Shaping an effective, motivated minority.

Let’s return to a concept in Dr. Gilfedder’s article in Islander VI: the need for a substantial class of cultural thought-shapers (character-lights), in light of the divisiveness of the developing ‘right wing’ intelligentsia-elite. On the one hand, the means of reforming a people’s character, history proves, is a motivated minority which passionately lives out a character nearer to the ideal, tugging people upward and exemplifying the betterment (or, alternately, a motivated minority which tugs down, exhibiting vice of idolatry or hedonism or something other, which is what we’ve got now). On the other hand, the current attempt at doing so, from the right-wing, is a mess of people desperately trying to gut each other, sparing occasional oft-misaimed blades for the left, and with it seems at every look worse character. The few of sterling virtue work in their corners, trying, or are discovered to be not all that in the end.

What is to be done?

The crucial problem with the present-tense ‘right wing’ is that the movement really isn’t one thing; the definition of ‘right wing’ is near-enough ‘not left-wing,’ while the definition of left-wing is ‘vaguely socialist or statist, except for the ones that are right wing.’ No issue is truly one side or the other; the only complete dichotomy I can think of is that the left wing is completely hostile to Christianity (except where it sheds all holiness), while the right wing is not yet ready to kick the church out. Perhaps, also, the right wing can be identified by being out of power (in the worldly sense), albeit the left wing is not so unified as to be cahracterized by being in power. The right wing, in sum, is not a movement or a philosophy or a philosophy; it is a grouping of oft-inimical particulates.

If we want to have a motivated minority which will change the people’s character, as is necessary, we must have something to unite the whole, a theme and a centerpoint upon which all can build. With such a center, disagreement can be kept from becoming dissension, staying merely debate and discussion; with such a center, men can walk forward on individual trajectories which nevertheless reinforce each other; with such a center, the ego has a counterbalance, a priority higher than itself.

The church of God- not the institution, mind you, but the people- has the potential and God-sent role of becoming that motivated minority (an eventual majority (Jer. 33:31)). We have a locus and center of gravity which the Lord will not permit to be moved (Matt. 5:18). Christians, when we cleave to Him, have a priority and a guiding theme which ought to turn us away from the squabbling and enmity of the ‘right wing.’

Of course, it often doesn’t, and the presence of a center is as much a guarantee of strife as a counter to it. Scripture, our sure center for knowledge, and faith, the sure center of our lives, should lead us, who are truly Christians, to a humility which prevents internecine disagreement becoming enmity. More, we should be working towards holiness because of our relationship with Him, and we should be developing beacons of righteousness which would shine for generations.

The people of God have two imperatives in our response to our strife. First, we must seek to cultivate humility in ourselves, leading others, particularly those we are in relationship with, into similar humility; we must cultivate complete prioritization of God and the corollary prioritization of truth, of justice, and of right relationship (our duty to love neighbor rises from our duty to love Him).

Second, we must embrace that strife which the center necessitates. The center is the foundation of peace between the righteous; the center is the foundation of inveterate war upon wickedness. This war we may not perpetrate in worldly pride, petulance, or hatred. This war we must prosecute with high-handed joy (Ps. 1496), with unceasing humility, with unceasing confidence in the victory of the Ancient of Days (Dan. 7:13-14). Such a people will, by His grace, bring a change at last- though it remains a question for Providence whether this people, my people, will list to this change or be broken by the tramp of His feet (Is. 63:1-3).

God bless.