Ep. 315 Dangerous Challenge for Standing on Your Convictions

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Shows Main Idea – Standing strong for conservative principles did not have a heavy price tag not so long ago. That day has passed. The Christian community is wrestling through the challenges of holding to our convictions as we recognize that every decision has a financial, reputational, vocational, and educational impact. We’re regressing to a former day in church history where decisions could cost your life.

Show Notes

You may want to read:

• Ep. 313 Helpful Ideas When Speaking against the Cancel Culture
• Ep. 312 A Cancel Culture Manipulates Everyone to See Things as They Do
• Ep. 310 Mix Power and Disdain for Others: You Get a Cancel Culture

What Will You Do?

What would you do if you had to face off with someone who not merely disagreed with you but would not relent until you accepted their teaching? Perhaps the knee-jerk response would be to stand for your convictions. I would say similarly, especially since I have not had to make that decision.

What if your educational future were in the balance? You had to answer the question according to your teacher’s critical race theories or fail the test and see your education trajectory plummet. What if taking a knee made all the difference in losing or keeping your scholarship? How about bowing to the woke mob at the job? If you stand for your conviction today, you will stand in the unemployment line tomorrow.

These questions and concerns are not “out there” somewhere. They are here, and like a slow-rolling tsunami, they are coming to your doorstep, to your children. There is no place for any of us to hide because the woke cultural evangelist is adamant, determined, and unapologetic. They don’t like the culture, and though they have no plan beyond destroying what we have, it doesn’t matter.

You may want to read:

• The Miseducation of America’s Elites – Bari Weiss
• America’s True Believers and Their Gutless Enablers – Peter Savodnik
• Woke America Is a Russian Novel – Peter Savodnik

Comments and Questions

1. Do you self-censor or speak up? What are the costs? See Luke 14:25-34. What are the consequences of personal freedom?
2. Which lane of suffering do you want to go down? You can compromise your beliefs to appease the agitators, but you won’t have peace. You can stand for your convictions, and they won’t give you peace, though you will have it internally. It’s personal internal freedom or external “freedom.”
3. If you disagree, do it respectfully to a fellow image-bearer. How to disagree: with grace, respect, and courage. See James 3:9.
4. Is an apology or bowed knee all they want? No, it’s not about the apology primarily. The apology is the first step toward groupthink. Will you assimilate into groupthink or have a voice? Their goal is complete assimilation to how they view the world. What will happen if you “kick the can” down the road this one time? There is no end to their demands until you become like them.
5. Your courage gives courage to others, while fear gives fear to others. Who will follow you? Others will.
6. What does it mean to trust God? In the context of this episode, it is standing for what you believe, not what the woke promote.
7. Please don’t buy their manipulative gaslighting arguments. E.g., racism has been on the decline for decades. The government legalized gay marriage in 2015. Their playing the victim card is misguided and weaponized. Do not capitulate to their misinterpretation of reality and the manipulation of facts to coerce you to become like them.

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Rick Thomas

Rick launched the Life Over Coffee global training network in 2008 to bring hope and help for you and others by creating resources that spark conversations for transformation. His primary responsibilities are resource creation and leadership development, which he does through speaking, writing, podcasting, and educating.

In 1990 he earned a BA in Theology and, in 1991, a BS in Education. In 1993, he received his ordination into Christian ministry, and in 2000 he graduated with an MA in Counseling from The Master’s University. In 2006 he was recognized as a Fellow of the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors (ACBC).