Friday 8 April 2022

Can Christians build a Good counter-culture?

No! - it is way too late, anyway; but the developed Christian counter-cultures (e.g. Roman Catholic, evangelical, Mormon) have all failed, converged, and gone over to the enemy - as have the churches themselves. 

Why suppose new counter-cultures would do better, with less backing and under far more adverse conditions? 


And when people say 'we' should build alternative (Christian, or 'right wing') institutions - it needs to be asked who exactly is this 'we' who are going to build and fund them? Is it the same 'we' who instantly and eagerly falls into line with whatever is today's media-stoked frenzy? 

It is the the same 'we' who - on the mere say-so of the most global, dishonest and evil-controlled media in history - last month instantly adopted an historically-unprecedented pseudo-moralizing frenzy against the Fire Nation. 

And a few months before that it was a climate emergency, or systemic racism, and the birdemic and its peck - each took a turn as the most overwhelmingly important issue ever

Or perhaps the 'we' that is so aggressively enthusiastic about the necessity of poisoning and mutilating and grooming more and ever-more and ever-younger children (aka the transagenda). 

Or the 'we' who quietly go along with subsidizing more and ever-more millions of migrants; intentionally directed by globalist billionaires to subvert, disrupt and overwhelm all Western nations?


Where are the 'we' who are numerous and organized enough to resist these grossly and urgently destructive campaigns - by serious and deep thought and understanding, by words, by non-cooperation, by taking any kind of personal risk, or making any kind of up-front personal sacrifice?

Surely not the legions of internet posters and commenters who are too intimidated even to use their own names? Can we seriously expect pseudonymous tough-talkers to stick their heads above the parapet and make a counter-culture, when the 'shooting' starts and sacrifices must be made? 

If there are many such 'we' then they are certainly keeping quiet about it. 

  

The deep problem is that - here and now - culture is itself secular, leftist - hence demon-affiliated. The counter-culture cannot help but be 'culture' - and it will thereby be coerced and bribed into ideological conformity. 

Culture - by whatever definition - has comprehensively failed. It is, indeed, culture that is the major agent of evil. 

The Christian who recognizes the purposive and dominating evil of these End Times will search in vain for even the germ of a counter-culture to cut-off-from and join-the-fight-against the mainstream; because all the self-styled alternative cultures are lethally compromised by their complicity in the mainstream culture (which is itself The Problem). 

How can a genuinely 'counter'-culture become established and thrive when law, finance, corporations, politicians, educational systems, the major churches of all denominations, and the coordinated mass media are All against them? 


It is up to individuals to resist the evil, leftist Satan affiliated culture - which they can do, in a thousand ways, large and small - every hour of every day; by thought (primarily), word, and deed.

Yet too many Christians are crippled in this task by their residual loyalty and obedience to some or another fragment of the evil-culture; which they have dishonestly convinced themselves (without a shred of plausible evidence) can be reformed and reoriented from evil to God; despite the lack of recognition or repentance from the organization and their leaders, of their many and deep sins. 


It is as if Christians imagine our God is a magical mind-controller, who can 'save us' by casting a spell to 'make everyone Good'; rather than a creator who has always worked through the free agency of Men.

And without individual Men who choose to repent their complicity with evil, and tear away from the vortex of damnation into which culture and its institutions have enthusiastically-jumped; without individual Men who will lend their personal insight and efforts to God's work - then God can do nothing to help us. 

God can, does and will keep on giving us chances - but if we consistently refuse these chances: God can do nothing. And we will endure the consequences of our apostasy (and even then will fail to recognize that this is what we have our-selves chosen). 


God can only help those who first choose (as individuals) to help themselves. 

God can also help groups or cultures who help themselves - however, at present, there are none such; not of any size and power. 

But for those who choose again-and-again to believe, obey and follow evil Men, Groups and The Culture down the path of damnation - God can do nothing. 


15 comments:

Stephen Macdonald said...

For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt.

-- Hebrews 6:4-6

Bruce Charlton said...

@N - "Impossible" is too strong a word, surely!

But - as usual - it is up to each individual. Nobody can Make another person repent, neither can God make this happen.

It is always, in principle, possible to repent (although, as a matter of psychology) it gets harder and harder - but people have to Want it, and That is the problem...

R.J.Cavazos said...

One wonders if the way is that of passive resistance. Though this is for most people challenging as it is very difficult to resist the blandishments and "convenience" of the world.

Stephen Macdonald said...

I agree with Dr. Charlton about the use of pseudonyms online. For many other services I use my name, and often my photo when possible. I simply hadn't updated my Blogger account in some time. Previously I posted here as "Nova".

I am unafraid of the enemies of Christ.

Bruce Charlton said...

@SM - If people want to use pseudonyms, that is their affair - but having done so, they render themselves ridiculous when (as so often) they talk tough and advocate bold action. It strikes me as a version of the 'chickenhawk' phenomenon - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chickenhawk_(politics)

Bruce Charlton said...

@RJC - There is no formula. But for most people the baseline is zero - they do absolutely Nothing to challenge the global strategy of evil - apparently, not even resisting it in their own 'private' understanding and thinking (which would in fact, be extremely helpful; since the right kind of thinking can be permanently effectual, and is the main way of waging spiritual war).

Marissa Vianey Thompson (MVT) said...

I enjoy your blog and can't argue against anything you've ever blogged about. I just feel like I live in two realities. One online and one in person. The Christians in my in-person life don't seem to notice any of these things. So I wonder if I'm the crazy one.

John Venlet said...

Though Hebrews 6:4-6 seems to suggest that prior faithful who have fallen away cannot be restored to repentance, I find that if indeed that were accurate, it would put to a lie The Messiah's words to Paul in II Corinthians 12:9 that His grace is sufficient for us and made perfect in weakness.

As to the how Christian's can change the world, though, this is as problematic as Dr.Charlton suggests. We cannot, except as individuals, and if as an individual you are doing you're utmost to work the board from your own eye, with The Spirit's assistance, change can occur. First to yourself, and then it is possible the change in you will radiate outward, similar to the way a stand of poplars will begin growing outward in what was previously an empty field.

Though the world is most definitely against Christian living, and this both concerns and bothers me, Scriptures suggest that I should not live in the world. Easier said than done, this is true, but if one is truly knocking at His door, in prayer, in attempting to renew their mind by asking for The Spirit's help, the despair we may feel due to the culture in the world in this day and age can be ameliorated. Troubles and dangers are going to come, Scriptures tell us so, but I will attempt to face such with the following thought in mind:

“Human wisdom at the best is but a blind guide; human policy is a meteor that dazzles and leads astray; and they who follow it walk in darkness, and know not whither they are going; but he “that walketh uprightly,” that walks by the rule of God’s infallible Word, will ever find that “he walketh surely,” and that whatever duty he has to perform, whatever danger he has to face, “great peace have all they that love God’s law, and nothing shall offend them.””

Jack said...

Culture and civilisation are not worthy goals and are not worth defending in the first place. The main thrust of the sacred scriptures is that man is in a marriage-like relationship with God. When the marriage is breaking down, all talk of "culture" and "civilisation" is like saying, "look we know it's a bad and failed marriage, but can't we at least keep up appearances for the sake of the children and to keep the neighbours from gossiping?" For this reason I believe conservatism is in many ways more offensive to God than outright liberal rebellion, because at least the liberals are bold enough to take ask God for a divorce rather than insult him with keeping up a marriage of convenience. Conservatism is the art of enjoying yourself while taking God as a trophy spouse. "Culture" is the real mistress and love-affair of conservatism. It is adultery.

Michael Dyer said...

If you’re going pseudonymous it really depends why you’re doing it.

If the books of the Old Testament that deal with war (Joshua and Judges) for example are analogs for spiritual warfare, which some think likely, the trick is “going up” when God tells you to and not before, not to presume you can do whatever you like and God will protect you. For some maybe pseudonymity is cowardice, for others it might be prudent. When the spies went into Jericho, it seems unlikely that they announced who they were and what they were doing to the to the city.

Bruce Charlton said...

@Jack - Well said!

@MD - For myself (and having been the subject of a few international media-firestorm Woke-witchhunts in the late 2000s) I would find pseudonymity to be a yielding to the fear of (sooner or later) being unmasked; and I realized that avoidance of that which is feared will reinforce the phobia.

The Continental Op said...

Anyone wanting to change the culture (restore it to something earlier and, in their mind, better) is depending on Conservatives, who wouldn't even conserve women's bathrooms for women. Jack's comment is a sharp observation.

As for pseudonyms, it's for the internet. My focus is on real life: family, friends, church, community, and I use my real name there all the time. The pseudonyms are for protection against people I haven't even met trying to destroy me, it's a way of life for many on the internet.

Lucinda said...

"apparently, not even resisting it in their own 'private' understanding and thinking (which would in fact, be extremely helpful; since the right kind of thinking can be permanently effectual, and is the main way of waging spiritual war)."

This is why your blog is such a spiritual bulwark at this time. We cannot build a good counter-culture, but it is helpful to have a voice or two that can help us think more clearly, and reliably. Thank you.

Restitutor Orbis said...

Part of the problem is that many sects of Christianity, as taught, encourage passivity. In particular these commonly-heard tenets:

1) All men are innately depraved and can do nothing for their own salvation; grace comes from God alone. Doing good works with the expectation of salvation is vanity. Mumble mumble Calvin.

2) The Earth is ruled by Satan. He is so powerful that we cannot defeat him. We have to wait for the end times. And we shouldn't try to immanentize the eschaton, that's not our place. Mumble mumble quotes from Revelations.

3) The ancient Israelites won their battle by God's will, not their own valor.

4) God is sovereign over the universe, and as such is the source of both good and evil. So if Satan exists, it is because God permits him to exist for a higher purpose you cannot understand. Mumble mumble Book of Job.

5) Christ is the Prince of Peace. Any and all references to fighting in the New Testament are metaphorical for the struggle of the faith; only pacifism is the Christian way. The Israelites might have once waged war at God's command but that's a separate covenant. Mumble mumble Dispensationalism.

I could go on and on. All of the views above I've heard from various Christian friends and read in scholarly theology of various denominations. And these are "serious" Christians. The more liberal Churches don't even teach or believe in Satan or evil at all.

If I were Satan, I would have these principles taught widely. What a propaganda victory to persuade Christians to do nothing! If we believe that God is going to act through us, then Christianity needs to be reformulated as a religion that encourages action.

Romantic Christianity must be a Constantinian Christianity that says: In this sign, you will conquer.

Bruce Charlton said...

@RO - Who exactly is this 'Constantinian' Christian alliance of the powerful that will conquer? Constantine represented a massive alliance of the most powerful and influential people in the dominant empire, including the Emperor with the army and state bureaucracy behind him.

What are 'we': an army of internet pseudonyms?

I agree with the point of your negative critique - but in terms of positive action - you are simply reducing Christianity to politics. Unless you can understand that action is primarily spiritual, then you are just trying to use Christianity to forward some ideology - but Christianity is politically subverted and mis-led, weak, collapsing, dispersed... it offers next to zero possibility of being or becoming a power for Good.

It's power comes from the spirit, from the fact that God is creator and can amplify the work of any individual Man who chooses to do God's work - and that work includes spiritually, in thinking, in understanding. Our minds are part of the real world.