During Violent Times, Why ‘You Shouldn’t Have To Sell Your Soul’
Religion Unplugged believes in a diversity of well-reasoned and well-researched opinions. This piece reflects the views of the author and does not necessarily represent those of Religion Unplugged, its staff and contributors.
(OPINION) I spent Saturday afternoon driving my family home from my in-laws’ in Altus, Oklahoma. We plugged in my phone and queued up the greatest hits of the ’80s on Spotify, including the hypnotic “Shout” by Curt Smith and Roland Orzabal, better known as Tears for Fears.
“Shout, shout. Let it all out. These are the things I can do without. Come on. I’m talking to you. Come on.”
Maggie, my 16-year-old, and I sang along. Between songs, we talked about taking a trip to Washington, D.C., during the kids’ fall break.
“That’ll be right before the election,” I said with a chuckle. “It’ll be good for y’all to see it before the inevitable rioting.” I meant it as a bipartisan jab. We’ve seen violence on both sides of the political spectrum in recent years.
We were blissfully unaware of the chaos unfolding in Pennsylvania. As we approached the Oklahoma City metro, my father-in-law called and told us about the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump. After we got home and unloaded the car, I pulled up Facebook on my phone, a sense of dread coming over me.
Sure enough, a few of my brothers and sisters in Christ were letting it all out.
This is the media’s fault, a couple of folks roared. For years they’ve smeared President Trump with fake news, demonizing him and comparing him to Hitler. Of course someone was going to get the wrong idea. What happened was inevitable.
This is Trump’s fault, a few others cried. For years he’s spouted angry, belligerent rhetoric, inspiring his followers to commit the deplorable acts of Jan. 6. Now he has reaped what he sowed. What happened was inevitable.
At least they agree on that last point.
I hate seeing my fellow church members joining in with the howling masses. I hate that my kids see it. These are the things I can do without. And, to borrow another line from Mr. Smith and Mr. Orzabel: “In violent times, you shouldn’t have to sell your soul.”
Social media serves as a kind of release valve. I understand that. But reactionary posts rob us of perspective. In addition to the partisan attacks on Facebook, there were laments by people of faith that this whole episode shows how far we’ve sunk as a country.
My response comes from Ecclesiastes 1:9: “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.”
The specter of violence hangs over all of us in a fallen world, regardless of political affiliation. Republican Ronald Reagan, while serving as president, survived an assassination attempt on March 31, 1981. Democrat Robert F. Kennedy, while running for president, died in a June 5, 1968, assassination. His brother, Democrat John. F. Kennedy, died Nov. 22, 1963 in Dallas.
The only U.S. president with ties to Churches of Christ, James A. Garfield, was shot at a railway station in Washington on July 2, 1881. He died after languishing for nearly three months. His assassin, Charles J. Guiteau, had campaigned for Garfield and believed that the president owed him a job. Later, he decided that a higher power had called him to kill the president. Guiteau’s family, fearing for his sanity, had attempted to have him committed prior to the attack.
We don’t yet know the motives of this current, would-be assassin. Perhaps he was motivated by projections of Trump’s character in the press. Perhaps Trump’s own words were the spark. Perhaps something else pushed him to take this terrible action. (John Hinckley Jr., who shot President Reagan, did so in an attempt to impress actress Jodie Foster.)
Making sense of the senseless for my girls is tough. All I can say is that, as I’ve traveled abroad for The Christian Chronicle, I’ve seen our Lord moving mountains amid political chaos. Even in Haiti, where the government has all but collapsed, I get reports of the hopeless receiving hope through the support of our churches and nonprofits.
Everywhere I go, I see God at work, often in spite of us.
A couple of years ago, managing editor Audrey Jackson and I were in Honduras reporting on the Predisan medical ministry. I spoke with Elvis Tejeda, who works with Predisan, about the recent spike in COVID-19 cases in his country.
On top of that, Honduras was about to have an election, Tejeda said, “And things get pretty crazy around here after an election.”
He paused. “Well … you know what I mean.”
Sadly, I do. The political violence we endure brings us into mournful kinship with our brothers and sisters around the globe.
I pray that I can be an example for my children by loving my country — but loving Christ more. May the Lord grant me the fortitude to resist falling in line behind voices that seek to capitalize on — and profit from — anger and rage.
In a world where everybody wants to rule the world (to borrow a line from another Tears for Fears song), may my gaze be ever on the only One who truly rules.
This piece is republished with permission from The Christian Chronicle.
Erik Tryggestad is president and CEO of The Christian Chronicle. Contact erik@christianchronicle.org, and follow him on X at @eriktryggestad.