The spiritual battle in which Christian men are called to engage is largely a battle of ideas. After Paul devotes eleven chapters of Romans to the glory of the gospel, and challenges Christians that the only proper response is to offer ourselves back to God as a living sacrifice, the very next command is a reference to this battle over ideas: Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind. In Ephesians 6 the list of equipment for warfare begins with the belt of truth and ends with the sword of the Spirit, the word of God, indispensable tools for this battle of ideas.
This reality presents Christian men with an enormous challenge. We are created to be warriors (Gen 2:15). But few of us are philosophy majors. The world of ideas that we know best matches our vocation and avocation. Yet, as warriors in the spiritual battle of ideas and as protectors of our families, WE are the ones God expects to lead the way to destroy arguments, and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God and take every thought captive to obey Christ (2 Cor 10:5). How can we possibly do this? The missing ingredient is EQUIPPING. The church must find ways to equip the saints (Eph 4:12). This podcast series, “Election 2024 and Biblical Worldview” is intended to equip men to understand the worldview issues that lie beneath the upcoming election.
As an economics major at Penn State, I got to take an economics class from an expert on Mao Zedong’s take over of China by his Red Guard in 1949, just twenty years earlier. I discovered with horror the Red Guard’s slaughter of millions of Chinese landowners to collectivize farming, and how this experiment led to the economic ruin of China and the starvation of twenty million people. I studied how Mao implemented his unique brand of Marxism and how he deceived the naïve into ceding more and more power to his regime. In his Little Red Book, I read his argument that class and class struggle justify violent revolution making it necessary for peasants and the Chinese people to murder business owners and seize their assets . I saw how Mao played on class envy, enflaming violent hatred in Chinese peasants towards the wealthy, justifying the brutal annihilation of factory owners. I saw how he brainwashed the young and naïve to accomplish his slaughter of farmers through the slogan, “From each according to his ability. To each according to his need.” History reveals that eventually 65 million Chinese lost their lives through Mao’s evil Marxist policies. 65 million! So, perhaps, I am more alarmed than most at the spread of a very similar ideology throughout the institutions of America over the last twenty years. It is called cultural Marxism and is also known as critical theory, a subset of which is critical race theory.
Origin and Growth of Critical Theory
Critical theory is a comprehensive way of viewing society that is rooted in Karl Marx’s dichotomy of society into the oppressed proletariat laboring class and the oppressor bourgeoisie land and business owner class. Italian Marxist Antonia Gramsci extended this oppressor/oppressed lens into every aspect of culture. Thus, not only are laborers oppressed by business owners, but the poor are oppressed by the rich, blacks are oppressed by whites, women are oppressed by men, homosexuals and transgendered oppressed by cisgendered people. Poor nations are oppressed by wealthy nations, immigrants wanting to cross our borders are oppressed by Americans citizens who want closed borders. Palestinian Muslims are oppressed by Israel. Gramsci called the force that enables these oppressors to oppress “unjust, cultural hegemony.” You may remember this term from history class, which usually refers to the influence of stronger nations over weaker ones. Hegemony means the social, cultural, ideological, or economic influence exerted by a dominant group.
After the Marxist revolution failed to topple capitalism in the early twentieth century, Marxists, who had gone back to the drawing board, picked up Gramsci’s hegemony concept. One such group, the Frankfurt School, following Gramsci’s lead, expanded Marx’s oppressor/oppressed economic lens to every sphere of social injustice. All inequities are caused by the cultural power of the OPPRESSORS, which these OPPRESSORS cling to through their religious, political, social, and cultural structures. These structures, such as Christianity, the US Constitution, the free market, accurate history, and the structure of the family must be torn down to accomplish social justice. One’s membership in oppressed groups is called his intersectionality rating and determines the legitimacy of one’s truth claim. Thus, a black, female, gay immigrant has more credibility than just a black man. During the last 25 years among Christians in the West there has come a welcome return to a concern for social justice and especially opposition to racism. But tragically, many Christians who lack an awareness of the tenets of cultural Marxism are being seduced into its anti-biblical thinking, including their thinking about politics.
FOUR CHARACTERISTICS OF CULTURAL MARXISM
1. Cultural Marxism is based on a corrupt, anti-Biblical view of justice.
Amplification: This view argues, “all inequalities are unjust.” Privilege is evil and the cause of oppression. Equal opportunity is replaced by the call for equity. Whereas equality means that each individual or group is given the same opportunity or resources, equity recognizes that each person has different circumstances and, therefore allocates the exact resources needed to reach an equal outcome among all. This is pure Marxism—the redistribution of wealth, i.e. the state stealing from the rich and giving those funds to the poor. After all, why should some have so much and others so little? It is not fair! Mao fomented revolution through his slogan “from each according to his ability and to each according to his need.” This utopian ideal to force “equality” upon others led ultimately to the slaughter of 65 million Chinese by Mao, and 20 million in the USSR by Lenin and Stalin (cited from Money Greed and God, by Jay Richardson). That this Marxist view of justice is seen in critical theory is obvious. For example, Ibram Kendi, the author of How to Be an Antiracist, and leading spokesman for CRT writes, “As an anti-racist, when I see racial DISPARITIES, I see racism” (Cited by Ted Cruz, Unwoke). Think of it, ANY inequity PROVES racism.
Thinking biblically:
- Inequality is not unjust. It is God who has ordained the exact circumstances of every creature. In Romans 9 Paul gives God’s response to the accusation of being unjust in treating humans differently, Is there injustice on God's part? By no means! For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion” (vs 14).
- There is zero biblical case for the state redistributing wealth. The eighth commandment, which prohibits theft, underscores the ownership of private property while the tenth commandment warns against the covetousness that is at the core of critical theory’s oppressor/oppressed social binary.
- The chief obstacle to defining justice as equal outcomes is the Bible. It overwhelmingly teaches that outcomes are a result of numerous factors, including the blessing of God upon righteousness as well as potentially being unjustly oppressed.
- The Biblical law requiring landowners to harvest only once leaving the leftovers for the poor needs to be recognized; but to act justly is not just defending the marginalized. It is being impartial, i.e. not favoring the rich or POOR. “You shall do no injustice in court. You shall not be partial to the POOR or defer to the great, but in righteousness shall you judge your neighbor” (Lev 19:15).
Cultural Marxism and Government Policy. Progressive ideology, which I’m using synonymously with cultural Marxism has very largely taken over the Democrat party in the past 20 years. The cultural Marxist view of equity is behind many of the Biden Administration Executive Orders (e.g.13985) behind his nominations for positions in the executive branch and courts, behind his administrations’ promotion of radical gender ideology and his administrations promotion of Diversity Equity and Inclusion policies. While these three terms seem benign, “diversity” is interpreted diversity of opinion, which takes precedence over whether such ideas are true, while “inclusion” ideology targets Christians for hate speech if they do not go along with one’s chosen gender identity. The most extreme form of this Progressive equal-outcome-ideology is the idea that rich America must open its border to all poor people who want to come to America. New York city taxpayers are paying to house illegal immigrants in the hotels of New York City. After all, it is not fair that America has so much wealth compared to everyone else. Next week, we’ll look further at the border issue.
2. Cultural Marxism’s oppressor/oppressed social binary is false and evil.
Amplification: Of course, those with power oppress those with less. That is an obvious conclusion from biblical teaching about how the fall corrupted human nature. But the radical fall of Adam’s race transmitted his sinful nature to all humans, not just the rich. Using the oppressor/oppressed lens of Marx to interpret all of history and explain the most basic human motivations is nowhere close to accurate. For example, according to critical race theory’s intersectionality teaching one of the greatest racists who every lived was Abraham Lincoln. After all he was a white, male, cisgender, protestant, able-bodied, non-immigrant according to intersectionality. Never mind that he gave his life to end slavery. So, critical theory, written by academics disconnected from reality, does not conform to reality at all. Nor can it be reconciled with Scripture.
Thinking biblically. The reason this oppressor/oppressed binary narrative is so evil is that it is substituted for Biblical one. Notice God’s true biblical binary of Psalm 1.
Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers. The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. Therefore, the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; for the Lord knows the way of the RIGHTEOUS, but the way of the WICKED will perish.
All through Scripture God challenges his creatures to choose the path of his wisdom and righteousness. And in common grace, he appoints the state to reinforce that choice. Peter argues the same way we saw Paul argue last week in Romans 13. Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to PUNISH THOSE WHO DO EVIL and to praise THOSE WHO DO GOOD (I Pet 2:13-14).
Cultural Marxism and Government Policy. During the riots in American cities in 2020, I remember being shocked that so many Democrat Party leaders, the party that regularly gets over 90% of the black vote, were coming out in favor of defunding the police. Not one of my black pastor friends did so. They saw clearly that the anti-police rhetoric hurts no one more than Black folks who live in our major cities. What caused the “defund the police” movement? The influence of the cultural Marxist oppressor/oppressed narrative. Police officers in our cities, (ironically many of whom are black) are deemed the oppressors, while black teen males are the oppressed. But common sense and Scripture teach that punishment for lawbreaking is required to motivate humans towards righteousness. Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far from him (Prv 22:15). Outside the home, government must administer punishment for evil or evil will triumph. But Cultural Marxism’s oppressor/oppressed lens sees lawbreakers as victims, while District Attorneys and the police are oppressors. Cities like San Francisco, and Chicago have been overrun by crime and the homeless because city officials refuse to enforce laws. This victim mentality towards those who refuse to obey the law could not be more anti-biblical or more unloving. Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him (Prov 13:24).
3. Cultural Marxism builds on class envy, enflames class hatred, and justifies evil.
Amplification: Cultural Marxism violates the most basic of moral principles learned by most of us before kindergarten: two wrongs don’t make a right. Doing wrong is never justified by a so-called “righteous” cause! Just as economic Marxism rationalized the slaughter of 85 million people in the name of “justice,” cultural Marxism foments evil on the part of the oppressed but excuses it because it is against oppressors.
Thinking biblically. Satan tempted Eve to do evil, eat the forbidden fruit, so that good might come—she might be wise, knowing good and evil. Satan, no doubt tempted Jesus to do evil so that good might come when he showed Jesus all the kingdoms of the world, and said he would give them all to Jesus (to rule benevolently) if Jesus just hit the knee once in worship to Satan. We are never commanded to do evil so that good may come.
Cultural Marxism and Government Policy. Some classic examples of progressive policies embraced today that foment evil and injustice.
- The refusal of Democrat city mayors to enforce laws against destroying property during the summer riots of 2020.
- The constant refrain of Democrat politicians blaming the rich, for example, Kamala Harris blaming gas station owners for high gas prices.
- The catch and release approach to those crossing the southern border illegally, which is supported by 100% of the Democrat party.
- Enabling the rape of women, subjugation of children as sex slaves, the death of over 100,000 American children per year by drug overdoses, especially fentanyl which crosses the border through refusing to enforce border laws.
- Excusing the brutal war crimes of Hamas because Palestinians are deemed the oppressed and Israel is the oppressors. Never mind Hamas’ horrific war crimes and long-term abuse of the Palestinian civilians by hiding their weapons beneath hospitals and day care centers.
- Supporting transgender policies that unjustly allow males to compete in women’s sports leagues and take away the rights of women to privacy and safety in their own locker rooms.
4. Cultural Marxism destroys flourishing by minimizing human responsibility.
Amplification: The cultural Marxist oppressor/oppressed worldview lens teaches victimhood instead of personal responsibility. Arguably the most important principle you can teach a child is that the child is responsible for himself. Cloud and Townsend point out, “Truly responsible people take responsibility for their feelings, attitudes, behaviors, choices, limits, talents, thoughts, desires, values, and loves. To take ownership of these is to be a truly responsible person—the kind of person with whom everyone wants to have a relationship” (Boundaries for Kids). The most unhappy human in the world is the one who is always blaming someone else for his problems. One of the greatest spiritual poisons that exists is bitterness towards those who have wronged you. Blaming others promotes victimhood.
Thinking biblically. The first thing that Adam did when confronted with his sin in eating the fruit was blame Eve. The first thing Eve did was blame the serpent. Human flourishing comes from assuming our responsibility to exercise dominion over our lives, shaping them and the world around us according to righteousness. This moral law is summed up, “love God with all your heart and your neighbor as yourself.” It is taking responsibility for my actions. Psalm 119:1-3 is one of hundreds of biblical texts that point to the path of human flourishing: Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord! Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart, who also do no wrong, but walk in his ways!
Cultural Marxism and Government Policy. Voddie Baucham, a black pastor who was raised in the inner city of LA by a single mom, argues that Critical Race Theory blames the pathologies in the black communities of our cities on systemic racism instead of correctly putting the focus on the destructive behavior choices of black teens. He looks back to the 2014 shooting of Michael Brown, in Ferguson, MO, as an example, lamenting the way CRT advocates, including white Evangelical pastors leapt onto the bandwagon of accusations against Police Officer Darren Wilson. He was accused of shooting a black teenager who held his hands up and said, “don’t shoot.” His death caused widespread looting and destruction in American cities as the oppressor/oppressed narrative was promoted relentlessly….except that the FBI Report eventually said Michael Brown never raised his hands and never said, “Don’t shoot.” To Voddie, the oppressor/oppressed narrative prevented young black men from hearing, “We can’t live like this, stealing things we want from stores and roughing up store clerks, walking down the middle of the street, refusing to listen to police officers, and provoking a confrontation with them.”
But perhaps the most tragic result of CRT imposing its false narrative over the Michael Brown shooting is what has been called “the Ferguson effect.” This is an increase in violent crime rates in a community caused by reduced proactive policing due to the community's distrust and hostility towards police. Fueled by the defund the police movement led by Progressive Democrats, The Ferguson effect was an increased murder rate in U.S. cities following the Ferguson unrest.
“Cultural Marxism” isn’t just a nasty name conservative made up to describe the beliefs of their leftwing opponents. It is a real, evil ideology that brings destruction wherever it travels, just as economic Marxism has. Christians must oppose it.
For Further Prayerful Thought
- What did you learn about Marxism that you did not know before?
- How does the concept of hegemony (the cultural power to which oppressors cling to protect their dominance) explain why the political left wants to destroy the social institutions of Christianity, the US Constitution, a market economy, traditional male/female roles, traditional moral values, and the family?
- How would you explain to a friend why cultural Marxism’s oppressor/oppressed is either substantiated by reality not Scripture?
- Which illustrations of cultural Marxism shaping progressive policies most stood out to you?
Recommended Resources
- Critical Dilema, Neil Shenvil and Pat Sawyer.
- Fault Lines, Voddie Baucham.
- Money Greed and God, Jay Richards.
- Unwoke, Ted Cruz.
