Category: Politics

Rory Wilson, grandson of Douglas Wilson, is a student at Columbia University and has recently made the news for stepping up to bullies. That fetal position theory is not aging well, Lig.

Now, mind you, 99% of those masked on campus have no clue what is taking place in the Middle East and, like their leader, Joseph Biden, wouldn’t know the difference between the presidents of Egypt and Mexico. Kosahri and Tacos…blah, blah, blah!

As I have argued elsewhere, these theatrical displays are attempts to pin down their own guilt on Jews or Woodstock hippies, also known as their dads. It’s not anti-zionism or Trump that drives their ire; it’s that success is something they cannot envision for anyone else but themselves. They envy those who can actually get up for class.

Dr. Yoram Hazony observed that the question is not “What kind of American are you?” The question is whether there is an American nation going forward or not.” And that is becoming clearer each day because there is a portion of American evangelicalism that would rather sulk in victimization. They genuinely do not think Jesus has a better strategy than his opponents, so they delve into wild theories to rationalize their opponents’ actions.

But that theory is rather straightforward in Psalm 57: “They are setting traps for themselves.” I mean, did you see how that dear leader of the Columbia Revolution stood before reporters, saying that they were in a state of protest where they needed humanitarian aid? She was begging reporters to please sneak in some tailored glutten-free souvenirs. After all, we do not want them to die of starvation. And that is almost a direct quote, except for the glutten-free part, which is implied by every conceivable context.

The reason we win is because the opponents, the pro-Marxian lollipop guild, are self-defeating. They can’t keep up with that ancient word called “logic.” And all we need to do is stand in front of doors and make it difficult for them to come in because, sooner or later, they will need to retreat to the comfort of their cannabis cookies.

This is a sad day for my home country. Lula won a narrowly divisive runoff election this Sunday and will begin his third term as president at the age of 77. Convicted of corruption, he served 580 days in prison, and after his release, he became the symbol of victimhood.

He sought old partnerships and was able to reanimate a nation to the old causes of social transformation through the state. It didn’t matter the misery incurred by such policies in Venezuela, Cuba, or Argentina, Lula’s charm and political capital earned him overwhelming victory in the poorest part of my country, the Northeastern part (where I grew up). Lula functions in some ways like a Neo-Pentecostal leader who appeals to the poor through promises of prosperity, offering a Gospel as convoluted as a Marxian paradigm. And the people said, “Amen!”

Bolsonaro, on the other hand, was the Tropical Trump; if Trump could dance and recite the Lord’s Prayer, he would be the Orange Bolsonaro. Bolsonaro is equally charismatic as Lula, and the oddity of the whole thing is that wherever he went in the Northeast, he was received with immense approval. But politics is a tricky business. The people may love a candidate, political inclinations, or moral declarations, but they are easily seduced by flattery and promises of statist charity. I’d also happily admit to Bolsonaro’s number of blunders throughout, but the options were so universally contrary to one another, leaving Brazilians with no excuse.

The tremendous benefit is that this entire thing has awakened a conservative resurgence in my home country. Conservative principles are now much more common than before Bolsonaro’s election. I suspect the various movements will only continue to grow. Certainly, the environment is ripe for a conservative nationalism that sees Brazil’s interests, morally and economically, as the heart of a prosperous nation.

This entire monologue leads me to the declaration made by the most respected Presbyterian minister in Brazil, Augustus Nicodemus. Right before Brazilians cast their votes, he publicly declared that Jesus is Lord, and therefore, Christians were free to vote for whomever. I rejected his declaration and was purged from his platform, a decision he has the right to make, as do any of us.

But the larger point is that when a statesman, an elderly pastor, who has garnered the respect of millions of Brazilians of varying traditions, argues publicly that there is no difference between Fidel Castro’s ally for decades and who viewed Venezuela’s decaying state as one of blossoming prosperity, and another candidate whose right-wing perspective offered an infinitely greater opportunity for ecclesiastical flourishing, someone needs to call things as they seem.

Nicodemus is a part of a greater sacerdotal elite that views politics as a neutral sport. He’s the Scott Clark of theology and the Ligon Duncan of ecclesiology. He is content to appeal to the masses to not lose his appeal. The end result is the election of Lula, who will unmistakably take Brazil to the pastures of paganized statism and regulate businesses and serve as an ambassador of environmental causes for Justin Trudeau. He will further regulate the healthy growth of the homeschool movement in Brazil and regulate speech at various levels.

I hope the Bible-Believing Brazilian Church will find the strength to refuse such alternatives and carry on the mission of revival and renewal, whatever consequences may come. Every crisis presents opportunities, and I hope the Church uses this opportunity strategically.

It is essential that we understand the religious nature of our present crisis. At this point, “Jesus” is still a very useful tool in the hands of tyrants. The liberationists, socialists, barbarians, and Scythians can easily use Jesus’ name to fit into any of their agendas. Jesus can be the easiest way to push a “love thy neighbor” program that can apply to just about any modern governmental impulse. The reason Jesus is such a compelling figure is that unbelievers know that there is still a modicum of spirituality among the leftist base that still cherishes Jesus as a decorative piece in the intellectual journey of any human being.

We should, of course, decry such a thing and fight back with the feistiness of Poirier’s knockout against McGregor. We cannot tolerate seeing our Lord manipulated by the speeches of evil men. Chesterton adds this piece to his masterful hymn, “O God of Earth and Altar,” which jumps right into our current political cycle when he warns about the:

…lies of tongue and pen,
from all the easy speeches
that comfort cruel men.

Cruel men are easily comforted by easy speeches, religiosity displayed in the name of collective faith, and variations of “Amazing Grace” that give even the foulest men goosebumps. But in the end, the entire message is a ploy to get you to think goodies are the government’s specialty. And to deliver these goodies, Jesus becomes the means to an end. It’s like AOC with her hands tied behind her back pretending to be arrested. It’s all fabricated like an American Cubano.

Ever since there was an Arius and Marcion, and Ilhan Omar, guilt manipulators were using Messiah Jesus to convey their ABC’s. Leftists need Jesus, but one made in their image, and they prey on the ignorance of evangelicals to get them to side with their causes. They offer nice, shining propositions to mild-mannered men led by strong-willed women.

This entire scene explains the New York Times’ fascination with the religiosity of Biden. He is “perhaps the most religiously observant commander in chief in half a century.” But here is where the rubber meets the cathedral: Biden is, says NYT, “a different, more liberal” kind of Christian. It grounds his life and policies.” Now, I am in my early 40’s, and I, too, have fallen off my bike. That’s not a prerequisite for leftism. The prerequisite for leftist ideology is drawing on life verses to build a platform; the life verses are found in the Sermon on the Mount and synopsis of big Bible themes. Suddenly, being meek has nothing to do with Moses who was glad when the Egyptians were swallowed by baptismal waters. Instead, it becomes a pretense for public sweetness to everyone except you and me.

Machen said long ago that “there can be no greater mistake than to suppose that Jesus ever separated theology from ethics.” Nobody on the Left separates theology from ethics, but what they do separate is theology from Jesus. If men can create a new Jesus–and man is a factory of creativity–then they can offer the world a new ethic based on a Jesus figure. This allows them to carry their “nice” Christian identities around the Fox News world while simultaneously carrying their “intolerance” identity towards us on MSNBC. It’s a win-win.

Good people, don’t negotiate with manipulators. Bury your eyes and hands in the work of the kingdom. Keep the Pentecost Spirit going–the spirit of hard labor and bold proclamation. Pick up your psalter and believe every word of Psalm 83 and when you start singing Psalm 92, make sure to sing the word “stupid” louder than other words, ’cause they need to hear their evil schemes for what it is; a charade pretending to be like Jesus, but they are of their father, the devil. 

One of the increasing benefits of a polarizing era is that men and women are now much more self-aware of what conservative ideals are. Of course, wise Christians know that there can be vast distinctions between conservative politics and a Christian political order. As polls constantly demonstrate, lots of conservatives know much about modern politics, thanks to a steady diet of vegetative cable news; on the other hand, they grade somewhere between a fig and a potato chip when it comes to basic biblical knowledge. That chasm shows that there are a lot of conservatives who love D.C.-ness more than Kingdom-ness.

Still, many who were once naively conservatives or who inherited conservatism, are now being forced to make ideological decisions or to think more deeply about their commitments. Now, they have to answer the questions: “Are you for BLM? If not, why not?” “Do you believe there is a disproportionate use of force used by police against black people? If so, should we defund the police or seek reform?” “Are riots that end private property merely a necessary ‘spectacle’ to get attention?” Some of these questions are easier to think through than others. They touch on the very heart of conservatism and its focus on freedom and private property.

The end result is that we can no longer remain neutral on political issues. We can afford to be less frustrating, and we certainly need to seek ways to draw people to our message rather than send them away, but we cannot be neutral bystanders, playing Switzerland to our own beat.

Congregations that attempt to harmonize the Bible with a myriad of political positions as a way of appeasing the cause of diversity will eventually realize that the diversity-crowd can never be appeased. But congregations that equip their flock to see righteousness from unrighteousness, the ant from the sluggard, the fool from the wise will shine bright as the sun. They will build a generation of convinced humanity who know the “what” and “why,” “who” and “when” of a faithful political system. There will always be those who fall by the side and cultivate friendship with the world, but they will be exceptions.

The great benefit of our age is no one can afford not to know where they stand. And for those just starting their journey, remember, Jesus is Lord! Begin there, and a lot of conundrums will be solved. At the very least you are standing in Jesus. Every political system that begins there will not be put to shame.

One of my central arguments for a Trump presidency was the Supreme Court. But it’s not because I find the Court some inerrant body operating in harmony with the divine council. In fact, I find much of the way the Court operates troubling. There is a vicious cycle of punting fundamental decisions to the future and as a Legislative Branch of Government, I’d rather like to see unconstitutional laws overturned in 3…2…1. “Stare decisis” can go to hell, for all I care, if it doesn’t comport with God’s laws. And Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization is a prime example of how such perturbing things need reasonable judges to make reasonable arguments even if they lack the kind of theocratic starting point.

I think we are all in agreement that such arguments yesterday were incredibly favorable toward banning abortion in Mississippi after 15 weeks of pregnancy. Ideally, 1973 will also enter the history books as a year where moral courage bid adieu, and 2021 resolved to see moral fervor back through unlikely judges. Judges, might I add, brought by the tanned man.

I return, however, to my original point: Trump was a good thing for this country and I pity those who could not share the corporate outrage or those who are too tired to fight. Trump was a fighter; the kind of pugilist that entered the ring and started throwing punches everywhere and out of sheer “luck” ended up hitting a couple of really precious artifacts of leftist ideologies.

The spectators were left speechless because they thought that no one had the courage to enter the ring against established dogma. But he did it! He did it on Twitter; he did it on national television; he did it on debates; he did it in electing judges; he did it in protecting the rights of religious institutions, and he did it in various other ways.

Now, of course, we can sit down and talk about how the match was pretty chaotic and how he ended up hitting a few of us, and how his coaches were pretty corrupt as well, but the end result is that we are sitting fairly close to seeing some fairly monumental things about to happen in this country in 2021.

Think about it: these last two years have been the most magnified sight into the devious and devilish devices of Democrat powers. They have sought to endanger our health, history, and hope. They have tortured the American conscience by putting friends against friends at the Thanksgiving table; they have filled the cup of wrath by instilling fear as a commodity and currency. Democrats offer misery and betrayal to morality and classical mores. There is no way–unless one pushes the gymnastic hermeneutic really far–to see Democratic policies as nothing more than outrageous attempts to build Babel on the broken and rotten wood of Genesis 11. This was the year that leftists argued that children ought to obey their masters even though they stifle our speech, our humanity, and our bodies through mandates and madness.

But God loves to shock us back into hope. He works with broken Trumps to achieve the good. He takes a notoriously unhealthy specimen of morality–though far healthier than the alternative–and uses him to offer a few good men on the Court. And even assuming that this whole thing goes awry, even if somehow things remain as is–which I do not believe–we have still made pagans squirm with fear of the mere possibility that babies could live. In fact, as of now, if Roe is gutted, the Democratic-led Congress is unlikely to have the votes to counteract it legislatively. We should be hopeful moving into 2022. We should always be hopeful in season and out of season. But it seems that certain seasons offer some divine comedy, and I hope to see God’s humor thrive over the affairs of men.

When the whole 2016 business dawned upon us, I argued in a long post that Christians have one fundamental task in this world: to use the resources he has to provide the best outcome possible in a fallen world. Sometimes it doesn’t look the exact way we think it should. Sometimes our leader breaks too many things when he should have only broken three. But still, we rejoice over the specificity of judgment on the unrighteous and blessings on the righteous.

We are somewhat naive to think we can operate on the basis of Benedictine order. God is perfect, but he is not a perfectionist, as Doug Wilson once stated. Purists live in monasteries, and as a Protestant, me-no-can-do.

We need more Bonifaces to shatter the wisdom of this world and break a few extra tables. Christians should see the long game and see every win as a movement of mustard seeds being planted in our society. The kingdom grows slowly, which does not mean–for the ideologues–that we lose slowly, but that we move slowly like parabolic plants, leavening the whole world. And while the Trump era is done–and should be–I am grateful he fought the right people and afflicted the comfortable, even if we had to sit back and cringe a time or ten.