“The bullet tore the air in half. A folding chair rattled. A Bible dropped. A young man slumped sideways beneath a white event tent, eyes wide with the weight of eternity. It was supposed to be a conversation. A ‘prove me wrong’ segment. But this time, rebuttal came not with words, but with a rifle. Charlie Kirk didn’t get to finish his sentence.” [seen on social media]

This is not a political post.

This is a post about human decency.

I have seen the vile, disgusting hatred and juvenile disrespect on social media directed at a murdered man for the sole purpose of having a different worldview than them.

The stories are as sickening as they are ubiquitous.

We are watching and reading about the purest form of moral depravity – a level of hate that nears psychopathy.

Celebrating murder… This is Hitler cheering the extermination of the Jews. This is Pol Pot commanding the genocide of almost 2 million Cambodians. Am I over-reaching? What separates the celebration of the murder of millions from the celebration of the murder of one? Nothing.

Jesus said to those who would one day cheer at his own execution,

“You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning,…” – John 8:44

The kind of evil directed at Kirk’s assassination only comes from a heart filled with self-righteous wickedness. About this sort of person, Jesus said,

“You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” – Matthew 12:34

I am reminded that those trumpeting tolerance are often the most intolerant, hateful, bigoted people on the planet.

All of that said, I believe this kind of moral depravity is the exception, not the rule.

I strongly suspect the morally bankrupt behavior we see on social media does not represent the vast majority of people in our country. For example…

I applaud Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel, both outspoken critics of all-things-Trump, for their words of respect for Charlie and their stance against political violence.

Kimmel remarked,

“Instead of angry finger-pointing, can we just for one day agree that it is horrible and monstrous to shoot another human.”

I read today on social media, “Hatred in this country isn’t simmering anymore. It is boiling.”

I disagree. Hatred has been boiling since the Bible’s story of Eden in Genesis 3, with the first murder recorded only one chapter later. It’s just, thanks to social media, we’re now aware of hatred and evil in real time.

As I conclude this post, allow me to offer two things I believe will bring you peace and hope.

First,…

I can remember a time when people were mature and intelligent enough to have mutually respectful dialogue about politics. Tragically, many have bought into the nonsense that “disagreement means hate.”

One writer wrote,…

“Being taught to avoid politics and religion has led to a lack of understanding of politics and religion. What we should have been taught was how to have a civil conversation about a difficult topic.”

Bono, lead singer of U2, posed the following question,…

“How far should we go to try to understand each other’s point of view? Maybe the distance grace covered on the cross is a clue.”

And that leads me to my second point.

The last assassination of a political figure I can remember was the assassination of Martin Luther King in 1968. King famously asserted,…

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”

My friend and pastor, David Wilson, specified that “light” and  “love”:

“…Only a heart change in people’s lives will bring about real change in our nation. Only Jesus Christ and his saving power can change a heart. Religion and rhetoric will not change a person’s heart. Only the transforming power of the Holy Spirit through salvation will really change a life… Even so, Lord Jesus Come!”

The emotions “angry, hurt, and scared” most likely describe most people today. But, as Paul counseled a young Timothy,

“God does not give us a spirit of fear, but gives us power, love, and a sound mind.” – 2 Timothy 1:7

On the night before he would courageously face all the hatred the venom of hell could throw at him, Jesus said to his friends,

“In this world you will have trouble. But take heart, I’ve overcome the world.” – John 16:33

I like what one pastor posted as he recalled trying to lead his people in prayer last night at his church,…

“I didn’t want to lead them into mourning. I wanted to lead them into battle. Not with banners or fists, but with open Bibles and tear-stained prayers… The kind of war that kneels in gravel beside the wounded, hands them living water, and refuses to leave. The kind that speaks both mercy and judgment without flinching. The cross stands tall. The tomb is still empty. And the gospel has not lost one ounce of power. So pick up your cross. Wipe your eyes. And keep going. In our weakness he is strong! The King is coming.”

Hatred and death are a part of our fallen world. But they don’t have the last word.

Charlie Kirk’s final social media post before his death was providential,…

“Jesus defeated death so you can live.” (September 6, 2025)

And that’s precisely why Charlie’s more alive now than he’s ever been.

nw