Last week's column, "Christians confusing meekness with weakness," was a necessary rebuke of the pantywaist pushovers who are giving Christians a bad name.
But it wouldn't be fair to leave it there, as though all Christians are pushovers.
Since my debut at WorldNetDaily, I have at times been gratified and encouraged by the response my columns have generated. But nothing could have prepared me for the reaction to last week's article. Hundreds of people wrote in to express their sincerest appreciation, and I was deeply humbled.
Frankly, some of the e-mails moved me to tears – and I'm not an emotional guy.
The culture war can be very lonely and tiring. Just ask any one of the men and women who are on the front lines. People like Joseph Farah and his staff at WND, or Janet Folger from Faith2Action, or even our stalwart heroine – Ms. Controversy herself – Ann Coulter.
Sometimes it's not easy to tell the truth. And it can certainly be unpopular. So when readers come out of the woodwork with words of support and encouragement, or even just share their stories, it lights a fire in our soul.
But I recognize that there's something far more significant going on here than just the warm and fuzzy feelings I got from your letters.
Sometimes, it's easy to feel like we're all alone in this fight, but your letters have again shown me that our movement is not as small as we might think.
The culture war is being fought by brave soldiers every day. And everywhere.
All of the letters I received expressed growing dissatisfaction with the present cadre of Christian leaders. And that means that hundreds of thousands of you are getting it; that you do understand how badly things need to be shaken up in modern day-American evangelicalism. In fact, many of you not only get it, but in your own way you're doing something about it.
So in the interest of being "fair and balanced," I want to move the focus away from last week's examples of pathetic gutlessness. I want to pay tribute to those who are in the fight, to those who get it and are showing tremendous courage in the trenches.
To the soldiers on the front lines of the culture war, I salute you!
To all who understand that the Christian faith is about more than just "me and Jesus" – I salute you!
To all who have fought long and hard for justice for the unborn – I salute you!
To all who are fighting to protect marriage, the family and our children – I salute you!
To all who are behind the "values voter" movement – I salute you!
To all who have been repeatedly disappointed and discouraged by apathetic brothers and sisters but remain resolute at the post – I salute you!
To all who have been freed from the illusion that "loving all people" means that we must candy-coat our disagreement with those who are seeking to subvert our culture – I salute you!
To all who understand that language is a tool to be used as skillfully as any other God-given tool, and that the expression of righteous indignation is both right and good, and essential today – I salute you!
To all who understand that meekness does not mean weakness, and that gentle does not mean "milquetoast" – I salute you!
To all who understand that Jesus Christ (the standard of Christian meekness) didn't mince words when he confronted the Pharisees and Sadducees – that in fact the synoptic gospels are rife with examples of Christ excoriating, accosting and even deliberately offending the political/religious class of his day – I salute you!
And to all who actually believe that waging a spiritual war means that we must engage the battle where the war is being fought, in this material world – I salute you!
You are the people who understand that the Church will not grow without conflict and dedication.
Most, if not all, of the greatest exploits in the history of the Church would never have happened if the current pedigree of Christian "leaders" had been at the helm. If it were not for the stalwart and assertive voices of men like the Apostle Paul, St. Augustine or Martin Luther (men who, by all accounts, were neither particularly "nice" nor "politically correct"), the church would have gone nowhere in the world of hostility it was facing in their day.
But these individuals did not fear man; they understood their primary duty was to God.
So to all who wrote me – I salute you!
Thank you for affirming that political correctness has nothing whatsoever to do with real Christianity.
It was your kind that built our great nations. And it is your kind that will keep them strong.
You understand that word and deed must intersect, and that life and prayer are two sides of the same coin.
To the brave soldiers of the culture war – I salute you!
Never forget, it's the meek – not the weak – who will inherit the earth
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