Detecting Tyranny

Can you make a case for a stuck pendulum?

Whether a pastor or a counselor, you likely have concerns about the direction of our culture. If a woke tyranny is here to stay, that would impact our discipleship in the local church. As for counseling, it will definitely affect licensure and practice for Christian therapists.

Many are asking, “When’s that pendulum going to swing back?”

At the start of June, I posted links to a great article by Abigail Shrier regarding the culture shift toward Trans ideology. According to her, the pendulum is most definitely stuck. Last week, I read another article which proves her point. It seems stuck in the progressive position a few more generations. Yes, generations!

But today, another article gives hope. Some giants of the academy are joining forces to stand up against the transgender terrorists who dox and cancel all unfavorable reason and research.

So, is it stuck or not?

A steady diet of articles from the internet can simply jerk our heads back and forth like spotting the spectacles of car accidents on the interstate. We need to exit the information highway and become readers of books to better gauge the present pendulum shifts.

A friend from Europe recommended On Tryanny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century by Yale history professor Timothy Snyder. Though it sounds intimidating, it actually is a short and easy read. 

Published in 2017, Snyder scans the history of the previous century to look for the symptoms and signals which accompanied the rise of Nazism and Communism. It is not until later in the book that you realize he is writing furiously to warn us of what he saw in the character and tactics of then President Trump. Some of his points are spot on. Some seem a stretch.

But if the same book were to be written in 2023, it could easily take aim at the rising tyranny of Wokeism. Just to clarify, being woke is not necessarily bad. We should always have eyes that see the injustices or social inequities of life. But when it evolves into an ideology and takes on characteristics of fascism, then we are going to have problems.

For the next two articles, we will discuss a few of the 20 lessons cited by Snyder which seem to apply most directly.

Take note: I’d love this to be a conversation! So for the first time, I am allowing free subscribers access to the comment section.

Here are the first three of Snyder’s lessons. The words in italics are direct quotes from his chapter summaries for each point. Then I add my own thoughts about how this applies. Note the questions I ask and let them guide our discussion in the comments.

Defend institutions: It is institutions that help preserve decency. They need our help as well. Do not speak of “our institutions” unless you make them yours by acting on their behalf. Institutions do not protect themselves. They fall one after the other unless each is defended from the beginning. So choose an institution you care about—a court, a newspaper, a law, a labor union—and take its side.

The more polarized we’ve become, the greater our distrust in our government and many other institutions. Covid, of course, accelerated this decline.

Most denominations have been dwindling for years. Infighting over LGBT issues has hastened their institutional demise. My own denomination, the United Methodist Church, just split over a variety of issues, including transgenderism. Some local churches who have disaffiliated are reluctant to align with any denomination. Trust in ecclesiastical hierarchy is just about nil.

Private higher education has also been waning. Demographics, economics, and Wokeism have all combined to weaken Christian Colleges in particular. For a variety of reasons, 18 different Christian colleges and universities have folded since Covid, the most recent being Alliance University (formerly Nyack College). Even the Free Methodist Church, one of the most conservative and tightly knit of denominations, has a school under assault from social justice warriors.

Fascism attempts to cripple all institutions which don’t fall in line. To what degree do you see Wokeism as attacking our institutions? And which institutions do you feel you can personally defend or support?

Take responsibility for the face of the world. The symbols of today enable the reality of tomorrow. Notice the swastikas and the other signs of hate. Do not look away, and do not get used to them. Remove them yourself and set an example for others to do so.

Snyder makes his case by referring to the everyday Germans who became numb to the swastikas, even sporting them as lapel pins to fit in. But the next symbol was the yellow star the Jews were forced to wear. One symbol won enough allegiance to make room for the next.

Though it is vastly different than the Nazi swastika, the current symbol of Wokeism is the Pride flag. I believe that for many, the flags and bumper stickers are simply displayed out of love and loyalty for children or friends who have come out. However, some doubtless sport the flag because they are on a mission to spread their ideology.

And they are everywhere, especially in June. Our hospital flies the flag often, and some companies decorate employee breakrooms during June. So far there are now at least 32 different styles of flags, each one representing different genders, orientations, or behaviors.

This particular flag positioned at the White House is called the Progress Pride Flag.

So what is a responsible, Christlike way to apply Snyder’s lesson on taking responsibility for the face of the world? No, we don’t start tearing down the flags of others. Nor should we start a war of symbols. But there ought to be a way of communicating that we are not all drinking the Kool-Aid.

I have my own idea. But I’d love to hear yours first in the comments below.

Stand out. Someone has to. It is easy to follow along. It can feel strange to do or say something different. But without that unease, there is no freedom. Remember Rosa Parks. The moment you set an example, the spell of the status quo is broken, and others will follow.

The article I cited above about people from the academy uniting to fight the monster is an example of this principle. Each one of them has already suffered greatly for speaking out in the past against Trans ideology. They are ones who seem to be ready to stand out once again, regardless of the price they will pay.

The United Methodist churches in our area have faced pressure tactics and threats as we have disaffiliated. One of my colleagues was kicked out of his parsonage while his kids were still in school. But overall, we have certainly suffered much less than other parts of the US. In order to stand out, millions of dollars are being exacted across the country. For some, the only resort has been taking the UMC to court. Standing out has a price.

What stories have you heard of people who have stood out against Trans ideology?

Standing out for some might mean losing their livelihood as they object to the practices being forced upon them. When do you think it is right to risk it all in order to be heard? And when is it best to simply look the other way?

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