The other day we came home to find a paper on our door. It was placed there by a group called “Shelby Redneck Revolt.” These sorts of groups are popping up all over the country. Their purpose is little more than to agitate the people.
Well, isn’t it good that they want to represent the underserved and less represented parts of the population? Let’s take a look and see.
The first problem is that they pull up an event that happened years ago (1934 in this city) and use it to stir up people’s anger. There might have been a good reason for that event, but 1934 is done and gone. The event took its course and had its results. The problems and “businesses” it represented are no longer even relevant today.
Another concern is that they want to show a movie about a “working class revolt,” and this movie is scheduled to take place on Sunday, February 11th at three p.m. A definite distraction of the Devil to take men’s minds from that which is holy and cause men to think on that which serves him instead.
The “Redneck Revolt” declares themselves to be an “anti-racists, anti-fascist community defense formation.” Pay attention to that word “community.” It is very important. They get their name from an uprising that took place in 1921. This armed revolt of 1921 may or may not have had a real reason for its coming to pass in those days, but the days of hard labor in the coal mines is not an issue today. This is just another thing being brought up to agitate the people.
(Notice that their main color is red – “putting the ‘red’ back in redneck.” Do you remember another group that had red as their signature color?)
Today, the “Redneck Revolt” is concerned about the “dehumanizing” of the “working class and [rural] poor people” and they feel that these people are being oppressed by the urban upper class. Please, our family is part of the “poor working class,” and we have not been dehumanized. If you want to know what it means to be “dehumanized,” just spend some time studying the holocaust. Or go spend some times in repressive regimes where people spend years in labor camps and torture cells. Then you will know what it means to be "dehumanized." There are some issues in our country, and some groups have been somewhat tucked away and forgotten, but as a whole, people in our country are not being “dehumanized.” Go travel and spend a couple years each, living among the people in various countries, and you will see that the American poor as a whole are not “victimized” and “dehumanized.”
A third concern is what they stand for (or against). Let us take a look at these things. Are they right? Does the Bible say anything about them?
According to the flyer left on our door, the Shelby Redneck Revolt stands for (or against) the following:
1. We stand against white supremacy –
This sounds good on the surface. So do I. There is no excuse for white supremacy, black supremacy, German supremacy (think Hitler), or any other type of supremacy movement. But, is this their real stand or just a front to cover up their real agenda? On their website, they say they stand against calling people in the poor rural working areas “white trash.”
2. We believe in communities controlling themselves.
Hmmm. Is that what God thinks? Take a look throughout the Old Testament. Almost every nation had a king and a government under it. Israel did not have a king because God was their king. But they had their system of authority – rulers over all the people, rulers over large portions of the people, and rulers over towns and cities.
For a while, the communities of Israel did rule themselves. The system of rule that God had set up through His law was not adhered to properly, and the communities ruled themselves. How did this turn out? Those were the days when “every man did that which was right in his own eyes.” (Judges 21:25b) Those were the days when people took whoever they wanted and made them priests. If they wanted something out of someone else’s house, they took it. If they wanted another man’s wife, they found a way to take her. When a man’s wife was abused to the point of death, he took her and cut her in pieces and sent her throughout Israel. Revenge and bloodshed were the norm. Does it really work well for communities to control themselves?
3. We believe communities should be able to protect themselves
I agree with that. Take a look at the Old Testament. I think there is plenty of evidence that communities should be able to protect themselves, but not by usurping the law or rebelling against proper authority.
4. According to what I gather from their website, they emphasize the rights of community over the rights of the individual and believe that the community should be the important thing, the community should work together and thus be taken care of.
This sounds good. The community should pull together and work together. But individual rights should not be forfeited for the rights of the community. That is not freedom. That is collectivism. Look back at the history of the Soviet Union. How did collectivism work out? It will work out the same in America. It will not help the “poor, working class.”
5. We are working class and poor people.
Really?
How did you get all the technology for your podcasts, your many flyers that you print, your numerous Zines, your nice website, and your large stash of arms?
If you really want to know what poor is, go to some third world countries and visit the poor.
6. We are straight, queer, cis, and transgender
I’ll grant them that.
7. We are an above ground legal formation.
I’ll grant them that. Legal does not mean right.
8. We stand against political and economic elites.
Could you please define political and economic elites? Does that mean you stand against people being in power and against people being rich? What exactly do you mean by political elites?
Think of Matthew 11:8 where Jesus says, “But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses.” There are supposed to be differences for those who are ruling and those who are in power. The king will have soft, fancy clothes. Those high up in leadership will make more money and have nicer clothes and nicer things. God puts people in different positions and gives some people more than others. That is OK. There is nothing wrong with that.
There is also nothing wrong with being rich. Abraham was very rich, yet he was known as “the friend of God.” Jacob was very rich, and he was rich because God had blessed him. I Samuel 2:7 says, “The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up.” We have to get over the mentality that it is wrong for some people to have a lot while others have little. God is the one who gives and who makes both the poor and the rich. It is only wrong when rich people use those riches or their positions to oppress other people.
I, for one, am glad that there are rich people in America. I have been able to get some medical care I would otherwise not get, because rich people were able to pay the higher price and money was set aside by these medical facilities to help those who have less. Do not begrudge people something that God has given them. Those of us who have less are not entitled to other people’s riches.
9. We stand against economic exploitation.
Please explain. Yes, surely there is some economic exploitation. However, there are very few countries in which people have the opportunities for business and advancement that are available in this country. Go live in another country and try it.
10. We stand against the wars of the rich.
What wars? Again, no explanation of how the rich are warring and who they are warring against.
How about St. Jude’s hospital, Mayo Clinic, and various other organizations that receive a good amount of funding from the rich? If we take all the extras away from rich, would these places be able to operate? Are the wars of the rich really that significant, or is complaining about that just the result of covetousness?
11. We believe in the right of physical resistance to oppression.
I agree with that. There is plenty of evidence in the Bible, particularly in the Old Testament, of nations standing up for themselves and people resisting when tyranny becomes more than they can bear. It is a natural inclination for people to want freedom. Nevertheless, think on this. When our founding fathers determined it was time to form a new country, they did not just start with armed revolt. They formed a government. They made a plan. They formed a constitution. The agreed together to become independent. For a long time they pleaded with and entreated the king of England and spoke respectfully to him, using as many legal and peaceful means as possible to obtain freedom before forming their own government. They planned the government and declared independence. They did not go out seeking war.
Has this group tried all peaceful and legal channels available to them? Have they taught the people how to live according to the rights granted them in the Constitution and how to legally and peacefully hold their leaders responsible? Have they taught them how to keep the republic they have been given. Are they really concerned about freedom? Or are they just greedy for so called “rights”? We have the right to “life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness,” but we are not granted the right to have whatever we want whenever we want it at whatever it costs to get it. No government can grant that right. The aim in resistance and uprising should be to maintain freedom and keep a free society, not to enhance our rights and prosperity. Many of those who signed the Declaration of Independence willingly gave up their riches (prosperity) and even their lives so that those who came after them could have freedom. Is this organization willing to give of themselves for freedom or only to teach people how to take?
12. We believe that no politician can represent us.
This simply throws away part of the foundation upon which our nation was built. It was built on a representative government. Our government is not working right because we, the people, have not held these representatives responsible to fulfill their tasks; but, without representation and organized government, there will only be chaos. We would be back once again to every man doing that which is right in his own eyes.
13. Food belongs to the hungry
Really? That sounds good, but does it? When God told Israel how the law was to work and how their system was to work, He made provisions for the poor. Israel was to provide for the poor and the stranger (foreigner). God said, “9And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field, neither shalt thou gather the gleanings of thy harvest. 10And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou gather every grape of thy vineyard; thou shalt leave them for the poor and stranger: I am the LORD your God.” (Leviticus 19:9,10) Food was provided, but the poor and the stranger had to work for it. They had to glean the field, and they had to pick the grapes. Since most of the grapes were picked already, they had to hunt for what was left. Gleaning and grape picking was hard work. The Bible clearly says, “If any would not work, neither should he eat.” (II Thessalonians 3:10b) No, food does not just automatically belong to the hungry. Of course, provision should be made for them, but they should have to work to get it. Programs for feeding the hungry should not be encouraging laziness. There are some people unable or too young to work; but, for the most part, almost everybody can do something, and they should do it in order to obtain provision.
14. Empty homes belong to the homeless.
Do they? No. There are some homeless people that are in that condition because they have lost their jobs or hard times have fallen upon them. Many others are homeless as a result of their choices. As sad as it may be, choices have consequences. There are organizations that are there to help the homeless, and some do help the homeless get houses. Admittedly, there should be more, but empty homes do not just automatically belong to the homeless. Those organizations that do provide homes also have rules as to the conduct of those who stay in the home and work that they must do to keep the home. That is just and right.
We do not own a home. We rent one. Every month we pay money to the owners of the home. The home does not belong to them; it belongs to us. If we do not pay the rent or we break the rules of the lease, we move out. That is not the owner’s problem. That is our problem. The owner is not responsible for providing us a home. The owner is only responsible for fulfilling his terms of the lease if we fulfill ours. Homes do not simply belong to people by default.
15. Health care belongs to the sick.
That sounds good too, but does it? Look through the Constitution. Health care is not a right guaranteed in the Constitution. It is a privilege, and we should be grateful for it. However, both rights and privileges come with responsibility. The sick, or their families, have to pay for health care or work for it in some way. Yes, the cost of it is way too high; but it should not just be a free handout. In one country that we lived in, people who could not pay for health care were required to do a certain amount of community work so that they could receive it. That is fair. Health care costs. It does not just automatically come about. Someone has to pay for it; and those who receive services should give some kind of reimbursement. There should be services to help people who have less income, but everyone should pay something or do some kind of work. They are receiving a service, and the laborer is worthy of his hire.
16. Tools belong to the workers.
Actually, if you work for a company, the tools belong to the company. The company paid for them. They can belong to the workers if the workers pay for them. Things do not just automatically belong to people because they do not have them and think they need them.
17. Guns belong to the threatened.
Have you given guns out to those you think are threatened? As pointed out above, there is Scriptural basis for defending country and community; and there is Scriptural basis for defending self and family as well. Obtaining the means of defense is the person’s responsibility.
However, guns (or other weapons) also belong to authority, and it is the duty of the citizen to respect the authority. Consider these words from Romans chapter thirteen, “1Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. 2Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation… But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.” The Bible teaches that authorities should be armed and the purpose of the arms is to bring revenge upon those who do evil. Therefore, those who do wrong should be afraid. “Swords,” or guns in this day and age, do belong to those in authority and they have a Biblical right and responsibility to carry them and use them. Sometimes authority does abuse that right. In our country, where citizens are responsible to maintain a free state and hold those who represent us responsible, we should point out when those in authority do wrong and try to use the legal means necessary to hold them responsible. But, we should not disrespect authority, speak evil of them, try to harm them, teach rebellion against them, or try to take revenge. They are responsible for their duties; and we are responsible for our duties and obedience to the word of God. Rebellion against them brings the chastisement of God, as it says in the verses above.
18. Hate belongs in the grave.
This sounds good too. But, sadly, hate will never be in the grave as long as the Devil exists and as long as there is sin in the world. This group does not have the solution to hate. Hate is a part of human nature, and the only way to stop hate and bring peace is righteousness. "And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.” (Isaiah 32:17) And the only way to have righteousness is through the blood of Jesus Christ. Jesus is the answer. Uprising and revolt are not the answer. Jesus is the answer.