Thoughts on Political Violence

I don't know if you've noticed lately, but it's been a little tense out there. With people, I mean. Politically. There's a lot to process. The recent assassination attempt on 45 was evil and without any merit whatsoever. It has been denounced by both sides of the political spectrum, and rightfully so. Both Republican and Democratic alike say that there is no place for political violence in our nation. The only problem regarding that sentiment, though: isn't that pretty much what the US is built upon?

When colonists came to settle the Americas - the Spanish in the 1490s, and the English in the early 1600s - they did not come in peace and unity. Native Americans were used, slaughtered, and deceived, and later corralled into reservations across the country.

When the American colonies were tired of English rule (understandably so, taxation without representation and all that), they rebelled and went to war. We literally just celebrated this a couple of weeks ago. As a nation, it's one of our proudest accomplishments.

Our nation was built and supported by the slave market. Breeding, buying, and selling human beings as little more than cattle. This is something we still haven't truly recovered from. Even after the emancipation, African Americans were viewed as 3/5 of a person, and we still struggle with the after-effects of Jim Crow laws to this day.

Fast forward to our current cultural climate, with potentially the worst two candidate options available. Out of 333.3 MILLION people, these are the two options presented. Again. And vocal critics on both sides cry out, vilify the other, and continue to shout without a willingness to listen. Both sides whip their respective camps into a frenzy of fear, blaming all of society's woes on their opponents.

Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts - a Republican leader attached to Project 2025 - recently stated that there is a second American Revolution on the horizon, which will remain bloodless as long as the Left allows it. Many voices in the Democratic party (and some within the Republican party) have repeatedly compared 45 to Hitler. Rhetoric like that gets airplay every day, chopped up into soundbytes, and plastered all over news channels and social media 24/7.

So while political violence should rightly be condemned, can we really complain? It's kinda what we do. It's who we are. In his letter to the Galatian church, the Apostle Paul wrote, "Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap." The US has sown violence for over 300 years; why are we so surprised when it rears its ugly head yet again?

But here's where I address my brothers and sisters in Christ: we should have no part in this. Whatsoever. Not just the violence itself, but the divisiveness. The hatred. The name-calling. The constant questioning of others' salvation because they vote differently than you. If anything, we are supposed to be setting the example of how we're supposed to behave. As Jesus is delivering the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:43-48, he says:

You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

That's a pretty heavy standard. Love your enemies. Pray for them. Show them the mercy and grace that has been shown to you. Be perfect, because our Heavenly Father is perfect (which we can't actually do, but that's a different conversation). We can't actually be perfect, but we should at least make an attempt.

In his book Strength to Love, Martin Luther King Jr. is applying Scripture to the Civil Rights movement, and how his listeners are to react and respond. When speaking about Jesus' command to 'love your enemies,' King writes:

Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. Hate multiplies hate, violence multiplies violence, and toughness multiplies toughness in a descending spiral of destruction. So when Jesus says “Love your enemies,” he is setting forth a profound and ultimately inescapable admonition. Have we not come to such an impasse in the modern world that we must love our enemies– or else? The chain reaction of evil–hate begetting hate, wars producing wars–must be broken, or we shall be plunged into the dark abyss of annihilation.

I don't know if we're in the dark abyss, but it sure feels close. But here's the thing: I'm not surprised by the violence. Not one bit. As a nation, we have collectively fed the beasts of hatred and violence for generations, and then moan and wail when they come back to bite us. Until a day comes when we - as a nation - can honestly mourn and repent, we will never be freed from this cycle. We will continue to reap what we continue to sow.

But we should never call ourselves a Christian nation, because we refuse to repent. A Christian who does not repent is no Christian indeed. But as a call to the Church in the US - myself included - maybe we can start with our own hearts.

Do you have people in your life that vote differently from you? Instead of fighting with them, try praying for them. Do you have people in your life that you would consider an enemy? Find ways to love them. Follow Jesus' example and sacrificially love them. What are you willing to give up to display love to those you disagree with? And if you're not willing to sacrifice, you might want to reexamine your own heart.

In Romans 5:8-10, Paul wrote, "but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life." You and I were considered enemies of the God of all Creation, and still, the Father sent the Son to reconcile us to Himself. So I have to ask again, what are you willing to lay down to love those you disagree with?

How will you choose to live?