I believe that among the many losses that can be enumerated (civility, rights, freedoms, relationships…) since the dreaded Coronavirus was introduced into our world and into common parlance, I would add the human capacity to look at matters with the proper perspective. To ensure that I am not guilty of the failure I am projecting onto others, I know that this phenomenon has long been common among unbelievers so it is not a new revelation. What is new is how I have seen this tendency spread like a virus throughout the Christian church.
I have long been sounding the alarm about how the secular left that has been ensnaring our culture into a perverted understanding of Christianity and consequently morality, truth, and reality itself. It was long understood that Christianity and “the enlightenment” were co-responsible for the civil and moral foundations upon which western society thrived. A concerted effort has long been in the works to scrub and vilify Christianity as a corrupting and dangerous influence. They now insist that enlightenment thinking ultimately led to the demise of Christian influence and the baggage of superstition and antiquated principles. Instead, it is self-evident that the purging of Christianity completely eroded morality, truth, and reality itself.
It is only a godless and irrational people that can celebrate the killing of the preborn, claim that looking at everything through the lens of race overcomes racism, or that men can have periods because one’s emotional state can change reality. This nonsense was destroyed by common sense when Ben Shapiro addressed the story of a “couple” reported by the media as a man giving birth to a baby – as the “couple” consisted of a biological male and a self-identified male. Shapiro remarked, “This just in. Biological woman gives birth to a baby.”
It was as simple to refute as this modern-day version of “The Emperor’s New Clothes”. The problem is that Christians have become so acclimatized to arguing from the starting premise of the godless left – no matter how absurd their claims may be. This is why the people who are the representatives on earth of the perfect love of God twist themselves into pretzels to convince those who hate us that we are not haters for not endorsing their sin.
Under Covid, however, we are in even more troubling territory. We are now in a situation where fellow believers are projecting the false narratives to attack fellow believers in the fold. This leads them to look upon those holding to some of the harder teachings of the Bible as pessimists for doing so. Many times, I have had this charge leveled against me. Based on what I am hearing, this comes from a false premise based on a lost perspective about biblical teaching.
I am not claiming is that those who reject the evidence for what I and those in my new inner circle are seeing have no basis to consider us alarmists. After all, when those around you do not see the signs you see of the looming of a promised apocalypse, then such a judgment is to be expected. After all, as I addressed in an earlier post, many of us (including me) have come to question whether those who we consider to be blind to what we are seeing are suffering from mass formation. We are witnessing two divergent sets of circumstances that contradict one another and have competing implications for what should be done. The question is whether this disparity represents a divide based on whether one is a pessimist or an optimist.
The Disney movie, “Pollyanna,” tells the story of a little girl with a capacity to always look on the bright side of all that happens through what is known as the “happiness game”. When her own circumstances and the negativity of those around her threaten to upset her sunny disposition, the town comes together restore the child’s attitude; having realized that her outlook was something to be emulated rather than squashed.
Over the years, the naiveté of the girl has become a target of derision. While I have not heard the term in a long time, being called “Pollyannaish” is generally regarded as an insult. This is because it brings to mind a denial of reality in order to keep up a façade that requires a repudiation of reality. If you will indulge me for a moment, I want to take a brief but serious look at this from a worldview perspective.
First, it should be laudable for a child to not be weighed down by fear, anxiety, distress, and other matters that should be carried by adults. This is because a child’s innocence should be protected in a way that gradually introduces the child to increasing responsibility and insight when they are ready. If achieved by indulging a child’s every desire, you do not make them happy, but create a fragile youngster who needs the world to conform to his or her desires in order to maintain equilibrium. Selfishness and a sense of entitlement are not virtues.
We also want our children to deal with pain and hardship in healthy ways. This should come from our support and example as parents. Ultimately, we want our children to learn to be resilient in a way where they do not need to pretend or be lied to in order to be content, but where they are transitioned into an emotionally healthy young person and adult prepared to confidently face adversity and blessings in a godly way. This necessitates that we possess those qualities as well in order to model what we know to be a righteous and God-honouring outlook.
Now, let’s address what this means in the context of my end of 2022 look over the past 3 years and how it relates to the topic I want to address.
1) Being optimistic through embracing a lie is neither godly nor noble. When the disciples went out to the world to preach the gospel, they did so, knowing that there was a guarantee of persecution and a high likelihood of martyrdom. Ultimately, the majority were required to offer up their lives to spread the gospel as did many who followed after. Paul similarly spent copious amounts of time being tortured, imprisoned, and ultimately beheaded for his efforts. He remained steadfast and upbeat because he knew his mission was worthy of the sacrifice; not because he denied reality. We are to have joy in all circumstances and this means embracing the good and the bad times without losing hope or falling into despair. To be convinced that persecution may well be a certainty does not make one a pessimist. In fact, anticipating that such adversity is coming and strengthening your resolve to withstand what’s coming is the hallmark of a strong constitution. Alternately, convincing yourself that the approved and generally accepted narrative works for you and not sullying yourself by possibly falling for conspiracy theories does not make you an optimist. As I covered in detail in this article, truth is the duty of all believers and given these are two contradictory options means we need to discover which is correct. This will help to unite us and, if necessary, prepare us should the time of ultimate testing be imminent.
2) Fear is a mark of a lack of peace or joy. Yes, I have been accused of being guided by fear, but I ask you to consider the following. From the outset, I wanted no part of the lockdowns, masking or social distancing. In fact, I am the only person I know who, when hearing that parents were asked to keep their children from their grandparents, I knew I would never choose safety at such a cost over survival. I see no point in extending my life in exile from those I love and I have no fear of death because I will spend eternity in heaven. I didn’t mask and, in fact, lost my church because I knew it felt unnatural and a violation of how God created us to be. I refused to wear masks in public and at my work knowing that this could lead to firing, fines, or arrest because I knew it to be wrong and I fear God, not government. I was not afraid crowding in among those who gathered in Ottawa and other similar events – without protection, social distancing or injection. I did not get injected because I trusted my God-given immune system rather than a rushed man-made attempt to improve on or over-ride what he gave me. I did not fear getting a needle. I get emotional trying to convince others of what I am certain risks the lives and health of those I love and I want them joining in standing against the evil I see coming. I get frustrated at being dismissed as a kook because they don’t want to hear what I have to say – especially knowing this means they trust the government and medical establishment over my discernment and countless individuals risking their careers, reputations and lives to warn about what they see. I’m frustrated at not reaching them and by knowing that they will not be in the foxhole with me in the coming storm.
3) Being convinced that Christ’s coming is imminent is not a pessimistic view. Holding out hope that a world in decay will mean that I will potentially see my Lord coming in all his glory to take me home is not a gloomy take. Not knowing what me and my loved one’s might face before this happens is what keeps me up at night – and certainly the plight of those who don’t know him and/or are unprepared for what is to come. Trying to impart truth and lock arms; putting on the armour of God in preparation to march into battle is not an act of despair.
Sidebar: To be absolutely clear, I am not claiming to know when Christ will return. My conviction is the result of seeing all the requisite pieces coming into place and at breakneck speed. Not only do we largely have global government that’s all powerful, promotes and actively engages in controlling and limiting the population and flow of information, tells believers whether or not they can worship and under what conditions, arresting pastors for enticing others to come to church, advocating trans-humanism under the pretense that we can live forever and be like God, are corrupting our genetic makeup, are instituting technology whereby they have the power and stated desire to control where we can travel and what can be bought or sold (sounds familiar), promoting a chip in the body to enforce these restrictions, and the confluence of evil, the quest for power, and a compliant people. This, however, is the short list.
In the parable of the 10 virgins (Matthew 25:1-13), we are advised to be prepared for Christ’s return; so, I believe it is just as foolhardy to claim to know the day and time as to become so apathetic that that day arrives and you completely missed the signs because you weren’t watching. Being prepared inspires action and the need to be attentive and engaged. Complying with authorities and assuming that they will let you know when danger arises is complacency. The signs of evil are omnipresent and were promised, yet the greatest obstacle I find with those who won’t listen to the proof is because those least deserving of trust and most clearly corrupted are not reporting on their godless and deceptive actions and intentions.
4) I am learning to live with losing those I trusted to have my six – and vice versa – in the face of potential persecution. If you are sure that persecution is coming (as it was promised to all believers), and are bracing for it as well as preparing to face it alone, I would hardly call that pessimism. Feelings of fear and hopelessness in adversity is a sign that you don’t fully trust God. This is not a guarantee of how I will fare when the real thing hits; but I do know that God has already tested me in many small ways and I have striven to stand strong in the small things. This has strengthened my faith and my resolve in ways that already prepared me for this present time.
5) God has not left me alone, but given me a new family who I am convinced will stand together with me. While my inner circle looks different from what I anticipated, it is amazing how God can galvanize and refine many through trials. I have never better understood the concepts of separating wheat from the chaff or sheep from the goats than I do now. Furthermore, it reminds me that being a sheep is not a negative since the sheep is devoted to his master and will follow wherever he leads regardless of risk. The difficulties come when sheep are being led by the wrong shepherd who will take them into danger and leave them to fend for themselves. This has been the experience of vast numbers of those who took the injections and got injured – only to be ignored by those who caused the wounding. While I’ve heard there are callous people who have ignored the pain of this demographic, insisting they brought this on themselves; nowhere in my circle of believers has such an attitude been present. The same for those who may survive the injections and wake up to the tyranny they empowered through compliance. God’s love has helped me to view all with compassion and to welcome anyone regardless of their decisions or reaction to me.
6) Finally, God has given me much reason to hope over the matter that most causes me consternation and is beautifully laid out in Psalm 1:
Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.
He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all he does, he prospers.
The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away.
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; for the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.
While I have always known this truth, God has directed me to this passage as a reminder of why we need to hope in times of testing – since God is aware of everything.
He is also the righteous judge who will deal with those who commit evil here, even if they never face an earthly judgment. It makes clear who is in charge and that failures to warn and protect those I care about will do nothing to negate God’s mercy. I am troubled by seeing the corrupt and powerful claiming so many victories in the corrupt system they created, but their victory – such as it is – will be short lived and all will stand before the judgment seat. It is my job to have an answer for myself.
In truth, I have come to see that God has been shaping me for this time so that I can set aside my human fear through a faith that has withstood the crucible of adversity. I do struggle with knowing what it means to be prepared rather than trusting that God will handle coming issues that threaten my family and friends. This is not based on fear, but my uncertainty about the details and my duty as a father, husband, and faithful Christ follower.
My pledge for 2023 is to shake the dust from my feet where I am trying to impart what I know on a disinterested audience. I will not try to impose myself on those who don’t want to hear what I have to say. No doors will be closed, but I won’t walk into spaces where I am not welcome. Perhaps this will mean I will be seen as apathetic rather than fearful. Regardless, I’ll leave the rest in God’s hands and press on.