Loren Lippincott
Last Wednesday Charlie Kirk was assassinated by a gunman on the Utah Valley University campus, where thousands of mostly college-age young people had gathered to hear him speak and ask him legitimate questions about faith, politics and life. Charlie Kirk had a gift for relating to young people searching for answers. He listened respectfully and engaged thoughtfully in answering their sincere questions.
Charlie was unique in that he possessed great knowledge on why things are the way they are, how they got that way and how we could make course corrections if we chose to. There is a great awakening happening on college campuses and with the younger generation that is being seen as a true swelling of revival. Youngsters are attending church in larger numbers than they have in decades, they are choosing marriage more often and becoming more pro-life than the generations before them. There is an awakening and Charlie Kirk was the poster child for this movement.
The stark contrast between Charlie and those who tried and finally succeeded in silencing him is something that has been more and more evident across our nation. On one hand you have a group that promotes discussion, debate and dialogue. On the other side is a group that tries to silence opposition, using fear, intimidation and slander to drown out those who do not align with their beliefs. We have seen this repeatedly in the national media and even close to home in our State Capitol. It is reprehensible!
Even within the U.S. House Of Representatives a motion was made to have a prayer for Charlie after he had been shot and before he died, but that motion was met with scorn and ridicule by those who preach “tolerance.”
This assassination hits hard for me because Charlie Kirk was the embodiment of kind, patient and tolerant discourse, something many of us want but which is often frustrated by the vitriol coming from the other side. He represented what we aspire to be; someone who was able to clearly explain his ideas without animosity, but with substance and resolve. Charlie openly testified to his belief in the Bible, his relationship with the Lord Jesus and how that shaped his worldview. He also had a firm grasp of our country’s history and understood why America has been blessed with prosperity and success. He knew it was because our nation and our founding documents were based on Christian principles. Charlie articulated these truths clearly and unashamedly to his generation and it resonated with his listeners, because truth resonates with those who are open to it.
When I ran for office three years ago, I met with the county sheriffs from all four counties. After a personal visit with each of them about the challenges they faced, I asked each of them what they saw as the biggest problem in our area, giving them a choice of 10 different possibilities. Each one answered without a moment’s hesitation that our number one problem is spiritual – a lack of spiritual meaning, purpose or direction. This results in hopelessness, depression, anxiety and anger.
Without God people have no absolute truth, no certainly, no meaning. This prevalent mindset, especially in our governmentrun education system that has kicked God out of the classroom, frustrates young people who are searching for answers. Then along comes Charlie Kirk who can clearly provide solid answers to those truth-hungry youth and the haters silence him. This reminds me of an observation made by Socrates, who said, “When the debate is over, slander (or the sword) becomes the tool of the loser.”
While it would be natural to respond with anger and hostility toward the leftists who want to silence those they disagree with, Scripture says, “our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (Ephesians 6:12) In God’s sovereignty, He placed Charlie Kirk on earth for 31 years to declare truth to our hurting nation. Many had ears to hear, many did not. Let us pray the Almighty will raise up millions more outspoken righteous patriots to take his place!
Loren Lippincott represents Legislative District 34 in the Nebraska State Senate. Read his column in the Nance County Journal.