4-17-25

Phil earlier this week gave a great monologue on faith in politics, and I couldn’t agree more. Faith and politics do go hand and hand, absolutely. The idea that Christians can just sit out of politics because it’s too much, too worldly, whatever it may be, God calls us to participate in politics. Because what’s our alternative? God gave us government, government is a good thing! Jesus even told the Pharisees, “give to Caesar what is Caesar’s”. But, I’m going to take it a step further. Y’all get the JP twist. Let me start by saying this, there’s a narrative that Christianity is this soft, squishy, sweet religion. I hate that narrative. It’s dead wrong. And there’s a lot that’s taken out of context, for example. Jesus said in Matthew 5:39, “But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also." This does not mean to be passive. What Jesus is referring to here is when you are being persecuted in his name, not to retaliate. That’s very different from going on the offensive against evil when it manifests itself in your nation, your community, etc. The narrative I’ve seen ever since Trump got re-elected from non-Christians, and some Christians too for that matter, is that we should just be good ole Christians and don’t resist when we see things taking place in our country that are just plain wrong. I’ll elaborate on this more in a bit, but first let me give those folks a history lesson. This nation, the greatest nation ever on the face of the Earth, was built by Christians. Christians with a vision, and the guts to do something about it. They firmly believed they were being robbed of their God-given rights by a tyrannical government, and they were going to be free or die trying. My favorite historical figure, besides Jesus of course, is George Washington. Washington was the ultimate badass. Washington quite literally set the tone I believe for America’s dominant reign as the greatest nation ever. He had determination, vision, strength, resiliency, and an ironclad will to succeed. He even had to convince the Continental Congress to keep fighting against the British several times. Because let me tell you, the fight for our independence was no easy one. Going up against, at the time, the strongest nation and the strongest military on Earth. Who had all the resources and all the manpower, it was a David vs. Goliath story. I didn’t quite understand how grim it got at times during the war. They really only told me about the victories during the revolutionary war in school, it wasn’t until later on I realized how truly horrifying it was. Lacking in numbers, surviving the cold, staying healthy, all while fighting the Goliath that was England. The battle of Long Island for example. The Continental Army was coming off of a great victory at Boston, where England had evacuated the city. Morale was high, and the mighty George Washington seemed unbeatable. The British then recouped, reloaded, and returned. Then took place the battle of Long Island, which was a bloodbath. The British alongside the Hessians made the Continental Army look like it didn’t even belong with them. Washington, embarrassed and humiliated, had to re-evaluate things. He had to convince his own army and Congress that they could actually win the war. Just months later, with morale at the very bottom, and defeat appearing inevitable, Washington launched a surprise attack against the British and crossed the frozen Delaware river on Christmas day 1776. The weather was everything but optimal. The river was frozen over, winds were howling, and nothing but cold rain and snow. Spies actually had already warned the Brits that an attack on Trenton was coming, but they thought surely Washington wasn’t crazy enough to attack on Christmas Day with those conditions! He was. The original plan was for 3 boats to cross, but because of the less than optimal conditions, only one did. No matter. This singular event I believe is what set the tone for America. Not just for the war, but for all of history. It produced one of the most epic portraits ever, with Washington leading the way, the flag waving behind him, as he and his soldiers were about to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. One of my favorite quotes ever came from Washington on this day. With the conditions I described earlier, you could imagine this wasn’t a great environment for muskets. After crossing the Delaware, they started to march towards Trenton. General Sullivan sent a courier to Washington to tell him that the weather was wetting his men’s gunpowder. Washington responded, “Tell General Sullivan to use the bayonet, I am determined to take Trenton.” What an amazing quote. But Washington wasn’t just an amazing warrior and leader, he was a Christian man of God through and through. I think my favorite portrait ever is the Prayer at Valley Forge. At one of the lowest points of the war, where all seemed almost lost, Washington next to his horse with his sword by his side, knelt and prayed for his men. One of the only accounts we have of this prayer was by a Reverend named Nathaniel Snowden, who wrote this in his diary: “In that woods pointing to a close in view, I heard a plaintive sound as of a man at prayer. I tied my horse to a sapling & went quietly into the woods & to my astonishment I saw the great George Washington on his knees alone, with his sword on one side and his cocked hat on the other. He was at Prayer to the God of the Armies, beseeching to interpose with his Divine aid, as it was a Crisis, & the cause of the country, of humanity & of the world. Such a prayer I never heard from the lips of man. I left him alone praying. I went home & told my wife. I saw a sight and heard today what I never saw or heard before, and just related to her what I had seen & heard & observed. We never thought a man could be a soldier & a Christian, but if there is one in the world, it is Washington.” If you couldn’t tell already, I’m a bit of a George Washington nerd! But, there’s a reason for that. In my opinion, George Washington was the greatest man America’s ever seen. A man of God who was also a cold-blooded soldier. Who had guts. Who persevered through the toughest environment, and led America to its first victory, and on its way to being what it is today. We need Christians like Washington today. Leading the charge to fight the evils of the world, and defend America from them. Washington wasn’t a lovey dovey soft and squishy Christian. He wasn’t a passive, laid-back Christian. He was a rebel. He was a Christian, who by the grace of God, led an army of men to defeat the Goliath Britain, because he believed in his heart he and his men deserved the God given unalienable rights that they were being robbed of. The Left wants to gaslight you into believing “good Christians” just sit back and let evil win. Turn the other cheek! No, not at all. Do y’all remember that Episcopal Bishop Mariann Budde, who from the pulpit chastised Trump for wanting to deport illegal aliens. What a disgrace that was. But it’s a message being tossed from the left and the right. About “do unto the least of my brethren” and “clothing the naked”. These are all true, but don’t you dare gaslight us. That does not mean we should be letting in terrorists who want to do nothing but inflict harm on Americans. Jerusalem had a wall you know. And punishments from God, when Israel strayed away, were sieges where the wall was demolished. Security is a necessity for any self-respecting country. And I’m tired of non-Christians and unaware Christians taking the Bible out of context, to turn Christianity into a convenient “non-threat”. It’s a heresy. Meanwhile, the left is trying to turn MS 13 and Tren De Aragua members into poster boys. “They’re just good people wanting a second chance at life!”. No, they’re evil terrorists who want to do nothing but seek, kill, and destroy. And they have no place in America. Period. President Bukele has the blueprint for this. He was just in the White House earlier this week, and is helping Trump get rid of these terrorists. He turned his nation of El Salvador from the murder capital of the world into one of the safest. How? Throwing criminals in jail. It’s really that simple. But, if you watch his interview with Tucker Carlson from around a year ago, he discussed the Satanic worship from these MS 13 and Tren De Aragua gangs. They’re pure evil. Don’t let that be forgotten while we’re getting these disgusting people out of our nation, they have no good intentions while being here. So I say all of that to say this. Christians, which I know there’s a ton of y’all who listen to this show everyday. I myself am a born again Christian. We cannot let our religion be twisted for convenience. It’s not convenient for Christians to want a better and safer nation. It’s not convenient for Christians to be empowered. It’s not convenient for Christians to lead the charge to protect America. Then, it becomes much harder for evil to win. We are called to fight evil, not tolerate it. But, we can’t do it all ourselves. We must pray for our nation. We must pray for President Trump and his administration, as they’re doing a worthy and very difficult job of trying to bring America back. Because after 4 years of wide open borders, and people at the wheel who did not welcome God into that White House, it’s going to take a lot of work. However, they’ve been doing a heck of a job so far. We can’t let deception creep in. Christianity is not a passive religion, it is one of action. Be like Washington. Be like Jesus. Don’t tolerate evil, you fight it every single day. And you put on the Armor of God, because you’ll need it. And that’s a wrap for the Rightside Way.