Considerations

From Andrew Sullivan “America’s New Religion”… “Now look at our politics. We have the cult of Trump on the right, a demigod who, among his worshippers, can do no wrong. And we have the cult of social justice on the left, a religion whose followers show the same zeal as any born-again Evangelical. They are filling the void that Christianity once owned, without any of the wisdom and culture and restraint that Christianity once provided.”

https://nymag.com/…/andrew-sullivan-americas-new…

In response to this article, Al Mohler, in his Dec 19, 2018 The Briefing says: “Now that’s incredibly insightful, it reminds me of a column that Ross Douthat wrote some time ago echoing themes I’ve talked about on The Briefing. It comes down to this, if secularists thought that they disliked the religious right, just wait until they are faced by an irreligious right.” 

https://albertmohler.com/2018/12/19/briefing-12-19-18

I remember being chilled by that last sentence.

I do think that the most recent 2020 election indicated that this worldview has not become dominant yet… It has become the most vocal, certainly, thanks to the modern media, but not yet dominant enough to truly be in charge.  In some ways, the 2020 election in the US was a slight repudiation of the furthest expressions of it.

At the same time, there is no doubt that it is continuing to gain prominence and volume.  I do think that we are at the tipping point and that even if there is no sweeping shift of dominance, the entire culture will continue to shift… like the proverbial boiling frog. (watch until the end, no frogs were harmed in this video).

What are we to do?

First, stand.

¹³ Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.  Ephesians 6:13

This will be the first challenge; make sure that as this battle rages, you are still standing in the truth and by your faith and on the gospel.  The waves will come and the pressure will mount – but Christians have faced more than pressure and have withstood more than disapproval – and we can too.

That being said, the pressures you will face, especially if you are young, are unlike anything you have faced before and we need to be realistic about it.  We must be prepared to stand alone when necessary – but also working hard to never be found alone like that.

Second, be able to explain why you believe what you do… and do so biblically.  Have a firm grasp of why you have hope.

What we are seeing today is the irreligious right… or those on the right who have made politics their religion. Like mobs on any side, they are worshipping at the altar of their hope. Beloved, the US government is not our hope. As patriots, we may and ought to stand up for what we believe is our nation’s best, but Christ’s Kingdom is not of this world, which is why His followers didn’t even mob and protest when He was wrongly convicted of crimes. (John 18:36). At best, all of this is hot-headed and premature. I get it, I do… but, at least as Christians, we must live in the peace that passes understanding. Go home and tell your friends what the Lord has done for you.

Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, ¹⁵ but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, ¹⁶ having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.  I Peter 3:14-16

There will likely come a day when at least some of your friends, who wander off with the Crowdmodern view, will come to realize the futility, irrationality, or dangers of their view.  The crowd will turn against them eventually… and they will find themselves on the wrong side of the disapproval of the “Us”.

Where will they turn?  

Someone had better still be standing and be standing in the light.