Zealous

Years ago, I hit a breaking point and stopped trying to be "tolerant" in my preaching. I hope this message resonates with pastors 👇

what opinion about sex will have you like this

The War Is Not Cultural, It’s Religious For years, I misunderstood the battle lines. I thought we were fighting a culture war—a clash of values, politics, and social norms. As a disciple of Jesus Christ, I had little interest in that fight. My calling was to spread the Gospel, not to win cultural debates. But I was wrong. I made a categorical error. What I saw as cultural or political was often something deeper: religious. Religions offer comprehensive worldviews—lenses that shape how people see every issue, from morality to justice. I now believe much of what we label as "cultural" or "political" in public debates is, in fact, religious. This realization has reshaped my approach to engaging in the public square. Three convictions guide me: Leftism functions as a religion, the New Testament provides a clear strategy for confronting false religions, and Christians must hold one another accountable to oppose its spread. Leftism as a Religion Leftism, as I use the term, is not merely a political stance or cultural trend. It is a worldview with dogmatic beliefs, rituals, and moral imperatives that rival traditional religions. Like a religion, it offers a vision of ultimate purpose—social utopia through ideological conformity—and demands loyalty to its tenets, often punishing dissent with social ostracism or worse. This became starkly clear after the tragic murder of Charlie Kirk, a conservative commentator known for peacefully debating his views. The response was telling. Liberal voices like Ezra Klein and Bill Maher, while not Christians, praised Kirk’s approach to dialogue, with Klein writing, “Charlie Kirk was Practicing Politics the Right Way” and Maher chastising leftists, saying, “You're what's wrong with this country.” Yet, across social media, many on the far left celebrated Kirk’s death—a husband and father targeted for his beliefs. This wasn’t just political disagreement; it was a zealous, almost ritualistic rejection of an ideological heretic. Such fervor suggests a religious devotion, not a mere policy dispute. The New Testament’s Call to Confront False Religions How should Christians respond to such a worldview? The New Testament offers guidance. In 2 Corinthians 10:5, Paul writes, “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” This is not a call to silence or violence but to boldly challenge ideas that oppose the truth of Christ. Staying silent out of fear of offending adherents of a false religion—or being labeled “too political”—is not an option. Imagine if Islam or another faith were captivating millions of young Americans, yet Christian leaders refused to speak out, worried about alienating potential converts or appearing divisive. We’d call that cowardice. Yet many Christian leaders have done exactly this with Leftism, treating it as a cultural or political issue rather than a rival worldview that shapes hearts and minds. Silence has allowed its influence to grow unchecked, particularly among the young. The Need for Christian Accountability This brings me to a painful realization: we must call out fellow Christians who shrink from this fight. After Kirk’s murder, a respected Christian leader posted, “It's OK for Christians to lose the Culture War. It was never our war to begin with. We were called to create a countercultural community of love, unity, and faithfulness to Jesus.” I once shared this view, but I now see it as a misdiagnosis. By framing the conflict as merely cultural, we avoid confronting its religious nature. This mindset discourages Christians from engaging with the urgency Paul describes. We are not called to retreat into isolated communities but to contend for truth in the public square. This doesn’t mean adopting the world’s tactics—anger, division, or violence—but speaking with clarity and courage, as Paul did, to expose falsehoods and point to Christ. Failing to do so risks abandoning millions to a worldview that promises salvation but delivers bondage. A Path Forward I don’t claim to have all the answers, and I recognize that labeling Leftism a “religion” may provoke disagreement. Some might argue it’s still a political movement, best addressed through dialogue or voting, not spiritual confrontation. Others may caution that focusing on this fight distracts from evangelism or risks alienating those we’re called to reach. These are valid concerns, but they don’t negate the need to name and challenge a worldview that rivals the Gospel’s claims. The path forward is not easy. It requires discernment to engage without malice, boldness to speak without fear, and humility to listen without compromising. We must build communities that model Christ’s love while equipping men and women to confront false ideologies with truth. The war is not cultural—it’s religious. And as disciples of Jesus, we’re called to fight it with the weapons of grace, truth, and especially now, courage.