Something Wicked This Way Comes

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace.  In the world you will have tribulation.  But take heart; I have overcome the world.” Jesus, John 16:33

Yet something wicked this way comes.  Not the carnival nor the Ray Bradbury book or the movie of the same name, but something much more sinister and relevant to the lives of Christ-followers in the USA and other nations influenced by America’s churches.

I am not a prophet and have no “word of the LORD” on this, but it seems to me we have passed a point of no return.  The world is rapidly spinning out of control of societal norms that have been standards for hundreds of years.  Even Nazi Germany from the 1930s to WW2 was mostly recognized as violating basic human rights, even as the political madness ruled from the top down by way of fear and intimidation.  Many people rapidly escaped and various plots to assassinate Hitler or his henchmen were unsuccessful.  But there was a keen sense in the rest of the world that Germany and Japan were on the wrong side of history.

Now we see history “rhyming.”  Remember, it never repeats just as certainly as a man cannot step in the same river twice.  Antisemitism is at levels higher and more widely spread across the globe than the 1930s.  Universities that once allowed vigorous discussion of divergent ideas, years ago began shouting down unpopular views that expressed traditional values.  Administrators have kowtowed to leftist and elitist abusers that they trained to resist what those of us over 40 considered normal.  A student leader at Columbia, Khymani James, declares, “Zionists don’t deserve to live.  Be glad — be grateful — that I’m not just going out and murdering Zionists.”

Aside from the Israel/Gaza storm, men pretending to be women are now invited to change in Olympic women’s dressing rooms for the next series of games.  In spite of obvious physical differences, how these guys “feel” about themselves matters more than what their biology teachers told them.  When girls object, they are vilified as bigoted and narrow-minded and are sexually discriminating against these “trans-women.”

The upcoming Paris Olympics are trying to balance “wokeness” with public displeasure at men competing in women’s sports by dumping the decisions of who qualifies back onto the individual governing bodies of each sport.  There’s a lack of backbone for you.

“Gender-affirming” surgeries tripled in the USA from 2016 to 2019 with 12-18 year-olds accounting for 10% of permanent mutilations of naturally-born characteristics.  Boys and girls, can you say “social contagion?”  The governor of Arizona vetoed a state legislature bill that would have prevented confused school boys from showering with girls stating, “I will not sign legislation that attacks Arizonans.”

In April this year the German parliament overwhelmingly passed a so-called “self-identification law,” which allows people confused about their sex, including minors, to change their legal gender once per year.  The government is promoting puberty blockers and hormones on its website for gender-confused children at ages when kids should be riding bicycles and playing with dolls and trucks.

Live Action’s “Meet Baby Olivia” video shares a realistic look at the development of preborn children in the womb, validated by well-qualified OB/GYN doctors.  While some states are moving to require the video for sex-ed classes, an article for USA today claimed it would mislead people and stigmatize teenage girls who have an abortion when faced with an unplanned pregnancy.

The issue here is not that society is changing, but that Christ-honoring Biblical truth is being side-lined by prophets of a new age.
>How long before wearing a kippah can result in being arrested?  Try last week!
>Will we who believe God created distinct males and females in His image be accused of hate speech for quoting the Bible?  Try a couple years ago and still fighting for free speech and to stay out of prison!
>When will someone lose a job for espousing open dialogue on divisive issues?  Try last week again!
>Fortunately our government will never spy on citizens going about their daily business😳.  They can leave that to Google and Apple.
>Then again, maybe they will, but they will only use such surveillance against the “bad guys.”

Now, if we can just be certain we who call on the Name of YHWH or Jesus are never on the “bad guys” list!  But if we insist on allowing Hebrews to wear their identity on their heads, some may want to kill us.  If we label men and women as birth-assigned genders, we could be in trouble.  If we feel we should be allowed to express our faith by talking openly about being Jewish or Christian we may be discretely followed or imprisoned.  If we insist a human is a human as soon as he/she has all the genetic information of a human, there are voices that will call us liars and try to drown us out.

Do not expect the next election to stem the tide of history.  We are heading for the last stanza of the rhyme.  Love your enemies and trust in Jesus!  He has overcome the world.