Christian faith as the counter to progressive totalitarianism
During the recent debates over passage of the so-called “Equality Act”, various Republican Congressmen voiced opposition. Of particular concern, the Act would force women’s sports, bathrooms, shelters, etc. open to biological men (identifying as women). The Act would also require doctors and other health care providers to perform transition procedures and abortions. Some in Congress argued the Act was in direct opposition to scriptural teachings of gender roles, and quoted the relevant Biblical passages. In response, Democratic Congressman Jerry Nadler went on record as claiming “God’s will is of no concern of this Congress”. Quotes by Nadler and other Democrats have brought clarity to the level of antipathy to religion, and the importance of religion in countering progressive totalitarianism. Let me explain.
First, Nadler’s claim of Congress not being concerned about God’s will was in response to Republican Congressman Greg Steube. Steube began by quoting from Deuteronomy 22:5: “A woman must not wear men’s clothing nor a man wear women’s clothing, for the Lord your God detests anyone who does this”. Steube the explained why the act went against scripture “It’s not clothing or personal style that offends God, but rather the use of one’s appearance to act out or take on a sexual identity different from the one biologically assigned by God at birth, when men or women claim to be able to choose their own sexual identity, they’re making a statement that God did not know what he was doing when he created them.”
The firestorm from Democrats, including Nadler, against Steube’s seemingly benign words was shocking. In addition to Nadler, Democrat Rep. Al Green blasted horrendous defamation against Steube in accusations of slavery and segregation: “You used God to enslave my foreparents. You used God to segregate me in schools. You used God to put me in the back of the bus. Have you no shame?” Others like Democrat Katherine Clark made similar attacks against Steube, twisting his scriptural argument against the Act into some kind of bigotry and prejudice against individuals. The Independent summed up the widespread Democratic antipathy: “(Steube’s) stance earned him an angry backlash from Democrats in the House.”
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Throughout our nation’s history, the Bible has been quoted in Congress and the Presidency. Our national leaders have exhorted citizens to God’s will. Probably the best example is a quote by Benjamin Franklin (arguably one of the least religious of the founders) during the Constitutional Convention: “I have lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth – that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid? We have been assured, Sir, in the sacred writings, that “except the Lord build the House they labour in vain that build it.” I firmly believe this; and I also believe that without his concurring aid we shall succeed in this political building no better than the Builders of Babel.
This Democratic antipathy to scripture and religion comes with the increasing progressive totalitarianism as the new American “religion”. What was previously called “political correctness” is now called “cancel culture” in forcing progressive religious tenets. People who do not follow Progressive ideology in almost any walk of life are now “cancelled”. For example, after the BLM protests and riots started, NFL quarterback Drew Brees said that people who took a knee during the national anthem was “disrespecting the flag of the United States and disrespecting our country”. He was so roundly “cancelled" in criticism and calls for his ousting that he was forced to apologize for that benign sentiment. Christian conservatives are now the primary target of being cancelled.
The progressive left knows that the greatest threat to their agenda and “religion” is the competing religion of Christianity. Jesus Christ spoke of marriage being between one man and one woman as an unchanging standard of morality (Matthew 19). This moral tenet is in direct conflict with a top value of Progressivism. This is nothing new, as Christian dissidents within the Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact nations were the ultimate enemy to Communist totalitarian ideology. In providing hope, Christians eventually became the main ideological force bringing down the USSR. The “truth claims” of the Bible kept totalitarian regimes from complete submission of their population. Christians in America must remain firm and persevere through the totalitarianism, until it comes down.
Bill Connor, an Army Infantry colonel, author and Orangeburg attorney, has deployed multiple times to the Middle East. Connor was the senior U.S. military adviser to Afghan forces in Helmand Province, where he received the Bronze Star. A Citadel graduate with a JD from USC, he is also a Distinguished Graduate of the U.S. Army War College, earning his master of strategic studies. He is the author of the book Articles from War.
