The resurgence of angry protests from the Extinction Rebellion (XR) movement is a sure signal – not of global warming, but of icebergs ahead that could further sink hopes of economic recovery.
For their lawless activities, along with those of other ravers and rioters, are likely to worsen the coronavirus pandemic.
As people in Melbourne, Australia, have taken to the streets crying out for freedom from lockdown, which is intended to keep us safe, British restrictions have been re-introduced thanks in part to the selfish and tyrannical actions of partygoers and political activists.
In the case of XR, I was rather hoping the Covid crisis had effectively snuffed out their constant wailing over climate change issues. But I should have known the pandemic had only rained on their parade, temporarily moving the focus to more immediate fears of extinction.
With pouting indignation over supposed lack of press coverage, they are back with a vengeance. The clue is in the name; their lawless actions1 are symbolic of increasing anarchy that will stop at nothing to express frustration over what’s wrong with society.
Today’s protestors have no answer to our current sins.
Rebellion, Ancient and Modern
Addressing similarly wayward people in ancient Israel, the prophet Isaiah wrote of “rebellion and treachery against the Lord, turning our backs on our God, fomenting oppression and revolt…” where “truth has stumbled in the streets…[and] is nowhere to be found” (Isa 59.13-15)
The New Testament speaks of a time, shortly before the return of Christ, when ‘the rebellion’ occurs and a ‘man of lawlessness’ is revealed (2 Th 2.1-4). The culture of rebellion we are witnessing today is clearly indicative that the end of the age is in sight.
Historical Sins
What the XR brigade refuse to consider is that we are all sinful human beings in need of a Saviour. The great irony is there are many agitators who want us to feel shame over ancestors who made fortunes out of slavery and other colonial wrongdoings, but refuse to accept the remedy for these sins.
It’s true that Britain indulged in slavery. There are other shameful events in our history that rarely get coverage too, including that the British invented the concentration camp – we held Dutch-Afrikaans women and children in concentration camps during the Anglo-Boer War of 1899-1902 when some 26,000 perished. We also betrayed the victims of Nazi persecution, refusing entry to the Holy Land for thousands of Jews trying to escape the Holocaust.
Restoration through Bible-believing Christians
But in all three of these cases, Christians came up with an antidote. Because of his love for Christ, William Wilberforce spent his entire parliamentary career pursuing the cause of making black lives matter, finally achieving his great goal with the abolition of slavery.
In today’s South Africa, farmer-evangelist Angus Buchan, of Scots descent, has become a spiritual father-figure to the Afrikaner nation, who love him so much they call him by the affectionate title ‘Oom’ (Uncle). And yet he hardly spoke a word of their language when he set out on his crusade to see men, both black and white, fulfilling their God-given leadership role in society. Another Scot, the Rev Andrew Murray, fulfilled a similar role in the 19th century when he too became a father-figure to the Afrikaans people – and my family are personally indebted to him.
Then there are the Jews, betrayed by successive British governments. Yet it was evangelical Christians from these isles who, by contrast, blessed Israel by paving the way for Jewish restoration through influencing the government of the day.
Rejection of our Biblical Heritage
Today’s protestors have no answer to our current sins because they give no heed to the Bible, or to Christians who follow its tenets such as former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott.
Mr Abbott, who has apparently been approached to advise on British trade negotiations in the wake of Brexit, is rejected as a ‘Mad Monk’ by the woke public for his biblical views on homosexuality and same-sex marriage, and for being a ‘climate change sceptic’.
So the very culture now ashamed of its colonial legacy (not all of which is bad) wants to pull down the Judeo-Christian ethos that brought about significant changes to victims of the past. That doesn’t make sense.
The Soviet-style bid to gag the Press over climate change is chilling indeed but, as Daily Mail columnist Dominic Lawson put it, the papers are paying the price for being slow to challenge their arguments2.
Lawson’s line of thinking is a heady breath of fresh air on the subject of CO2 emissions, exposing the ‘groupthink’ media for its biased and unscientific approach, and the BBC for its ‘uncritical deference’ to ageing icon Sir David Attenborough.
In being largely brainwashed by the generally accepted climate change view, the media have almost entirely ignored two rigorous thinkers on the subject, adds Lawson in flagging up their latest books – Bjorn Lomborg’s False Alarm: how climate change panic costs us millions, hurts the poor, and fails to fix the planet; and Michael Shellenberger’s Apocalypse Never: why environmental alarmism hurts us all.
No, it’s not the likes of Tony Abbott who are mad. It’s the woke liberals who have lost their way.
Our Need for a Saviour
Shame is a prison which doesn’t set people free.
Rather than blaming everyone else for our present or past sins, or affecting a faux-humility about things over which we had no control, we need to acknowledge our own shortcomings and turn to the living God, who alone has the answers for our perilous times. Referring to the angst over our colonial legacy, Australian pastor Dr Mark Durie says: “Shame is a prison which doesn’t set people free.”3
Jesus the judge is coming. We need to get our personal and corporate lives right. For we will all one day face the judgment seat of Christ (2 Cor 5.10). It’s time to follow the Rock of Israel (Gen 49.24), who died on the cross for us so we could be raised to new life, both here on earth and in the hereafter.
References
1Specifically, wilful obstruction of a public highway and aggravated trespass
2Lawson, D. Free speech, fake science - and why we must take the fight to the climate zealots, Daily Mail, 7th September 2020
3Addressing the Christian Friends of Israel conference, 4th/5th September 2020
