Read on Twitter
And this brings me to the accusation that I'm seeing among a lot of conservatives and Christians (especially Trump-critics), namely that many conservatives are engaged in "whataboutism" in light of the riots.
We’re told, “Don’t say ‘what about the left?’ after a bunch of Qanon and MAGA-types ransacked the Capitol looking for Pence and Pelosi. Now is not the time. Just condemn the evil that happened. Period."
I think there's legitimacy to this point. BUT it ignores a fundamental feature of political discourse in the social media age: In the present moment, *Events are primarily fodder for narratives that shape our political and social response.*
The pushback from the conservatives I’ve seen is not about excusing the mob & those looking to take hostages; everyone agrees they should be prosecuted. In fact, I've seen literally *no one* call for leniency on such people (and certainly no one is posting bail for rioters).
Instead, the pushback is a refusal to be scapegoated for the actions of those individuals & groups by politicians & journalists who were excusing similar actions by other people & groups all summer. They are resisting the Narrative, because the Narrative is about what comes next.
That's why I think a tweet like this misses the point (and Dan is a friend that I respect; his tweet is simply a good example of the point I'm trying to make): https://twitter.com/dandarling/status/1347978543746183168?s=20
David didn’t say “What about Saul?” because Nathan (and God) didn’t excuse and rationalize Saul’s rebellion. Instead, God (through his prophet) dropped the hammer on Saul for his presumption (which is idolatry). In other words, God and his prophets use equal weights and measures.
But many of our present prophets were hemming and hawing about looting and rioting when it was done in the name of racial justice and socialism.
But they have now discovered their "principles" and are currently setting themselves up, not only as prophets, but as judge (and jury) who will determine who and what can be said and done going forward.
All of which is to say, there are layers and complexities involved in all of this, the kind that require sober-minded clarity and concern for actual justice (not just faux-justice).
And social media is largely about performative "justice" that has real-world effects in shaping narratives, cultivating our instincts, numbing us to truth, distracting us from reality, and so forth.
And so I'll end where I regularly end for myself: Lord Jesus, have mercy. On me, on our churches, on this nation. Lord Jesus, have mercy.
