Embrace Martyrdom: The Opposite of Courage is Comfort
"Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God." -Benjamin Franklin
Today is July 4th, a now stereotypical day we congregate on to reflect upon our countryโs independence with patriotic colors, grilled meat and fireworks. An excuse to get intoxicated whilst cathartically badmouthing the looney left on the other side of the tracks. And I'm all for it, this evening there will definitely be indulgent festivities with an exuberant toast from the host - as it should be. To my collectors, I hope those of you who have my limited edition print of Kingdom Come are reminded of the honor, valor and sacrifice that lie in the roots of this blessed country.
With that said, we really canโt forget the sacrifice of our founding fathers.
Rebelling against taxation without representation, managing consistent intolerant British hostility, battling in Lexington and Concord. All so we can enlist our progeny into degenerate brainwashing at state funded drag queen story book hours at your neighboring library. Iโm certain thatโs what Patrick Henry was referring to during his speech to the Second Virginia Convention when famously stating, โGive me liberty or give me death!โ
In all seriousness, the reason men and women of honor feel that they have no voice on these matters is not because we are outnumbered - its because we are afraid. And as much as we want to believe our own compassionate nature, when you study the circumstantial reality itโs not that we are afraid of hurting others opinions. We are afraid of losing our livelihood, itโs one thing to be hated and itโs another to be hated and poor. That is whatโs going on.
Your greed outshines your honor, your stomach has conquered your heart.
And that is wrong.
Our founding fathers were never comfortable, they endured shedding blood and sweat with the weight of the world during their twenties towards the romanticization of a free land.
Your grandparents were never comfortable, they recognized opportunity under the branch of delayed gratification. And they took the risk to internationally travel to a country outside their native tongue, community and culture.
The church fathers were never comfortable, all of them - persecuted, tortured and killed. Even Saint Dionysius of Paris and his companions were publicly humiliated, imprisoned and beheaded by the government.
If the blood of the martyrs are the seeds of the church, it is only fitting that the land those holy men lay buried now exalts the The Basilica of Sacrรฉ Coeur de Montmartre in the heart of Paris.
In anything you adorn, know the sacrifice behind it and honor its name.
I spoke extensively about this phenomena in Pagosa Springs with Pastor Bryan Wolfmueller, a fellow conference speaker at the underground event two weeks ago. He is also author of A Martyrโs Faith in a Faithless World, my current read.
Obviously no one is sitting at the edge of their seat wanting the pain of a martyrโs death - but the ultimate goal of man (atheist, conservative, leftist or Christian) whether he admits it or not is to die faithful to his beliefs.
That is the impulse behind the picturesque image of the nuclear in-tact American family or the dazzling masterpiece an artist desires to show his audience, or what you want to see in your loved ones when lying on their hospital bed close to deaths door.
And it is also the impulse behind the discomfort you feel when hostility is directed towards you by another offended everyday-radical. However rather than acknowledging it as a perfectly natural defense mechanism too many of us shriek under the sentiment of, โDonโt tell Human Resources, Iโll agree with you!โ
See it through, stay grounded and endure - its nothing.
So on this beautiful 4th of July letโs remember to stop being so damn comfortable and make some enemies, recognize that all of the great men in history embraced martyrdom in a climate reeking of collectivism whether its Thomas Paine or Bishop Polycarp. And as we celebrate this important holiday, my friends, Iโm not speaking in the demeanor of wagging ones finger in judgement, rather that it would be so much more fun if we did it right.
Arthur Kwon Lee
Please consider becoming a paid subscriber, at $15 a month your support goes a long way to my mission in the arts and cultural front.