The Confusing Silence of Big Eva – a Lack of Compassion?
What we have observed as Americans over the past couple of weeks in politics is almost mind blowing. I am sure another time in history rivals this type of drama politically, but I cannot remember such a time in my lifetime. This week two different occasions rocked the political scene with President Joe Biden contracting COVID and our former president and Republican nominee for president Donald Trump being hit by an attempted assassination bullet. Yet, in the midst of this, there is confusing silence of Big Eva – many of whom typically speak for evangelicals everywhere.
Appropriate Concern
When the Republicans recently changed their platform to alleviate any reference to prolife, X (formerly Twitter), other social media platforms, mainline evangelical magazines, evangelical organizations, and personal blogs immediately came alive with commentary. Rightly so. When a major political party in America transitions from a strong prolife stance, Christians should notice and be engaged in the conversation. Many articles were written and shared, podcasts recorded, and commentary dropped related to this change.
This is not the first time that both platformed Christians and those who engage with them online have engaged passionately about a particular issue. The Republican platform change is simply the latest. In the recent past, the Republican nominee for president, the invited guest speakers at the Republican convention, and the debate between two of the three major presidential candidates, all encouraged much commentary as well. Further, all issues related to Christian nationalism keep the online waters churning. (An aside – the engagement seems to focus much more on all things Republican party in comparison with the Democratic party or Libertarian party, republicans versus democrats in general, or those who represent such. Often, the more liberal politicians and platforms are functionally ignored by contrast.)
Without any doubt, Big Eva specifically and many other engaged Christians online both have strong opinions about the American political landscape and willingly share them – often deeply critical toward other Christians and their engagement with social conservatism, fiscal conservatism, or nationalism.
What a Week!
Enter in the events of the past seven days.
My phone blew up as I traveled across the bootheel of Missouri last Saturday.
A representative text: “Did you see Mr. Trump has been shot in Pennsylvania?”
A representative headline: “Former President Trump shot”
As I turned on a news channel as we continued traveling west, there was wall-to-wall coverage of this attempted assassination of the former president and current Republican nominee for president.
For multiple days, the mainstream media focused all their energy on the attempted assassination until the Republican convention began. Even still, they kept discussing both.
Then Wednesday, news broke of President Biden testing positive for COVID. At 81 years old, COVID presents a significant challenge to his personal health and is potentially life threatening. Again, the media immediately led with this headline and showed pictures of him leaving Las Vegas and arriving back on the east coast where he is isolating.
Unusual and Confusing Silence
What has been the overwhelming response of Big Eva specifically and many other engaged Christians online? Unusual and confusing silence.
To be clear, my goal in this post is not to call out specific individuals who represent either themselves or major organizations; however, the silence produces incredible confusion.
The unsaved world, shadetree politicians, and average citizens all over the fruited plains of America reacted. Many everyday Christians did as well. Although I had public prayer with my family for the former president and all those involved in Pennsylvania as we traveled and led a time of public prayer for our country on Sunday morning, it was only a few days later that I realized I never posted anything related to well wishes for the former president. To be honest, I was not actively engaged on social media over those two days – related to these events or anything else. I did post well wishes for President Biden.
Possibly, all those in Big Eva are simply like me and just failed to post anything specific.
However, to say the least, the silence is confusing. I actually almost never post anything political in favor of or against anything. As a pastor and community leader, I try to primarily keep my posts on various platforms politics free. Although, sometimes I do post something. For my profile then, it would not seem that unusual.
But what about all those in Big Eva and other Christians who have so actively spoken to the Republican platform, the Republican nominee, the Republican convention, and regarding nationalism? Why did they go silent?
Why did they not immediately respond with well wishes, prayers, or words of concern for Mr. Trump and President Biden?
The unsaved, the average church-goer, and generally everyone in media had comments and well wishes, yet the majority of evangelical leaders said nothing, wished nothing, or otherwise were just silent.
Compassion and Leadership
Again, I enter into this conversation with humility because my own public discourse online only mentioned the president and not the former president. Yet, I have been busy in ministry and personal loss. I have not been engaged in anything political online or on this blog.
But, this is not true for so many leaders from various fields across Christendom.
How is it that the average Christian in the community communicates more compassion than the average Christian leader?
If we as Christians are going to lift our voices in criticism of many things political, then it seems we ought to be the most prolific in leading others in compassion for those same individuals. A former president shot. Our current president suffering with COVID.
Where are all the posts that read, “Would you join me in praying for…”?
Where are the posts that encourage fellow Christians and Americans to demonstrate appropriate care and concern?
If many have an opinion on all things political, it only seems reasonable as Christian leaders, we would lead in all things compassion, full of sympathy and empathy.
Again, no names or specific judgment – just some personal observations here for self reflection and to encourage others in self reflection as well.
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