Can intolerance solve intolerance? ∙∙

Can intolerance solve intolerance? ∙∙

We must obey God rather than men. – Acts 5:29

Revelation 3:1-3

1 “I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.”
2 “Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God.”
3 “So remember what you have received and heard; and keep it, and repent. Therefore, if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you.”

The Spring and Summer of 2020 brought the world to a moment of reckoning. Outrage was rightly directed at the horrific injustice of a citizen’s egregious, seditious murder by a police officer in Minneapolis. Crowds gathered voices rose, and there was a rallying cry for change. Violent mobs joined peaceful demonstrators. But what began as peaceful protests advocating for justice quickly devolved into chaotic riots, destruction, and acts of anarchy.

At some point, the calls for genuine social reform transformed into a demand for ideological conformity. Regrettably, this soon began to overshadow the essential pursuit of racial justice. The needed discourse about justice mutated into a bloody, destructive battleground. Those advocating for change, a.k.a. the “woke,” took the underlying flames of “cancel culture” and stoked it into a blazing inferno. Public shunning and expulsion quickly supplanted open dialogue.

On July 7, 2020, Harper’s Magazine published an open letter signed by 153 prominent figures addressing the growing suppression of thought in society. It stipulated that “the free exchange of information and ideas, the lifeblood of liberal society, is daily becoming more constricted.” The erosion of the unencumbered exchange of ideas was replaced by a culture intolerant of dissent. Freedom of thought and expression granted under the Constitution of the United States has been assaulted by intolerance. It is being aggressively and violently coerced into silence.

In its place emerged an oppressive environment of compulsory conformity: “an intolerance of opposing views, a vogue for public shaming and ostracism, and the tendency to dissolve complex policy issues in a blinding moral certainty.” Presumed violations were met with harsh chastisement.

The letter highlighted practices like hasty punishments, the firing of writers and academics, and the vilification of individuals for perceived missteps. It warned against the penalties of narrowing conversation under the guise of justice, reminding us that silencing debate undermines the very freedom needed to achieve true justice. It emphasized that battling bad ideas demands reason, persuasion, and discourse—not the silencing of opposing views. Justice and freedom, it noted, are not competing ideals but inseparably bound to one another.

The letter contended that injustice cannot be reversed by even greater injustice and mob rule. “The restriction of debate . . . invariably hurts those who lack power and makes everyone less capable of democratic participation. The way to defeat bad ideas is by exposure, argument, and persuasion, not by trying to silence or wish them away. We refuse any false choice between justice and freedom, which cannot exist without each other.”

“More troubling still, institutional leaders, in a spirit of panicked damage control, are delivering hasty and disproportionate punishments instead of considered reforms. Editors are fired for running controversial pieces; books are withdrawn for alleged inauthenticity; journalists are barred from writing on certain topics; professors are investigated for quoting works of literature in class; a researcher is fired for circulating a peer-reviewed academic study, and the heads of organizations are ousted for what are sometimes just clumsy mistakes. Whatever the arguments around each particular incident, the result has been to steadily narrow the boundaries of what can be said without the threat of reprisal.”

Society itself, American culture, and civilization were under assault. Intolerance cannot be adequately countered by further intolerance.

How, then, are we, as children of the King, to respond? It is tempting—and all too easy—to point fingers and condemn those whose actions and beliefs differ from ours. But Scripture compels us to look inward. “Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves!” (2 Corinthians 13:5).

It is not enough to scrutinize others; we must evaluate the authenticity of our own faith and actions. Are we living in obedience to the Father? Is our faith dynamic, alive, and burning with love for Christ, or have we become apathetic and complacent? Where necessary, we must repent and change our way of thinking. Are we truly living out our faith, or are we just going through the motions?

The admonition given to the Ephesian church in Revelation 2 is strikingly relevant here. The Lord commends their hard work, endurance, and resilience but sternly rebukes them for abandoning their first love. “I have this complaint against you. You don’t love me or each other as you did at first! Look how far you have fallen! Turn back to me and do the works you did at first” (Revelation 2:4-5).

Revelation 2:2-5

2 I know all the things you do. I have seen your hard work and your patient endurance. I know you don’t tolerate evil people. You have examined the claims of those who say they are apostles but are not. You have discovered they are liars.
3 You have patiently suffered for me without quitting.
4 But I have this complaint against you. You don’t love me or each other as you did at first!
5 Look how far you have fallen! Turn back to me and do the works you did at first.

These verses should lead us to reflection. Does our passion for God still burn hot within our hearts, or has it dimmed with time and complacency?

If we genuinely wish to address the brokenness in our world, we must begin by examining our own lives. Are we reflecting the righteousness, mercy, and humility of Christ? Are we standing steadfastly for truth without falling into the trap of contemptuous judgment? The narrow path the Lord Jesus Christ calls us to requires maturity, courage, and grace—a delicate but essential balance of uncompromising obedience to God and unwavering love for others.

Society will often draw lines and demand allegiance to ideologies or trends that may conflict with our faith. But for the children of the King, the course is clear. We must continually return to the One who holds the truth and surrender to His work within us. And as He strengthens what remains, we can move forward—renewed in heart, reignited in love, and steadfast in our commitment to Him. Our world is desperate for hope, authenticity, and lives that truly glorify God. Let us meet this call through repentance, faith, and action rooted in the abiding love of Christ.

REFLECT & PRAY

Proverbs 21:2 People may be right in their own eyes, but the LORD examines their heart.

Father, You know how foolish I am; my sins cannot be hidden from You (Psalms 69:5). Open the eyes of my heart that I might see, recognize my own faults, repent, change my ways, and walk humbly with You.

INSIGHT

Each of us must decide where we stand. What do you believe in? Where is your foundation? Once you know, stand firm. The Bible calls us to have courage and resolve. Ephesians 6:13 reminds us, “Each of us must determine where we stand in our beliefs. And then take a stand and stand firm.” And again, 1 Corinthians 16:13 declares, “Be on guard, stand firm in the faith. Be courageous, Be strong.” This is a timeless charge to live with unwavering commitment to truth

Make no mistakes—standing for our faith often comes with resistance. There is something insidious lurking beneath the surface. Protesters and writers had been attacking federal buildings, businesses, and law enforcement officials. But on August 01, 2020, something changed. What began as demonstrations against inequality evolved into attacks on symbols of faith and order. On August 1, something deeply troubling occurred—Bibles were burned in the streets of Portland. Yes, Bibles!

Ask yourself: Why is there an urge to torch the Scriptures? What does this act have to do with the pursuit of justice? What drives such disdain toward the Word of God? Does it reveal a deep-seated hatred towards God’s Word? Does it transcend mere protest and signify a direct challenge to centuries of religious freedom, tradition, and values that are founded upon biblical principles?

Jordan Davidson wrote, “As they turn to burning Bibles, Portland rioters show their true colors” (https://thefederalist.com/2020/08/01). Who burns Bibles? What exactly does burning the Bible have to do with protesting for social and racial justice? Is it nothing more than a not-so-veiled attempt to dismantle centuries of tradition, freedom of religion, and Western civilization itself?

Take a moment and reflect on the courage of those throughout history who stood firm in the face of opposition. Consider the prophet Daniel. A righteous man, he served as a trusted government official. His enemies, envious of his integrity and success, sought to bring about his downfall. They schemed to entrap him through an unjust law, knowing that the only way to trap him would be through his faith. Daniel 6:5 reveals their plan: “Our only chance of finding grounds for accusing Daniel will be in connection with the rules of his religion.”

These men tricked King Darius into signing an unjust law that would condemn Daniel for his steadfast devotion to God. What was the punishment for his “crime?” Being thrown into a den of hungry lions—an inevitable and gruesome death. Daniel faced a choice that many of us can relate to. Would he compromise his devotion or stand firm in his faith?

We know how the story ends: Daniel refused to waver, and God rewarded his faith, trust, and devotion. You know the rest of the story. The Father sent His angel, and the lion’s mouths were shut, and Daniel’s life was preserved.

The lesson is clear: Standing firm in faith may come with risk. At times, it may even feel like we’re walking into a lion’s den. Yet, what matters more? The approval of men or the approval of God? Acts 5:29 compels us to remember, “We must obey God rather than men.”

This world is filled with pressures to conform or silence our beliefs, but we are called to courage. Like Daniel, we must recognize that though the challenges are real, our God is greater. If Daniel’s example teaches us anything, it’s that faithfulness will always be met with God’s steadfast presence—even in the darkest of trials.

We may have to risk becoming lion food for our faith and convictions.

Compromise is easy, but conviction is rare! Stand firm! Stand strong! But know this—your stand can ripple far beyond yourself, shining as a beacon of hope and faith for others. Take courage, be bold, and trust that God is with you always!

Dare to be a Daniel!

¯_(ツ)_/¯9-10-2

© Dr. H 2025