Eisenhower, the Military-Industrial Complex, and a Christian Response

Eisenhower, the Military-Industrial Complex, and a Christian Response

Jun 13, 2022 | Uncategorized

Ever since Donald Trump came down the escalator at Trump Tower on June 16, 2015, it seems like I’ve been swallowing a consistent diet of red pills. The red pill reference, for those who don’t know, comes from the hit 1999 movie The Matrix with Keanu Reeves. As the character Neo, Reeves is given the choice by Morpheus, played by Laurence Fishburne, of two pills, blue or red. If he decides to take the blue pill, he will remain in the surface world that seems like the real world to everyone, but is actually an illusion. If he takes the red pill, he will go down an Alice in Wonderland-like rabbit hole called The Matrix and learn about a simulated reality in which everyone is trapped but doesn’t know it. Things are not what they seem. The list of the things that were not what they seemed to me is long and seems to be growing longer.

One of the more recent is American foreign policy. I’ve always been patriotic, and part of that was supporting the American military, which I still do. I supported all the wars America has fought, and thought they were necessary and good. That’s what I was told by those who surely wouldn’t lie to me. When Trump in the very first debate of the primary said the Iraq war was a terrible mistake, a disaster, I felt uncomfortable, as I think many conservatives did who supported it. We knew Trump was right but hated to admit it. I thought we had to get rid of Saddam, even though we found no weapons of mass destruction. I believed the CIA was mistaken, but surely, they weren’t purposefully lying to get us into war?

After six years of lies coming out of the FBI and CIA, I am no longer so sure about that given what Eisenhower warned about in his famous words, the Military-Industrial Complex. It is apparently a beast that must be fed no matter how much misery, destruction, and death it takes to feed it. Look at the tens of millions of people who died or were maimed and displaced because of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. And what exactly was accomplished in exchange for all that blood and treasure? Arguably, it made things far worse.

I’ve been familiar with that phrase most of my life, and even knew that it came from the president’s farewell address, but I’d never actually listened to or read it. I knew his words came as a warning about that complex, but never really considered what it might mean, and how seriously we ought to take his warning. Recently, I finally decided to read it for myself. When President Eisenhower gave the televised address on January 17, 1961, I was all of five and a half months old, so I don’t quite remember it. Reading it after all these years made me wonder why I, and so many of those of us who consider ourselves “conservatives,” never really took his warning seriously. We should have. War is a business that makes a lot of people a lot of money and gives a lot of people a lot of power, which is exactly what Eisenhower warned against:

This conjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry is new in the American experience. The total influence-economic, political, even spiritual-is felt in every city, every state house, every office of the Federal government. We recognize the imperative need for this development. Yet we must not fail to comprehend its grave implications. Our toil, resources and livelihood are all involved; so is the very structure of our society.

 

In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.

We must ask ourselves since Eisenhower left office, which of the wars have been justified by the only reason for war: self-defense. I am upset that the military-industrial complex has been trying to get us into another war in the Ukraine, especially having sent $40 billion dollars we don’t have to enable it to continue. I wrote our senators with that complaint because both voted for sending the money. One of them replied that he was absolutely convinced supporting Ukraine is in our “national self-interest.” I used to not question that concept, but now I do. What does that even mean on the other side of the world? And who decides what is in our “national self-interest”?

Our first president gave us a similar warning in his farewell address:

Hence likewise they will avoid the necessity of those overgrown military establishments, which under any form of government are inauspicious to liberty, and which are to be regarded as particularly hostile to republican liberty.

It can be argued that we’ve had an overgrown military establishment since Eisenhower, and that the temptation to fight “forever wars” is great, but why as Christians should we care about all this? Because Christianity is a full orbed view of all of reality, or what has come to be known as a worldview. Liberty and republican government bequeathed to us by America’s founders are direct result of our Christian worldview. If there was no Christianity, there would have been no America, no such thing as rights of individuals apart from the state. Our Declaration of Independence states that our rights come from God not government, and our constitution gives us the right to hold our government, and those who govern, accountable. That includes how our money is spent to defend us against enemies, foreign and domestic.

The day of conservatives uncritically accepting what the “military-industrial complex” says is in our self-interest, is over. The point of carrying a very big stick is so we never have to use it against the bullies of the world. Ronald Reagan and Donald Trump both knew that. The former won the Cold War because of it, and the latter defeated international terrorism. As Christians we need to take much more seriously our responsibility as citizens of a self-governing republic. Just voting and complaining is not enough. God in his providence enabled the genius of our founders to give us a republic unlike any the world has ever known. As Franklin said at the constitutional convention, we have been given a republic if we can keep it. I would argue it is worth keeping for the generations to come, and that means it is worth fighting for.

I will have more thoughts in my next post about how we can each do that.

The Dividing Line in Western Culture? The Truth

The Dividing Line in Western Culture? The Truth

Jun 11, 2022 | Uncategorized

I wrote a piece earlier this year about how Tim Keller like many Evangelical leaders believes there is some kind of moral equivalence between “the extreme left, and the extreme right.” Contra Keller, I argue that there is no “radical right” today, while the entire left is demonstrably radical by any definition of the word. This, however, isn’t an argument about definitions of radical, but rather what separates the two sides of the political/cultural divide in the 21st century West. That separation is at the heart of what determines whether civilization is possible, or not, and comments about “extreme” or “radical” or “far” one way or the other are beside the point. What is not, is truth. In our time, that is the only relevant divide; not party or position or policy, not liberal or conservative, Democrat or Republican, or even Christian or not, as obviously critically important as all those are. Why I believe this is because my fundamental conviction about reality is that Truth exists and is a found in the person of Jesus of Nazareth, who proclaimed himself, “the way and the truth and the life.” So, truth is about much more than statements of fact, or the way things are; it is a person.

Western culture decided to jettison that person a long time ago, and thus truth. Almost the entire world today is “western,” in that it has embraced secular Enlightenment rationalism. Because of that, it partakes of the disease of that philosophy’s logical conclusions, which disease has been germinating for several hundred years: the death of truth. Once the West rejected Christ, and thus Christiandom, it was only a matter of time before it rejected truth. Of course, truth cannot die because reality is defined by it and him, but we’ve entered the world of full-blown postmodernism where all that counts is “the narrative.”

Whatever that narrative might be, it is pushed by all the dominant levers of cultural and political power. It comes in the form of “racism” or “white privilege” or “gun violence” or Ukraine or “climate change” or the January 6 “insurrection” or covid, or the political class’s cause de jeur. To the left, which has completely taken over the Democrat Party and the media, all is politics, and the ideological agenda is all, so “the narrative” must serve that agenda. If anyone questions “the narrative” they must be “othered” for promoting “disinformation” and silenced. That means there can be no debate with “the narrative,” which is what happens when truth is sacrificed to ideology. People of the left will pay lip-service to truth, but the totalitarian nature of their politics gives lie to that. There can be no debate in an empire of lies built on narratives; those who question the narrative are the enemy.

Only in a world where truth is acknowledged to exist, and sought as an ultimate good, can there be debate and tolerance of divergent views. As soon as truth is thrown under the bus, all that is left is “the will to power.” Everything in the society of the left is a power dynamic, one oppressed group against another, privilege vying for power. Whoever wins controls “the narrative” and determines “the truth.” This is Marxism 101, or applied to society as a whole, cultural Marxism. There can be no compromise with Marxism. Anyone who tries to compromise with it, will be complicit with it, and eventually coopted by it. The only way to defeat it is truth, the affirmation of its existence, and the pursuit of it as the highest good. In this war, Christians must always affirm not truth in the abstract, but that truth is the person of God in Christ, that truth ultimately matters and is ultimately real because truth is God himself, and it only exists because God himself exists.

Which brings us to why truth is the dividing line of our time. Our elites are cultural Marxists, which has caused the liberals among them to flee for their cultural and political lives. To me, this is one of the most encouraging things to come out of the takeover of government and culture by the woke mob. What separates these liberals from the left is that they actually believe in truth, that it exists, that it is the highest good, and must be pursued, the “narrative” be damned. There has been a run on red pills by liberals over the last several years. You can see the shock on their faces, and hear it in their voices, that so many of the people they once considered their allies, have rejected and “othered” them simply because they seek and want to know the truth. These liberals are willing to call out “the narrative” as a lie or distortion, and the Marxists will never forgive them.

There are many examples of this, but one of the most amazing to me is feminist author Naomi Wolf. I’ve watched her often on Steven Bannon’s War Room for well over a year now, and her transformation has been remarkable. And because truth is a person, she has even had something of a spiritual awakening, as can be seen in this remarkable interview she did with Tal Bachman some months back. Others who have been red pilled are Joe Rogan, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Journalist Bari Weiss, who resigned from the New York Times because of it, and many others. Even Bill Maher almost sounds reasonable at times. And I’ve come to consider Elon Musk a cultural ally because, as he explained in a TED interview a couple months ago, he is obsessed with truth. That is a good obsession!

Why should we be thrilled with this growing cultural divide?

  1. On a temporal plane, we now have allies we would have never had before to fight with us against the Marxists in our midst. In a way they would have never been before, they are now committed to the Constitution, and liberty and justice for all.
  2. On a spiritual plane, it creates a more welcoming cultural environment for Christianity and the gospel. The true liberals, the ones who have been red pilled, have seen the ugly implications of postmodernism and the corresponding embrace of a politics of “the narrative” and rejection of truth. They will naturally be more open and accepting of Christianity. The virulently secular anti-Christian culture won’t change overnight, but a premium put on truth will make a difference in the long run.
  3. God is exalted and Christ is glorified when truth itself is exalted. To those who believe in and seek truth, Christians can plausibly point to and argue for he who is the Truth as Lord and Savior.
“Compared to Bach, We All Suck”

“Compared to Bach, We All Suck”

Jun 5, 2022 | Explanatory Power

I love writing about God’s creation, and how in Paul’s words, that “God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made.” However, there is always a moral quality to God’s revelation of himself in creation because he finishes that thought with, “so they are without excuse.” Nobody on judgment day will be able to complain to God that, “Well, there just wasn’t enough evidence that you exist!” The purpose of creation, rather, is that God’s creatures will worship him, rather than creation itself. How could we not worship one who is so magnificent in power and glory and creativity and genius that he could create everything in the universe out of nothing! Including Bach! And people who could enjoy Bach, like you and me! Not to mention, sound and rhythm and melody and harmony!

I was thinking these kinds of thoughts that are always rolling around in my head as I was listening to Rick Beato talk about Bach’s stunning creativity and virtuosity. And Beato is primarily a pop music guy, so I was very interested to hear what he had to say. It’s worth a listen if you not only want to be amazed by Bach, but by the God who created Bach! I made similar observations about an interview he did with Pat Metheny last year from whence the quote came that we are all unworthy compared to Bach. They get to the end of their ability to fully describe their amazement, and just can’t say anymore. The more is God! Beato does the same thing here.

At about minute 20 listening to some spritely piece by Bach, he starts grabbing and shaking his head, and says, “Wow!” He then continues, hands on his cheeks exclaiming, “The brain that can hold this music in it, the genius!” And there he is only talking about the pianists who have memorized the pieces and can play them with such feeling and artistic flair. He follows this with, “And, then there’s the guy that came up with them,” and he laughs, adding, “The guy who came up with this stuff, right, then there’s Bach!” He points out that the musicians just play the music, but Bach wrote all of it, and flummoxed he delares, “It’s just mind boggling that someone three hundred years ago could write things like this.”

I love the look on his face and the furrowed brows as he tries to comprehend what he clearly can’t find comprehensible. As he was saying all this, I yelled, “Rick, it’s God!” I asked the rhetorical question, “As amazing as Bach is, Rick, are you not far more amazed by the being who could create a Bach!” Not only that, but he gave this man the tools to be able to do something so amazing, including his mind, nervous system, ears, personality, etc.

Many times in his still young life, I’ve told our youngest son who is very much into music and a musician, that I feel sorry for those who think the music is just about the music. No! All things point to the Creator of those things, and only in understanding that can we truly enjoy them for what they are, no more, no less. Bach knew it was about much more than just his music, which is why he signed all his works, soli deo gloria, to God alone be the glory!

Chris Ruffo: Critical Race Theory and The Assault on the Soul of the West-Watch This!!!

Chris Ruffo: Critical Race Theory and The Assault on the Soul of the West-Watch This!!!

May 30, 2022 | Western Civilization

By this time almost everyone in America has heard of critical race theory. They are also aware that all the elite cultural institutions, corporate America, and government believe America is and always has been fundamentally racist. For these elites, the adjective “white” has taken on ominous tones, and “privilege” has become a kind of original sin. Unfortunately, in this religion of cultural Marxism, there is no repentance, nor mercy and grace, and redemption is not possible.

I’ve been surprised, although I shouldn’t be, that wokeness has taken over not only education, Hollywood, and government, including the military, but the whole of corporate America, including professional and college sports. When I attended a large public university from 1978-1982, and this kind of Marxism and postmodern hatred of America and the West was common among the humanities faculty, but that it’s completely taken over almost every aspect of American society and culture is, well, shocking. Fortunately, having this poison come out of the closet because of the modern Guttenberg Press (aka, the Internet), the vast majority of the American people don’t like it one bit! The radical left that pushes this evil (and it is Satanic) is a fringe minority of the population, but regrettably they have the most cultural power, including the biggest microphones.

That is all changing, slowly but surely, and I’m hopeful for the future of our country for the first time in my adult life. That is a topic for another book that’s rolling around in my mind, but for now, educating our fellow Americans about this pestilence is what we need to do. Watch/listen to this Hillsdale talk by the great Chris Ruffo, and you’ll learn why things are where they are, and how we can change them.

 

Another School Shooting: How Do We Respond ?

Another School Shooting: How Do We Respond ?

May 28, 2022 | The Gospel

I’ll confess I’ve become numb to these horrific events. It’s hard for normal people to wrap their minds around such grotesque evil. Yet, we cannot allow numbness to dull our response to evil, wherever it may rear its ugly head, no matter how small or large. The question is what our response ought to be. Jesus had a counter intuitive response, as he normally did to everything, when unexplainable evil happened to people: repent. It seems callous at first glance, until we realize that it is the only actual logical response to such suffering. In Luke 13 Jesus tells us how we ought to think of such senseless slaughter:

Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. 2 Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? 3 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. 4 Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”

Repent or perish is the logical response? What exactly is Jesus saying? We’ll often hear people say that someone’s death, let alone 19 children and two of their teachers, is a tragedy. For their loved ones and friends, it is an unspeakable tragedy. Only those who know of such sorrow can understand the pain of it, but it cannot end there. Jesus’ point isn’t that if we repent, somehow, we’ll escape death, gruesome or otherwise. No, rather it is that this life isn’t the end, isn’t all there is. Every time we see or experience death firsthand not our own, we ought to contemplate the eternal nature of our soul. Are we right with our Creator? Have we accepted the free gift of grace in Christ, a righteousness from God by faith, that we might be reconciled to him, and live life eternal with him?

Sadly, most people will not react this way because they have bought the lies of secularism that this life is what counts, and what we do and get here is what matters most. Only, it doesn’t. This life is a mist and will be over in mere moments, then what? Such an eternal perspective on things doesn’t make us indifferent to things of this world, however. It should make us more determined to see the Lord’s prayer, Thy kingdom come, become more of a reality in this fallen and often dark world. It was this mentality of the first generations of Christians that turned the pagan world, a world Thomas Hobbes described as “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short,” into the modern world that is far less so. I heard a statement this week that captures the futility of secularism, and its discontents: You can’t fill a God-sized hole with a government peg.

Yet Democrats, progressives and leftists, all have the same response to such horrors as school shootings: It’s the guns! Get rid of guns, and like magic, school shootings will cease. The moral inanity of such declarations is not worth addressing, if it were not such a pestilence on modern society. Guns, of course, do not kill people, but evil people use guns to kill. If we could find some way to rid America of the three hundred plus million guns in circulation, evil people would find other and more creative ways to kill. Contrary to Rousseau, who asserted that men are born free but are everywhere in chains, men are born in chains and are only set free by an inner spiritual transformation of the heart. Ultimately, only God in Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit can truly transform sinners into saints. I heard about this statement this week, and I thought it captured well the spiritual malaise of so many in modern secular society:

Walsh added, “There is a terrible spiritual sickness permeating our society. Evil has a deep foothold here. We scratch at the surface of the problem but never look below.”

These are terribly complicated problems, but they have very simple explanations. It of course goes back to the fall, and man ever since succumbing to the temptation that he can “be like God, knowing good and evil.” When man tries to be God, it doesn’t work out well. The most obvious explanation at this end of history is a rampant fundamentalist secularism. Western intellectual and cultural elites had been trying since the 18th century to rid western civilization of God, and in the 20th century they realized their objective. In America, that was fulfilled by the mantra of the “separation of church and state,” a dogma used to actually separate God and state. But it wasn’t enough for these elites to get God out of government; he needed to be out of every square inch of American culture as well. They were fine as long as “religion” was a personal thing, but bring it into the public square, and the next thing you know there will be a bunch of little Torquemadas on the loose burning heretics at the stake.

Contrary to the rabid secularists, though, America was founded if not as a “Christian nation,” then as a nation deeply influenced at every level by Christianity and Christians. In the famous words of the not terribly religious John Adams:

Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.

And the religion Adams was speaking of? Christianity. If America is not to turn into a police state, or a state of anarchy, it will only be Christianity that can save it.