I was listening to the news recently when I heard the word “woke.” I’m not sure now what the reference was but it peaked my curiosity so I started doing research and once I did, I began to see the origin of the words so frequently thrown around today: racism, white privilege, white supremacy, misogyny, homophobic.
And who do you typically hear using those terms? Progressive liberals, the Left, Democrats, and the mainstream media. That alone should be our first clue that somethings wrong with “woke.”
Apparently, woke originated with Black Lives Matter and means being conscious of racial discrimination in society (dating back to the 60’s) and other forms of oppression and injustice as defined by liberals.
[Tweet “Instead of woke just being a word that signaled awareness of injustice or racial tension, it became a word of action.”]
Instead of woke just being a word that signaled awareness of injustice or racial tension, it became a word of action. Activists were woke and called on others to stay woke.
A “woke society” tries telling us what we’re to say and think. Social identity groups determine what’s racist and discrimination. Blame is attributed to white (especially straight) men, or Christians and conservatives, who are actually being discriminated against. But no one is woke to that!
And worse, “woke” has led to a victim mentality that justifies using bullying, violence, riots, Antifa, lying, and sadly today anti-Semitism. And hoaxes like Jessie Smollett creating racism where it doesn’t exist with no repercussions to him. Anyone can escape responsibility from wrongdoing by claiming to be a victim of something . . . anything! Even though they’re often the initiator of the offensive action.
[Tweet “Identity politics is where skin color, gender, sexual orientation, or perversion determines who should get elected or get a job instead of those who are best qualified.”]
Identity politics is where skin color, gender, sexual orientation, or perversion determines who should get elected or get a job instead of those who are best qualified. Tucker Carlson pointed out on his show that this was happening with Traffic Controllers where they weren’t choosing the most skilled men and women to guide airplanes in our skies, but choosing from race and gender quotas even though people might not be skilled. Thanks to his making this known, that policy has changed.
Or what about colleges not admitting students with the best grades and qualifications, but meeting race and gender quotas. And why isn’t anyone “woke” to the fact that college professors are now almost exclusively liberals discriminating against conservatives? Where’s the unity and equality there?
“Woke” schools are factoring in “Adversity Scores” to SAT scores. Where you live or what your parents do, race and gender, or perceived “privilege” undermines hard work.
Did you wonder why some of the Democrat presidential candidates are talking about reparations? That’s part of the “woke” movement too. Even though you had no part in sins of the past, somebody’s gotta to pay, so it might as well be you! Even though many paid the price already with their lives.
Corporate blaming, instead of individual responsibility, has become the “woke” norm. Group think rules.
[Tweet “Corporate blaming, instead of individual responsibility, has become the norm. Group think rules.”]
It always amuses me that most of the people talking about “white privilege” are white themselves. And they have high-paying privileged jobs on television or in government. Have they looked in the mirror lately? Worse yet is when they apologize for being white as if they had any control over the color of their skin. No one does. It’s how God made each of us.
Anyone who apologizes and changes their position to whatever they think the crowd wants, has no character or guiding beliefs.
[Tweet “Anyone who apologizes and changes their position to whatever they think the crowd wants, has no character or guiding beliefs.”]
Or another term thrown around recklessly is “male toxicity!” Satan would love us to demean men and make them ineffective in our society, in our homes, in our churches. And what exactly does that mean anyway? Are we now going to blame white men for all the troubles of the world?
[Tweet “The heart of this woke movement is let’s blame someone, anyone, instead of uniting in making our society better.”]
And that’s really the heart of this woke movement. Let’s blame someone, anyone, instead of uniting in making our society better. The media and progressive mantra is: let’s divide on contrived issues. Let’s keep unrest, disunity, upheaval, and pit the American people against each other because that sells. That intimidates. That creates hate, misunderstanding, injustice, anarchy, tension division. That makes news. That deceives people. That gets votes.
[Tweet “The woke movement is trying to police what we can say by forcing on us ‘inclusive language’”]
The woke movement is trying to police what we can say by forcing on us ‘inclusive language’ prohibiting the use of male and female pronouns and even the word ‘mankind.’ Microsoft is introducing a new “AI-powered [artificial intelligence] online tool designed to improve user’s writing by offering inclusive language replacements.” You can read more about this in the article “Microsoft wants you to use approved political speech—this is a real threat to our freedom.” The heading in FOX News was “Microsoft’s insidious AI Scheme to make you ‘woke’ another word for socially correct determined by liberals.”
Woke In the Church
[Tweet “Alarmingly the “social justice woke” ideology isn’t just part of the liberal progressive movement, prominent evangelicals are starting to use language like white privilege, skin color, and misogyny in the church.”]
But alarmingly the “social justice woke” ideology is not just part of the liberal progressive movement, prominent evangelicals are starting to use language like white privilege, skin color, and misogyny in the church. Promoting “LGBT victimhood” instead of loving gays to repentance and Christ’s forgiveness. God will hold every church, denomination, pastor, and Christian that fosters, promotes, and denies sin, accountable for doing the exact opposite of what the church’s responsibility is: salvation from sin not confirmation of sin.
[Tweet “Satan uses “woke” against society. We need to awake to the founding principles of God in our country.”]
Satan uses “woke” against society. We need to awake to the founding principles of God in our country. Awake, arise, and let our voices be heard. Let’s wake up our country to revival. Pastor Greg Laurie describes revival in his devotion “A Prescription for Revival”
A revival occurs when the church comes back to life, when it becomes what it was always meant to be. It’s a returning to passion. I think many times we overly mystify the idea of revival. We don’t really need to. Another word we could use for revival is restoration, and that is what the church needs . . . We can’t organize a revival, but we can agonize for it in prayer. We can call on God to send it.
[Tweet “Many churches today seem asleep to addressing personal sin, which knows no color, gender, or race.”]
Many churches today seem asleep to addressing personal sin, which knows no color, gender, or race. Or protecting the real victims in our society, unborn babies. When’s the last time you heard a sermon on the evils of child sacrifice today: abortion. Pleasure and self-gratification determining life or death.
Or Christian businesses sued, slandered, or boycotted for adhering to Christian principles. Isn’t that abuse of religious freedom? Why aren’t evangelicals speaking out on this abuse of power?
Instead of trying to attach moral value or injustice to social groups, let’s value the lives of individuals because every group is comprised of unique individuals.
[Tweet “We need to wake up to the fact that each of us is responsible for our own sins and actions.”]
We need to wake up to the fact that each of us is responsible for our own sins and actions. No one can make us sin. We have a choice to go with the crowd or stand up for what we know is right. That’s what we’re accountable for before Christ. That’s the Gospel message. Only Jesus can forgive our sins, we can’t work them out, legislate them out, vote them out. That’s what we need to be woke to today.
All have sinned and come short of the glory of God since the beginning of time. That’s why:
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16
As Christ-followers, if we want to influence our culture, we won’t allow ourselves to be governed or influenced by popular views or public opinion. Jesus was never socially correct and He only wants His people “woke” to His Words and His commands.
Let’s give “woke” a new definition and meaning:
Warmhearted
Openhearted
Kindhearted
Eternal-hearted
Then the angel who talked with me returned and woke me up, like someone awakened from sleep. He asked me, “What do you see?” Zechariah 4:1-2
What do you see in our world that you need to be woke up to today?
You might also want to read my blog post: Social Justice is NOT the Gospel.
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*Opening picture courtesy of Northwest Under Attack Facebook
