The alarming responses to the cold-blooded assassination of Charlie Kirk from both sides of the political aisle are derived from the same source: false worldview.
Some on the right argue that Charlie Kirk wasn’t a martyr because he spoke about politics. That is patently false.
He spoke about politics due to his Christian faith. His worldview drove his words, and his words were only powerful when they were rooted in his faith. Kirk didn’t shy away from biblical truth or allow the gospel to be diminished in his presence- and that is exactly why he was murdered.
No one killed Charlie Kirk because of his position on immigration, tax policy, or limited government principles.
He was murdered because he was knee deep in the bunker – fighting a spiritual war that pastors have shied away from due to the false gods of unity and winsomeness.
Kirk was a public Christian apologist who spoke biblical truth without regard to temporal consequences. Charlie Kirk knew his opinion wasn’t popular, but he also knew that it was rooted in God’s word, and he regularly shared the Gospel publicly.
His death was not a political assassination, but an anti-religious act.
Christian rejection of fellow believers who use their shared worldview to help form public policy are as sickening as atheists who deny Christ altogether.
Those who display conjured moral superiority over fellow believers who enter the mission field of politics and pastors seeking tithes and false peace over truth would all be well served to re-read what Jesus said about the lukewarm.
Countless Americans have chosen comfort over confrontation; however, disciples are commanded to take every single thought captive. Our collective complacency and cowardice have contributed to the moral confusion of our age.
From the far left, there was a hideous and disorienting celebration.
Why would anyone defend murder? Two words: critical theory.
Critical theory has falsely taught an entire generation that there are no moral absolutes – there is no objective truth – there is no right and wrong – that the only framework for an understanding of justice is identity. This is the exact same fuel that we saw catch fire on college campuses and nationwide after October 7th.
There is no moral reasoning in the cultural Marxist worldview of the oppressed versus the oppressor.
Everyday Americans were horrified at the response to clearly immoral acts of murder but those holding secular progressive viewpoints of identity politics rejoiced: the oppressed momentarily defeated their perceived oppressor.
Those ascribing to that worldview believe there is no right or wrong absent an understanding of the identity of who committed the action and the identity of who was harmed or helped by it.
Anything done – even murder – to an oppressor on behalf of the oppressed is moral and should therefore be celebrated. This is why they are publicly supportive of both mass murder by Hamas and the assassination of Charlie Kirk.
This collision of worldview is expressly why Charlie Kirk went into the belly of the beast at college campuses because that is exactly where the core of secular indoctrination and identity politics resides.
The number of college professors and professional educators celebrating his death due to their zeal for their false religion of cultural Marxism should alarm even the sleepiest American.
However, the false religion of comfort is no less selfish. Rejecting hate includes loving others enough to make personal sacrifices to tell them the truth.
Christians are called to listen to the worlds questions and provide answers from the arbiter and embodiment of truth himself in every single arena.
That is exactly what Charlie Kirk was murdered for accomplishing.
Stephanie Smith is the President and CEO of the Alabama Policy Institute.
