Timothy Snyder's on How to Avoid or Resist Tyranny: His quotes with my thoughts #16

I’ve gone on a lot of trips and vacations. Two stand out in my mind. The first I’m thinking of was my second trip to England. My husband went on a plane with choir members, going to Avon, and then Cambridge to sing. I went several hours later on a plane to a different airport in England and went the next day by coach to Avon. (the trains were down one day a week although I can’t remember which day.) We met there; I went to their concert in an ancient church. He attended a play with me, fell asleep during it and then left with the choir for Cambridge the next morning. I went by train to Oxford, spent hours in Blackwells’ bookstore, went to service at King’s College, walked to the Inkling’s favorite pub hoping to see it a second time. They were closed. We met again and went together to Wales. One of the joys of this trip was traveling by myself and finding out I could do well by myself. 

 The second trip was a trip together by car across the United States visiting a daughter and her family and some of our friends. That meant, first an old friend from school in Pattonsburg Missouri, our daughter in Chicago: her husband was attending Trinity Evangelical Divinity School; Grand Rapids to visit one of my husband’s best piano tuner apprentices and back through West Yellowstone to visit two pastors, a husband and wife. The wife had encouraged my husband in leading Bible studies which he did until Alzheimer’s made it impossible. That was probably my favorite vacation, no cares just joy. (Well, okay there was that almost tornado.) 

I’m writing all of these memories after reading Timothy Synder’s 16 chapter in his book, On Tyranny. He writes: 

“Learn From Peers in Other countries: 

“Keep up your friendships abroad, or make new friends in other countries. The present difficulties in the United States are an element of a larger trend. And no country is going to find a solution by itself. Make sure you and your family have passports.” 

I admit I really haven’t kept up my friendships abroad. And at my age, 84, I doubt if I will need a passport, but I think it’s a good idea for many. I have relatives that are using theirs for identification which is also a good idea. (I do know God surprises us sometimes with the future.) 

 One thing Snyder is reminding the reader of is the turn toward the extreme right in several countries. Remember both communism and fascism is some of Synder’s academic expertise, as well as the history of all of those movements in Europe including Russia and the Baltics as will as Ukraine. 

 For those who don’t want to hear this I will quote Synder anyway: 

“The fact that most Americans do not have passports has become a problem for American democracy. Sometimes Americans say that they do not need travel documents, because they prefer to die defending freedom in America. These are fine words, but they miss an important point. The fight will be a long one. Even if it does require sacrifice, it first demands sustained attention to the world around us, so that we know what we are resisting, and how best to do so. So having a passport is not a sign of surrender, On the contrary, it is liberating, since it creates the possibility of new experiences. It allows us to see how other people, sometimes wiser than we, react to similar problems. Since so much of what is happening now is familiar to the rest of the world or from recent history, we must observe and listen.”

 Now I want to add my own observation to this and recommend some slightly different thoughts. First of all there is Rod Dreher’s thoughts in his books The Benedict Option and Live not by Lies. I think what he has to say about resistance while living in the United States under oppression is really helpful. The problem is he only sees that problem coming from the left, not at all from the right. So besides reading Dreher also read The Dispatch’s “A Confessing Church For America’s Weimar Moment” by Paul D. Miller. This will cover resisting both the extreme left and extreme right. 

And besides this read, read about what is happening in the United States- yes read both sides but read good articles by both sides, that is one reason I am suggesting you read Dreher and Miller. 

 And then if you are a Christian read deeply of the redemptive sections of the Bible, of the forgiveness, the righteousness of Jesus which becomes ours in Christ. And also read deeply of the call to discipleship, the call to live holy, to love enemies, to be blessed in poverty and persecution, to follow in the way of the cross. Read Matthew 5-6. Read all of Philippians in the New Testament. And think on these words of Paul. 

“But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ More than that I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I might gain Christ.” (Phil 3:7-8)

 Christ.” (Phil 3:7-8)

Authoritarian Leaders and the Letters of Those Who Hold on to Joy

The Dispatch today under their heading, Worth Your Time, pointed to an article in the publication Aeon. The article “The Last Letter” with the extra words, “Condemned to death by firing squad, French resisters put pen to paper. Their dying words can teach us how to live.” The essay is of course sadly poignant. Its purposed meaning, how to live, well thought out. It did however remind me of a very old small booklet I have from around the same the same period, Dying We Live, its editor’s words of explanation, “Letters by prisoners in Germany on the verge of execution: ‘No cause of sorrow but rather great joy.” Most of these letters are by Christians or at least religious persons. One of the first letters is written by a confessing pastor, whom I have written about before, Paul Schneider. He was the first Confessing pastor martyred. But there are so many more. 

There are several thoughts that occurred to me reading the Aeon article and once again browsing through Dying We Live. There are clues among these letters to the times we are living in. Negative reasons that answer our questions about whether it is the beginnings of authoritarian rule or not. There is an understanding that community and family ties are so necessary. And then there is affirmation that for the Christian that to be in Christ, under the rule of insufferable leaders, is to be safe. Tomorrow is everlasting in a forever loving, just Kingdom. 

My first thought, negative reasons, that tell us if we are in the beginning of authoritarian rule, slips in between the letters written. Not everyone even knew about the letters or the people who sent them. Not everyone understood or believed that anything was amiss. Life was going on as it seemingly always did. If you did not wish your children to attend church or be confirmed, there was no thought that belonging to the Hitler Youth groups was replacing your commitments. If you were dragged out of your house, or church or off the street and sent to a detention center usually no one would notice. (You just might be some criminal after all) Of course, if you were Jewish you were named a trouble maker, the enemy, vermin, and sent eventually to a concentration camp in a distant country where no one could communicate with you. People just quit reading, or listening, or asking questions and then said they just didn’t know. 

But in the beginning some knew. Mostly Catholic. The disabled and ill, did not come home but were sent to an institution of sorts—they were disposed of. But an outcry helped it to end for a little while.

 There was concern that Germany needed more babies, but healthy, Aryan babies, as many as possible—babies for Hitler. If you think you are exceptional and have no qualms about faithfulness in sexual faithfulness than yes, many, many more babies. This was one of the reasons for pastor Schneider’s arrest, he decried the officials for promoting easy sex for the sake of having many Aryan babies. But mostly it was just government issues—until the safeguards of democracy were gone. 

Concerning the idea that community and family ties were so important to those who were writing those goodbye letters and those receiving them one only need to read the letters. And read the endings, to mothers and wives, to children and husbands and friends. Encouragement for the days ahead and thankfulness for the past with family. Even pastors and priests writing to their “brethren” with encouragement. 

“Dear brothers, Now I must in the end take the other road. The death sentence has been demanded, and the air is so filled with hatred and animosity that presumably it will be announced and carried out today. I give thanks for all the kindness, loyalty, and help, especially as accorded me in these last difficult weeks. I ask for forgiveness for many things that have been wrong and unjust, and I ask for some help and care for my aged, sick parents. … 

May the Lord keep you all. …"

 

And a protestant advising his wife and comforting her:

 “My last thought my dearest wife, will be that I consign you, my dear ones, to the mercy of the Savior, and my spirit to his hands. I want to die thus rejoicing in my faith. And I would have you for your part, my dear Barbie, remain ‘the ever cheerful Frau von Haeften.’ Joke and laugh with the children, fondle them and be merry with them; they need your gaiety of spirit—and be assured that nothing could be more in keeping with my wishes. 

So I salute you, my dearest ones, with the old greeting, ‘Rejoice!’ Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice … And the peace of God shall keep your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ.”

 And then this: there is affirmation that for the Christian that to be in Christ, under the rule of insufferable leaders, is to be safe. Tomorrow is everlasting in a forever loving, just Kingdom. 

There is some questions, to God, why the suffering, is the whole nation being punished, is there fairness on God’s part. But mostly in these letters is the longing for the eternal home and the clasping of the Savior’s arms. The knowledge that their tomorrow will be eternal without darkness. 

There is knowledge of deep evil, but more deeply still knowledge of the holiness, light and love that belong to God. We have not known for the most part such deep evil but we do know Him who carries His people in the midst of any evil. If it comes He is here.

 

Timothy Snyder's on How to Avoid or Resist Tyranny: His quotes with my thoughts #15

The students who majored in Philosophy at Sacramento State University, because at the time few in number, could often be likened to close-knit groups. Pranks were important. I couldn’t participate in the class on ethics so it was taped for me. The professor at one point was teaching on the philosopher Nietzsche, the other students made a pact to pretend they loved Nietzsche’s ideas, and told me their plans. When I got the tape I laughed and laughed, the professor was astounded and disappointed. But they finally told him the truth. 

Now we face some of those ideas, ideas, about the “will to power.” The anti-democratic events happening right now in the United States include, Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, an immigrant who was mistakenly sent to an awful foreign prison in a country where his life was threatened and two officials of the first Trump presidency being threatened, by the president, with an investigation by the DOJ because they disagreed with the him. The events are too often based on the dark desire for revenge and enemies. But Timothy Snyder’s booklet On Tyranny replaces the darkness with some light. He tends to use fellowship against tyranny. In his 14th chapter Snyder writes: 

“Contribute to good causes: 

Be active in organizations, political or not, that express your own view of life. Pick a charity or two and set up autopay. Then you will have made a free choice that supports civil society and helps others to do good.”

 I want to quote a few more of his suggestions in this chapter. 

“The anticommunist dissidents of eastern Europe, facing a situation more extreme than ours, recognized the seemingly nonpolitical activity of civil society as an expression and a safeguard of freedom.” 

Snyder points out that “one element of freedom is the choice of associates, and one defense of freedom is the activity of groups to sustain their members.” 

He writes, “Háclav Havel, the Czech dissident thinker, gave the example of brewing good beer.”

 It seems that all or most of the organizations I have belonged to were formed to either promote the goodness of Christianity or stand for the truths of Christianity. My last two, Apologetics Resource Center and then in the Presbyterian Church USA, Voices of Orthodox Women, (VOW), which was formed to counter “Christian” women worshiping Sophia and doing communion with milk and honey.

 But in all of that I think beer making might be a very good thing. And, in fact, a group of men in a Presbyterian Church in Loveland Colorado, where VOW held their board meetings, made beer together and it was very good beer. 

Christian or not the members in these groups did sustain each other and friendships were deep. And their love for Jesus grew because of their friendships—that is part of freedom. 

 I have visited the Inklings pub, The Eagle and the Child, in Oxford. There they gathered and read their works to each other and forged deep friendships over good ale and probably tea. They kept away what C.S. Lewis would call Britian, and France and China. Looking for peace, not power he wrote in That Hideous Strength, “When logres really dominates Britian, when the goddess Reason, the divine clearness is really enthroned in France, when the order of Heaven is really followed in China—why, then it will be spring.” 

He goes on to say “we’ve got Britian down but who knows how long we can keep her down.”

 So the United States is rising, that hideous strength is rising here, but stay in fellowship with those you care about, doing those things you care about with the gifts given by a gracious Creator.

 

Timothy Snyder's on How to Avoid or Resist Tyranny: His quotes with my thoughts #14

I have probably told this story before but I will use it to point toward the advice Timothy Snyder gives in his 14th chapter of On Tyranny. It is probably the closest I have ever come to aiding a conspiracy theory. But know, no, no conspiracy here, just an interesting day in the life of a young telephone operator. 

When I first moved to Sacramento, just out of high school, I worked as a telephone operator and at a time when we still used boards where lights flickered and you pushed a line into the hole where the light was and said “Operator.” 

I did this one rather lazy afternoon and got a request, and honestly, I cannot remember whether it was Frank Sinatra calling John F. Kennedy or vise-versa. It was before that election! I quickly closed the circuit, listening to a call would cost you jail. But I did tell the operators on both sides of me who I had just placed a call for and to whom. They immediately plugged into the call. The board repeated itself in front of each operator. When they hung up, I heard one of the operators, under her breath, say, I thought we lived in a democracy. I will never know.

 Now we have all kinds of problems with those who would like our information, and no, this isn’t about the recent foolish actions of the leaders of defense, intelligence and the state department using an unprotected means of sending classified material. But they should probably listen to Snyder.

 “Establish a Private Life: 

“Nastier rulers will use what they know about you to push you around. Scrub your computer of malware on a regular basis. Remember that email is skywriting. Consider using alternative forms of the internet, or simply using it less. Have personal exchanges in person. For the same reason, resolve any legal trouble. Tyrants seek the hook on which to hang you. Try not to have hooks.” 

Now I don’t find any of this relevant for me at the moment. I admit that at one time I had a mailbox at the post office which I used to write for information from racist groups because I didn’t want them to know my address since I was writing articles on them at the time. The only two unsettling things I received was information that a person I was writing about was actually a lizard man—this was from another person who thought he was doing research. And then there was the empty envelope with a very large knife in it, that was troubling. 

But recently I have realized that several public figures, many Christian, have and are receiving threats, and some congresspersons do not speak up about their concerns because they fear for themselves and their families. David French is one Christian in particular. When he was speaking out against Trump in the 2016 election among other threats, he and his wife received, a picture of their young Ethiopian daughter placed on a picture of a gas chamber. The point is to keep your private life separate from your public life. 

 There is also the horror of people being taken off the street, accused of being gang members, without the right to prove they are not. I have written of some who are very close to me who are frightened because one of them only speaks Spanish although an American citizen. They both got passports so that they would always be carrying identification with them. 

As Snyder writes, “What the great political thinker Hannah Arendt meant by totalitarianism was not an all—powerful state, but the erasure of the difference between private and public life. We are free only insofar as we exercise control over what people know about us, and in what circumstances they come to know it. During the campaign of 2016, Americans took a step toward totalitarianism without even noticing by accepting as normal the violation of electronic privacy. Whether it is done by American or Russian intelligence agencies, or for that matter by any institution, the theft, discussion, or publication of personal communications destroys a basic foundation of our rights. If we have no control over who reads what and when, we have no ability to act in the present or plan for the future. …” 

But Christian let me add the future is in His hands so we in our faith have reason to act or plan for the future. And part of that is caring for those who live in fear, who have needs, who seek the safe harbor.