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The Washington Times is reporting that the Minneapolis Democratic Party chair came under fire Tuesday for praising last year's torching of the Third Precinct police headquarters as an "act of pure righteousness."
Righteousness?
The chairman also says, "This act of pure righteousness will open new worlds of understanding."
I suspect this Democrat leader would also consider burning and looting in other cities such as Seattle, Portland, and elsewhere "pure righteousness" as well.
This is not a time to be uninformed.
Be informed, not misled.
"Devin Hogan, who heads the Minneapolis Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, extolled the rioters and blamed law enforcement in an August 2 op-ed for the precinct's destruction at the hands of rioters on May 28, 2020, three days after the death of George Floyd in police custody," the Washington Times reports.
"Like it or not, setting the Third Precinct on fire was a genuinely revolutionary moment. An act of pure righteousness to open new worlds of understanding," the leader wrote.
Hogan continued, sometimes using biblical terms:
"The call from the streets was genuine liberation, truly and finally. The work continues until that day comes...Eyes on the prize. Remember the demand of the streets. The blood and treasure spent. This is our job. Minneapolis must answer the call. For real this time For real for real. Do it for the kids."
Rep. Tom Emmer, a Minnesota Republican, tweeted: "More proof Democrats only care about advancing their radical agenda, not the safety of Americans." Emmer chairs the National Republican Congressional Committee---and he's right.
Mike Berg, who is the NRCC deputy communications director, asked: "Burning police stations is righteous?"
Berg asked Democrat representatives Dean Phillips and Angie Craig if "these rioters were justified in lighting a police station on fire?" Wondering out loud if they will condemn Hogan.
Minnesota Republican Party chairwoman Jennifer Carnahan said Mr. Hogan's statements are "further demonstration that the Democrats believe destruction is the pathway to change."
She's also right.
Not backing down, Hogan tweeted: "Fetishizing decorum over substance is a hallmark of white supremacy. The truth hurts."
He also has a point regarding the fact that sometimes the truth does hurt. However, just because something hurts, doesn't mean it's "truth." And just because an act gives a person a sense of revenge, doesn't mean it's "righteous."
This transcends politics.
About "pure righteousness."
We live in a world where people tend to believe that their ways are right in their own eyes, and we find it difficult to accept the absolute standard of righteousness. True or false becomes relative, and too many believe that whatever they "feel" is right, or righteous is, in fact, so---conversely what they "feel" is wrong or evil, is so, because they feel it is.
Righteousness is based on God's standard because He is the ultimate lawgiver (Isaiah 33:22).
The first mention of the word "righteousness" is found in Genesis 15:6 in an interaction between God and Abram---later called Abraham.
The point from the story is that Abraham believed God---and "it was accounted unto him for righteousness."
Righteousness is a gift from God. And righteousness is determined by whether something squares with God's Word---not our individual feelings.
Isaiah (5:20) said, "Woe unto them that call evil good and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter."
This notion of burning down police stations or anyone else's property in an act of revenge is a reflection of the spiritual ignorance and rebellion in our culture today---not a righteous act "because they deserved it."
The dominance of cultural Marxism taught in public school classrooms has matured into, not so much a rejection of Christianity, but a revision of biblical Christianity.
The authority of God's Word is dismissed when it contradicts or conflicts with the new "Gospel" of social justice.
Restraints are rejected in the name of "equality"---now "equity." The new orthodoxy is political correctness, and if you are not politically correct you are punished and branded a bigot or racist.
In this new "Christianity," holiness is accrued by the number of victim statuses you can accrue to yourself. And if you don't have any---or very many, then you become an ally with those who do have various victim statuses, and in doing so you are earning "holiness" and your acts are acts of "righteousness."
I would add that conversion is not found in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ in this revised leftist version of Christianity, conversion is becoming awakened to various cultural Marxist categories, or in the language of the new religion becoming "woke."
Original sin in the new religious left is privilege---particularly white privilege.
And in the new "woke" leftist Christianity there is no ultimate redemption. You must always live under the burden of guilt, and the tireless efforts to rid yourself of it. You are then more easily led by the "masters" of this new so-called "religious" Left.
A final thought. Remember that old hymn you sang when you were growing up in the church--What can "Wash Away My Sin?"
What can wash away my sin?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
What can make me whole again?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
The 4th verse of that hymn says this:
This is all my hope and peace---
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!
This is all my righteousness---Nothing but the blood of Jesus!
The refrain or chorus:
Oh! precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow;
No other fount I know,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God" (II Corinthians 5:21).
Be Informed. Be Discerning. Be Vigilant. Be Prayerful.