It’s something to really think about it
J. Jeff Toler, for Shenandoah Christian Alliance
One of the reasons the cultural Marxists have succeeded in dismantling the republic so effectively may be due to creative imagination. Such people have used their minds to imagine a particular way of covertly reshaping our culture into something it was never intended to be. This may explain why so many of our ruling class elites use the term “reimagine.” For example, they want us to reimagine policing, which they will tell you is police reform. It shouldn’t take very long to find fatal flaws in this idea, but amazingly it is really starting to take root in this generation, after failing sixty years earlier.
During the riots of the summer of 2020, we reimagined that complete disorder would lead to some kind of community utopia. Sadly, it wasn’t long before the “leadership” of a number of blue state cities could only imagine civil order returning again. They could only helplessly wait to see what would happen. For Portland, Oregon, utopia hasn’t arrived yet. Likewise, Minneapolis—where all of the trouble started over the shooting of the imagined folk hero, George Floyd, will likely never fully recover from its utopian outburst. Most likely, the police department there will be defunded and abolished.
Now our nation will soon discover what a major city will do without police. Can we imagine a federal police force perhaps? (For a history of how this works, one need only look at the twentieth century examples of Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union.) It may happen easier than we think, as the shooting gallery known as Chicago is establishing new records for gunshot victims. Stunningly, Mayor Lori Lightfoot, is making every effort to hamper, discredit, and disable the Chicago PD, who could actually bring the crime wave down. Every day is a new development in her war on them. (The latest is a forced vaccine mandate, and officers who refuse to take the jab are on forced, unpaid leave.)
Already, the evil imaginations placed in the hearts and minds of so many, have destroyed the fabric and foundations of America
“If some imagine racism as critical race theory does,” says Andrew Klavan in episode 1,052 of The Andrew Klavan Show podcast, (choose listen, and start at 48:17) “that tries to put into our minds, and tries to make us imagine one another as racists, then all we will have, is racism in the future.”
Klavan believes one way to deal with this kind of creative—yet horribly destructive—imagination is a counterpoint imagination. If we imagine beauty, we will have beauty, and if we imagine truth, we will have truth. From his particular perspective on this podcast, he is speaking to a politically conservative mindset. Klavan is a confessed Christian, and initially his idea may seem a bit odd for most Christians since we understand truth to be very real, absolute, and certainly not imaginary in the person of Jesus Christ. Yet consider: it is imaginations that we are struggling against.
“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5 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; 6 And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled. (2 Corinthians 10:3-6 KJV)
“The Greek words translated ‘casting down imaginations’ in the KJV can also be translated as ‘destroying arguments’ (ESV) or ‘destroying speculations’ (NASB 1995). These [later] translations add some clarity to the meaning of the phrase. Paul is utilizing divine weapons to destroy or bring down speculations, arguments, and reasonings that are against the knowledge of God.”
“The knowledge of God is that which He has revealed about Himself throughout the Scriptures (Hosea 4:1; Romans 11:33) and is contrary to the imaginations or speculations Paul is discussing.” (From Got Questions/casting down imaginations)
Klavan may be on to something in suggesting (as we assume) the use of God-given, inspired imaginative ways and methods in destroying arguments, as Paul describes to the church at Corinth, that are found in such sickening abundance these present times.
Already, the evil imaginations placed in the hearts and minds of so many, have destroyed the fabric and foundations of America, as well as all over the world. But in America, the beautiful heritage created by God through the imagination of brilliant 18th century thinkers and statesmen have been ransacked—often without any real resistance! Destruction has come on our civil government, our laws, our traditions, our families, and our children—and even our churches. Our government schools have been so thoroughly corrupted, there is nothing left worth salvaging.
For the Christian, we can say that the evil one has placed in the imagination of so many, the arguments against decency, respect, and even our children’s bodies.
Last week we explored 1 John 2:15-17 in identifying the ruler of this world/world order as none other than Satan. The verses that follow reveal how Satan works, using lies, deceit, and evil imaginations that are designed to oppose Christ and His Church. If we are to destroy arguments, why not pray to God for the imagination to effectively turn these arguments on their ear, and engage in the spiritual warfare as we ought?
“Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.”
“But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth.” (1 John 2:18-20)
May God give you brilliantly inspired imagination.
