That Fox-- The Christian and Authoritarian Rulers

I’ve been thinking a lot recently about how we as Christians should react to leaders who are authoritarian—who cause hurt to the vulnerable. I’ve been thinking about this because I keep grieving over the horror stories I have posted on my Facebook page—stories of those immigrants, some citizens of the United States, some in the process of becoming citizens, some who have lived here for years but are not citizens like the dreamers, they have been harshly, sometimes violently, even illegally arrested by ICE. And this leads me to a man Jesus referred to as a fox.

 In the book of Luke, the Pharisees tell Jesus he should leave the area he is in because Herod (Antipas) is going to kill him. Jesus tells them, “Go and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I reach my goal. Nevertheless, I must journey on today and tomorrow and the next day, for it cannot be that a prophet would perish outside of Jerusalem.” Jesus goes on to grieve over Jerusalem and warn them of their loss.

 How has Jesus characterized Herod, a king, a wicked one, and why. Leon Morris in his Tyndale commentary on Luke writes: 

The fox was used by the Jews as a symbol of a sly man, but more often for an insignificant or worthless one (SB). It was sometimes a symbol of destructiveness. T.W. Manson says , “To call Herod ‘that fox’ is as much as to say he is neither a great man nor a straight man; he has neither majesty nor honour.’ The expression is thus contemptuous. Herod is the only person Jesus is recorded as having treated with contempt. 

This picture of Herod is also an explanation of why Jesus used the term fox. Morris reminds his readers that when Jesus during his trial was sent to Herod, he never spoke a word to him. Herod was not worthy of Jesus words. Herod was a man who simply encased himself in pride and offered up human life if it bettered his life. He allowed John the Baptist to be beheaded for the sake of not losing face with his dinner guests. He had James killed and was ready to kill Peter because he found it pleased the Jews. He allowed the people listening to his speech to praise him as a god and was judged by God. 

 In this case Jesus is not only the Savior, the Redeemer, as usual he is the model. In this interaction Jesus simply outlines His planned actions, healing, casting out demons and going forward with the purpose his Father had given him, to suffer and die at Jerusalem. Herod has no meaning, no part, good or bad in Jesus’ holy calling. Just continue on with the Father’s plans but be honest about the adversary. 

 On the other hand, Jesus faced the religious authorities with truth. The truth of their sinfulness and their needs. They burdened their people, they changed the word of God with tradition, they failed to grasp who Jesus was. But Jesus didn’t treat them with contempt—he named them but with truthful names that spoke to their sin and their need to repent. They were empty tombs full of dead men’s bones, they were greedy and wanted power and wealth. Jesus cared for them, contended with them, pled with them, brought some of them to faith in himself. His response to them was not different then his response to all who are hard hearted against the redemptive work of God. When they attempted to maim or kill Jesus he simply disappeared out of their reach and went on toward his calling. 

 Jesus’ disciples had to also come to terms with how they should respond to authoritarian rulers and leaders. Their first confrontation was with religious authoritarian leaders. They were told to no longer preach in Jesus’ name—to no longer preach the reality of His death and resurrection. Two things here, in preaching the gospel it was necessary to speak of those who had wickedly and foolishly killed Jesus. And authoritarians do not like to hear of their own sins, just the sins of others. They do not like to see the goodness and righteousness that is gifted to Jesus’ followers. 

 So, what is the disciple’s answer to those who demanded their silence concerning Jesus? 

But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge; for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.” (Acts 4:19-20) 

 The disciples made three important points here: not only would they obey God rather than these leaders but would place on the leaders the burden of decerning how people should act when God’s authority is attacked. Thirdly when knowledge of truth is seen and known we are compelled to speak out about it. More importantly when it is knowledge that concerns the truth of who Jesus is and what He calls His followers to, whether that is speaking of salvation or helping the needy we must speak truth.

 Undoubtedly the strongest words in the New Testament concerning Christians and their obedience to authority comes from Paul in the book of Romans:

 Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. Therefore, whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves.

 For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise of the same; for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil.

 Paul goes on to write of obeying for the sake of the authority’s wrath but also because of your own conscience’s sake. He adds to this the need to be obedient by paying taxes.

 I add the statement about taxes because I want to take a bit of a rabbit trail in order to come back and seek more clarity on the word of God. During my years of writing about some racists groups who were called Identity because they thought the white races were ancestors of ancient Israel and the Jews were literal children of Satan I discovered that they did not legally marry or pay taxes. They had clearly divorced themselves from the government by not participating in any civil requirement. They considered the government illegal calling it ZOG—Zionist Occupation Government. 

 This is exactly what is happening with the extreme right, they do not consider the government legit and wish to rid themselves of what they call the establishment or the deep state. So, considering the word of God and its admonishment to be in subjection to the authorities there is a need for obedience. And yet there are nuances because obedience to God is the greater obedience. 

And there is another part of this admonition, a description of the main duty of the authority. That is that the ruler bears toward the law breaker God’s wrath. But and this is very important, the Christian is not under God’s wrath. In exegeting these passages F.F. Bruce in the Tyndale commentary on Romans writes: 

For the sake of conscience. The Christian has a higher motivation for obeying the ruler than the unpleasantness of the consequences of disobedience, the Christian knows that such obedience is in accordance with God’s will, and by rendering it will preserve a good conscience in relation to God.

 What must be added to this is that a law or action, given by an authority which requires disobedience to God must be disobeyed in order to also preserve a good conscience in relation to God. This is where the two kingdoms split, one earthly, one pervasive of both heaven and earth, eternal, and the Christian is placed in a worrisome position. When to obey and when not to obey.

 Dietrich Bonhoeffer suffered this decision. A pacifist he joined the military since some top generals were against Hitler and were actually helping Jews flee Germany—for this crime Bonhoeffer was arrested. He was martyred but it is still unknown whether it was because he was part of the plot to kill Hitler or simply because he was part of the plot to work against Hitler. But nonetheless he suffered these questions of obedience as many others have throughout history. 

So, here are several of my thoughts on Christian obedience to authoritarian leaders. Jesus is the first example. Jesus in the midst of lies, oppressiveness and persecutions continued on obedient to his Father—nothing deterred Him from the purposes of God, the redemption of sinners. In fact, the Scripture states that it was with joy he continued. (Hebrews 12:2) In living through this he ignored the one, that fox, who gave no meaning either bad or good to his purpose. He contended and pled with those opposed to Him, speaking truth because evil in humanity must be addressed not hidden, not ignored. Speak truth for the sake of both victim and the oppressor. 

 Jesus did not call for an army of angels available to him but endured His calling of suffering. (Matthew 26:53) 

The disciples were obedient when it was necessary, but disobedient when ordered to not preach about Jesus. They also spoke the truth unafraid to name evil when necessary. The first martyr Stephen called his listeners stiff necked and uncircumcised in heart and always resisting the Holy Spirit. (Acts: 7:51) Paul when attempting to explain the gospel to the proconsul Sergius Paulus but was being thwarted by a magician accused him of being full of deceit and fraud and called him son of the devil, and enemy of all unrighteousness. (Acts 13: 6-11) 

 Also the disciples refused to be unlawfully misused by authorities. When Paul and Silas were beaten and thrown into prison and the authorities discovered they were Romans fearfully told the jailer to have them leave. But Paul insisted that instead they come themselves and release them: “They have beaten us in public without trial, men who are Romans, and have thrown us into prison; and now they are sending us away secretly? No indeed! But let them come themselves and bring us out.” (Acts 16: 37) 

 Biblical truths allow us to speak truth about evil, to point out unlawfulness used against victims, to attempt to draw evil doers away from their lifestyles, their hunger for power, their greed and abusiveness. And since we are all sinners, we must turn that speech towards ourselves as well. 

 And while we cannot obey orders that cause us to disobey God, we must obey orders that do not cause evil to others. This is the final understanding of our actions and attitudes toward authoritarian leaders, we are a people living under the cross. Speak the truth, do not be afraid to name evil, but pray for and plead with those who hurt the vulnerable. Attempt to protect and speak up for the vulnerable. Go on, with joy, following the One who has called you to this moment. Trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.

  

The Dark Racism Driving our Deportation Policies and Steven Miller

Are you a racist? I hope not. I loved my father, but he was a racist and I hated that. I hated his actions and words when it came to race. Generally, he was a good father, but then he wasn’t because he tried to teach his daughters lessons that no child should learn. And I didn’t learn them but once I complied with them and have regretted it ever since. He took me and my future husband out to eat. When I picked out a table next to a black family; he told me to move and I did.

 Now our nation is being troubled by a racist, Steven Miller, Deputy Chief of Staff and Homeland Security Advisor. The man who wants ICE to start deporting at least 3000 immigrants a day. So what proof is there that Miller is a racist? 

 Over the years that I have worked in ministry to new religions and cultic groups as well writing a great deal on racism and antisemitism I have used some material written by the Southern Poverty Law Center. They have also used some of my material on antisemitism. While we don’t agree on the definition of marriage they do a fantastic job on research about racism and antisemitism. Their material on Steven Miller is excellent. 

I will put a link here that shows why he can be called a racist, but I also intend to quote from their material. In their article, one of several, they speak of his early bent toward racism, but it is his e-mails sent to Breitbart’s editor I want to highlight. This went from 2015 to 2016. I will quote: 

“The emails show evidence of Miller’s indulgence and sharing of the racist source material he relied upon to define the ethos of his immigration policies. Throughout the emails, Miller promotes literature, conspiracy theories, and policies supported by white nationalist and anti-immigrant hate groups. In a Sept. 6, 2015, email to Breitbart’s McHugh, Miller suggested that they write about Jean Raspail’s, “The Camp of the Saints,” a racist French novel popular among white nationalist and neo-Nazis. 

The novel is popular within extremist circles because of its dramatized depiction of “white genocide,” also referred to as the “great replacement” conspiracy theory. According to this theory, white people of European descent are being systematically displaced in the Western world.” When Raspail died in June 2020, VDARE author Steve Sailer, who Miller linked to in his emails to McHugh, publicly mourned his loss.”

 I am familiar with the book, The Camp of the Saints, it is often referred to by racists. When I read that this was in Miller’s e-mails I knew for certain that he is a racist and his deportation polices which he uses to advice President Trump are couched in his racism. SPLC continues with their article: 

“The novel utilizes an apocalyptic plot in which Indian refugees invade France, and their failure to assimilate or adopt French cultural norms ultimately leads to the domination of the white population. The main antagonist is referred to as the “turd eater.” In one section of the novel, a white woman is raped to death by a group of brown-skinned refugees. Additionally, another part of the novel depicts the killing of a pro-refugee leftist by a nationalist character because of the leftist’s support of race mixing.

 Miller recommended that Breitbart write about the novel in response to Pope Francis’ expressions of sympathy for refugees. Miller wrote, “you see the Pope saying west must, in effect, get rid of borders. Someone should point out the parallels to Camp of the Saints.” 

 This is a mixture of charismatic interest in end-times tales and, not mentioned in the quote, interest in militias and the hanging of enemies. This corresponds to many in the religious MAGA movement who are prophesying what they call the Haman affect when enemies will be hung. This is such ugly stuff. What is certain is Miller is not only interested in removing immigrants from the United States, he is interested in removing brown people from the United States.  

A long time ago Congress could have fixed laws that would have protected the “dreamers,” those brought to the United States as children who have lived here for many years, gone to school here, worked and paid taxes, raised families and contributed to their communities. They could have and still can continue giving temporary visas, extending them, to those who are fleeing persecution and severe poverty such as the Afghans, Haitians, and Venezuelans.

 I will quote from my very early article on racism”

 “Jesus Christ is God’s answer to racism. Paul admonishes the Galatians that they are to make no distinctions among those belonging to Christ; they are to be as one: “For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3:27-28). In the Book of Revelation, where Christ is pictured as both “the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah” and “a Lamb standing, as if slain,” the 24 Elders sing to His glory: “For Thou wast slain, and didst purchase for God with Thy blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. And thou hast made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth” (Rev. 5:9-10). 

The church, those redeemed not by race but by the blood of Christ the Lamb, understand Christ as both lion and lamb, both sacrifice and King. Wilhelm Niemoller, one of the members of the Confessing Church in Germany during the time of Hitler, wrote of what it meant to confess Christ as the only Lord under that regime: “One of my friends concluded a sermon of his in 1934 or 1935 by saying: ‘O Lord, Thou alone art our hope, apart from Thee, I know none!’ He was arrested, put on trial, and later released. The enemies that listened to him had noticed that the Third Reich was put in a difficult position wherever the ‘One Word of God’ made its appearance.” 

It is a truthful statement to say Miller is a racist his policies are tearing Americans apart. And hopefully it is a truthful statement to say I will never comply with racism again. …

 

Immigrants Becoming Citizens versus Temporary Workers: The Community of Wholeness

My lazy day of eating too much and watching videos on YouTube turned into a worrisome amount of information about at least some in Homeland Security and ICE, and an American agricultural program referred to as H-2A visas. This left me with deep concerns about what is occurring in my country, greater concerns than I’ve had about just ICE and Immigrants. 

I first watched an ICE raid on a market, Glenn Valley Foods, in Omaha Nebraska. Although several other news stations did a report, reporter Ali Bradley for News Nation, was given exclusive rights to report and film the whole event. Toward the end of the report Bradley interviewed the owner of Glenn Valley. The owner, Gary Rohwer insisted that he had verified all of his workers as legal. He stated that the workers were like family, and he just could not believe that they were undocumented. 

 However, Rohwer stated “Well I understand there’s a program we can work with Homeland Security and we can get visas from them along with a list of employees that we can interview and the ones that we want we give them a visa and its squeaky clean. And Homeland signs off on it.” I found this statement strange—how could Homeland Security give out visas in that manner. 

Later in the day I watched another video. People Breaking Immigration Law are not who you Think, which I did not realize was going to explain a lot about the first video. It was about the H-2A program and how it was affecting both local farm workers and those immigrants who were given visas to work in the United States. The video is produced by More Perfect Union, and it explains how the H-2A program is being used by some corporations to not hire local workers, (against the law) and the misuse of temporary migrant workers. There is suspicion that it is also being used to do away with any migrants seeking citizenship. 

Some of the complaints of local workers is that the agricultural corporations fire them and wait to hire temporary migrant workers. The temporary workers have many complaints. Poor crowded housing, long work hours without overtime, insistence that they pay for their travel expenses which is also, under the program, against the law. Probably the biggest problem is they cannot ask to stay in the United States-they will.

 If this program is being used to place Mexico and other countries, with brown skinned peoples outside of American citizenship, then it well become racist for several reasons. The owner of Glenn Valley Food kept saying that his workers were family and mentioned that they had families there. In other words, they were part of the community—This is the better idea for our country. To make farm workers less than members of our community and in some ways almost slaves is racists.

 Antonio de Lorea-Burst, communications director with the United Farm Workers, states in the video, “Theres a very nightmarish vision of the agricultural economy that effectively sees the entire labor force being composed of guest workers who are permanently excluded from citizenship who are denied basic labor rights and I think they see this moment as an opportunity to get closer to that.” 

 The President has even encouraged the farm workers to go home and then apply for a workers visa.

 Today a friend on Facebook reposted a comment by Trump: 

“Our great Farmers and people in the Hotel and Leisure business have been stating that our very aggressive policy on immigration is taking very good, long-time workers away from them, with those jobs being almost impossible to replace. In many cases the Criminals allowed into our Country by the VERY Stupid Biden Open Borders Policy are applying for those jobs. This is not good. We must protect our Farmers, but get the CRIMINALS OUT OF THE USA. Changes are coming!" 

I think this is simply another setup to remove immigrants and replace them with temporary workers who will have no rights and will not be a part of our communities. They will be outsiders who we will use to make sure we have plentiful food. But they will not contribute to our schools, our church communities, our gatherings as citizens. We will be less than we should be and if we are Christians we will sinfully contribute to the dehumanization of others.

 

About Means and Religious Freedom

Because of my posting of A Near Wicken Speaking Spells on Facebook yesterday, I want to do just a small amount of clarification here. Casey Means, the Trump candidate for the next Surgeon General, is truly into new age and other beliefs. If Means is doing moon rites she may be into witchcraft. However, that is not for certain, witches practice a nature religion and generally worship a goddess. However, some see the goddess as simply a symbol while other see her as a reality. For information from my blog check here

 NamingHis Grace: Wicca: from my Christian perspective: a series and here, Naming His Grace: Wicca: from my Christian perspective: a series 2. And here Naming His Grace: Wicca from my Christian perspective 3. But that is not what my main clarification is meant to be about. My friend Evy honestly pointed out the problem. That is, the concern that we are failing to understand what it means to live in a democracy where we don’t question one’s religion when appointing them for an official office in the government. That happened a few years ago when some questioned whether a Christian, a Catholic, should be allowed to hold an office:  

 

I am concerned about the medical abilities of the several candidates for health offices, but I know we can’t question their religion. We are after all the United States of America where we still, hopefully, experience religious freedom.

Would you help her? Protest! Hide her! Go to jail to protect her! Would I, I keep asking

My father-in-law lost his first wife in a horrible accident on an icy Oregon road. A few, years later he married again, a Christian woman who was a cook at a Christian school. She was a nice lady, who loved her husband and cared for him though years of dementia. But she did have one quirk, she was a racist. When setting behind her in a car my husband teased her, your neck is kind of pink. But really it was red. When she stated that she believed the Japanese really deserved to be interned during the second World War, we asked why they didn’t intern the Italians. Her first husband was Italian. She stated it was because the Japanese were sly. 

Just this morning I read an article from Christianity Today about the internment of Japanese Americans during the second World War. The author, Raymond Chang, writes about visiting one of the internment camps and also about the livelihood and property lost by the imprisoned Japanese. In Chang’s article, “We Should Not Be Silent This Time he writes of those who were Christians: 

“The gospel was certainly the good news that the incarcerated Japanese American Christians clung to. In the face of immense hardship, they refused to let their faith be extinguished. 

They gathered in makeshift chapels and worshiped in the camps, finding solace in the stories of exile in Scripture and trusting that God’s promises were greater than the fences that confined them. They called on the God of justice and mercy, and God met them there.”

 I keep asking these questions, to myself as well as my reader. If you had a neighbor or friend who was an Afghan who faced the almost certain possibility of being deported back to her homeland where she would most certainly be killed, either because she is a Christian or because she had helped the United States government in their war against the Taliban, would you help her? Protest! Hide her! Go to jail to protect her! Would I, I keep asking. 

One of my favorite heroes is Sophie Scholl, a member of the White Rose movement during the nazi years. The White Rose, a Christian group, wrote pamphlets about the injustices, the persecutions, happening during those years. They would leave their writings anywhere and were caught leaving them at the university of Munich. Most of them were beheaded for their actions. 

 The director of the movie about Sophie Scholl and the White Rose movement made this comment about her:

 “I admire her courage. She turned down the ‘golden bridge’ offered her by the integration officer Robert Mohr—thus practically signing her own death sentence. I find that quite startling: how does such a life—affirming positive-minded young woman like Sophie Scholl come to terms with the fact that her life is being taken away from her? And of course as an atheist I ask myself: Is it easier to face death as a believer?” 

nd so I keep asking the questions. There is the gay man, not a gang member, sent to the terrible prison in El Salvador. One congressman keeps asking Kristi Noem, the Secretary of Homeland Security, if she can just find out for Asylee’s mother if he is still alive. She won’t. There is the little girl with brain cancer, a US citizen, sent with her parents to Mexico, at first no time for the seizure medicine she needs—and no right to stay in the United States with her parents until her treatments are finished. No mercy for anyone. 

But there is mercy from God—Father, Son and Holy Spirit—who overshadows his people and carries them. So too we are called to have mercy as his children. But still the questions?

 

Timothy Snyder's on How to Avoid or Resist Tyranny: His quotes with my thoughts #17

I have written some about an orphanage in Baja that me and my family often visited because my husband’s brother worked there. He was eventually to marry a lovely Danish woman who also worked there. I at one time went to visit her when she was sick and by herself. I found myself in an uncomfortable position.

 I at that time was working in a ministry dedicated to apologetics and trying to help friends and families of what we then called cult members. My expertise was mostly working with those whose family members were involved in cultic and abusive churches who insisted they were Christians. I became aware while at the orphanage that just such a situation was developing there. A pastor was treating other workers as though they had no meaningful goal or purpose. They, in reality, were begging for freedom—they were not even allowed to have a key to a storage room where the equipment they used was kept.

 It seemed that most of those upset were the Mexicans who lived and worked there. One of my concerns was that during the meeting to sort out the problems, leaders, some Americans, kept insisting there must be unity because Mexico was being taken over by communist who were already coming near Baja. So the implication was all will be lost if you don’t all listen to your leaders and stay in unity. In such a situation the real problems don’t get discussed or taken care of, rather it is suggested that it is an exceptional time which must be addressed in a different way. 

 Over the years there were changes and the orphanage thrives. But this use of fear words can be used by leaders to gain power over others. Timothy Snyder in his book, On Tyranny puts it exactly right:

Listen for Dangerous Words: 

“Be alert to the use of the words extremism and terrorism. Be alive to the fatal notions of emergency and exception. Be angry about the treacherous use of patriotic vocabulary.” Those words are very familiar to this time and this place. Yes, we do have extremist groups and we have experienced terrorism. But not to the extent President Trump and others keep pushing. For instance, in her book, Start With Welcome, Bri Stensrud writes: 

“President Trump’s former chief of staff John Kelly emphasized, ‘The majority of the people that move illegally into the United States are not bad people. They’re not criminals. They’re not MS-13.’ Most immigrants come to the United States to pursue educational and economic opportunities and have little to gain by committing crimes.” 

 The United States, sadly, has a history of maligning and hurting immigrants. After the Chinese had worked at some of the most dangerous jobs on the railroad, particularly in California, they were banned from the United States. Both Catholics, the Irish and the Jewish people were discriminated against. The Japanese were, as most know, interned in camps during the second World War. Most of them lost their homes and business. And of course, just recently some Haitians in Ohio were falsely accused of eating their neighbor’s pets. It is too easy to pick on the vulnerable.

 Snyder points out the times authoritarian leaders and governments use the scare words to take away freedoms from their people. There was the Reichstag fire in Germany, for the next twelve years Germany was no longer a democracy because of the “emergency.” Putin used such “emergencies” to gain total power in Russia. The fear words will be used. Already we hear that millions of terror groups, gangs, have been sent into the United States, We are at war with them and it is an “emergency.”

 So where does the Christian stand in all of this? 

Under the cross which means for now speak the truth and as some are saying care for the weak, the hurt, the accused, the slandered and yes even the enemies. Honor rulers but with truth. It is not honor for rulers to allow them to lie and never refute the lies because Scripture tells the believer to both speak truth and honor rulers. And then there is this: 

The Lord is my shepherd. 

I shall not want. 

He makes me lie down in green

 pastures; 

He leads me beside quit 

waters. 

He restores my soul; 

He guides me in the path of 

righteousness 

For His name’s sake.  

Even though I walk through the Valley of the shadow of death, 

 I fear no evil, for you are with

 Me. 

Your rod and your staff they 

Comfort me. 

You prepare a table before me in 

The presence of my enemies. 

You have anointed my head 

 With oil. 

My cup overflows. 

Surely goodness and 

Lovingkindness will follow me 

All the days of my life, 

And I will dwell in the house of  

The Lord forever.

 

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)