We got 'em shakin' in their boots

Jackboots and stormtroopers

Recently, there was a video making the rounds on social media. It shows an English police officer having a discussion with a woman outside of a pre-born baby murder mill (the world calls these abortion centres, but we’re honest with our language). You can watch the video (here), but I’ll give you the gist of the conversation:

Officer: Hi, why are you standing in front of this pre-born baby murder mill?
Lady: I am praying for the women who murder their babies to find joy and peace.
Officer: Do you realize that murdering pre-born babies is protected in England?
Lady: Yes, which is why I am just praying silently in my head.
Officer: I think that’s protesting, and you are not allowed to protest here.
Lady: I am not protesting; I am only praying with my mind for these women.
Officer: Well, that’s illegal, so I’m going to write you a ticket.

England has what’s known as a Public Space Protection Order, which grants a protective bubble around public spaces to be free from noise-making, sports, and protesting, for example. In England, pre-born baby murder mills are granted a Public Space Protection Order. Apparently, in England, it’s legal to murder your babies, but it’s illegal to plead with women to not murder their babies.

The officer insists that the woman is protesting, even though she is merely praying in her head. Furthermore, the woman informs the officer that she has been harassed by police officers in the past regarding her public prayers at pre-born baby murder mills, and she has been given permission to do so after sorting the matter out with the authorities. However, the officer seems uninterested in listening to the woman, engaging honestly with her, protecting her rights, and enforcing the law.

Big Brother and the Ministry of Love in full force

In a recent article I outlined several examples of how our Western world has grown dangerously close to the Oceania of George Orwell’s 1984 (here). One of the concepts in the book I did not write about was the idea of “thoughtcrime.” So, because I omitted it previously, and because this video of the officer and the woman is a perfect representation of thoughtcrime, this is how Orwell describes it in the book:

“Whether he wrote DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER, or whether he refrained from writing it, made no difference. Whether he went on with the diary, or whether he did not go on with it, made no difference. The Thought Police would get him just the same. He had committed—would still have committed, even if he had never set pen to paper - the essential crime that contained all others in itself. Thought-crime, they called it. Thought-crime was not a thing that could be concealed forever. You might dodge successfully for a while, even for years, but sooner or later they were bound to get you.”

The problem of protesting

The irony of the interaction captured in this video is that both the officer and the woman are correct, in a sense, and incorrect, in a sense. You see, the woman was not protesting the way the officer said she was – not in the traditional sense of what protesting is. However, the woman was engaged in a protest – of the spiritual and immaterial kind – which was pointed directly at both the pre-born baby murder mill as well as the State in England, which by extension includes Officer Jackboot.

Murdering pre-born babies, which I have already mentioned is euphemistically called abortion, is more than just a physical act done to another person. It is a deeply religious act, a blood sacrifice in fact, in order to ultimately appease the god of unfettered sexual enjoyment and secure for oneself a life of joy and peace, unhindered by the responsibility of carrying, birthing, and raising a child (I go into much more detail here).

This worship is not only encouraged by the State, but also protected by the State legislatively, and it’s even funded by the State through our tax dollars (I know this video takes place in England, but I include Canada and the United States as well). Because it is State-sanctioned worship, and because these murder mills are akin to places of worship, any form of public disagreement – even disagreement done inside one's own head – is deemed an offence against the State. In other words, opposition to the murder of pre-born babies, both internal and external, is seen as protesting the State, and in the case of England, some places are protected from public protest.

God-ordained treason

This kind of protesting the State in the spiritual realm extends far beyond the murder of pre-born babies. In fact, it would seem that much if not all of the Christian life lived in conformity to God’s Laws is protesting the godless and dehumanizing policies of the State. In effect, what believers are engaged in – again, in the spiritual realm – is a kind of high treason, but a treason that pleases the Lord and brings much honour to His name.

I want to encourage followers of Jesus everywhere to not only participate in this kind of spiritual treason and spiritual protest, but to do so with all of their hearts, in joyful obedience to the Lord, and to the glory of our great King Jesus. The same God that was pleased with Phineas when he was zealous for the honour of the Lord; the same God that elevated John the Baptizer above all other men for, among other things, the obedience and defiance that cost him his life; is the same God that is pleased when we obey him in defiance of the spirit of the age.

When you pursue sexual purity and save yourself for your spouse, being faithful to them alone in a covenantal and sexual union, you protest against the gods of individualism and selfish sexuality. You tell the adult film industry, the entertainment industry, and the State that sanctions sexual promiscuity, that their gods are false gods, and the Lord alone is worthy to be worshipped.

When you marry your spouse, order your house according to God’s prescribed structure, and have children to the glory of God (hopefully a quiver-full), you protest against the gods of unfettered sexual enjoyment and materialism. You tell the State that they cannot buy your obedience with government subsidies, and you will not feed their insatiable money-lust with even more tax dollars from a dual-income. You rage against the demonic idea that the world is overpopulated, and you tell the State that their neo-pagan earth worship has no place in your home.

When you take seriously the education of your children through anything other than State-funded indoctrination centres, you protest the State’s growing control of all spheres and remind them that it’s not their duty to train your children in the godlessness and sinfulness of the devil, but rather the discipline and instruction of the Lord. You declare that you will be rejecting their tax-funded re-education, because you actually love your children.

When you go to church on the Lord’s Day, engage in meaningful fellowship with other believers, use your gifts to serve in and edify that local church, and submit yourself to the loving care of qualified men who serve as elders, you protest against the gods of entertainment, hobbies, leisure, comfort, and selfish pride. You remind the State that the local church is sovereign land – an embassy to the Kingdom of God. You declare to the gods of this world that there is no better way to spend your time and strength than praising the Lord of Glory and joining the rehearsal for your eternal worship of the Living God.

Weak tyrants and their threatened power

True obedience to God, in our current post-post-Christian culture, is in direct opposition to cultural norms, State-sanctioned activities, and everything promoted by the media and the entertainment industry. It is increasingly the case that simple conformity to the Law of God is necessarily defiance of what the State encourages, protects, and legislates. I don’t think this trend will change direction any time soon. The disparity will only grow greater, and a few elections won’t stop the ever-growing chasm.

The increased hostility from the State to the activities of Christians is actually tremendously encouraging. No, I do not have a martyr complex, and I do not seek out persecution. When our obedience to God, even the silent prayers we pray in our head, are punished by the State, that means that they see us and our worship as threats to their power, their position, and their agenda. The State punishes those people who are a threat to national security and safety, and they seek justice for those who break the laws that govern the nation. Our obedience to God is a threat to the kingdom of darkness. Our promotion of God’s order is an affront to the spirit of the age. Our spiritual protesting is treason against Satan and his agents of authority and position.

When Jesus began His earthly ministry, there was increased demonic activity. This was, in part, because Satan was attempting to thwart God’s purposes and the expansion of God’s Kingdom. A Church that does not face Satanic attack and opposition is deemed an impotent and ineffective enemy. But a Church that is willing to be openly persecuted and oppressed by the State is a real concern for the kingdom of darkness. Therefore, engage in all manner of spiritual protesting. Do what God commands, which is what the State hates and discourages, and even punishes. The Church is always on the offensive, and the gates of hell (always on defense) will not be able to prevail against it. The nations will always rage against God and His people, but that only means we’re on the right track.