I always find it interesting, and sadly amusing when I see “Man on the Street” interviews of common, everyday people, trying to answer basic questions on current events, civics or politics. The answers (or non-answers) will astound you. The same goes for surveys about Christian topics -- and the non-answers and stupified looks on the faces -- even when the surveys take place in “Christian” surroundings, like Christian college campuses, Christian music festivals, and the like -- are even more shocking.
It seems that most people are largely tuned out when it comes to the important matters of our day. Others, who truly want to know what is going on, have a difficult time getting to the truth, because real, truthful answers are hard to come by these days.
Yet, we all still develop our personal “worldview,” a standard and philosophy of beliefs, on which we base our personal morals, and the foundation from which we make all our decisions. Personal worldviews can be changed, by careful manipulation and repetitive exposure to information, even -- and often ESPECIALLY -- when that information is false.
This is what is taking place in our world today. Sadly, most people don’t really care about serious things. Current events that matter to most people include anything that will affect their family, their pocketbook, their vacation plans, their weekend plans. Things like the war in Israel or terrorist agents flooding into our Southern border at the invitation of our president seem to carry little to no weight. If it doesn’t affect us today, here and now, if it doesn’t change our plans for the weekend, then it just doesn’t matter to most of us. Let’s be honest.
We live in a country that is, so far, largely free from terror. We can’t empathize with the Israelis, because we don’t have bombs raining down on us day and night. We have no idea what it’s like to hear the sirens go off, and to have to retreat to our bomb shelters every couple hours, in fear for our lives and those we love.
Likewise, we may have heard something about illegal immigrants, but most of us don’t really understand the magnitude of the problem. We are so insulated in our own little bubbles that it is simply inconcievable that our government would do anything to bring harm on our nation... whether deliberately or by negligence and incompetence. When warnings go out that Islamic terrorists are sweeping into the country through Mexico, unhindered -- and usually AIDED -- by those we trust our security to, most of us scoff at the idea.
We have such high opinions of ourselves, we can’t comprehend that there are madmen in the world who want to kill us. “Kill us?!” you scoff... “Why would anyone want to kill us? We haven’t done anything to anyone! How absurd.” Well, yes, it IS absurd but that doesn’t change the price of beans. The practitioners of the “Religion of Peace” have stated they want to convert us all to Islam, institute Sharia Law in our country, and if we resist, then it is their DUTY to put us all to death. Yes, that means YOU, Joe Sixpack, in front of your TV, happily oblivious to real life. No, you’re not harming anyone. You wouldn’t even think of perpetrating violence on anyone. Doesn’t matter. You’re an American, and so you qualify. Do you care now? No, of course not. If such a thing were to ever happen -- and you don’t really believe it will -- then there’s nothing you can do about it anyway, so why trouble yourself?
That is the attitude so many Americans have... about everything. And that is precisely what those who would nullify our Constitution and fundamentally change our nation are counting on.
Do you follow ANY news? If so, chances are it is through the mainstream media. Whether you want to believe it or not, the mainstream press in our country shapes and molds minds and worldviews. The media is extremely powerful. Even to those who do not pay regular attention to the news. They’ve learned how to spoon feed us sound bytes, via television, radio, and the internet. What’s more, all the liberal bias in the mainstream press is echoed from the hilltops by our government leaders, and more importantly and effectively, by our Hollywood heroes.
We have now had more than forty years of legal baby killing in America. At one time, it was a broadly accepted method of “birth control.” We didn’t know any better. But over time, as technology improved, we can now observe not only the unborn baby’s heartbeat, but also actually view him in the womb, as he grows and matures. As knowledge increased, and people came to understand that it isn’t just a clump of cells, it isn’t just a blob of tissue -- but it is a real LIVE, human baby -- support for abortion has dropped. Many now understand that to “terminate” a pregnancy in this way, is nothing short of premeditated murder of the helpless infant.
Yet there are still those people out there who support this barbarism. Some are more radical about it than others, having no problem whatsoever with abortion in all stages of pregnancy -- no problem with even partial birth abortion or even post-birth killing of live babies! Their worldview allows no room for discussion on the matter, and certainly there is no compassion for the child, whose body is ripped apart, torn limb from limb, then poisoned and chemically burned alive. All that matters to them is the convenience and happiness of the so-called “mother” -- or should we say “non-mother.”
How can people be so heartless, so crass? It’s their worldview. They believe what they have been taught. They’ve been taught well by the mainstream press, which has always been pro-abortion. The message of the press is augmented by similar messages in elementary school, middle school, high school, and then the conscience is often seared for good when they reach college. If this isn’t enough, the message is reinforced by their entertainment idols... the movie stars, the music stars, the sports figures they follow... they all believe and preach the same liberal message, so it MUST be right. Then along comes a president who praises the likes of Planned Parenthood, while at the same time persecuting and prosecuting those who stand for life. Consider what our government has done to Hobby Lobby!
“Well, surely those Hobby Lobby people are neanderthals. Right wing, conservative, chauvinistic, racist, haters!” What other conclusion could one come up with, having gotten all their information upon which they have based their worldview from the mainstream media, the liberal schools and colleges, and Hollywood?
THIS, my friends, is how the battle for hearts and minds is waged and won. Now, I’ve laid a great deal of blame on the mainstream media here. I’ve done so because they are very powerful... but what about CHRISTIAN media? If mainstream media is so powerful, then why is it that Christian media, ostensibly operated by the grace of God and for His kingdom purposes, at the service of the very Creator of the universe, is so utterly powerless?
The fact is, we are not powerless. Christian media is doing a very good job at educating our readers, listeners and viewers on the important matters in our world today. But... 1) many Christians are just like the world: they don’t care, and therefore, don’t pay attention. 2) we do not have the mainstream press to augment our message. Nor do we have the public schools, TV, movie, music and sports celebrities to indoctrinate the populace. And 3) 99.9999999 times out of 100, we don’t have the support of Christian pastors, leaders or churches either.
And THAT, my friends, is our biggest problem. Pastors don’t want to preach on the most important issues of our day. In fact, they seem to be increasingly cowardly and fearful of even the very idea of preaching on sin -- of any kind. When Christian organizations then rise up to take on these most important tasks, are the pastors grateful now, that at least they don’t have to deal with the subject? On the contrary, once again, 99.9999999 times out of 100, they DENOUNCE these ministries! Not only do they not support and help them; they actually view them as being in poor taste, and declare them “not something we want to associate with.”
But knowledge and information is powerful. Look at the effectiveness of one ministry alone: Missionaries to the Preborn. When they began in 1990, the city of Milwaukee had 8 abortion clinics. Today, six of the eight have closed down, and abortion has dropped by over 50% in Wisconsin. When people learned the truth about abortion, they changed their opinions, their worldviews. Those who had previously been in favor of abortion, or those who did not know what to think on the matter, once educated and taught what this heinous crime is all about, changed their minds and hearts. They REPENTED.
But the Missionaries to the Preborn have toiled in their work these many years, fighting an uphill battle all the way. Because they have received very little, if any, support from other pastors and churches. Most not only don’t support them, they don’t even like them! As a result, this ministry, like so many others that hope to effect positive change in our country, have had to do an end-run around the churches, reaching Christians OUTSIDE of the church, on their own. NO support -- and certainly no endorsement or blessing from Christian leaders.
We are not going to turn back the clock on the indoctrination our kids get in public schools and colleges. That ship has sailed. Our only hope is to bring good Godly education to them OUTSIDE of these schools. Sadly, the same is true with our churches. Those who have been charged with nurturing, leading and teaching the sheep have abdicated their responsibility, preferring instead to preach on things that will soothe the soul and calm the conscience. Such distasteful things as abortion, same-sex marriage, drinking, drugs... these things are offensive. “And anyway,” says the Cool Blue Jeans Spiky Hair, Sneaker-Wearing Pastor, “people want to hear about God’s love for them... they get enough negativity in the real world. We’re not here to judge them, but to love them.”
And so the result is a nation where 83% claim to be Christians but almost none of them have any idea what that’s all about. Nor do they have any idea what to think on the important matters of the day. In just the past six years, here in Wisconsin, popular opinion has seen a dramatic shift, away from the idea of one-man/one-woman traditional marriage, to the point where now the concept of “Marriage Equality” looks more reasonable. And still our pastors and church leaders are mute. Completely refusing to even address the issue...or for that matter, any issue of real importance.
What do they do instead? Well, a few blocks away from my office there is a church with a large billboard outside advertising their upcoming “End of Summer Bash.” What will that include? “Food, games, inflatables, cotton candy and snow cones.”
Is it any wonder kids walk away from their supposed “faith” when they leave high school? Is it any wonder Christians in America today seem so utterly POWERLESS to affect any positive change, as the evil powers that be steamroll right over us... to the point where we now readily call what is evil “good,” and what is good “evil.”
“PASTOR, LISTEN UP: YOUR POOR SHEEP ARE LOST! They don’t know what to think. You have not taught them. They don’t read God’s Word at home either... why should they? You don’t expect it of them! You don’t expect anything of them. They CRY OUT to be challenged. They cry out to be taught. And you, instead, offer them a snow cone.”
Friends, many of us in Christian media work day and night to educate and bring truth to the most important topics of the day. We exhort and encourage true Christians to stand up for the truth, to be salt and light in a dead and dying culture. Parachurch ministries sacrifice and toil in thankless occupations, trying to teach the apathetic who don’t want to learn, and if that’s not bad enough, the very ones God has placed in charge of leading the flock have chosen instead to entertain the flock, tickle their ears and entice them with candy. I don’t know what more I can say. God help us.
