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Corporate America is assuming the role of moral compass and virtue arbitrator in the culture.
While Christians and conservatives focus on "big tech"---as we should--fearing they are canceling free speech with which they disagree---as they are---we are learning that corporate America, is consciously assuming the role of moral compass and virtue judge, and using their financial power to dispose of values and "truth" with which they disagree.
Corporations like Walmart, Apple, Amazon, Target, Coca-Cola, and others are becoming the lamp that lights the way.
Are Christians and the Bible next?
Here's what's happening, and why.
Be informed, not misled.
A number of conservatives are beginning to speak up about their concern regarding big corporations inserting themselves into the social and moral issues of the culture.
In fact, some believe that totalitarianism is on the horizon as America's woke corporate movement is leading us toward a new social credit system, much like China's.
Journalist and author Rod Dreher---author of "Live Not By Lies: A Manual for Christian Dissidents"--says, "Corporations like Walmart, Apple and others are richer and more powerful than some countries in this world, [and] because they believe that they're fighting for virtue, they're going to use the power that they have within corporations and every other institution to persecute the Church."
Left-wing, so-called progressive groups, are putting pressure on credit card and online payment companies to ban conservatives because their views do not align with "woke" ideology, including abortion, climate change, LGBTQ+ "rights", social justice, open borders, COVID lockdowns, and other beliefs.
What does "Woke" mean?
"Woke" means being aware of alleged social injustice. And taking action.
However, corporations are being misled by a generation of younger, indoctrinated executives on the rise within their own companies---they are influencing the old guys.
There is the illusion within corporate America that most people believe, as the activists do, regarding many different social issues---from voting rights to abortion to same-sex marriage to transgenderism to climate change.
Friday in this Faith and Freedom Daily column, I wrote about how big business is using the pandemic to create a "great reset" toward socialism and globalism.
In it I wrote a great deal about Klause Schwab, the founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum---us ordinary folks know it better as "Davos," the annual economic summit where the rich and powerful jet into Davos, Switzerland to discuss a common economic path---and now, how to incorporate social issues into the business plans of the most powerful companies in the world.
Schwab is a strong advocate for what he, and now others, are calling "Stakeholder Capitalism," which means that large corporations now focus not only on financial return for the stockholders but a "social" return for the "stakeholders"---various activist, victim groups such as Planned Parenthood and their abortion business, the Human Rights Commission (HRC) and their advocacy for homosexual "rights," etc.
I call it "virtue signaling." It's what the Pharisees did in Jesus' day.
Black Rock, one of the largest asset management companies in the world, has gone "woke." CEO Larry Fink is urging companies to adopt "sustainable" stakeholder companies.
Here's how it works.
Instead of pitching their products, companies today are pitching political causes---far-left political and social causes.
When a conservative comes along, like Mike Lindell, the "My Pillow Guy" who disagrees with the accepted corporate social narrative, "stakeholder" corporations join Big Tech and "cancel" him. Large retail corporations no longer carry his products, and the big tech platforms have removed him from social media---all because he believes there was fraud in the last presidential election.
The President of the United States was removed from Twitter and Facebook for the same reasons.
Product manufacturers either become silenced, look the other way, and express no personal social or moral views, or the marketing corporations use their products to advance political and social agendas that are acceptable to the "stakeholder" corporations.
For example:
Shampoo makers like Pantene used to run commercials about shampoo. Today they're pitching political causes---far-Left political causes because that's the right thing to do.
Dove is celebrating women's different body types.
Vaseline is "fighting for equity in skincare."
Oreo cookie has now come out with a commercial supporting the homosexual agenda.
Burger King is warning you that bovine flatulence from cows it depends on for burgers is causing climate change.
Corporate America also wants to train you on how to think correctly about social issues.
Stephen Soukup---author of "The Dictatorship of Woke Capital: How Political Correctness Captured Big Business" points out that corporate America has assumed the role of the country's educators.
He says,
"This is a continuation of a trend in American history---of an elite ruling class that believes that they know better---and that taking care of the poor, stupid, American people who don't understand what they really need and what they really want and what's really best for them" is corporate's responsibility.
Now Republicans like Mitch McConnell, and other leaders, have begun taking a stand against this. But is it too little, too late?
I hope and pray not.
But it's "we the people" who must be informed and take a stand against this overbearing, overreaching campaign.
After Major League Baseball yanked the All-Star game from Atlanta to punish Georgia over its new election integrity law, and then more than 120 CEOs and business leaders held a conference call to discuss punishing other states who also try to reform their voting laws---Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell warned corporations to "stay out of politics."
Senator Rand Paul has called this out with a clear, conservative, commonsense voice. He says these millions of people should boycott these companies, because "they are hypocrites for doing business with China, as China uses Muslim slave labor and persecutes pro-democracy dissidents."
Paul says, "They're boycotting a Georgia state law and yet doing business with China. China's never seen a free election. Now China is putting people in jail for over a year at a time for speech violations."
Will "Woke" Go Broke?
People are wondering out loud if all this will backfire.
Fox News published a statement by Trump who wrote,
"It is finally time for Republicans and Conservatives to fight back...Boycott Major League Baseball, Coca-Cola, Delta Airlines, JP Morgan Chase, ViacomCBS, Citigroup, Cisco,. UPS, and MERCK? Don't go back to their products until they relent?"
He continued declaring they stole the election, etc., then said this:
"Never submit, never give up! The radical Left will destroy our country if we let them. We will not become a Socialist Nation."
I agree.
But how should God's people respond to this obvious attempt to bring conservatives and Christians to submit to the far-left secular agenda that's being pushed in our culture today?
Takeaway.
A Daily Wire poll has found that most Americans---64%, aren't buying it. They want big businesses to stay out of politics---including self-identified MLB fans, Delta Airlines customers, and Coca-Cola consumers indicated they are now "less likely to support those businesses that speak out on controversial political issues."
And the poll found that 70% agree that corporations and sports teams should generally stay out of politics, and 67% believe that "the MLB was motivated by politics and publicity instead of a genuine concern for Georgia voters."
I believe this whole "takeover" or assumed spiritual leadership in the culture by corporate America is a result of a moral vacuum created by the silence of our pulpits in Christian churches.
While our country has stumbled toward Sodom, our pulpits have been silent for fear of offending people, while thoughtlessly offending God. Some have blessed that which God has condemned---celebrating perversion over observing God's Word.
While our country has allowed more than 60 million unwanted babies to be "legally" slaughtered in the name of "women's healthcare," too many churches have not even raised their voice---and when challenged, God's church has too often responded with a weak, "I don't believe the church should be involved in politics."
Big business has seen an opportunity. And they have moved into the void. Before we begin to boycott, I think we must confess and ask God's forgiveness for our silence.
It's a time to stand, not sit on the sidelines. And speak the truth, not submit to the powers of darkness.
And be informed, not misled.
Be Informed. Be Discerning. Be Vigilant. Be Prayerful. Be Bold.