Stephen McAlpine accurately notes as he wrote in his Substack today, “ We have bred and nurtured a cohort of people who hate everything that the West stands for even while the suckle at its teat. Born into a world in which they are told to spot a micro-aggression at 20 feet, they think nothing of screaming hatred to Jews in the streets, or shouting abuse at Charlie Kirk on campuses. Are our halls of learning proud of these folk? Will they have any legacy other than their hatred to hand on to the next generation?”
It sadly demonstrates the doctrine of original sin and what fallen man is truly capable of.
It confirms the truth of scripture: (McAlpine quoted this)
“But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God” (2 Timothy 3:1–4, ESV)
May we seek the Lord and His wisdom and comfort during this time. Jesus is our only hope and peace. Eph. 2:14.🙏🇺🇸
I am quite dismayed by how you have approached this topic. You do raise some important points. However, having read and listened to much from you in the past, this article was a shock to me. I really respect you. Collin Hansen wrote an article ‘Where is King Jesus When Violence Reigns’, and it’s the kind of article I would have normally expected from you.
Decarlos Brown had a long history with mental health issues. He was homeless. His mother and sister gave their heart and souls to try and get help for him, and they were utterly ignored. Furthermore, the courts failed to keep him imprisoned, when he was clearly a danger to himself and others.
I went to TBS. I lived in Allen Gardens at Jarvis and Gerrard in Toronto. We ministered to and loved the homeless. Many of them were gentle. Some of them were unpredictable and violent. I loved them and had compassion on them, even if I was terrified of some of them. For a while, one of them lived on the front porch of my house and my room was on the main floor, just a few steps from where he slept. We often bought food for these precious, broken souls.
One day, when I was working in the office, a man nearly kicked down the door, threatening to kill me. He didn’t succeed to get in that door, but he did manage to get through another door and caught one of my friends and threatened to kill her. He was desperate for drugs and wanted money. Thankfully, where she was, there were others to stop him, and she was safe. But what if he had managed to get to me, and what if he had killed me? I was terrified. There was a large crack in the door. He was so close. He was so angry. What if he killed me, a white girl? Would I want the news to report that this was a racially motivated crime? Even if he did say: ‘I just killed that white girl?’ No! I would want his mental health issues and his addiction to drugs to be reported. I would want a light shone on how much we need to find more ways to help the homeless community and those who struggle with severe mental health issues. I would never want my death to spur on the racial divide.
I have dear loved ones who have kids who struggle with behavioural issues. They seek all the help they can get, and there is no help. They are alone. Not even the church helps. They are desperate to help their children. They are afraid of what their children could do. And no one listens. Let’s talk about that too. Please read about what his mother and sister say.
There is absolutely a way to talk about partiality. But we need to do so carefully in such a racially charged environment. I am deeply grieved by all the white grievance against immigration, and crimes against whites. We have no idea. We are so ignorant of how bad life is for some people. My husband is Cambodian. He is a refugee. He wasn’t born in his own country. Why? Because Pol Pot slaughtered his own people. My husband was born in a refugee camp in Thailand. Pol Pot slaughtered my husband’s family. On his mother’s side, they are all dead, and she is the only one who survived. But she is forever marked by these autrocities in a way I will never fully comprehend.
I dare not ever overstate any ways in which I have been victimized in light of what my husband and his family have been through. And most of what I have been through has been at the hands of white men (a pastor killed my best friend; a white man sexually assaulted me when I was very young). And honestly, my identity is in Christ, not in any way in which I have been a victim. Let us all press into that. Part of my identity in Christ demands a cost: that I forgive as Jesus has forgiven me.
Yes, we do need to seek equality. The far left did start to try to make victims more equal than others. That is not the right response, and as Christians, we can compassionately engage that. But we must not stir up more racial antagonism. As Christians, we must be marked by love for the nations, with no partiality. Sadly, the far right is embracing White Nationalism at spectacular speed. I’m scared.
Why haven’t you spoken about the vibe shift in a fuller way – looking at it from both angles? There are now fascist ‘fight clubs’ in Ontario training young men for a ‘race war’. Or how about the terrorist attempt by fascist military members in Quebec? We must not be partial. We must look at it from both sides. We must also heed the warning in 1 Timothy 1:4f and not devote ourselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith. The aim of our charge should be love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. We want to aim for unity, not division. We must be careful that the things we address are factual and not conspiracy theory (such as the ‘white genocide’ made popular by a figure such as Elon Musk). I continue to watch that story for any kind of validity, but so far I have not found any. If it is true, then we must address it. But we must be ever so cautious not to promote myths.
I was incredibly blessed by Collin Hansen’s article. He ended his article with this: “Nothing is more antithetical to our political climate today than forgiveness. Grievance births grievance. Enemies avenge enemies. Few listen for the voice of the crucified Jew who preached that the meek will inherit the earth, that peacemakers will be called God’s sons
And yet, Jesus lives. Resurrected and ascended, he speaks in his Word. Through us, he attests to his loving and patient authority over all things—when we protest injustice, when we bear the sword of justice, when we forgive rather than avenge.”
May we all double down on our commitment to forgiveness. May all of us learn to give our grievance to God, and rest in His powerful arms.
Thank you for taking the time to write such a thoughtful comment. I can see how much you care about these matters, and I value the honesty in what you shared.
I agree with much of what you said. My article was meant as a descriptive commentary on a cultural shift I see, not as a pastoral reflection or a full account of every angle. Because of that, I didn’t end it the way Collin Hansen did, even though his conclusion makes sense pastorally. My goal was to describe one thread of what is happening, not to pass judgment on it or cover every side.
That said, your note is a good reminder that readers may hear such a piece within broader narratives that shape our public life. I want to keep learning how to write in ways that are both accurate and constructive.
I may not have said everything you hoped I would, but I’m grateful for your perspective. Thank you for pressing me to think more carefully about tone and content.
I've had some time to sit in Psalm 27:3-4. I have sought the Lord, seeking to gaze upon His beauty.
I apologise if I was too harsh in my previous comment. I would still say many of the same things, but seek to be more encouraging.
You are good friends with some of my friends. I was wrecked by Charlie Kirk's shooting yesterday. I was weeping. I was horrified. My husband and I spent time in prayer for his family more than once. I am so dismayed that this young man was killed in such a vicious way. I am angry that his family were near. I have been horrified by responses on the left and the right (and everywhere in between). I am not myself today. Please forgive me if I overstepped. I am deeply shook.
One of the most helpful and encouraging things posted yesterday was this from your friend and mine, Ian Clary:
'Bless the mind deeply troubled
Of the sufferers,
The heavy loneliness of profound souls,
The restlessness of human beings,
The sorrow which no soul ever confides
To a sister soul.
And bless the passage of moths at night,
Who do not shun spectres on paths unknown.
Bless the distress of men
Who die within the hour,
Grant them, loving God, a peaceful and blessed end.
Bless all the hearts, the clouded ones, Lord, above all,
Bring healing to the sick.
To those in torture, peace.
Teach those who had to carry their beloved to the grave, to forget.
Leave none in agony of guilt on all the earth.
Bless the joyous ones, O Lord, and keep them under Your Wing.–
My mourning clothes You never yet removed.
At times my tired shoulders bear a heavy burden.
But give me strength, and I’ll bear it
In penitence to the grave.
Then bless my sleep, the sleep of all the dead.
Remember what Your Son suffered for me in agony of death.
You great mercy for all human needs
Give rest to all the dead in Your eternal peace.'
St. Edith Stein of Auschwitz, Martyr (1891-1942)
I share all of that because I desire you to know that I do deeply value your work. I read your articles on TGC Canada. I have read along with you through Augustine's Confessions in your Into Theology podcast. Many of your articles have kept me sane. But I lived in the States for a while and I see my friends. They are vulnerable and easily inflamed into anger right now. Sadly, this is now happening in my circles here in Canada. I deeply love all of my friends. I know my Canadian friends follow and respect you. I am longing for voices of sanity where conspiracy theories and anger abound. I am longing for voices that transcend the chaos. You have done this for me in the past.
I've been reading 'The Air We Breathe' by Glen Scrivener. Just now, I was in chapter 5 on the Enlightenment. In regards to the Crusades and the Inquisition, Scrivener talks about the necessity to both: a) Bust Myths and b) Own What's Crooked. I think this is what our world needs right now, that both/and approach.
One note on Iryna: I'm a woman. I see she is Ukrainian. And I hate that she had to leave her own dear country. I didn't know her. My sister provided a temporary home to a Ukrainian woman and her children (separated from their husband and father, who had to remain and fight). I am really distressed by what has happened in that country. And while I don't know what Iryna's thoughts would have been, I wonder if she would rather her legacy be one where more help is given to her country, so that women like her can live peacefully in their homeland.
May God continue to bless and keep your family. My family is praying for yours. We have been blessed by you.
Glen Scrivener's video on Charlie Kirk was very helpful. He expresses well the agony of Charlie's death. I hope it will bless you too.
Very thoughtful, well-worded, and interesting article, Wyatt. Thank you.
Good post, and timely, thank you.
Thank you for sharing on this delicate topic.
Stephen McAlpine accurately notes as he wrote in his Substack today, “ We have bred and nurtured a cohort of people who hate everything that the West stands for even while the suckle at its teat. Born into a world in which they are told to spot a micro-aggression at 20 feet, they think nothing of screaming hatred to Jews in the streets, or shouting abuse at Charlie Kirk on campuses. Are our halls of learning proud of these folk? Will they have any legacy other than their hatred to hand on to the next generation?”
It sadly demonstrates the doctrine of original sin and what fallen man is truly capable of.
It confirms the truth of scripture: (McAlpine quoted this)
“But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God” (2 Timothy 3:1–4, ESV)
May we seek the Lord and His wisdom and comfort during this time. Jesus is our only hope and peace. Eph. 2:14.🙏🇺🇸
I am quite dismayed by how you have approached this topic. You do raise some important points. However, having read and listened to much from you in the past, this article was a shock to me. I really respect you. Collin Hansen wrote an article ‘Where is King Jesus When Violence Reigns’, and it’s the kind of article I would have normally expected from you.
Decarlos Brown had a long history with mental health issues. He was homeless. His mother and sister gave their heart and souls to try and get help for him, and they were utterly ignored. Furthermore, the courts failed to keep him imprisoned, when he was clearly a danger to himself and others.
I went to TBS. I lived in Allen Gardens at Jarvis and Gerrard in Toronto. We ministered to and loved the homeless. Many of them were gentle. Some of them were unpredictable and violent. I loved them and had compassion on them, even if I was terrified of some of them. For a while, one of them lived on the front porch of my house and my room was on the main floor, just a few steps from where he slept. We often bought food for these precious, broken souls.
One day, when I was working in the office, a man nearly kicked down the door, threatening to kill me. He didn’t succeed to get in that door, but he did manage to get through another door and caught one of my friends and threatened to kill her. He was desperate for drugs and wanted money. Thankfully, where she was, there were others to stop him, and she was safe. But what if he had managed to get to me, and what if he had killed me? I was terrified. There was a large crack in the door. He was so close. He was so angry. What if he killed me, a white girl? Would I want the news to report that this was a racially motivated crime? Even if he did say: ‘I just killed that white girl?’ No! I would want his mental health issues and his addiction to drugs to be reported. I would want a light shone on how much we need to find more ways to help the homeless community and those who struggle with severe mental health issues. I would never want my death to spur on the racial divide.
I have dear loved ones who have kids who struggle with behavioural issues. They seek all the help they can get, and there is no help. They are alone. Not even the church helps. They are desperate to help their children. They are afraid of what their children could do. And no one listens. Let’s talk about that too. Please read about what his mother and sister say.
There is absolutely a way to talk about partiality. But we need to do so carefully in such a racially charged environment. I am deeply grieved by all the white grievance against immigration, and crimes against whites. We have no idea. We are so ignorant of how bad life is for some people. My husband is Cambodian. He is a refugee. He wasn’t born in his own country. Why? Because Pol Pot slaughtered his own people. My husband was born in a refugee camp in Thailand. Pol Pot slaughtered my husband’s family. On his mother’s side, they are all dead, and she is the only one who survived. But she is forever marked by these autrocities in a way I will never fully comprehend.
I dare not ever overstate any ways in which I have been victimized in light of what my husband and his family have been through. And most of what I have been through has been at the hands of white men (a pastor killed my best friend; a white man sexually assaulted me when I was very young). And honestly, my identity is in Christ, not in any way in which I have been a victim. Let us all press into that. Part of my identity in Christ demands a cost: that I forgive as Jesus has forgiven me.
Yes, we do need to seek equality. The far left did start to try to make victims more equal than others. That is not the right response, and as Christians, we can compassionately engage that. But we must not stir up more racial antagonism. As Christians, we must be marked by love for the nations, with no partiality. Sadly, the far right is embracing White Nationalism at spectacular speed. I’m scared.
Why haven’t you spoken about the vibe shift in a fuller way – looking at it from both angles? There are now fascist ‘fight clubs’ in Ontario training young men for a ‘race war’. Or how about the terrorist attempt by fascist military members in Quebec? We must not be partial. We must look at it from both sides. We must also heed the warning in 1 Timothy 1:4f and not devote ourselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith. The aim of our charge should be love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. We want to aim for unity, not division. We must be careful that the things we address are factual and not conspiracy theory (such as the ‘white genocide’ made popular by a figure such as Elon Musk). I continue to watch that story for any kind of validity, but so far I have not found any. If it is true, then we must address it. But we must be ever so cautious not to promote myths.
I was incredibly blessed by Collin Hansen’s article. He ended his article with this: “Nothing is more antithetical to our political climate today than forgiveness. Grievance births grievance. Enemies avenge enemies. Few listen for the voice of the crucified Jew who preached that the meek will inherit the earth, that peacemakers will be called God’s sons
And yet, Jesus lives. Resurrected and ascended, he speaks in his Word. Through us, he attests to his loving and patient authority over all things—when we protest injustice, when we bear the sword of justice, when we forgive rather than avenge.”
May we all double down on our commitment to forgiveness. May all of us learn to give our grievance to God, and rest in His powerful arms.
Hi Lynette,
Thank you for taking the time to write such a thoughtful comment. I can see how much you care about these matters, and I value the honesty in what you shared.
I agree with much of what you said. My article was meant as a descriptive commentary on a cultural shift I see, not as a pastoral reflection or a full account of every angle. Because of that, I didn’t end it the way Collin Hansen did, even though his conclusion makes sense pastorally. My goal was to describe one thread of what is happening, not to pass judgment on it or cover every side.
That said, your note is a good reminder that readers may hear such a piece within broader narratives that shape our public life. I want to keep learning how to write in ways that are both accurate and constructive.
I may not have said everything you hoped I would, but I’m grateful for your perspective. Thank you for pressing me to think more carefully about tone and content.
I've had some time to sit in Psalm 27:3-4. I have sought the Lord, seeking to gaze upon His beauty.
I apologise if I was too harsh in my previous comment. I would still say many of the same things, but seek to be more encouraging.
You are good friends with some of my friends. I was wrecked by Charlie Kirk's shooting yesterday. I was weeping. I was horrified. My husband and I spent time in prayer for his family more than once. I am so dismayed that this young man was killed in such a vicious way. I am angry that his family were near. I have been horrified by responses on the left and the right (and everywhere in between). I am not myself today. Please forgive me if I overstepped. I am deeply shook.
One of the most helpful and encouraging things posted yesterday was this from your friend and mine, Ian Clary:
'Bless the mind deeply troubled
Of the sufferers,
The heavy loneliness of profound souls,
The restlessness of human beings,
The sorrow which no soul ever confides
To a sister soul.
And bless the passage of moths at night,
Who do not shun spectres on paths unknown.
Bless the distress of men
Who die within the hour,
Grant them, loving God, a peaceful and blessed end.
Bless all the hearts, the clouded ones, Lord, above all,
Bring healing to the sick.
To those in torture, peace.
Teach those who had to carry their beloved to the grave, to forget.
Leave none in agony of guilt on all the earth.
Bless the joyous ones, O Lord, and keep them under Your Wing.–
My mourning clothes You never yet removed.
At times my tired shoulders bear a heavy burden.
But give me strength, and I’ll bear it
In penitence to the grave.
Then bless my sleep, the sleep of all the dead.
Remember what Your Son suffered for me in agony of death.
You great mercy for all human needs
Give rest to all the dead in Your eternal peace.'
St. Edith Stein of Auschwitz, Martyr (1891-1942)
I share all of that because I desire you to know that I do deeply value your work. I read your articles on TGC Canada. I have read along with you through Augustine's Confessions in your Into Theology podcast. Many of your articles have kept me sane. But I lived in the States for a while and I see my friends. They are vulnerable and easily inflamed into anger right now. Sadly, this is now happening in my circles here in Canada. I deeply love all of my friends. I know my Canadian friends follow and respect you. I am longing for voices of sanity where conspiracy theories and anger abound. I am longing for voices that transcend the chaos. You have done this for me in the past.
I've been reading 'The Air We Breathe' by Glen Scrivener. Just now, I was in chapter 5 on the Enlightenment. In regards to the Crusades and the Inquisition, Scrivener talks about the necessity to both: a) Bust Myths and b) Own What's Crooked. I think this is what our world needs right now, that both/and approach.
One note on Iryna: I'm a woman. I see she is Ukrainian. And I hate that she had to leave her own dear country. I didn't know her. My sister provided a temporary home to a Ukrainian woman and her children (separated from their husband and father, who had to remain and fight). I am really distressed by what has happened in that country. And while I don't know what Iryna's thoughts would have been, I wonder if she would rather her legacy be one where more help is given to her country, so that women like her can live peacefully in their homeland.
May God continue to bless and keep your family. My family is praying for yours. We have been blessed by you.
Glen Scrivener's video on Charlie Kirk was very helpful. He expresses well the agony of Charlie's death. I hope it will bless you too.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFyYaXEmB9g