Riots or revival? George Floyd, Charlie Kirk and America

[Michie]

The contrast couldn’t be more severe: Two martyrs, two causes. One died for the religion of social justice, the other for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. America now stands at a crossroads. Which path will we choose: The broad path that leads to chaos and destruction, or the narrow path that leads to peace and life?

On one side, you have the death of George Floyd. Within 24 hours of the video going viral, nationwide protests erupted. Students walked out of classrooms. Crowds poured into the streets. City blocks went up in flames. Businesses were ransacked. Stores looted. Police officers, in many cases, stood down and watched as precincts were burned to the ground.

And Floyd wasn’t the only flashpoint. In Ferguson, Missouri, the death of Michael Brown sparked weeks of violent rioting, leaving entire neighborhoods scorched. In Kenosha, Wisconsin, the police shooting of Jacob Blake ignited nights of arson and looting, culminating in chaos that left the city smoldering.

In each case, Americans were told to understand the destruction as “the voice of the oppressed.” Politicians bent over backward to excuse the lawlessness, even pledging to bail out masked agitators who turned cities into war zones. Lives were lost in the name of “justice.”

Continued below.

Riots or Revival? George Floyd, Charlie Kirk, and America at a Crossroads

America must decide whom this day it will serve: A kingdom of darkness that demands chaos and calls it justice, or the Kingdom of light that meets tragedy with truth, grace, and hope in Christ. The contrast couldn’t be more severe: Two martyrs, two causes. One died for the religion of social...

www.standingforfreedom.com

 

[timothyu]

Yet the two who died sparking riots, stood for nothing themselves. They were not a voice for change. So yes, quite a contrast.

 

[Yarddog]

The contrast couldn’t be more severe: Two martyrs, two causes. One died for the religion of social justice, the other for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. America now stands at a crossroads. Which path will we choose: The broad path that leads to chaos and destruction, or the narrow path that leads to peace and life?

I'm not sure I'd classify them as martyrs, especially not George Floyd.

 

[FireDragon76]

I'm not sure I'd classify them as martyrs, especially not George Floyd.

That word is getting thrown around alot lately, isn't it? A martyr is something more than someone who dies, who becomes iconic of a cause. There has to be actual intentionality to demonstrate something of transcendent value.

 

[Hazelelponi]

The contrast couldn’t be more severe: Two martyrs, two causes. One died for the religion of social justice, the other for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. America now stands at a crossroads. Which path will we choose: The broad path that leads to chaos and destruction, or the narrow path that leads to peace and life?

On one side, you have the death of George Floyd. Within 24 hours of the video going viral, nationwide protests erupted. Students walked out of classrooms. Crowds poured into the streets. City blocks went up in flames. Businesses were ransacked. Stores looted. Police officers, in many cases, stood down and watched as precincts were burned to the ground.

And Floyd wasn’t the only flashpoint. In Ferguson, Missouri, the death of Michael Brown sparked weeks of violent rioting, leaving entire neighborhoods scorched. In Kenosha, Wisconsin, the police shooting of Jacob Blake ignited nights of arson and looting, culminating in chaos that left the city smoldering.

In each case, Americans were told to understand the destruction as “the voice of the oppressed.” Politicians bent over backward to excuse the lawlessness, even pledging to bail out masked agitators who turned cities into war zones. Lives were lost in the name of “justice.”

Continued below.

Riots or Revival? George Floyd, Charlie Kirk, and America at a Crossroads

America must decide whom this day it will serve: A kingdom of darkness that demands chaos and calls it justice, or the Kingdom of light that meets tragedy with truth, grace, and hope in Christ. The contrast couldn’t be more severe: Two martyrs, two causes. One died for the religion of social...

www.standingforfreedom.com

I don't believe such a direct comparison can be made, though the two deaths and the two reactions were stark contracts - one was fundamentally the right way to unify, join together and try and heal as a nation, while the other reaction seeks only to tear down and destroy everything that birds us together as a people.

The right doesn't want to see abuse of power or improper arrest procedures used any more than the left and it really doesn't matter the skin color of the person.

My husband, a white conservative man, was as outraged over the George Floyd death as anyone on the left - just not destructively so. The only thing that soured anyone on the right was trying to make it into something divisive instead of an incident where an individual police department really did need to change accepted procedures, and an opportunity for more departments to look into their own.

I don't mind a focus and an eye towards good police procedures, there's a too far and a not far enough and finding the best balance is positive for society. I don't think our modern police departments are racist as do some African Americans, and I don't want to see good cops at risk just because they are doing their best to enforce the law (I'm almost supportive of prosecutorial immunity at this point for police because people are being unfairly targeted for prosecution) but I do desire the best possible policies across the board.

Because of that, had it been used correctly George Floyd was a moment left and right - actual left and right - could have come together with ease and worked bipartisanly together. While George Floyds death was of his own making ultimately (enough drugs to kill a horse etc) he needed medical treatment and actual help though, and as a citizen deserved better than he got. (That ambulance took far too long for one from the remembering of it)

We as a nation do want the better outcomes, and are happy to work towards them as fellow Americans, friends and neighbors, brothers and sisters.

I think what's telling is the reactions shows the world views and the differences there are.

There wasn't any rioting with Charlie Kirks death, only a coming together in brotherhood and healing. It sought healing over division. Unity and peace in what binds us together.

That's because modern progressivism does actually seek out the division in order to overthrow the existing system. And when that's the goal, you will always have violence.

And at this point, there's not much we even can fix, it's a fairly solid system at the moment though we still have some ways to go in a few areas yet which I actually think we do agree on and will come in their own time.

Socially - you can't engineer people. At some point you have to look at your neighbors and decide to love them warts and all and just be the best person you can be.

It's either that or you decide to kill them, and as one of the neighbors - it's not my preference for society, definitely not a positive directions to choose. And one I will never choose.

 

[eleos1954]

The contrast couldn’t be more severe: Two martyrs, two causes. One died for the religion of social justice, the other for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. America now stands at a crossroads. Which path will we choose: The broad path that leads to chaos and destruction, or the narrow path that leads to peace and life?

On one side, you have the death of George Floyd. Within 24 hours of the video going viral, nationwide protests erupted. Students walked out of classrooms. Crowds poured into the streets. City blocks went up in flames. Businesses were ransacked. Stores looted. Police officers, in many cases, stood down and watched as precincts were burned to the ground.

And Floyd wasn’t the only flashpoint. In Ferguson, Missouri, the death of Michael Brown sparked weeks of violent rioting, leaving entire neighborhoods scorched. In Kenosha, Wisconsin, the police shooting of Jacob Blake ignited nights of arson and looting, culminating in chaos that left the city smoldering.

In each case, Americans were told to understand the destruction as “the voice of the oppressed.” Politicians bent over backward to excuse the lawlessness, even pledging to bail out masked agitators who turned cities into war zones. Lives were lost in the name of “justice.”

Continued below.

Riots or Revival? George Floyd, Charlie Kirk, and America at a Crossroads

America must decide whom this day it will serve: A kingdom of darkness that demands chaos and calls it justice, or the Kingdom of light that meets tragedy with truth, grace, and hope in Christ. The contrast couldn’t be more severe: Two martyrs, two causes. One died for the religion of social...

www.standingforfreedom.com

The Bible acknowledges secular law and calls for believers to submit to governing authorities (Titus 3:1, Romans 13:1-7) as long as they do not command actions that contradict God's commands. Secular rulers are seen as being established by God to maintain order and justice. However, this submission is not absolute; if human laws conflict with divine law, believers are obligated to obey God rather than men (Acts 5:29).

We have great evil in the world and we as believers must flee from it as much as possible.

It's not so much our laws are the problem (certainly there are laws that are not good and/or are misinterpreted) ... it's that many people are not being held accountable for the crimes they commit ... it's a failure in the judicial system allowing criminals to roam the streets and not prosecuting them and getting off the streets.