New Attack On Christians
By Hal Lindsey
Recently on The Hal Lindsey Report, I mentioned a column by New York Times writer, Frank Bruni. His article was ostensibly an attack on Vice President Mike Pence. But it turned out to be much more than that. It became a broadside against all Christian believers, the Christian faith, and ultimately the center of Christianity, Jesus Himself.
Bruni’s column was based on a book going on sale August 28th — “The Shadow President: The Truth About Mike Pence.” I haven’t read it, and I hope I won’t need to. Published reports about the book show that the authors were intent on finding fault with everything about Pence. They even attacked his “extreme niceness.” Who could find fault with a man being nice? They said he has “weaponized” niceness. Are they kidding?
They talk about his friendship with Charles Colson — a man whose life was radically changed by Christ. After his own stint in prison, the former Nixon “hatchet man” launched a worldwide ministry to prisoners. He advocated for them the rest of his life. The authors doubted that it was Colson’s godly life that attracted Pence, saying it is “just as likely that Pence was drawn to Colson’s lingering aggressive tendencies.”
But another phrase they used concerns me even more. They called Pence a “Christian supremacist” — a term chosen, not to convey truth, but to induce prejudice.
The term “Christian supremacist” implies that Christians believe their worldview over other worldviews. But that’s true of all beliefs. We all think we’re right. Is everyone who has belief a “supremacist”?
A “white supremacist” is a bigot. He believes white people are superior because of their skin color and ethnic heritage. But people have no choice in their genetic makeup. The Bible teaches we are all equal in worth and that our potential is not limited by race. On the other hand, we choose our ideas. Naturally, we Christians think our ideas are better than others. If we didn’t, we would switch to the idea we thought superior.
Christians see competing worldviews as either wrong or not as good. How is that different from anyone else? Do we use the term “Democrat supremacist”? Of course not. Why not? Because it is a given that Democrats are Democrats because they believe the Democratic Party holds a better set of ideas than competing parties.
I never met an atheist who didn’t see himself as having a better belief system than theists. Do we call them “atheist supremacists”?
Some may read this and think, “I’m not a religious ‘supremacist’ of any kind because I believe all religious ideas are equally valid.”
Do you see the problem with that? That’s still saying that one set of beliefs is better than others. The person who holds that all religious beliefs are equally valid sees his view as superior, for instance, to that of the Apostle Peter. In Acts 4:12, Peter spoke of Jesus when he said, “There is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved.”
People all have their own ideas on religious faith. And, invariably, they see their ideas as superior to competing ones. But it isn’t just in areas of faith where people believe in the superiority of their own ideas. By using the term “Christian supremacist,” this book is saying that anyone who believes anything is a bigot and a “supremacist.” That’s obviously ridiculous.
Even so, we may be hearing the phrase “Christian supremacist” a lot in coming days. We can expect it to be used as an excuse for real bigotry — this time against Christians.
But don’t be discouraged. Think about something else Peter said.
“Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people's matters. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.” (I Peter 4:12-16, NKJV)
