Tu ne cede malis sed contra audentior ito
In a personal correspondence with my friend Norman Horn from LCC, Norman wrote something incredibly profound. It has been something I’ve felt for quite a while, but haven’t put into the poignant words he wrote (emphasis mine):
“There is a latent pseudo-religion that lingers in all of us before we make the jump to being anti-state. It was inculcated in us as children, was cultivated by parental examples, and is reinforced through media and public figures on a daily basis. This “statolatry” even walks alongside our REAL religion and co-opts its theology for its own benefit (cf. Religious Right). In general, we can call it the front line for Christians in the “war of ideas.” It is our ultimate enemy in this war, because the battle is fought both internally and externally. We have to be merciful about it, because at one time we too were caught in the trap, but just like we never back down in calling sin by its name so should we never back down in revealing this evil for what it is.”
Though I cannot speak for Norman, a little bit of background on me might help. My “jump to being anti-state” is certainly not complete. And it might be helpful to say that being anti-state does not mean being anti-government, especially anti-governance. Law and order must exist. Rule of law (rather than the rule of whimsical men) is necessary and proper for social order. But as a Christian it seems as though our calling is to name evil for what it is, and stand up against it. I would say this is especially true when evil is infiltrating our faith and our philosophies. While it is always true that our man-made conceptions of faith and philosophy are always subject to incompleteness, it is the responsibility of every Christian to call out that which doesn’t coincide with the ethics of the Kingdom of God.
It is that principle that Norman and I are indelibly committed.
