Rasmussen Reports published a survey yesterday showing that "Most voters think the country has become more divided since Election Day, and fewer than 1 in 5 say they are confident President Biden will be able to unite Americans--even though "unity" has been an oft-repeated word in Biden's first week in office.
There is a great divide in our country---much like Abraham Lincoln's America---and as he noted in his time, America cannot continue as a house divided, one or the other beliefs that divide us will ultimately prevail.
But solutions being presented further divide us.
De-Programming conservatives and Christians?
Be informed, not misled.
The Rasmussen Report found that 56% of likely voters say America has become more divided since the election. Just 16% say the country is more united since Election Day, while 25% say it's about the same.
Most "intellectuals" blame Trump. I think they underestimate us. And are wrong, because they don't understand the problem so their solution is dead wrong---and probably politically motivated rather than birthed in virtue and concern.
Intellectual Brian Klaas wrote an essay for the Washington Post earlier this week in which his ignorance is in full view.
His solutions should be concerning.
He writes, "The United States has a serious problem with pathological political delusions. So do we have any hope of deprogramming the millions of Americans devoted to dangerous lunacy?"
He says it will be tough---but it's got to be done to save the country.
The reason it will be tough to do is, he says, is because "Psychologists and political scientists" ...have found that "once people have gone far enough down the rabbit hole of conspiratorial thinking, it can be nearly impossible to get them back."
The main reason, he says, is "conspiracy theorists are far more likely to have a 'Manichaean worldview', meaning they interpret everything as a battle between good and evil."
Maybe he does understand the problem but is merely in denial regarding the solution.
The lack of unity as the secular humanist, progressives see it.
Klaas says it's very hard for "dispassionate evidence-based arguments to break through" the thinking of those who hold fixed or non-progressive views.
He closely associates QAnon believers with all conservatives, claiming "Trump is their central superhero in an epic saga to vanquish a shadowy cabal."
In fact, QAnon involves much of his argument, but he admitted on MSNBC that there are a few other reasons for the lack of unity.
He says:
"Those who seek to debunk conspiracy theories are precisely the people that true believers distrust." And, "these organized mass delusions are designed to resist debunking. When Armageddon fails to materialize on a precise date predicted by a cult leader, believers chalk it up to a miscalculation and simply pick a new date. The same is true for conspiracy theories."
He concludes: "We can no longer pretend that conspiracy theorists are beneath our attention. They've shown they have tremendous capacity to inflict great damage on society."
And he says this: "But to find the right antidote, we need to at least accurately diagnose who has taken the poison."
While he advocates for de-programming those who disagree with the humanist, secular progressive worldview---he admits it's going to be difficult.
This guy, Brian Klaas and others who hold his beliefs, are getting a great deal of face time on television because the electronic media agrees with him. So does the print media---newspapers and magazines.
You can bet Twitter won't be removing him from their platform. Or even fact-checking him.
New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is all in on the notion that conservatives must be de-programmed, while the media that doesn't agree with the left's "narrative" must be "reined in."
I won't take the space here to quote all of them, but people like Katie Couric, former CBS Evening news anchor, told Bill Maher: "And the question is how are we going to almost de-program these people..."
Washington Post columnist Eugene Robinson told MSNBC that "millions of white Republicans need to be de-programed."
He said, "There are millions of Americans, almost all white, almost all Republicans, who need to somehow be de-programmed."
The former Chief Security Officer for Facebook, Alex Stamos, on a Sunday News show said social media "needs to collaborate to prevent right-wing extremism in the same way they worked on ISIS."
So now we have an idea how the radical left believes they can fix the conservatives. How ought we as biblical Christians, those of us who hold a biblical worldview that also believes there are absolute laws, principles, and rights and wrongs---how ought we respond?
A Christian conservative response.
Our culture is in full assault mode toward anyone who disagrees with the accepted secular progressive belief system.
Children are particularly targeted.
We're going to hear more, not less about the notion of de-programming conservatives---particularly biblical Christian conservatives---all in the name of "unity.".
Don't react. But be informed. Very informed.
Be faithful: I Peter 1:13 says, "Therefore grid up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ."
Be steadfast: Hebrews 10:23 says, "Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised)."
Be Informed. Be Discerning. Be Faithful. Be Prayerful.