Pulling Down Strongholds

I have a confession to make. I have been accused of writing with an agenda. I hereby plead guilty. For those who are new to LewRockwell.com or to my writings and suspected that I had an agenda, your suspicions are confirmed.

Although I write about a lot of different things—abortion, libertarianism, the military, conservatism, the Republican Party, foreign aid, the minimum wage, discrimination, the war on drugs, vouchers, Social Security, Medicare, taxation, federalism, foreign policy, free trade, the Constitution, the free society, food stamps, government regulation, the U.S. empire, the state, gambling, theology, the U.S. government, English Bible history, the federal budget, war, economics, education, gun control, the welfare state, the warfare state, health care—I must confess that I do write with an agenda—an iconoclastic agenda.

My mission in life is to destroy anti-biblical Christian traditions about economics, politics, government, war, the military, and the state that are near and dear to the heart of many Christians, too many Christians. It doesn’t matter what their theological persuasion—Catholic, Baptist, Reformed, Anglican, Orthodox, Lutheran, Charismatic, Fundamentalist, Evangelical—there are enough of these anti-biblical traditions circulating for members of every group to have a handful.

I am inspired by this passage of Scripture:

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:

For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;

Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:3-5)

And based on this verse of Scripture, “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him” (Colossians 3:17), I will list some anti-biblical Christian traditions that are on the top of my agenda to be cast down.

Anti-biblical Christian traditions in word:

• Republican presidents have been good presidents.
• The troops are heroes who are defending our freedoms.
• The United States should give foreign aid to Israel.
• We need to elect a Republican president because he will appoint pro-life justices to the Supreme Court that will overturn Roe v. Wade.
• We must fight them “over there” so we don’t have to fight them “over here.”
• Romans 13 means that we must always obey the government.
• Theological conservatives should be political conservatives.
• Everyone should vote.
• Our freedom to gather and worship is guaranteed by the U.S. military.
• America is a shining city on a hill.
• The Constitution is a divine document.
• The United States is/was founded as a Christian nation.
• Muslim terrorists hate us for our freedoms.
• The state is a divine institution.
• Every young man should serve in the military.
• Vices like drug abuse should be crimes.

Anti-biblical Christian traditions in deed:

• Voting Republican.
• Reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.
• Thanking the troops for their service.
• Decorating the church building and grounds with flags on the Sunday before Memorial Day, Flag Day, Armed Forces Day, the Fourth of July, and Veterans Day.
• Recognizing veterans in church on the Sunday before Memorial Day, Armed Forces Day, the Fourth of July, and Veterans Day.
• Asking veterans to wear their uniforms to church on the Sunday before Memorial Day, Armed Forces Day, the Fourth of July, and Veterans Day.
• Praying for U.S. troops to be kept out of “harm’s way,” but not for the people they are shooting and bombing in places where they have no business being.
• Allowing the county election office to use the church as a polling place.
• Singing patriotic songs in church.
• Singing The Battle Hymn of the Republic anywhere.
• Serving in the military in any capacity.
• Serving in the CIA or NSA in any capacity.
• Putting patriotic or military slogans in church bulletins or on church signs.
• Applauding young people in church who announce that they are joining the military.
• Churches having military appreciation days.
• Churches having law enforcement appreciation days.

Destroying these words and deeds are my agenda. I admit it. I make no apologies for it. And God giving me the ability to write, I will continue doing it.

Originally published by LewRockwell.com on September 26, 2013.