Wokeism

​Woke means ‘awake.’ It is taken from the Civil Rights Movement where is spoke of being awake to racial injustices.
 
What should we be awake to: perceived injustices, the oppressed and the oppressor(s).
 
Traditionally this language was used by Marx in Communism to speak of class. With its epic failure in the 20th C, where did all of those Western communists go? They rebranded and found refuge in the humanities departments of our universities. As they reflected upon their loss they had to rebrand communism to make it more palatable. As such they expanded the list of oppression from class to a whole host of perceived social injustices. Hence they are known as Social Marxists.
 
Central to their belief is that all people operate on the basis of power. We all are trying to oppress each other. As such we must liberate people from the oppressors. When this has been accomplished there will be utopia. Their idea of oppression is called intersectionality (think intersection). The more roads of oppression are at your intersection the more power/privilege you have in society as the victim to rise up and liberate yourself/group (like the voice of the worker in communism). For example, if you are a woman you are obviously oppressed. But if you are a woman of an ethnic minority, who is poor, who is disabled, who is lesbian, etc, then your intersectionality has grown exponentially and you have power as the victim to speak against oppression. You have the right to be liberated and live in accordance with your identity.
 
If you remember or have studied the ills of communism the parallels are eerily uncanny:

1. We’ve already considered how Marxism and Social Marxism divide people into groups rather than treating people as individuals (e.g. oppressed and oppressor, class or intersectionality).
2. The oppressors and oppressed have been brainwashed into complacency and so need to be made aware of their oppression. Communism used rallies and propoganda, the Woke use advocacy, guilt, social media, militantly attacking free speech, because this may not accord with their view.  An attention needs to be placed on how bad things are perceived to be.
3. Such an awareness will lead to a revolution or sweeping change. In Communism a violent physical revolution, in Wokeism to an ever so subtly, gradually more radicalizing social change.

 
Ironically in both instances the oppressed end up becoming the oppressors.
 
Lies and control really do place Wokeism in the category of the Satanic; who is the father of lies and oppressor of the world.
 
This spiritual battle is also why Marxism is hostile to religion generally and Christianity specifically. Christianity stands for truth and freedom, humility vs. pride, for the individual and responsibility, for accountability to a higher power, Jesus Christ. All of this stands against the ethos of Marxism. There is a reason communism failed in the West, Christianity. There is a reason the Woke have targets Christianity and Christian morals through the decades, it is the obstacle to securing power.
 
What does Wokeism produce?
Wokeism produces people who are angry (because they are taught they are the victim; people who are irresponsible/entitled (because their situation is someone else’s fault); and people who are anxious and depressed (because in a world of power no one can be trusted). This sounds just like our culture.
 
Little Common ground between Christianity and Wokeism
While Christianity has and does stand against real injustices there is much that separates it from the Woke. Specifically a different view on human nature (good/bad) and liberation (from perceived oppression or from sin). Really the difference comes down to pride and humility.
 
A Christian Response
It is easy to use descend to Woke tactics, but we must resist. Jesus teaches us a better way. We must courageously stand for truth in grace. We must have compassion upon the lost and focus on love, joy and hope.   
 
The Woke and the Gospel
The truth is, like Communists, the Woke need Jesus. They need the Gospel.
 
Jesus enabled our liberation from the power of sin, by becoming a real victim. Through His death and Resurrection the victim became the victor for all who believe.