Stephen and the Stoners: the original cancel culture
A recent article on Vice.com, titled Penguin Random House Staff Confront Publisher about New Jordan Peterson Book, drew my attention, largely because I cam currently reading Peterson’s epic classic 12 Rules for Life.
The article opens like this:
Several Penguin Random House Canada employees confronted management about the company’s decision to publish a new book by controversial Canadian psychologist Jordan Peterson at an emotional town hall Monday, and dozens more have filed anonymous complaints, according to four workers who spoke to VICE World News.
Peterson has become a flashpoint because of his views on things like sexuality, intrinsic values, family dynamics, and personal responsibility.
“He is an icon of hate speech and transphobia and the fact that he’s an icon of white supremacy, regardless of the content of his book, I’m not proud to work for a company that publishes him,†a junior employee who is a member of the LGBTQ community and who attended the town hall told VICE World News.
Translation: “He says stuff I don’t want to hear! He has opinions I don’t like! His voice must be squelched and his kind squashed because he is full of hate.â€
(Don’t miss the irony in this mindset.)
So, what does this dangerous radical teach that is so offensive?
Well, let’s look at the 12 rules he espoused in his book:
So, what is Peterson’s egregious offense? Well, according to Vice…
Peterson, 58, a University of Toronto professor of psychology turned anti-political correctness crusader, first ignited international controversy in September 2016, when he posted a lecture to YouTube stating he refused to use gender neutral pronouns for students and condemning Bill C-16, legislation that increased protections for trans and non-binary Canadians.
He quickly became popular in right-wing and libertarian circles across the globe, becoming a regular guest on Joe Rogan’s podcast. He amassed 3.25 million YouTube followers, who tuned into his lectures on why white privilege isn’t real, and how masculinity is under attack.
Cancel culture must cancel anything and everything that does not support the narrative or the “common wisdom.†Do you think there are only two sexes? Canceled! Do you doubt the validity and honesty of the Green Initiative? Canceled! Are you conservative in your politics? Canceled!
Are you of a certain age? Ok, Boomer!
Anyway, this story reminded me of the story of Stephen, the New Testament deacon and the first Christian martyr. Stephen was stoned to death because he said things people did not want to hear. This is how it went down, as reported by Dr. Luke in Acts 7.
“You stubborn and hardheaded people! You are always fighting against the Holy Spirit, just as your ancestors did. Is there one prophet that your ancestors didn’t mistreat? They killed the prophets who told about the coming of the One Who Obeys God. And now you have turned against him and killed him. Angels gave you God’s Law, but you still don’t obey it.â€
When the council members heard Stephen’s speech, they were angry and furious. But Stephen was filled with the Holy Spirit. He looked toward heaven, where he saw our glorious God and Jesus standing at his right side. Then Stephen said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right side of God!â€
The council members shouted and covered their ears. At once they all attacked Stephen and dragged him out of the city. Then they started throwing stones at him. The men who had brought charges against him put their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul.
As Stephen was being stoned to death, he called out, “Lord Jesus, please welcome me!†He knelt down and shouted, “Lord, don’t blame them for what they have done.†Then he died.
”
Modern stoners are not much different than their ancient counterparts. They riot. They plunder. They destroy. They ostracize. They condemn. They kill. They…cancel.
Why?
I believe it has more to do with the voice in their head than the one in their ears. I believe they are driven mad by their own conscience. They scream and shout down anyone who doesn’t buy their commitment to murdering the preborn in the name of women’s rights or anyone who doubts encouraging impressionable and confused children to chemically and/or medically alter their bodies because they “feel†they were born wrong is a noble idea.
Their gospel is greed, so they preach Socialism. Their lifestyle is hedonistic, so they promote abortion. They are “woke†and they want to suffocate the “unwoke†in their sleep. They have rights and everyone else bears responsibility.
They echo the crazy Communist drivel of people like Kamala Harris, who tweeted (after the election, of course),
“Equality suggests. ‘Oh, everyone should get the same amount.’ The problem with that, not everybody’s starting out from the same place. Equitable treatment means we all end up in the same place.â€
(Look at the Communist societies where “everyone ends up in the same place.†I promise, unless you are truly a one-percenter, you will not like the place where everyone ends up.)
This, of course, is the complete opposite of Jesus’ parable of the Talents (money), which were neither distributed evenly, nor led each recipient to the same destiny. They each got where they were going on merit, investment, and effort alone.
(And I bet you heard some pinhead professor say Jesus was a Communist.)
The cancel culture is possibly the single greatest threat to the American ideal of liberty and justice for all. Cancel your subscription to it. Drop the stones. Realize that your right to condone or condemn behavior or beliefs is the same right others have regarding your behavior and beliefs. You have the right to be wrong in their eyes and they have the right to be wrong in yours. Ultimately, we must each give an account for our own actions and words, to our own conscience, and to the God who is both Savior and Judge.
May the spirit of Stephen prevail in our hearts. Even while his detractors murdered him for speaking his mind, the original Christian martyr prayed, “Father, don’t blame them for what they have done.â€
His message was harsh but his heart was pure and his spirit was gentle. He wanted the best for those who did their worst to him.
Don’t be a stoner when you can be a Stephen.