VCU Riots While Liberty University Worships
Our college campuses have shown us two pictures of the future. Virginia Commonwealth University rioted while Liberty University held a passionate worship service. This contrast starkly displays the practical ways in which worldview impacts real life. Worldview matters. It causes riots. It causes prayer. Either way, our Commonwealth, parents, and students, much choose.
VCU has spent the last half century convincing students that there is no such thing as Truth or Goodness, that we make truth for ourselves. With no moral foundation to stand on, these DEI proteges have nothing eternal to strive for. They can only attempt to impose their will on others in a quest for temporary power.
The rioters ostensibly meant to show support for Palestine. What they showed support for, however, was the overthrow of anyone they considered oppressive or powerful. It may seem hypocritical, but by doing away with a moral basis for their actions, these students and rioters can decry institutions, countries, and people in power over them as evil, while with a straight face seeking to become the oppressors of those whom they accuse of oppressing them. We should not be confused by their hypocrisy or outraged by their lack of respect for authority. The riots we witnessed at VCU and other universities are not the external workings of their worldview – the riots are their worldview, a kind of worship service in which the rioters tried to take to themselves as much power as possible, to the point of assaulting policemen, vandalizing property, and trespassing on the very campus that gave them this worldview. The Marxist ideology they were spoon fed for decades has come home to roost.
Liberty University held a very different type of worship service. Students gathered to praise God at a service which Liberty reported “lasted well into the night.” Further services were held, including a 24-hour time of worship. During global unrest, protests at home, and finals week for many students, Liberty University set an example to every university in Virginia by humbling themselves before God. Chancellor Jonathan Fallwell said: “…what we do rather than attacking one another is lift up the name of the only One who is worthy of our praise, and that is Jesus Christ, King of kings, and Lord of lords.”
We are not good simply because we can force others to accept our definitions, our will, our strength. There is a highest Definition, a Will set on us by Strength which we cannot fight against. This is our God – we cannot resist Him, but we have no reason to, because He is not a Lovecraftian god of horror who hates us and bends the laws of the universe to destroy us and cause us pain. He is the God who gives every good and perfect gift, who works all things for the good of those who fear Him, who is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and who, when His own creations rejected Him and chose to be their own gods, sent His only Son to bring us back into His arms. Serve Him with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, let He be angry and you perish.
What we worship matters. We cannot expect all gods to lead us to the same happy ending. The rioting protesters destroyed property and attacked policemen because they worship power. The students at Liberty gathered to worship for hours because they worship a God who allowed himself to die an undeserved and tortuous death so that we, the people who deserved that death would not suffer it.