Standing Strong Against the Cancel Culture

The seasons of your life are always moving forward, marriage, parenting, aging well and threw it all. Focus on the Family is alongside me with encouragement from a biblical perspective and now we have a tool that gathers our trust and guidance and support together in one place. The enhanced Focus on the Family with it you can listen to the Focus on the Family broadcast engage our social media counselor or make a donation all on the Focus on the Family app downloaded today from the app store or Google play. If I don't set up so you know what you're saying is wrong. You're tempted to silence means wrong. It is in fact unconstitutional. It is in fact against the walls and if you don't say that if I don't I'm not doing my job. I'm not discharging my old and I also think that I am giving credence to this Bob making it harder for people all across the country to take a stand and to express their views and have the benefit of the first Sen. Josh Holly is our guest today on Focus on the Family helping equip you to stand up for your beliefs in a world that would really prefer you to be silent your hostess books president Dr. Jim Daly and Don John full John one of my favorite verses is in John chapter 16 when Jesus said in this world you will have trouble. But take heart I have overcome the world and that should be all we need to know is that Jesus has this in his hands. He knows what's happening in our culture and in our world. But even though, as Christians, we know that Jesus is our ultimate source of peace and comfort.

But it's easy to get caught up in the trouble of this world in that part of the verse. It's no secret that biblical values are under attack. You have to have your head in the sand not to see it. And Christians are increasingly being silenced. When we express disagreement with the elite culture. In fact I read just the other day.

I think 31 January in USA Today. They had an op-ed by Rachel mix and the headline was this Christian nationalism is a threat and not just from capital attackers invoking Jesus. The subtitle red Christian nationalist and Sadr government are working quietly to take America for Jesus.

They are the more resilient danger to religious pluralism and all of us know there's fringe elements on every side, and even within the Christian faith. Those who claim to be Christian.

Don't act Christian and that is true, and I acknowledge that, but for the hundred million evangelical Christians were simply acknowledging that Jesus is the son of God that we are sinners and we are saved by his grace and that we have eternal life.

When we embrace him.

That's our message and frankly, the whole nationalism besmirching is just to clumped everybody together in order to demean Christians in the public square, but they cannot silence us.

We live in a country where we have freedom of expression.

We have freedom of religion and we need to. I think express that and begin to turn the tide so people can respect us being at the table as well. Today we want to encourage you to take heart.

As Jesus said here.

Focus were about marriage and parenting. Of course, but one of our five pillars is also about engaging the culture and we want to equip you to live for Christ in the public square and stand for his truth.

I like to say with Dr. Barry Cory, a friend of mine, the president of Viola says witches must be firm in the middle and soft on the edges, and that gets tough when those edges are being frayed right we were with Sen. Holly as someone who has directly experienced this cancel culture. We talked to him about it and you did so Jim in Washington DC very recently. Sen. Holly is a man of faith. He began serving in the U.S. Senate in 2019 and before that he was the Atty. Gen. of the state of Missouri and he and his wife Aaron have three young children here now is how Jim you started a conversation with Sen. Josh Holly on today's episode of Focus on the Family Sen. Holly. It's great to have you Focus on the Family thanks, let me say this right as I can. You've had a rough couple weeks. Tell me what's going on and in that context of cancel culture well I think were really saying here lasted many many people on the left feel very bold right now and they are trying to shut down conservative voices all across the country and from all different backups conservative voices and politics conservative voices in media conservative voices in the faith community and it's really the liberal woke Bob is out there and that you know I have to tell you, actually. I'm honored to be a target because I think that means that I'm doing something right in standing up for the things that we believe in.

And I'm not to be intimidated into one of the difficult things and I've talked to some your colleagues about this as well. Sen. Langford and others, of course, is that background is being a youth pastor but how to operate in this culture as a Christian who has conviction and being able to express ourselves. It's getting to the point where the Christian community.

Conservative Christian is expected to keep their head down this right does love you pop up, you'll get it lopped off and we have a whole host of examples and unfortunately you're one of many yet know that's exactly right.

And that's why if you are a believer, I think the only way that the left and the cancel culture wins is if we agree to be silent.

Now we have to have the confidence and that the farmers who do graciously course, but we got to firmly stand up and say hello. Our voices deserve to be heard in my case I better do they represent my constituents was really not about me at all. I have a duty to go and say my constituents and their voices deserve to be heard and I don't care what you try to do would be. I'm going to stand up and represent the yeah I want people to know exactly why they came after you.

Basically, as a senator and correct me if I'm wrong, you were questioning the constitutionality of the vote, especially in Pennsylvania where the state Supreme Court and the Secretary of State made some decisions unilaterally separate from the legislature in that state.

In terms of the voting procedures that seems like a fair question. You are absolutely right in the Constitution and then the laws and rules the Senate all provide for during the electoral vote certification that happens every January 6 after presidential election. It allows her to be objections to particular states. If you object and you have a debate and I said about a week before January 6 I said on an object, and particularly focused on Pennsylvania because I think we need to have a debate about election integrity both in this last election and going forward. I think things like mail-in balloting. We have ballot harvesting third parties are paid to go collect these ballots and bring them back in there no signature verification. I think that probably needs to be banned and I've introduced legislation to do it and I said I want to have a debate on this and I think Pennsylvania did were they didn't even follow their own Constitution is indicative of the kind of irregularities that we see going forward we need to do something about this. Now Democrats objected in 2001 2005 in 2017 and they were praise every time they did when Ted Cruz and I and a bunch of other Republicans in the House and Senate.

We objected we were told all my you are your file in the Constitution your inciting violence you you you are your traders.

When Sasse suggested that you should be removed from the Senate should resign us to be expelled. I should be investigated and that's where we get to the cancel culture aspect of this to see this is perfectly fine.

Have a different viewpoint site and just I don't agree with your objection or I don't think it was the right form that's fine by me that that's that's why we have debate as we have a debate but to say you shouldn't even be permitted to follow the laws of the rules the Senate the way the Democrats do.

If you did what they did.

You should be expelled.

You should be silenced. That's an assault on the First Amendment. That's cancel culture and as we look at that there's going to be some Christians listening now that say well may be. As a Christian.

That's the thing to do is not to confront that to give them the other cheek, and I understand that, but how would you, you're sitting with that person in there sincerely expressing that to you. What do you say my view is that as an elected official. I have a responsibility to faithfully adhere the Constitution and represent my constituents and so when people come and attack me and they say because you took a stand that reflects the views of your constituents. We want to shut you down. That is effectively saying wouldn't try to silence your constituents I got.

I have an obligation to stand up and say no to that you do graciously, you know, you don't have to be ugly about it but you do have to be firm. In my view, is if I don't if I don't set up say no to know what you're saying is wrong. You're tempted to silence me is wrong.

It is in fact unconstitutional. It is in fact against the laws United States if you don't say that if I don't say that, then I'm not doing my job.

I'm not discharging my oath and performing my duties and I also think that I am giving credence to this mob mentality and I'm making it harder for people all across the country to take a stand and to express their views and had the benefit of the First Amendment. I do appreciate that I know I really am trying to teach my boys are 18 and 20. What's going on in this world to equip them for their future and I think it's important for us to act when it's time to act and to express our views. We live in a democracy, the Lord is given us that birthright and so here we are. Let me get some of the examples you look at what happened to the Mr. Ike who is the president of Mazzella. He had given money to campaign egg that oppose same-sex marriage back many years ago and he was drummed out of that role as president of the company. He was the founder of the company. There's many other examples we can talk about but there's an insidious and is occurring right now that people's livelihood is at stake as well. Absolutely I can look at my own state of Missouri. I know small business owners who have had to steal a mom-and-pop businesses who have maybe donated to conservative causes. I donated to faith-based causes donated to Republican candidates and their now on boycott list. The left comes after them and says the people go demonstrate in front of their offices boycott their products shut them out again.

This is crazy stuff and were seeing. I think for the first time an alliance between the big corporations the biggest corporations in this country. The monopoly corporations and awoke left and this is something we've not really seen before, such as the power of government is been brought to bear. It's the power of these giant corporations in tandem and that's scary because it really people really do say wow am I going to be able to keep my business I give up to my job.

What what if I express my views based on the Bible based on the teaching my church my job and I can be fired and blacklisted not able to get another job in this industry. This is happening all over and all of these different industries and this is why those of us who have a voice have to be willing to stand up and and take the cup the incoming criticism and fire and say we're going to take a stand here on behalf of the people we represent, and on behalf of the things we believe in First Amendment notes so good and then you've experienced them in the the cancel.

Culture came to your home and you cut that on the news and I tell you my wife, Jean, I will start praying for you and your wife Aaron because we thought what a fearful moment. You were not there yet. I was what was described as seen for so our listeners can well it we know it was I was home in Missouri with that. We got three kids since I was on Missouri with my two boys now. Our youngest is it newborn Abigail. She's a two months old so she can travel yes you can be on airplanes so my wife Aaron and the newborn baby were here in DC we just been in session so we are session at the center just ended. I just taken the two boys home for a few days and so that Aaron and and baby Abigail are here and a whole group of protesters and NT for affiliated group came to our door to our street with bullhorns and they were screaming and yelling and some neighbors came out.

They turned the bulletin screamed on them so my wife came to the door. Eventually she did solicit I got it, see the baby with her that a newborn baby. This is people are trying to sleep in and and the houses called neighborhood lately, just as in here you know.

Please go home and they started screaming at her and yelling at the baby talking about do you want your baby have a future. And so it really alarmed her. She went to the door shut the door and Cindy came to the door after that good and pounded on the door. They brought bullhorns the door and shouted come out come out come out so eventually actually a number of neighbors called the police because you folks are so alarmed neighbors try to come out talk to on the screen so they called the police. The police eventually arrived and and you to please the listener violated the law. You need to leave they eventually did. But it was quite an experience. It was very confrontational. It was very aggressive.

It was meant to terrorize and instill fear and I just we sit in the response to that licit were not going to hide were not going to cower, but normally just to roll over and say that's okay they came to our home trying to inspire fear, trying to terrorize.

Try to disrupt the neighborhood terrorism neighbors was that's not okay. It's okay to disagree but it's not okay to come and do that and that when I can say it's acceptable, but Norwegian be afraid, and I so appreciate that courage, in addition to that you had a book, big book contract cancel by Simon & Schuster read read his pick that up again speak to that issue of the cancel culture what they're trying to do to you by intimidating you that what what was that call, Ike was Simon & Schuster relating to calling me. I read about in the news. They didn't have the decency to tell me they just they just gave in the mob and said that I did commission the book and they said they were canceling what the book is called the tyranny of big tech is all about how these big corporations are trying to control our speech and trying to spy on us and and trying to track her kids and the harm that they're doing our country and to our democracy. So here's the thing coming after me is an attempt to silence not just me but the views of my constituents and the people I represent and so it's this this cancel culture. This idea that if you don't like somebody's view. You should be able to silence them and to blacklist them and drive them out of public life and that's what's important that I take a stand on behalf of the people I represent.

A lot of folks have heard on the side been kicked off Twitter. I've my Facebook posts have been limited because you know I said something about I express my pro-life convictions. This these basic First Amendment rights are what were fighting for. In that respect. Where do we go where do, how do we fight this battle in a way that honors the Lord but also gives us voice in a democracy. Well, I think that we got to we get take our stand on what the Constitution becomes the to our station democracy when our Constitution provides for us with the citizen the First Amendment protects the right of all Americans to speak peacefully but to speak.

Nonetheless, and we gotta say that applies to Christians. It applies to conservatives just as much as applies to folks of of other views.

So when people try to censor us when we try to censor us in the political realm or the try to censor us in these corporations.

We need to be bold to say no, actually my birthright to use your word a minute ago my birthright as an American is I have these rights guaranteed to me and I'm going to stand up for those and it wouldn't have to do that to be ugly about it but we need to be firm and we shouldn't be cowed into submission or silence by left-wing mom telling us that know you must be silent and if you say anything were to come after you harder with another First Amendment that so I think that that those of us in the policy realm have a have a responsibility to fight for good policy that's going to protect our First Amendment rights to worship to speak and so and so many people.

Millions of people of faith appreciate that and the fact that you're bold enough to talk about it.

Not everybody understands section 230 of the code here in the you are Atty. Gen. before you were a senator explained to us that section 230 and why breaking up those monopolies.

What that will deliver 230 is is that that's a government provision for the government provision that gives the tech companies. Special carve out special liability. They get treated differently than any other media company in America.

You know somebody is a newspaper publisher something against you false the consumer on if they if they engage in. In no other libelous behavior you consume with a sensor you you can you can go to court and had a day in court can't do that with the tech companies you get censored by Twitter your life you limited Facebook if if they censor you you have any recourse. This is been a giant giveaway to these companies for over 20 years now and my view is that monopolies they are abusing their monopoly power monopoly powers was bad idea. There really abusing it that they need to be held to account and their monopoly power needs to be broken down into some listening my didn't feel like will this is this is a Christian radio program. Christian blog where we can talk about politics and I think one of the hassles right now is that people are backing up. I mean, they have seen what happens when you talk to your coworker, maybe even a family member about the trump administration. Now the Biden administration and it becomes ugly and rather than fight that many Christians I know are just backing up saying it's not worth it to keep my eyes on maternity and I you know I feel little compulsion.

The net directions are different because the big picture's attorney the big picture is a life with Christ, and we always have to be talking to people about that more than section 230 and I get that but we also live in this world and were also to leave this world to our kids and grandkids and just speak to me again and that balancing factor for you and Aaron and how you see that I think is the key. We can we do to keep her eyes on maternity and that's what gives us confidence to be faithful. Now you have the Lord calls us to serve him where we are having in everything you do, do unto the Lord, he calls us to serve him and our vocations are here to serve our neighbor to serve him in our vocations and we can have the confidence to do that faithfully by knowing what our eternal destiny is and and I love this is saying that an old pastor friend of mine says that you know in the end with the Scripture says in the end it's all going to be okay and if it's not okay it's not yet the end. And so we know that as Christians and we know that these will always live in turbulent times, and guess what we have it so much better than Christians all around around the world who are suffering physically, violently, for their faceup it to the extent that we get backlash because were believers, in our Bible says it's an honor to be able to stand for the Lord. It's an honor.

When you criticize for your beliefs when you criticize or be faithful, civic, we keep our eyes on maternity that gives us the confidence and the boldness to be faithful now in our vocational callings as moms and dads in our workplaces. For those who are in public positions, whether locally or state or federal or whatever to be faithful. There I think that's that's the balance that Aaron and I at least tried to try to strive, to seek and maintain the confidence that we have because of what Jesus has done for us because of the future well again. We so appreciate your boldness in that way and I think we all us Christians are trying to figure out how to be bold in a culture that is really knocking down what we believe every day and I just applaud the fact that you're willing to stand in the gap for us and to represent your state of Missouri, along with many many Christians from around this country. You gotta run to vote and I so appreciate you taking time senator Holly for being with us think it will be continuing to pray for your family.

Thank you, thank you so much. Since your ministry listening to a conversation in Washington DC with Sen. Josh Holly Jimmy were there. That was a really challenging conversation and I think the senator really offered some courage for us all to be strong in our beliefs in Christ and this is something that really is close to your heart is in Jade is John and here focus. We have experienced the discouragement of being attacked for our biblical values. Many times I always try to be the gentleman and that I want to believe in my principles that I read in Scripture, but always be mindful of the nonbeliever and being kind toward the person outside the church.

That's what Scripture calls us to do. I was think of our experience with Tom shoes company you probably heard of that shoe company for every pair shoes purchased a pair is given to a needy child around the world several years ago, we wanted to partner with the company and I interviewed the company's founder Blake McCoskey and as special event that we did together in California. We were going to error program. Yet we had I think at least 1500 people come out on many of them took shoeboxes and decorated them for the issues that were to be given away. It was really warm and wonderful event it was. But before we could air the broadcast Blake called me and said he really didn't feel comfortable with that. He posted a blog that said he would no longer associate with Focus on the Family. He said that when he first interviewed with us, he wasn't aware of our stance on traditional marriage between a man and a woman apparently when advocates for same-sex marriage. Got the word of his partnership with us. They started a boycott of Tom's and attack the company for partnering with focus who they called a hate group again. I just want to state this clearly if you stand for those biblical principles that we read very clearly, and Jesus himself said you can leave your mother and father and cleave to your wife. There's an affirmation of traditional marriage right there after that blog was posted.

I talked to Blake on the phone because we had already taped the program we could've ignored his wishes and still air the program but after talking to him. I agreed not to air the program. It breaks my heart to think how many kids didn't get shoes because of that, but that's the effect of the cancel culture.

It's not about the kids, it's about what they want to achieve and who they want to silence yet it was several years ago. As you mentioned Jim more recently here and focus. We've experienced this the Twitter page for our culture, and news outlet.

The daily Citizen yes a couple weeks ago with the daily Citizen team created a tweet that said, quote on Tuesday.

President-elect Joe Biden announced he had chosen Dr. Rachel Levine to serve as assistant secretary for health at the Department of HHS, that's Health and Human Services. Dr. Levine is a transgendered woman that is a man who believes he is a woman unquote that tweet link to an article about Dr. Levine's qualifications for the job something other news organizations had been addressing as well, but twitter hid the post saying it violated the rule of promoting violence, harassing, or threatening someone on the basis of gender identity and warned us that violating that rule again may result in permanent suspension of our account until we agree to take down the tweet. Our account is locked and we are unable to post and let me just say John, you know it. It was just a statement of fact, it wasn't meant to be mean I won't tolerate that. I don't want to ever express hate, but I also want to be accurate in descriptions and so far we've sent appeal emails to twitter asking for some clarification and an explanation for how we could've worded that differently in other news outlets also reported that very same thing that Dr. Levine is transgendered right in this online censorship is happening to many individuals, even non-Christians, who are slightly showing a tendency towards biblical values. They may know it.

They may not. For instance, the author, JK Rowling, a left-wing feminist who wrote that the Harry Potter series.

She was censored, attacked and dropped from her publisher because she tweeted that female is a distinct gender, and that was offensive. It is really hard to grasp some of this stuff. Jim and I think as Christians, as you already indicated we need to be in prayer for those who are under fire and trying to navigate these tensions over free speech and religious conviction and religious liberty. John Allen and with this thought. I always think of the comparison between Peter in the garden and Stephen from the book of acts of Peter when he is in the garden. He's not filled with the Holy Spirit yet is walking with the son of God. But it's just that experience is walking with the son of God. And when the guards come to rest Jesus, Peter decides to defend the son of God and pulls out a sword, you know, I understand that. But Jesus rebuked him and said that's not the way of my kingdom. If you live by the sword, you're going to die by the sword and he really did speak very harshly toward Peter in that circumstance, but then we see the opposite. In Stephen in the book of acts he's filled with the spirit he can act in a godly way he's being stoned for his beliefs is expression of Jesus as the son of God, and as he's being stone. He's able to pray that God would have mercy and forgive the people that are stoning him. I think that's only accomplished through God's spirit in you sure it took courage for Peter to pull out the sword, but that was human courage and what Stephen did is godly courage and that's the kind of courage we all need to pray that we can have, to boldly stand for truth calmly in a world that is increasingly hostile toward us and that is a great place to look and wrap up here and to begin your journey living out that faith we want to put a great book into your hands. Jim has written the book refocus living a life that reflects God's heart. It's an excellent resource will make that available to you for gift of any amount to support the work of Focus on the Family. He can donate and get a copy of that book and find more articles and resources to help you live boldly for Christ. When you click the link in the episode notes or give us a call 800 K in the word family. I John, let me also add to those who are nonbelievers to those in the LGBT community to those who are offended by scriptural truth.

I get it. My goal is to help you better understand the truth claims of Christ when I pray for the that community. I don't pray for their sexual orientation. I pray for their heart to be open to Jesus, the reality is, human beings are all gnarled in this life we all fall short. The Scriptures clear on that. Were all sinners saved by grace, not by ourselves and that's the message I want people to hear is a good place to land and be sure to join us next time on this focus broadcast insight on helping develop your child's spiritual growth. The main thing I think is help our kids develop a love relationship like to teach them who got his because then they contrast God's going to fulfill that good purpose and on behalf of Jim Daly, and the entire team.

Thanks for joining us today for Focus on the Family I'm John Fuller inviting you back once again helping you and your family. Dry year asking people to define the word and appreciate it's like when something does happen, it's telling someone they did a good job Focus on the Family invite you to give a gift, appreciate when you give a non-cash gift of stock, bonds or mutual funds.

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