Jesus once said, "If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world; therefore the world hates you " [John 15:18–19].
The "world” represents all that is against God (i.e., Satan, sin, etc.). Satan attacks humanity by turning us away from God and leading us to sin.
Cancel culture is ill-treatment towards someone based on their beliefs. If you're a Christian, the goal here is your relationship with Christ and telling others about the Gospel. As Christians, we should be striving to be more like Jesus and less like the world.
We live in a culture where society can cancel you just for about anything. Cancel culture is everywhere; college campuses, places of employment, social media, friend groups, etc. People get kicked out of school for publicly sharing their beliefs, and others lose their jobs based solely on their beliefs.
Many Christian accounts on social media have been shadowbanned due to just publicly sharing their Christian beliefs. When someone doesn't match today's societal, cultural norms, they've set themselves up to become a cancellation target. To put it simply – cancel culture is the belief that "since you don't believe in exactly what I believe in, you should be punished for it." Cancel culture is a direct attack on diversity of thought.
No one is immune from being called out, shamed, mobbed, or canceled for their current or past views or behaviors. Anyone can be subjected to being "canceled." Those who are being canceled; don't tend to have the same beliefs as those who control the narrative. Those who run big tech and run Hollywood are considered the arbiters of truth by most of society. If they say something is true, then it must be true. If they say something is false, then it must be false. These arbiters control the information that's being carried out, thus controlling who can be subjected to being canceled.
Cancel culture, where the "tolerant" is highly intolerant of anyone it perceives to be intolerant. Cancel culture has been weaponized to objectify particular behaviors or opinions of opposing voices by removing opposing voices support and financially destabilizing them.
As Christians, we don't find truth in what the world says is true; we find truth in God's word. What's wrong in God's eyes is wrong. What's right in God's eyes is right.
"I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you." [John 16:12-15]
The "conservative vs. progressive" dichotomy is part of this "cancel culture " epidemic, in which Christianity is divided into two separate categories: "progressive Christianity" and "conservative Christianity." These "progressive Christians" want to be more like the world and are more open-minded to accepting or justifying what goes against scripture.
"What a difference it would be if our system of morality were based on the bible instead of the standards devised by cultural Christians," abolitionist William Wilberforce once said.
Cancel culture is the exact reason Christians should be more involved in the world of politics. Our faith is how we understand policies. What many Christians often forget is that the Bible IS political. What's written in the Bible is how God wants his children to behave and act towards Him and towards each other.
The Bible states how we are to treat the poor, and when we give, it's because God has provided for us to be able to give. You can find examples of this in Deuteronomy. Leviticus 23:22 gives instructions to grain farmers – "When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not wholly reap the corners of your field when you reap, nor shall you gather any gleaning from your harvest. You shall leave them for the poor and for the stranger."
When we give, we show Christ's love. Some will argue that this must mean that Jesus was a "socialist." However, those who make that same argument dismiss the fact that Jesus voluntarily gave to the less fortunate; he wasn't obligated to by the government. Jesus encouraged other Christians to help others and give to private charity freely.
Was Jesus a capitalist? I have no idea. I honestly can't answer that. However, capitalism has given people the freedom to be generous and has freed more people from poverty than any other place on earth.
The Bible also talks about the importance of private property and hard work (which sounds like good old capitalism).
In Romans 13, Paul tells us that the government's responsibility is to rule in authority, collect taxes, and keep the peace. As Christians, we can elect our leaders and vote for those that will best represent our Christian values and faith.
"Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers, for there is no power but of God, the powers that be are ordained of God." [Romans 13:]
As believers, we love our neighbor by pursuing peace and seeking justice in everyday choices and commitments. In America, we have the unique blessing of self-governance, and we have the responsibility to help shape that. The question boils down to this; be engaged and educated in politics or be controlled by the ones who are. Stop believing the lie that Christians shouldn't get involved in the world of politics. Choosing not to partake in politics can lead to you losing your religious freedom and rights. If you think the Bible isn't next on the list to be canceled, you would be wrong. The Bible is already deemed offensive by society. Here's a good point I heard recently; the cross shows us what humanity will do to cancel God.
Matthew 22:37 reads: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind."
Don't sacrifice your values in hopes of approval and acceptance from society. Continue to speak biblical truth even if it doesn't meet the support of the modern-day culture. What's more important to you; being politically correct or being biblically correct?
"We must give up the vain idea of trying to please everybody. That is impossible, and the attempt is a mere waste of time. We must be content to walk in Christ's steps and let the world say what it likes," J.C. Ryle, one of the most influential evangelical clergymen of the nineteenth century, once said.
Cancel culture ends when America starts having this mindset - I may disagree with you on particular views, but I still respect you as a person. I may not have the same views as you, but I will fight for your right to share those views publicly.
1 Peter 3:13-17 "13 Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? 14 But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. "Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened." 15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to answer everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 16 keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.17 For it is better, if it is God's will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil."
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