Recently, I watched a documentary called, ‘The Fall of Minneapolis.’ It was produced by Liz Collin and Alpha News, and it shows the other side of the death of George Floyd with police bodycam footage of the incident that led up to his death. Watch Here
It gives testimony by police officers who were on duty during the riots that burned a great portion of south Minneapolis. Most of the officers on camera for this documentary are now retired, trying to put their emotional lives back together following the incidents of those days. If there ever was a case for PTSD, these men and women would be poster children. What I gathered from watching this documentary is a new set of eyes that uncovered things that were not allowed to be talked about at the time of these incidents. No one dared say a word that these officers were within their rights to do their jobs (the video footage was evidence enough for me), and, unfortunately, George Floyd was seen as a victim and not as a person who was resisting arrest. Let me say, that I do not believe anyone should die while resisting arrest, however, if one is resisting the authority of the officers who have been charged with keeping law and order, the likelihood of getting hurt is quite high. Police officers are trained to subdue suspects that are a danger to themselves and others, and use the training which is approved by their police department to arrest and deter crimes in the city they serve. Minneapolis and I suspect other larger cities as well, have given themselves over to thinking about criminals as victims.
There is a Hennepin County prosecutor who insists on not prosecuting anyone who breaks the law under the age of 25, due to his belief that male brains are not fully developed until they are 25. In other words, they become victims of their brain immaturity. Yet we punish our children when they defiantly break the rules, so shouldn’t we follow through with punishment at any age for failure to keep the rules? This kind of thinking goes along with the participation awards in elementary sports … no winners no losers … just participation credit. Thinking like this has permeated our society with the idea that kids, teenagers, and young adults cannot be held accountable until their brains properly mature. However, knowing the difference between right and wrong is a maturing process that starts when children are toddlers (regardless of a mature brain or not), where moral values of how to live with others are part of the early childhood experience. But I ask you, is this the kind of thinking that will help defend your city against crime? Criminals are not mature before 25, so let’s give them a pass?
Some of you may argue that some children never get that early moral talk of what is right and what is wrong, but the Bible says we are made in the image of God, and have that moral fiber already built in to know the difference. Biblical thinking teaches the idea that sin affects a person, regardless of age. Self-gratification is also an early childhood experience, and bullies learn early how to get what they want, despite what they have been taught or know intuitively what is right. The Book of Romans explains that people can do what is right even if they have not had any training, so there is no excuse for not knowing right from wrong:
Romans 2 14Even Gentiles, who do not have God’s written law, show that they know his law when they instinctively obey it, even without having heard it. 15They demonstrate that God’s law is written in their hearts, for their own conscience and thoughts either accuse them or tell them they are doing right.
No brain maturity there.
Our thinking is clouded, it is deceived to think that evil is good and good is evil, and few in society will refute it. Today, we are told what to think, we are pressured to think as our peers think, and to be outside that paradigm is to be rejected and ostracized by your tribe.
For me, thinking comes down to understanding what truth is and making truth your standard to filter everything in your life. The Bible teaches that there is no truth in this world. The world only has images or reflections of truth, but it does not know the truth. Truth is based upon the ultimate truth giver, not man’s laws, culture, or societal norms. Listen to how Jesus defines truth:
John 14:17 He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him because he lives with you now and later will be in you.
To me that says, “Not accepting God’s truth is accepting no truth at all.” The bottom line for all humans is simple … you live and die and then face God. Facing God without accepting His truth is a dangerous and eternal mistake.
Our thinking has been hijacked by educators who do not know the truth of God. Our thinking is being shaped by a culture that ignores God’s truth and blasphemes God in everything they do. Our thinking is being overrun by lies, deception, and ignorance. The day we dismiss God’s truth is the day our world begins to die. Nothing makes sense anymore; our institutions have no answers, and they don’t seem to care … if they ever did.
Jesus told us about our day when truth is ignored, God is hated, and society defines its own truth. Here is what Jesus said would happen when God’s truth is despised:
Matthew 24 21For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again. 22If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.
The day the world stops thinking and entertaining God's truth as the only truth is the day we begin to die due to our defiance to God. For me, there is nothing to know in this world except God. Why? He is the only One who has promised you a future.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
What is your thinking based upon?
Challenging the Culture with Truth … Larry Kutzler