Join the resistance composed of happy warriors.

Photo credit: Michael DeMarco on Unsplash.com

Last week, this column showed how government is grounded in eternal truths of right and wrong. It went on to outline various levels of evil that require different responses from good citizens. Space prevented any discussion of what those responses might be. 

Today we need to remedy that. Otherwise, anxious minds might jump to false conclusions. Unhinged actions only put society in danger. Worse, it leaves our most powerful weapons against evil unused.

When government goes awry, those who truly believe it to be an institution of God will turn to prayer as the first resort. “Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain” (Psalm 127:1 ESV). When impassable roadblocks threatened the Constitutional Convention, Benjamin Franklin moved that it begin with prayer.

Prayer against evil should be more than private and personal. Churches should make them public and corporate. Prayers must not be silenced just because someone objects that it is “political.” The Church must become fully competent to distinguish between mere differences of opinion and matters of good and evil.

While human opinion should not intrude into the corporate prayers, they must include divine judgments of good and evil. Congregations that neglect praying about these matters, are robbing their neighbors of a solemn duty. The First Amendment’s Free Exercise Clause along with the Free Assembly Clause exist for this purpose.

Citizens that pray publicly against public evils will naturally talk about them. This is the second kind of resistance to tyrannical government. Elie Wiesel, a holocaust survivor wrote, “We must take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.”

Tyranny suppresses any speech that would name it or call out its evil. To speak is to resist. Naming evil drags it out of the shadows and into the daylight—which is a powerful disinfectant. One calm, rational voice will break through the timidity of others, and swell into a chorus. Only through such public discussion can communities coordinate an effective response.

This is why tyrants cannot tolerate open discussion of evil. It is also why the calm and rational naming of evil is among the most powerful kinds of resistance. The pen is, indeed, mightier than the sword. The First Amendment’s Free Speech Clause is the second-most powerful weapon against tyranny.

Speech that is not backed up by action is hollow. That’s why the third defense against tyranny is action. But the cancel culture is a dangerous and costly place to act. Tyrants deliberately make action costly to suppress it. They jeopardize friendships, family relationships, and a good name. They threaten employment, reputation, and even government fines. 

Elie Wiesel

For all these reasons many good people go along to get along. They do things under pressure that they would not normally do. Sometimes they even do things against the best interest of those in their charge, contrary to conscience. They may excuse themselves that they are “only following orders,” but when innocent people are harmed, this excuse does not pass muster.

When supervisors, educators, pastors, doctors, or government officials do things against their better judgment to preserve themselves, they are participating in the evil. It may work for a while, but it only strengthens the evil and leads to ever more costly compromises.

Many good people feel like they have no choice. They feel like their duty to provide for the family prevents them from risking employment or future promotion. This objection is rooted in a misunderstanding. Contrary to popular opinion, God does not make it our duty to “bring home the bacon.” 

Rather, God requires that we faithfully and diligently serve our neighbor in our various jobs. He keeps for Himself the responsibility of feeding our families. He specifically forbids us to worry. “Do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:31-33).

This promise, and not the force of arms, fully equips us for the resistance. Teachers should teach the truth no matter what the union or some globalist might say. Government officials are elected to do the right thing—not to cower before illegitimate regulations. Doctors have a duty to “do no harm,” not to follow corporate protocols.

Each time you do your duty to others without fear of how tyrants might punish you, you are firing a bullet at the forces of evil. When entire communities, offices, industries, and officials do this simultaneously, the forces of evil are swept off the field. 

This is our first line of defense. God grant us many happy warriors.