An unchained earth, nostalgic for its star
Falling into the deep, black night
Smaller and smaller, the cold rock drifts
Against the fading of the light
Everywhere it went led it to where it did not want to be
A conscience ignored punishes like no other
The sun did not burn, it warmed
A law unto itself, the cold rock suffers
For loss of the love with which it was formed
Is there any way back once you've drifted this far?
There it goes
And there we are
Estranged from the grace which held us secure
Looking at the afterglow, evermore
I wrote these words while walking home from work in mid-2021. The streets of Brussels were glowing with the warmth of sunshine after a long, cold winter. I finished the poem while standing in front of a beautiful, old church building that I passed twice a day, every day.
Maybe it was seasonal depression owing to a desperate Vitamin D deficiency after a winter of almost zero sunshine. Maybe it was the enduring pain of a seemingly never-ending Covid lockdown. Maybe it was something else. Whatever it was, my outlook on our civilization was desperately bleak. Bleak enough to lead this ardently postmillennial Calvinist to echo the words of Nietzsche as I reflected on the state of the Western world.
I love the global West. I am a proper occidental man, and proud of it. Our culture, history, art, music, politics, and lifestyle have been rightfully envied all around the world. There was something about the West that made us who we were: Christianity. Of course, there were atrocities committed by the Western countries, no one can deny that. But these atrocities happened in spite of our Christian foundation - and that foundation caused us to change our minds about some of our most pressing evils.
And here I am today. A couple of years after I penned those words, the same malaise has set over me again. I am at a point where I truly must resist the temptation to say that our future is utterly hopeless. Is there any way back once you've drifted this far?
Yet Another Breaking Point
When exactly did we cross the cultural Rubicon? Or better yet, when exactly did we jump the proverbial shark? Obergefell v. Hodges? Roe v. Wade? First, second, third, or fourth-wave feminism? Caitlyn Jenner winning Woman of the Year?
There have been so many cultural "breaking points" that the ground beneath our feet is rightfully reaching maximum levels of shakiness. But what sent me into this spiral again?
I should have seen it coming. After a woman identifying as transgender shot her way into a Nashville Christian school and murdered six Christians, including three 9-year-olds, the media has spun this story into a tragedy - not for Christians! - but for the trans community.
AG Merrick Garland refused to entertain the idea of considering this mass murder a hate crime against Christians, and President Biden laughed off the thought of it. Meanwhile, days after the murder, the White House Press Secretary laments "anti-trans legislation" and says that their "hearts go out to the trans community." There has not been a word of condolence to the Christians who lost their Christian children to a woman who specifically killed them because they're Christians.
Every major corporation that, in just a few months, will unleash the rainbow version of their logo in solidarity with the LGBT movement, has been totally silent about the deaths of these Christians. No black square profile pictures. No hashtags. No mandatory corporate training seminars about the importance of tolerating Christian ideology. No parades. No sympathy.
All our government and major media outlets have for the Christian Church in the wake of this martyrdom is a shrug of the shoulders and a "you deserved this" attitude.
And in a move that almost proves we’re actually living in Hell, President Biden declared that Friday, five days after a trans person murdered six Christians, will be national day of transgender visibility. No call for a day of mourning or prayer for the victims. Instead, the country is called upon to celebrate the gender ideology of the killer.
What a world we live in.
Stepping Back From the Ledge
There is so much chaos and stupidity in our world. Think about how ridiculous it is that we are literally arguing as a society over what a woman is. It truly is astounding that under 2% of the population (LGBT) runs nearly everything, whereas over 30% (Evangelical Christians) is getting steamrolled over and over, often due to the fact that we just lie down and do nothing.
But hanging in my office is one of my favorite pieces of art. The Triumph of Christianity Over Paganism by Gustave Doré.
The painting speaks to something undeniable: Christ will not be overcome by anything. The forces of evil arising against the people of God today are no threat to Christ. Powerful forces have risen against us before. As Chesterton quipped, many times the Church has been thrown to the dogs, but each time it was the dogs who died.
So how do we press on in these dark days? How do we make sense in a world of senselessness? How can we keep our heads when everyone around us seems to be losing their minds?
How can we resist the seemingly invincible tidal wave of the LGBT movement and its lethal consequences?
We can resist by knowing that there really is a light at the end of this long, dark tunnel. And for as bad as everything seems today, standing above it all is the reality of the resurrected, ascended, and reigning Christ.
If there's one Bible verse God loves to quote the most, it's Psalm 110:1 -
The Lord says to my Lord:
“Sit at my right hand,
until I make your enemies your footstool.”
So whenever you see the raging of God's enemies out there in the wild, remember that their doom is inevitable. They can usher in whatever dystopian future they will, but it will all come crashing down when the King of Glory splits the sky and appears again in glory.
But more than that, know that the triumph of the gospel of Jesus Christ will not be snuffed out by any competing ideology. Jesus promised that He would build His Church, and the gates of Hell would not prevail against it. This means that no matter how big, looming, and frightening those gates appear to us, we can still stand with our backs straight, chests out, and heels dug in.
John Calvin said, "We are conquerors before we engage with the enemy, for our head Christ has once for all conquered for us the whole world."
As rainbow flags wave atop skyscrapers in our cities, remember that one day those cities will revere the cross of Christ once again. As the flood of LGBT ideology floods our classrooms, companies, government offices, armies, and doctor's offices, remember that one day knowledge of God's glory will cover the earth as waters cover the sea (Hab. 2:14). When you see the next generation running headlong into the arms of those who seek to mutilate their bodies and corrupt their minds, think of the day when the nations will come streaming to Zion to worship God's Anointed King (Micah 4:1-2).
Take a deep breath. Step back from the ledge. You're a Christian.
You are free in Christ. You're not only free from condemnation before God (Rom. 8:1), you're free from condemnation to the world. What can the world do to you? What do they have to truly threaten you with? To die is gain! Don't fear those who can destroy the body. Fear Him who can destroy the body and soul in Hell. They should be afraid - not us.
They can put us on their watchlists. They can label us as bigots or transphobes. What of it? Can the world condemn us? Do you not realize that you will one day judge angels? Do you not know that you will inherit the earth? Why then should you or I be intimidated by those who will one day be placed under the heel of Christ? Say what you believe. Do what is right. Resist the enemies of God at all costs. God will arise to vindicate you. God will find it right to repay with affliction those who afflict you. Don't be afraid. Be free. Your freedom is your witness in a world of cowards.
It might be too late for our civilization. Unless there is a massive reformation (for which we should be praying), there's no hope for us. We're doomed.
But not the Church. Not you. We will weather this storm like we've weathered the others. Hold fast to what is true. Log off Twitter for the day and go enjoy the sunshine. And do it with a beautiful woman at your side and a group of children tumbling around you. We're gonna make it.