America has been demoralized.
That’s the word that Yuri Alexandrovich Bezmenov, a defector from the Soviet Union, used to describe us in 1984. He was explaining to G. Edward Griffin how the enemies of America were trying to tear her down.
The former KGB agent detailed the four stages of cultural subversion. Step one, demoralization, worked “to change the perception of reality of every American to such an extent that, despite the abundance of information, no one can come to sensible conclusions in the interest of defending themselves, their families, their community, and their country.”
In Besmenov’s view, America was already thoroughly demoralized four decades ago. Whether he was right, I don’t know. But it is obvious that we are more demoralized now.
Consider our common experience when trying to have reasonable conversations across the aisle. Whether the subject is presidential politics, global warming, abortion, or what have you, frustration and hopelessness torpedo goodwill and dissolve the conversation into anger and strife.
That is the goal. According to Bezmenov, the Soviet enemy worked to demoralize people for the purpose of destabilizing communities and shredding the social fabric.
The Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, but the enemy didn’t go away. Satan is the ultimate demoralizer. And he is alive and well. Burning Teslas and town-hall tantrums designed to shut down rational conversation make that obvious. But these are only the most public manifestations.
The greatest tragedies are happening on the personal level. You can feel the acid of demoralization dissolving families, communities and even churches.
But I am not writing today to join the chorus of whining about incivility. I am writing to encourage and equip.
There is a way to fight back that steers between boiling anger and icy silence.
It involves principles that have always been taught in Christian churches. That’s why Christians can lead the way. You don’t need to be swept along by the cultural mudslide. You can rise above it with faith, hope and love.
The process of demoralization began with an attack on truth. It intended to make access to the truth hopeless so that you would turn to cheap counterfeits.
Satan wants you to quit seeking the truth and agreement with other people. He wants you to win arguments by hook or by crook. Don’t do it. This closes the door to real unity and destroys relationships.
The way back begins with renewed confidence that truth exists and that it is accessible to anyone who seeks it. Armed with this certainty, we can pursue it with love and patience.
That’s why the Bible teaches you to “put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another” (Ephesians 4:25). This unflinching pursuit of truth can and should begin among fellow Christians.
Don’t just expect others to conform to the truth. Start with yourself. Hold yourself to your own standards. Ruthlessly compare your own most trusted news sources against the pure truth of the Bible. Read it. Study it rigorously. Judge the world by it. It will not lead you astray.
We all need to relearn a healthy skepticism that digs behind the headlines and is willing to be corrected by others. An unflinching and careful study of the Bible will expose lies that divide us.
Don’t be afraid that it might challenge long-held opinions. It will. That’s a very good thing. Every lie that it dislodges will make you both more courageous and more loving.
Genuine love approaches everyone as a potential friend. It attributes disagreements to misunderstandings rather than to moral failings. Don’t be quick to condemn others. Rather, be patient to probe until you find the source of the misunderstanding.
Inflammatory labels like, “liar,” “murderer,” and “hater” should be shelved until you and your supposed adversary agree thoroughly on the definition of these words. Through a calm and careful discussion of definitions, false dichotomies will melt away.
Not only should honest seekers of the truth resist labeling each other. They should also refrain from labeling people who are not present. The politics of personal destruction has no place in the Christian heart. Don’t participate in it.
Rather than vilifying and demonizing people in the limelight—people whom we have usually never met—we should remember that it remains our duty to speak kindly and to defend the character of others. This is not only true of friends and acquaintances. It is also true for public figures.
If Christians lead the culture, rather than getting caught up in its rage, these simple principles will help to “remoralize” community, state and nation. Start by applying them in your church. Then, watch as they work to bring peace to a world torn apart.
Jonathan Lange is a Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod pastor in Evanston and Kemmerer and serves the Wyoming Pastors Network. Follow his blog at https://jonathanlange.substack.com/. Email: JLange64@protonmail.com.
