If you’re a Christian - what are your thoughts on Charlie Kirk?

[ondemand]

There’s been a lot of very fiery discussions on other boards about the life and (horrific) death of Charlie Kirk. I’m a Christian (and regular MN name changer) but I’m intrigued to know what other Christians thought of him too?

In my circle of (Christian) friends, the reaction is a bit mixed. Most would say they knew he was a Christian as he regularly shared about his faith, some agreed with him on everything and others didn’t like his political views at all.

I’m not looking to start a debate (I promise!) but curious to know what other believers think.

@ChristmasStars

Ooooh, Ouch!

Gently, I did not need you to ‘spell it out’. I was encouraging you to think about the scripture you quoted, as it sounded as though you were using it to excuse or justify his violent death, is all.

What was Charlie’s sword? I’ll tell you: It was his Bible; it was his words; it was his encouragement to make people think, and prove him wrong; it was his desire to debate In a respectful way and without anger,

I fear maybe you have been caught up in the hysteria of people objecting to his support of something that is perfectly culturally legal in the USA and like others, erroneously claiming his ‘sword’ was to advocate death by shooting?

I 100% agree.

If I was an American I would be campaigning against gun ownership - that does not stop me from understanding the historical culture that led to the ‘right to bear arms’ (for protection).

But then, as I said elsewhere …

Many people have a firearms licence. Most do not use it to commit murder. A minority, with hate in their heart, have committed murder.
Many people have a car. Most do not use it to kill others. Some have killed accidentally, a minority have used their car to commit murder.
Most people have knives. Most do not use knives to kill. A minority use their knives to commit murder.

Lawful, or illegal weapons, there will always be ‘that one’ who is so filled with evil intent, they will kill with their weapon of choice.

What was Charlie’s sword? I’ll tell you: It was his Bible; it was his words; it was his encouragement to make people think, and prove him wrong; it was his desire to debate In a respectful way and without anger

Amen, @Thegreatestoftheseislove !

Charlie did not focus on guns. To say so, continues to misrepresent his mission. He responded with his thoughts about the right to bear arms, when questioned.

Charlie’s focus was his God-given mission to share the Gospel. Other folk are obsessed with his support of the American historical cultural right, in America, for the right to bear arms - for protection, not crime; not murder, as if that can excuse their dismissal of the Christian Truth that was his true focus.

Thou shalt not kill.

No one needs a gun. No good can ever come of it.

🤣🤣 No, no need to apologise. God works for the good of all those who love Him with all their mind, heart and soul … sometimes He does so in mysterious ways. 🙏💐

It grieves me that instead of seeing Charlie’s heart, and his love of Biblical Truth, some people reflect onto him what is in their own heart. A murderous hater violently killed him to shut him up. Some others continue the devil’s work by lying about or misrepresenting a flawed human being who was also a mighty man of God, but many more are rising up to proclaim our Sovereign Lord. The Lord, through us, will not be silenced. We are, indeed, in a spiritual war during these increasingly challenging end times.

I did not know Charlie and I don’t need to defend the man. I know my Lord Jesus, and what He stands for. God’s Holy Word can defend itself to those who have eyes to see and ears to hear. Charlie’s mission was to open eyes and ears. Christ Jesus too was the victim of a baying mob and brutally killed for, simply, speaking Truth.

I think I too am now done debating the flawed man of God, Charlie Kirk. People either see his heart, or they don’t. People who don’t, will continue to prefer to vilify the misrepresented man - if not standing in the middle, then at least on the edges of the baying mob. It was ever thus.

I can’t see that anyone has disagreed? 🤷‍♂️

This is too simplistic imo. Gun ownership or not - people are murdered by guns where they are not legal to own. Charlie Kirk wasn't pro murder, he was pro ownership of guns for the use in self protection. It is totally different. People use this as a gotcha, and almost like well he deserves what he got after all he was pro guns! It's a disgrace and disingenuous to say it. I think it is a tragic, tragic thing that has happened and my heart hurts for Charlie Kirk's friends and family. The only thing that really comforts me when I think about it, is that I am almost positive that Charlie Kirk has heard the words 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You were faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Share your master’s joy.’

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace. Amen 🙏 ✝️

AMEN 🙏

“Focus on love, not guns”

I couldn’t agree more.

Sadly the subject of guns was raised here, by those who certainly appear to be rather focussed on them.

The British obsession with the Second Amendment of the American Constitution strikes me very much like the tut-tutting curtain twitcher who can’t help sticking their nose into their next door neighbour’s personal business, which they neither experience nor comprehend. American history and culture is very different to that of the British.

Charlie Kirk was not focussed on guns. He did not preach violence, rather the opposite. He has being characterised by some in this thread as a man who “lived by the message of gun ownership”. That’s a lazy and shallow misconception.

I remember Charlie for his constant readiness to speak passionately about his Saviour, Jesus Christ and his intelligent communication of the Gospel of his Lord to students on college campuses.

I valued greatly his commitment to speak objective truth in matters of human sexuality and unborn human life to the morass of subjective woke nonsense that was often thrown at him.

He was first and foremost a Christian, and a loving family man, an autodidact who advocated debate and discussion rather than violence.

And for that he was murdered.

And his assassination has provoked vastly different reactions. Some are coming perilously close to saying he brought it on himself. Some are celebrating his brutal death with a glee that can only be described as demonic. Others are re-evaluating their lives, reconsidering Christ, returning to church. There’s a division.

Reminds me of our Lord’s words
“Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.

For I have come to turn “ ‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law

a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.”
Matthew 10: 34-36

https://m.youtube.com/shorts/09oDP2zetnA

This gave me goosebumps to read. Thank you for writing so eloquently what I feel in my heart. God bless you 🙏 ❤️

Could not agree more ❤️

Love this. Thank you for posting 🙏🏻

Yes, I’ve had to conclude that too and our church (in general) is definitely spirit filled.

I think some people have decided up front that he was a political figure and then lumped that in with any dislike of right leaning politics. Listened to a podcast today by Frank Turek (he was with Charlie when he died) and he said Charlie often said ‘politics is peanuts when compared to the message of Jesus’. I think he was primarily an evangelist.

I hadn't heard of him before he was murdered.

What do I think about him? Someone who was murdered for his Christian beliefs. Some of those beliefs I didn't ascribe to, but I also found it very hard to find a genuinely even-handed account of him and that troubles me.

What do I think about the murder?

The fact that the president-elect of the Oxford Union could celebrate the murder like he did, without consequence, shows how bad things have got.

I think a true saint like Desmond Tutu wouldn't have gone about things in the way Kirk did.

Is anyone watching the funeral? There’s a pre-funeral worship service now with Chris Tomlin, Phil Wickham, Brandon Lake and others. The main part starts at 7pm UK time. It’s very powerful watching all these people worshipping God. It’s on YouTube and Facebook and lots of other streams too.

I have never heard about this man Charlie Kirk RIP.
Today I read this and do you some of you think that his autism perhaps made him passionate and his views more of a target.. It is scary what happened.

"The Guardian is reporting that Trump has just teased that he will be making an important announcement on autism tomorrow (quite how this was relevant in the middle of a eulogy for Charlie Kirk is not clear but that’s the Great Orange Blimp for you). Looks like we can expect mums taking paracetamol during pregnancy to be blamed and folinic acid to be touted as a cure"

Did Charlie Kirk have autism @Justmerach ? I haven't heard that anywhere. I think the paracetamol/ autism thing was just off the wall!

ChristmasStars, I do not think that he was autistic now. It worried me a bit. I wondered if his autism could have targetted him and being so motivated and been seen as a target. What happened to him tragic and Jesus is with him now.

I read this yesterday and the way it reads at first seemed to say he was autistic but not diagnosed. I have read it again and they are talking about someone else and he had views on helping autistic people.

Amid this, Kirk's earlier statements on autism have been doing the rounds on social media. The Turning Point USA founder was interacting with a student who shared he was autistic.

What Charlie Kirk said on autism

The student said they were not ‘clinically diagnosed’ but were autistic. To this, Kirk replied that he ‘loved’ the student's attitude to how he was dealing with the situation.

“You should be applauded for that,” Kirk had said. He then continued, “Do not allow a diagnosis to become a label. Don't look at what they call autism to be only a negative, it can also be a superpower.”
Kirk also spoke about 'high functioning' autistic people and noted there were such people at Turning Point USA, calling them some of the 'most successful' and 'best team members'."

@ondemand I did not see it all, but I loved the worship and seeing so many raise their hands to heaven. It was a wonderful tribute to Charlie, the (hu)man. It was so profound to see and hear Erika give her forgiveness to 'that young man'. To do so, I hope releases her to continue grieving in freedom.

@Justmerach it would not surprise me to hear that Charlie could be neuro-diverse but also agree with him that such a label does not define anyone who is in Christ. I think he was driven by his sense of mission and maybe a neuro-diverse superpower helped him in all that.

Thegreatestoftheseislove thank you, your words were helpful.

I’m very well on in years and was only diagnosed a couple of years ago as high-functioning & high masking autistic (Asperger’s type).

The knowledge of this has actually made a huge difference in how I understand myself, and my life. Lots of things which were puzzling now make sense. 😊

I watched it all. The worship in particular was wonderful as were many of the speakers. And Erika Kirk’s forgiveness was beautiful. God was glorified. 🙌🏻

By Trump's presence???