Every record has been destroyed or falsified, every book has been rewritten, every picture has been repainted, every statue and street building has been renamed, every date has been altered. And that process is continuing day be day and minute by minute. History has stopped. Nothing exists except the endless present in which the party is always right.
—George Orwell—
Key points: If tyrants aren’t successful in paralyzing their subjects with threats and fear, they are less likely to fully take the ground they are trying to claim. Effectively pushing back against tyranny demands wisdom, strategic action, and tenacity, but above all, it demands pushing back!
Several days ago, as I was reflecting on the direction the US government has taken, especially in recent months, I made a list of the ways tyrants rule. Mine isn’t an exhaustive list, but it is substantive. They rule
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- Harshly
- Arbitrarily
- In the name of the greater good
- Arrogantly
- Deceptively
- Opportunistically
- Without regard for God’s law
- Invasively
- Manipulatively
- With emotional appeals
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Hopefully soon we will be able to dive into and explore some or all of these traits and their implications. For now, be aware that I’m not speaking just of the president here, but also of Congress and the judicial system.
In America it is necessarily true that tyrants will act or rule apart from, and not in a manner consistent with, the Constitution and its directives. Why? Because, in the words of slave-turned-statesman Frederick Douglass (1817-1895), the Constitution is a “GLORIOUS LIBERTY DOCUMENT.” A leader would have to violate the Constitution to rule as a tyrant.
Yet we must be aware that in American life and culture, it isn’t just the government through its various branches that is ruling and pushing agendas in tyrannous ways. It’s also Big Tech, the mainstream news media, and large corporations as well. The harsh truth is that in the United States, it isn’t racism that is systemic or embedded in the culture, but social justice ideology, the very ideology that says racism is systemic! Seeing and interpreting society and societal trends through a social justice lens has given rise to tyranny, an authoritarian rule that is increasingly aggressive and blatant, as my recent experience of being censored by Facebook indicates, and as we’re seeing with mandates related to personal health decisions all across the country.
The harsh truth is that in America, it isn’t racism that is systemic or embedded in the culture, but social justice ideology, of which critical race theory and intersectionality are a part.
In years past, America’s young people were warned about elitists and the ever increasing trend of free societies to drift into tyranny.
It was 1946 and this lost educational film on despotism was required curriculum at every high school in America.
The associated test, 11 pages quizzed students on the concepts.
By 1967, this film was removed from all libraries.
The term despotism has since become unfashionable pic.twitter.com/m72ES9sPmq
— Brian Roemmele (@BrianRoemmele) October 18, 2021
Today, we’re seeing the effects of the drift that has taken place in this country. Take note! This isn’t just a drift, but also navigation by leftist tyrants away from freedom and liberty.
Five Recommendations
Against the backdrop of these realities, I want to offer five specific recommendations that may seem unrelated but that are, in the big picture of things, very much connected to one another. We won’t spend much time on each one in this post, but I’ll cite several previously posted Word Foundations and Discover Bedrock Truth materials. I’ll refer to a few additional outside sources as well. For those of you who may not be familiar with my work, Word Foundations (www.wordfoundations.com) is my blogpost website, and Discover Bedrock Truth (www.discoverbedrocktruth.org) is the site where I post Bible studies that can be used by both groups and individuals.
Steps to Take in Response to the Tyranny Occurring Around Us
First, make sure you are a Christian, and not a nominal one. You need to be a worldview Christian. Among other things, this means upholding biblical teachings as absolutely true, which means upholding them as consistent with the real world in which we live.
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- A worldview Christian understands that homosexuality is sinful and that same-sex marriage is an idea that directly contradicts God’s created order.
- He or she is pro-life, and by that I mean opposed to abortion in all cases, except perhaps to save the life of the mother. Yes, a worldview Christian cares about those who are hungry and in need, but he or she rightly sees life as a linchpin issue and will not compromise on it.
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These are two social issues worldview Christianity addresses, but it also addresses theological issues. A recent study found that “70% of born-again Christians say other religions can lead to Heaven” and that “60 Percent of Born Again Christians Under 40 Say Jesus Isn’t the Only Way to Salvation.” Of course, the idea that Jesus isn’t the only way to God is contrary to biblical teaching. This research, however, echoes additional findings showing that only 6 percent (also go here) to around 9 or 10 percent (also go here) of American Christians hold to a biblical worldview.
Worldview Christians believe and uphold all the tenets, teachings, and principles the Bible presents and interpret life, relationships, and the world in light of those truths. In other words, the individual affirming a Christian worldview sees the world through a biblical lens, the lens of God’s written revelation about Himself, the world, life, death, and eternity. Of course, believers affirm God’s revelation of Himself in Christ as well. Scripture reveals everything we need to know about Jesus to know Him personally and to trust Him for forgiveness of our sins.
Of the five recommendations I’m offering here, this one is the most important. We cannot place our ultimate hope in our nation, in a political party, or in any person or group. Our hope must remain in God — the God of the Bible. Furthermore, it is knowing God and having a biblical perspective on life and culture that helps us interpret and apply biblical truths effectively in arenas beyond church and religious teachings. This isn’t merely academic, but quite practical. Be forewarned, though; it’s also countercultural. Those who seek to live their lives according to biblical truth will get pushback. Expect it.
Second, become familiar with American history and the American story. Especially learn about this nation’s founding and the eternal truths on which the United States was established. You’ll need to make sure you’re learning from reliable sources, of course. Here’s one. Here are others. Remarkably, the vast majority of America’s founding principles are biblical. Because of this, America became the freest and most prosperous nation in world history.
This is not to say that the Founding Fathers got everything right. Slavery would continue in America for nine decades longer, and federal laws affirming civil rights for all would not become a reality until 100 years beyond that. Even so, the principles that “all men are created equal, [and] that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights” would pave the way for the elimination of slavery and the tremendous positive strides the nation has made in race relations beyond that.
Becoming familiar with both socialism and the free enterprise system also is essential if one is going to effectively warn his or her family members, neighbors, and friends about the dangerous economic trends and practices advocated in our day. Socialism and Marxism are evil and stand contrary to the teachings of Scripture.
What is the most effective way to help the poor? Operate a free market economy and allow people to thrive within it!
Moreover, while it’s true the free enterprise system can be abused, embedded within it are expectations and safeguards that, if respected, protect both producers and consumers. What is the best way to help the poor? Operate a free market economy and allow people to thrive within it! This will lift the people out of poverty far more effectively than any social welfare program that ever could be devised (go here, here, and here). Mark it down! The free enterprise economic model has God’s fingerprints all over it!
In relation to America’s story of greatness, I also would encourage everyone to download and read The 1776 Report, the report presented to President Trump by his Advisory 1776 Commission in January of this year. The report is available for download at no charge here or by clicking on the above image.
Third, reject the teachings of the social justice movement. These teachings are popular and emotionally enticing, but they stand contrary to biblical teachings. And don’t just reject social justice teachings in society and in the culture; reject them at church as well. Find a church that isn’t “woke”! The social justice narrative has infiltrated the church and is presenting a counterfeit gospel.
Fourth, if you have children, get them out of government-run schools. These institutions are indoctrination centers for leftist ideology. Leftism, after all, is a religion with religious teachings. Please watch the following video in which cultural observer Geoffrey Botkin. Here he sounds the alarm to parents and offers them advice on how they can act to protect their vulnerable children from being converted to leftism.
Other resources include the Exodus Mandate and Protect Our Kids, which you can read about in part 2 of this Word Foundations series on the massive problems in government-run schools.
Fifth, support the Convention of States movement. We have an abusive, runaway government that must be reigned in if freedom and liberty in America are to be preserved. Congress, especially, including members of both major political parties, will not regulate itself to operate according sane and responsible policy-making principles.
Consider the just the matter of deficit spending, including the so-called “Covid stimulus payments” that Americans have received. The government has printed, or otherwise created out of thin air, increasing amounts of “money” with absolutely no tangible worth to back it up. This dilutes the value of every dollar already in the system. Consider what happened in Germany following World War 1.
The same thing will happen here if we don’t reign in congressional spending. And that is just one issue that has to be addressed.
The Founders provided a way for the states to take control of the federal government in Article V of the US Constitution. Article V reads in part,
The Congress, whenever two thirds of both houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose amendments to this Constitution, or, on the application of the legislatures of two thirds of the several states, shall call a convention for proposing amendments, which, in either case, shall be valid to all intents and purposes, as part of this Constitution, when ratified by the legislatures of three fourths of the several states, or by conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one or the other mode of ratification may be proposed by the Congress… (emphasis added).
Learn more about the Convention of States movement here and here. At the outset, be forewarned! You’ll encounter early on the objection that a Convention of States might gut the Constitution and replace it with an entirely different document. This is not the case. Hear legal expert Rob Natelson debunk this misconception decisively.
These two quotes from Professor Natelson are especially noteworthy.
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- There are far far more controls over this Convention [a Convention of States as authorized by Article V of the Constitution] than there are over the runaway Congress.
- So the real risks are not for the runaway convention; the real risks are that we won’t have a convention.
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There are far far more controls over this Convention [a Convention of States as authorized by Article V of the Constitution] than there are over the runaway Congress.
—Professor Rob Natelson—
Let’s Review
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- Make sure you are a Christian and hold a biblical worldview.
- Become familiar with the American story, including God’s role in it.
- Reject the teachings of the social justice movement in the culture and in the church.
- If you have children, take charge of their education. Get them out of government-run schools.
- Become familiar with and support the Convention of States movement.
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To these five suggestions I would add a sixth and a seventh:
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- Pray fervently for a spiritual awakening in America.
- Stand up and speak up.
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Pray fervently for a spiritual awakening in America.
Remember: 1984 is now. The challenges are great, but so are the opportunities if we will rise to the occasions that confront us. Let’s make sure we do. As we discussed in a recent post, in our day and in our circumstances, we likely will have to stick our necks out to serve God genuinely and with integrity. We have no guarantee that God will deliver us, but we do know that serving Him is worth the risk — and worth the cost.
In our day and in our circumstances, we likely will have to stick our necks out to serve God genuinely and with integrity. We have no guarantee that God will deliver us, but we do know that serving Him is worth the risk — and worth the cost.
One more thing. We need to know that like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego of old, we also will experience God’s presence in the fire.
Copyright © 2021 by B. Nathaniel Sullivan. All rights reserved.
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture has been taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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