By Jeff Charles
Many have observed the reality that hard-left social justice warrior types approach their politics much in the same way a religious person views his or her faith. Comparisons between woke ideology and religion have been abundant among critics of the left’s critics.
This assessment seems valid given that many on the left have displayed a religious fervor in the way they practice – and enforce – their most cherished beliefs about culture and politics. However, while proponents of woke theology might resemble followers of many of the world’s major religions, their faith system differs in one critical area: Redemption.
Paths To Redemption
Almost every major religious tradition includes the notion of redemption, a way to have one’s sins absolved. It is part of the person’s spiritual journey to reach God and avoid being separated from Him. It is often the subject of fiery debate among various faiths – and has been for millennia.
Christianity posits that redemption occurs when one realizes one’s fallen state, unable to atone for their sins. One becomes a Christian by recognizing the divinity of Jesus Christ and acknowledging that he sacrificed his life on behalf of descendants of Adam and Eve who doomed mankind to a fallen existence when they sinned against God in the Garden of Eden. One is redeemed through Christ’s blood; spilled for their sake.
Islam argues that redemption comes from “tawba,” which is translated as “repentance” and living life as a good Muslim. The Qu’ran states that “Allah loves those who are constantly repentant and loves those who purify themselves.” Muslims take seriously the words of Allah, who says, “But indeed, I am the perpetual forgiver of whoever repents and believes and does righteousness and then continues in guidance.”
The Jewish tradition is similar in that redemption is also predicated on the notion that one’s actions are what lead to being redeemed. According to Cambridge Core:
“In rabbinic Judaism, redemption is conceived of as an “earned response” – human beings merit redemption through their good deeds and through their “repentance.” The dialectic of the covenantal bond, of God as a member of the community in relation, is nowhere more evident than in the repentance – redemption sequence.”
No Redemption In Wokeism
The idea of redemption seems to have no place in the woke faith. Indeed, it seems to be frowned upon by those purporting to stand up for the rights of the oppressed. This tendency can be easily seen in the hard left’s embrace of cancel culture. People have seen it in action over and over again – especially during the past five years.
You know how it goes: A person – especially a high-profile individual – comes under fire over offensive social media posts or for something said years ago. Perhaps it was an off-color remark regarding sexuality. It could be an ignorant comment about a minority group. It could be any utterance that violates the precepts of wokeism. Once these statements are unearthed, the Cancel Culture Community swiftly metes out punishment. The social media mobs aggressively attempt to destroy the person’s career and besmirch their reputation.
For celebrities, these attacks might not be as devastating. But when it happens to an ordinary person, it could potentially destroy their livelihood. This can be seen in the case of Mark and Patricia McCloskey, who became subjects of the left’s ire after they brandished firearms as Black Lives Matter protesters broke into their gated community and marched in front of their home. Leftists took to Yelp! to give one-star ratings for their law practice and left reviews claiming the couple was racist.
In wokeism, there is no element of forgiveness if one publicly apologizes. Indeed, those belonging to the woke Sanhedrin vociferously call for an apology that they know they will discard, even if their target expresses genuine remorse. There is no path to redemption for those who have transgressed against the Temple of wokeism – and this is by design. This particular religion mandates that its adherents completely destroy those who step out of line. It is a belief system that favors threats of destruction over persuasion and peaceful conversion.
For those on the hard-left who eschew the idea of civil conversation and rational debate, this precept works perfectly. By cowing people into subservience, they hope to maintain supremacy over the national political discourse. They believe forcing people to censor themselves will make it easier for them to push the nation further towards their idea of a Marxist utopia. Interestingly enough, they are right. Leftist and right-wing authoritarians have protected their power by not allowing the people to voice dissenting views. If those who don’t want to live in the world the hard left seeks to bring about, they must be willing to fight for the world they want.
~ Read more from Jeff Charles.