Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.
Colossians 3:23

The Rise of Intimidation

When I read, hear, or see the news these days, I can’t help but be reminded of the McCarthy era (early 1950s) and the Nazi era (late 1930s to 1945). Each was a time when people who had the nerve to express disagreement with the fanatics in charge ran the risk of seeing their reputations and careers ruined, at best—or, at worst, being imprisoned and (in the case of the Nazis) worse.

Today it’s not McCarthy or Hitler demanding conformity, it’s radical social activists. These folk are paid a lot of attention, wield a lot of power, and are extremely intolerant of disagreement. Have the nerve to challenge their views, and you risk being labelled bigoted, racist, intolerant, sexist, chauvinist, narrow-minded, and a host of other even more ignoble things.

We see these radicals loudly protesting, demonstrating, and sometimes even threatening violence unless their demands are met. They have the help of the news media, who constantly promote their causes by and through the camera and the microphone. All of which means that a comparatively small but vocal minority is able to intimidate the large but silent—or should I say fearful—majority.

So far we’ve seen the erosion—some call it redefinition—of marriage and the breakdown of the family unit consisting of mother, father, and children. One can now marry just any Tom, Dick, or Harry and be called a family. There’s also been a watering-down of commitment, as attested by the failure of more than 50 percent of marriages. And on the political front, goverment “by the people for the people” has decayed to the point where it is now all about power for the party—to heck with the people.

When institutions, governments, and the Christian community at large continue to cave in to radical social activists, their demands will only escalate, and the values of the silent and fearful majority will be trampled. Let’s make sure our views are biblically informed, and let’s have the courage to make those views known in a way that is respectful and compassionate, but also bold.

For by his great power he rules forever. He watches every movement of the nations; let no rebel rise in defiance.

Psalm 66:7

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