Social justice advocates (cultural Marxism) seek to advance their cause by the dreadful death of George Floyd. It is essential to keep the following two thoughts in mind as we consider events such as the tragic death of George Floyd.
First, social justice and cultural Marxism do not entail that some injustices they stand against are not actual injustices. [1] Many who are not social justice advocates may see the same event and also conclude it is an injustice that needs to be corrected. [2] Consequently, even those who hold opposing beliefs may unite against real injustice. That does not mean that social justice advocates are not involved or employing their strategies or seeking their ultimate goal of overthrowing the culture.
The motive and the methods employed by social justice advocates in attempting to right a wrong can be very different from those of ordinary citizens. A social justice advocate will use anarchist tactics, which are approved of and promoted by social justice advocates who are not actually on the streets; they are in academia, newsrooms, and places of power. [3]
Social justice advocates seek the destruction of America’s capitalistic civil system as a necessary component to usher in a socialistic Utopia. An example of this can be seen in Harvard Divinity School Professor Cornel West’s comments that discard America’s capitalistic system as a failure. His remarks are in light of the death of George Floyd and the ensuing riots.
He says, “I think we are witnessing America as a failed social experiment. And what I mean by that is that the history of black people for over 200-something years in America has been looking at America’s failure. Its capitalist economy could not generate and deliver in such a way that people could live lives of decency. The nation-state, its criminal justice system, its legal system could not generate protection of rights and liberties.” [4]
Those who are not social justice advocates but who also see the injustice seek justice through the legal, legislative, and elective processes. An example of associating such disparate groups, social justice advocates and non-social justice advocates, is the almost universal agreement on the apparent [5] injustice of the death of George Floyd. [6] But the means for seeking justice by cultural Marxists and those who view the death of Floyd as a heinous act but love America are categorically different. [7] The latter group views Floyd’s death as well as the wanton destruction of innocent lives and their property through rioting and looting as injustices. Social Justice Advocates view wanton destruction of innocents and their livelihood as a means to their goal.
But to oppose either the injustice against Floyd or the injustice perpetrated by the rioters against innocents is the very kind of partial and biased injustice the rioters are protesting. They are employing the very kind of partial injustice to make their case that they say they are against. Christians must stand unequivocally against the injustice against Floyd and the injustice committed by the rioters against the innocents. That is to say, we stand unashamedly for God’s impartial justice.
Second, to use the terms cultural Marxism and social justice to describe an event, group, or person does not necessarily mean that everyone so described is a card-carrying cultural Marxist or social justice advocate or even would describe themselves as such. Social justice advocates will welcome non-social justice advocates to join their fight, and they will join non-social justice advocates in their cause so longs as it fits the overall plan of social justice advocates.
These terms do not necessarily signify that some acts of violence, anarchy, or civil disobedience are driven exclusively by cultural Marxism. Nor do they preclude non-cultural Marxists from getting caught up in the emotion of the moment and rioting alongside the social justice advocates. But even the acts that are not solely driven by cultural Marxists are promoted and used by social justice advocates to further their cause, which is the destruction of American society and culture to usher in their dream of a socialistic Utopia. Such behavior by anyone facilitates their plan. We ignore these somewhat complex traits of how cultural Marxism and social justice work to our natural and spiritual peril.
As Christians, we should speak out against all injustices, including unlawful death and the infliction of wrongful harm on the lives of innocent people and their livelihood to advocate one’s position. We should pray for the gospel to advance in this situation. We should pray for those who have positions of influence in this tragedy to speak up for Christ. We should pray for all the victims of injustice. We should grieve for every victim of injustice in this tragedy.
[1] I use cultural Marxism and social justice interchangeably in this article since, generally speaking, they seek the same things, and social justice is a component of cultural Marxism. While social justice may not entail every aspect of cultural Marxism, the two are very similar in that both employ anarchist measures in their strategy, favor socialism or communism over capitalism, define justice contrary to true biblical justice, favor redistribution of wealth and power by force, and seek a socially wrought socialistic Utopia.
[2] Conservative Baptist Network provided a thoroughly Christian response to the George Floyd event. The statement equally condemns both the injustice by the police against George Floyd and the injustices resulting from some people who seek justice for the death of George Floyd by inflicting injustices on innocent people’s lives and livelihood. https://conservativebaptistnetwork.com/statement-regarding-george-floyd-and-the-ensuing-riots/ accessed 5/30/20.
In contrast, the Southern Baptist Convention statement condemns the injustice by the police against George Floyd, but it fails to include condemnation of the injustices resulting from some people who seek justice for the death of George Floyd by inflicting injustices on innocent people’s lives and livelihood. Christians should stand against all injustices. To be against one actual injustice and ignore other actual injustices is to fail to respond in a thoroughly Christian manner. http://bpnews.net/54877/southern-baptist-leaders-issue-joint-statement-on-the-death-of-george-floyd accessed 5/30/20.
[3] https://www.foxnews.com/us/live-updates-riots-break-out-across-america-after-george-floyd-death accessed 5/30/20.
[4] https://www.foxnews.com/us/live-updates-riots-break-out-across-america-after-george-floyd-death accessed 5/30/20.
[5] I use the word “apparent” only because at the time of this writing, while every indication is that the officer did unjustifiably cause the death of George Floyd (something I agree with based on what we know at this time), there may still be unknown facts, which could alter or ameliorate the case. I am not ready to abandon the legal system of due process, as flawed as it may be for a tragic system of trial by the internet.
[6] https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/deroy-murdock-rioters-do-injustice-to-george-floyd-killed-in-a-horrific-case-of-police-brutality accessed 5/30/20.
[7] http://www.bpnews.net/54859/pastors-urge-prayer-gospel-outreach-as-outrage-grows-over-george-floyds-death accessed 5-30-20; https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/deroy-murdock-rioters-do-injustice-to-george-floyd-killed-in-a-horrific-case-of-police-brutality accessed 5/30/20.