may just be what they need. Some children are rebellious and have to learn the hard way. Parents know this and siblings know this. God as our ultimate parent knows this all too well.
We might have to go back to house churches maybe just a few families each.
My grandparents generation defeated the Nazis only to have their great grandkids generation bring it back and take it global. I worry the next holocaust won’t take as long but will be expedientially worse. Bioweapons could easily kill tens of millions without the need for camps and ovens and gas.
What you say is all too true & notice how those who know are ignorant of history they claimed to learn from ! God Bless you
The other good thing about reading Metaxas’ book on Bonhoeffer (which I’ve just done again recently) is to observe the resolve with which he faced the Nazi threat head-on. The kind of resolve we all need to exercise prayerfully and daily, with our bibles open and our eyes open to the current times. I have grandchildren, and I pray earnestly they also will learn to do these things.
Quite right Ronald.
Bill…I was somewhat surprised to see Rod Dreher mentioned here. I have thought him to be a Never-Trumper during this past few months (along with David French) and thought he belonged to the Evangelicals for Biden crowd. Am I wrong about this?
Thanks Bonnie. He has not been so keen on Trump, but he is not keen on what is happening now with Biden. See my review here: https://billmuehlenberg.com/2020/12/30/a-review-of-live-not-by-lies-by-rod-dreher/
Would really love to see you to start cataloging practical measures taken by persecuted Christians in other areas more experienced in this harsh reality: 1) how to communicate with each other; 2) how to take a principled stand and when to defer on things non-essential; 3) how to prepare spouses for the possibility of their husband’s incarceration; 4) personal preparation: Bible memorization, Hymn memorization. I really have no solid clue on what to do beyond aggressive memorization, but I suspect persecuted believers have worked out some things particularly with regards to communicating with each other off-line, or using technology but in a safe manner. I also suspect there are practices on meeting for worship, that we can start practicing now, like meeting a remote area known to the congregation. And how about dealing with spies in the fellowship? Do you spot them and out them, or do you see them as part of God’s plan and thus witness to them? We all know its coming, but who is prepared in a practical way? Simply stocking up on food, weapons, and other common prepper actions is not what I am referring to.
Another separate comment, more controversial perhaps: how do we respond to God’s judgement of His Church in the west on some key matters: 1) God is purging His Church, so there will be many false professors feeling pressure to leave. Do we witness to them, trying to hold them in at all costs, or do we let them go, recognizing this part of God’s plan? 2) Do we start “lightening” the Church of its tackling in preparation for simplicity under persecution? For instance, how much of the Church budget is really for overheads? Extravagant expenses on sound, lights, staffing suitable for a free society enjoying the frivolities, but unessential and burdensome under persecution? 3) What about physical structures, buildings, assets? All of these are soft targets for our persecutors in govt as well as instigators. Is it good to rent, have little in assets both as a church as well as individuals? God is cleansing us, and He really doesn’t car about boats, fancy organs, etc. Controversial, yes. But the vast majority of our brothers and sisters live this way every day, as did their fathers in the faith. Who are we to cry that we don’t deserve this? We are the sons of God, and we should expect and prepare for chastisement and purgings and scourgings, because God really does love his people and has a wonderful plan for His Children’s lives. But it won’t be pleasant for use westerners.
Last remark, what about all those who have monetized their Christianity? Authors, pastors, muscians, teachers, etc.? I suspect the earliest victims of the ‘new measures’ will be those who are making a living through their faith. In persecuted and economically challenged areas, it is not unusual for ministers to be tent making to earn their bread. Their flocks and mission fields are not supporting them. Should ministers and faith-workers start looking to develop monetizable skills, or brushing up ones they once had? Also, should believers start imagining and planning on being faithful when ministers become scarce because we cannot support them, or when they leave the field for fear or because many ministers are themselves false professors?
Thanks Randall. You raise a number of good points and ask many important questions. I have been writing on persecution much more of late. For example, this recent piece looks at how the early church responded: https://billmuehlenberg.com/2021/01/09/early-christianity-persecution-and-lessons-for-today/
And see also this piece on how others have dealt with it: https://billmuehlenberg.com/2021/01/08/34761/
I hope to be writing more such pieces. But in some ways we are in uncharted waters. Most Westerners have not had to deal with hardcore persecution. But now it looks like we are and will be, so the questions you ask are vital indeed.
Dear Bill, may our Lord Jesus Christ strengthen and His Holy Spirit lift you as you pen your words of wisdom to us.
How heavily I read your words these days and with an ache in my heart for our many young Grand-children. All we can do is pray.
Sadly I have been sounding a warning for over 30years, since I first read the abridged quote by Edmund Burke “the price of freedom is eternal vigilance”.
Many of my immediate family think I’m a nut case and will not listen to or read what I forward on to them.
Is it Luke 12:53?
Come Lord Jesus come, Amen.
Mark Bryant
It’s getting to the stage that the only hope I can see for America – barring a revival, is for the Left to be cancelled. Their hatred and bigotry in the name of unity and healing is tearing the country apart. I’m also increasingly struggling to see how the country will survive 4 years – barring a total collapse into Third Reich\Soviet Union style totalitarianism\enslavement. The peaceful Right are being decried as terrorists, and actual terrorists (BLM etc) are being praised as peaceful, even nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize! When good is evil, and evil good, when love is called hate, and hatred or perversion called love, what hope is there for peace or dialogue?
Satan is having a field day!!!
How many of these so called Christians had the attitude of ‘all of creation can fall around us as long as the “orange demon” is out of office.
Randall for those wanting to leave I would try a little to get them to stay, they may just be scared and need strength, but I wouldn’t push too hard. If they are chaff not wheat then pushing too hard would keep people in the church who don’t belong. Also if they are stiff necked leaving the church for a time and finding things out the hard way may just be what they need. Some children are rebellious and have to learn the hard way. Parents know this and siblings know this. God as our ultimate parent knows this all too well.
We might have to go back to house churches maybe just a few families each.
My grandparents generation defeated the Nazis only to have their great grandkids generation bring it back and take it global. I worry the next holocaust won’t take as long but will be expedientially worse. Bioweapons could easily kill tens of millions without the need for camps and ovens and gas.
What you say is all too true & notice how those who know are ignorant of history they claimed to learn from ! God Bless you
Live not by lies not available via Amazon?
It is available from Amazon John: https://www.amazon.com/Live-Not-Lies-Christian-Dissidents/dp/0593087399/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1PWPU6R63IWRN&dchild=1&keywords=dreher+live+not+by+lies&qid=1612404446&sprefix=dreher%2Caps%2C375&sr=8-1
And Koorong as well: https://www.koorong.com/product/live-not-by-lies-a-manual-for-christian_9780593087398?ref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.koorong.com%2F
Thanks Bill but not yet on Kindle. Don’t know why.