Stephen Miller and that Dragon...Again!

After writing about Stephen Miller’s speech at the memorial service for Charlie Kirk I have been pondering the idea, the metaphors and the reality of dragons or a dragon. Originally, I wrote about Miller’s words and their pagan-like essence when he insisted that the killing of Kirk had, “awakened a dragon in those who cared about Kirk and his mission. He spoke “You have no idea the dragon you have awakened,” Miller goes on to speak of how that will cause him and Kirk’s followers to fight for the West and save the Republic. 

A commenter on my blog took exception to my words “The book of Revelation filled with metaphors speaks of a dragon. His war isn’t good, he attempts to kill Jesus, he lives in rage and gives his power to a despotic being—he ends in hell.” 

And yes, that is both the biblical and often Western understanding of the dragon—a vile creature, greedy and seeking the death of others. Think of Saint George killing the dragon, of the boy Eustace in C. S. Lewis’ book, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader who falls asleep on a pile of gold belonging to a dead dragon and becomes a dragon. Only the Lion, Aslan, can wash him clean of the horrific skin and scales of a dragon. The first battle of a man with a dragon occurs in Beowulf, an early mythic western story. 

But the commenter is right. There are other versions of dragons, ones that might be more familiar to Miller who is Jewish. At least, probably, the New Testament image of a dragon might be new to Miller, and yet Jewish people often read the N.T. Still, even the Hebrew Bible has images of dragons which biblically simply mean serpent and/or monster. 

But yes, the dragons of the East, of Asia, are not considered evil, but wise and/or strong warriors—a creature to absorb or emulate. And there is another image that belongs to both the East and West through paganism, some “New Age,” mostly what is called tantric and the supposed kundalini (serpent) which is thought by eastern religious adherents to lie at the base of the spine and must be awakened. It is generally awakened by different technics, usually sex, directed away from fulfillment toward opening one to a deeper consciousness. But now, supposedly, more expansive than just Kundalini is “dragon kundalini” which is supposed to lead to a more universal consciousness. So yes, there is supposedly a dragon within. 

But there are several truths that go beyond any of this. There, biblically speaking, is only one dragon, serpent/monster who also goes by the moniker lucifer or Satan. (All other dragons are fairy tales, untruthful fairy tales—I am thinking of Tolkien’s On Fairy Stories, where he calls the story of Jesus a true fairy story.) The image of Lucifer in Genesis is as a serpent, a deceiver. And while in Revelation he is pictured as a great dragon ready to devour the God-man Jesus; he is also pictured as one who brings other ugly, terrifying monsters on the scene giving them his power. He is also pictured as defeated. Defeated by a cross as Jesus brings many children to glory. 

 Lucifer is defeated by the death and resurrection of Jesus. And he is defeated by the martyrs (witnesses) of Jesus. 

After these things I looked and behold a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues standing before the throne and before the lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands; and they cry out with a loud voice, saying, salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb. Rev 7”9-10 

Perhaps no one can save the West, particularly not someone who is metaphorically or otherwise counting on an awakened dragon. If we are overcome by a man who longs to rule and brings us down beneath a democracy—whose only desire is toward himself. If we are overcome by those whose desires bend towards power and false religion that ignores the way of the cross there is still that kingdom that is forever—not of this world but eternal—full of God’s love and forgiveness.