My heart has been broken over the last few months. I'm feeling shaken. The world is changing so quickly. I'm afraid of what kind of world my daughter will have to live in.
When Melissa Hortman was killed by Vance Boelter, Senator Mike Lee posted: "This is what happens when Marxists don't get their way" before motive had been divulged. Conspiracy theories abounded, and the truth was distorted. I am not pro-abortion, but I was dismayed by this response, and dismayed by how many people grasped onto it. In the end, Boelter was found to be a far-right anti-abortion activist. Those in the anti-abortion camp should have been immediately condemning this kind of killing. Sadly, I personally didn't see very much of that. I feel sick over this. I desperately don't want the world to assume that all of us who are anti-abortion are radicals and violent extremists.
I've also been dismayed at what we call 'left' or 'right', failing to grasp that life is often not that simple. The Minnesota school shooter, Robert Westman, was transgender and hated religion, but also held some far-right ideologies and was deeply influenced by far-right school shooters. The world is very complex, and getting more and more complex everyday. Our categories are getting messy. We are trying to be hyper-polarized but we are failing to recognize that these categories are shifting.
Finally, I recognize everyone has different sets of friends. Sadly, for me, the scary embrace of violence is mostly on the 'right' in my social media. I don't have a whole lot of friends on the left (or at least friends on the left who post a lot). After Charlie Kirk was pronounced dead, one of my Christian friends said: "What will you do with your anger?" I hoped all things, and clicked, expecting to see her proclaim that vengeance is the Lord's, or remind her friends that we are called to bless and not curse. I was devastated to find that she was instead inciting her friend group to revenge. My heart is broken. For her. For others who might listen to her. For the failure to submit to God more than seek her own way. I pray urgently for her. I hope she will count the cost. I also grieve with her. I know she really appreciated Charlie Kirk.
I grew up in a Christian home. I am a pastor's kid. A seminary professor's kid. A seminary professor's granddaughter. I have always been surrounded by seminary students and pastors. My particular experience of violence has been committed by conservative Christians. Too many times by those who hold a position of power. Abuse, child predations, rape, murder. I have seen all of these up close and personal, and they were committed by those on the conservative end. I continue to love God, and seek to be an orthodox Christian despite these things. But I know others who have either embraced a more liberal Christianity, or left Christianity altogether because they also were inundated by such awful crimes in the 'name of God'. I earnestly seek to separate the actions of sinful people from the will of my good God.
I have clung to the example of women like Elisabeth Elliott and Corrie Ten Boom. I am desperately trying to press into the heart of God, and continue to live a life of grace, loving of my enemies, and forgiveness. I read Tim Keller's book on forgiveness five times last year! I am fragile, but seeking desperately to live according to God's word. However, these past few months have shaken me, when so many leaders in Christian circles are abandoning rule of law, grace, loving of enemies and forgiveness. It's been very trying. I've been tempted to hopelessness due to what is happening in my own 'camp'. I have also fought the temptation to vengeance in my own heart. I need help from my leaders to press into what God wills, to bless and not curse.
A lot of women in my FEB church read the book "But He Said He Is A Christian" by Rebecca K. Tan. I continue to be approached, and hear dreadful horror stores of the abuse Christian men commit against women in dating relationships and marriage. Many hide their stories and are deeply ashamed. They only share when they feel safe and heard. I don't know if I can bear to hear one more story! Why won't this stop! My heart is filled with grief and anger over what is happening in our churches. I've been abused by women too, so please don't hear this as an indictment just against men.
My life is lived on the 'right'. We sadly have much to examine and repent from on the 'right'. I hope we will all ask God to search our hearts, and know us, see if there are any grievous ways in us, and lead us in the way everlasting. (Ps 139:23f). I pray for revival in the church. I pray that the Holy Spirit will quicken us, and help us to see right. I personally pray for more OT professors like David Barker who can teach well about justice, suffering well, living wisely and condemning violence. Lord, have mercy.
Agree with your insight. I think it’s imperative to have a robust definition of Justice, in the NT sense, as not just judicial but moral (Justice and righteousness being expressed by one Greek NT word). So, courageously loving justice means representing the full range of what it means to be pleasing to God and not merely supporting generic or widely acceptable goodness. Courageously loving justice means opposing much of the way secularly accepted lifestyles permit. Courageously loving justice is what got Charlie Kirk killed. Is this what you mean by attaching the word courageous to justice?
Pretty much. I was thinking along the lines of the cardinal virtues. So justice is a real thing we must pursue because God is Just. And it takes courage to do the right thing. Love is how you are drawn to justice. So yes, I really just mean doing good works because God saved us for good works (Eph 2:10).
Thank you for this!
My heart has been broken over the last few months. I'm feeling shaken. The world is changing so quickly. I'm afraid of what kind of world my daughter will have to live in.
When Melissa Hortman was killed by Vance Boelter, Senator Mike Lee posted: "This is what happens when Marxists don't get their way" before motive had been divulged. Conspiracy theories abounded, and the truth was distorted. I am not pro-abortion, but I was dismayed by this response, and dismayed by how many people grasped onto it. In the end, Boelter was found to be a far-right anti-abortion activist. Those in the anti-abortion camp should have been immediately condemning this kind of killing. Sadly, I personally didn't see very much of that. I feel sick over this. I desperately don't want the world to assume that all of us who are anti-abortion are radicals and violent extremists.
I've also been dismayed at what we call 'left' or 'right', failing to grasp that life is often not that simple. The Minnesota school shooter, Robert Westman, was transgender and hated religion, but also held some far-right ideologies and was deeply influenced by far-right school shooters. The world is very complex, and getting more and more complex everyday. Our categories are getting messy. We are trying to be hyper-polarized but we are failing to recognize that these categories are shifting.
Finally, I recognize everyone has different sets of friends. Sadly, for me, the scary embrace of violence is mostly on the 'right' in my social media. I don't have a whole lot of friends on the left (or at least friends on the left who post a lot). After Charlie Kirk was pronounced dead, one of my Christian friends said: "What will you do with your anger?" I hoped all things, and clicked, expecting to see her proclaim that vengeance is the Lord's, or remind her friends that we are called to bless and not curse. I was devastated to find that she was instead inciting her friend group to revenge. My heart is broken. For her. For others who might listen to her. For the failure to submit to God more than seek her own way. I pray urgently for her. I hope she will count the cost. I also grieve with her. I know she really appreciated Charlie Kirk.
I grew up in a Christian home. I am a pastor's kid. A seminary professor's kid. A seminary professor's granddaughter. I have always been surrounded by seminary students and pastors. My particular experience of violence has been committed by conservative Christians. Too many times by those who hold a position of power. Abuse, child predations, rape, murder. I have seen all of these up close and personal, and they were committed by those on the conservative end. I continue to love God, and seek to be an orthodox Christian despite these things. But I know others who have either embraced a more liberal Christianity, or left Christianity altogether because they also were inundated by such awful crimes in the 'name of God'. I earnestly seek to separate the actions of sinful people from the will of my good God.
I have clung to the example of women like Elisabeth Elliott and Corrie Ten Boom. I am desperately trying to press into the heart of God, and continue to live a life of grace, loving of my enemies, and forgiveness. I read Tim Keller's book on forgiveness five times last year! I am fragile, but seeking desperately to live according to God's word. However, these past few months have shaken me, when so many leaders in Christian circles are abandoning rule of law, grace, loving of enemies and forgiveness. It's been very trying. I've been tempted to hopelessness due to what is happening in my own 'camp'. I have also fought the temptation to vengeance in my own heart. I need help from my leaders to press into what God wills, to bless and not curse.
A lot of women in my FEB church read the book "But He Said He Is A Christian" by Rebecca K. Tan. I continue to be approached, and hear dreadful horror stores of the abuse Christian men commit against women in dating relationships and marriage. Many hide their stories and are deeply ashamed. They only share when they feel safe and heard. I don't know if I can bear to hear one more story! Why won't this stop! My heart is filled with grief and anger over what is happening in our churches. I've been abused by women too, so please don't hear this as an indictment just against men.
My life is lived on the 'right'. We sadly have much to examine and repent from on the 'right'. I hope we will all ask God to search our hearts, and know us, see if there are any grievous ways in us, and lead us in the way everlasting. (Ps 139:23f). I pray for revival in the church. I pray that the Holy Spirit will quicken us, and help us to see right. I personally pray for more OT professors like David Barker who can teach well about justice, suffering well, living wisely and condemning violence. Lord, have mercy.
I feel even more uncertain for Canada than for the US. Consider that Canada does not have a Charlie Kirk.
Agree with your insight. I think it’s imperative to have a robust definition of Justice, in the NT sense, as not just judicial but moral (Justice and righteousness being expressed by one Greek NT word). So, courageously loving justice means representing the full range of what it means to be pleasing to God and not merely supporting generic or widely acceptable goodness. Courageously loving justice means opposing much of the way secularly accepted lifestyles permit. Courageously loving justice is what got Charlie Kirk killed. Is this what you mean by attaching the word courageous to justice?
Pretty much. I was thinking along the lines of the cardinal virtues. So justice is a real thing we must pursue because God is Just. And it takes courage to do the right thing. Love is how you are drawn to justice. So yes, I really just mean doing good works because God saved us for good works (Eph 2:10).