Tucker Carlson is Right: We’re in a Spiritual Battle to Restore Our Nation

Fox News Media announced on Monday that it was parting ways with conservative talk show host Tucker Carlson. His show “Tucker Carlson Tonight” was a ratings boon for the media conglomerate, averaging 3.4 million nightly viewers and earning the title of “highest-rate cable news program” in the 25-to-54 age demographic.

The organization only briefly said: “We thank him for his service to the network as a host and prior to that as a contributor.”

Much speculation has ensued for the reason behind the abrupt departure; nothing definitive has been publicized.

Though we don’t know if this was the impetus, just a couple days prior to the separation, Carlson gave an important speech at The Heritage Foundation in which he described the spiritual battle being waged in America today.

Carlson noted that the main cultural debates we’re having today – over abortion, transgenderism, sexual indoctrination for kids – are not normal political topics. Rather, they’re primarily spiritual fights.

Tucker said:

There is no way to assess, say, the transgender movement with [a political] mindset. Policies papers don’t account for it at all. You have people who are saying, “I have an idea, let’s castrate the next generation. Let’s sexually mutilate children.”

I’m sorry, that’s not a political debate. What? That has nothing to do with politics. What’s the outcome we’re desiring here? An androgenous population? Are we arguing for that?

Tucker went on to discuss abortion, noting the difference between the “safe, legal and rare” mantra the Left used a decade ago, and the new rhetoric: abortion is a positive good.

He said:

If you say, “I think abortion is always bad” or “Well, I think sometimes it’s necessary,” that’s a debate I’m familiar with. But if you’re telling me that abortion is a positive good? What are you saying? Well, you’re arguing for child sacrifice … There’s no policy goal entwined with that. No, that’s a theological phenomenon (emphasis added).

Tucker then drove home his point, saying:

None of this make sense in conventional political terms. … When people … decide that the goal is to destroy things, destruction for its own sake, “Hey let’s tear it down,” what you’re watching is not a political movement. It’s evil.

You can watch Tucker’s full speech here:

Without idolizing Carlson, we should acknowledge this fact: Tucker is exactly right.

The subject of the cultural debates being waged between the Left and Right have shifted over the past several years. These policy battles are no longer primarily political, in the sense of domestic and foreign policy. Now they are primarily spiritual, theological and moral issues.

Conservatives and liberals used to debate over the proper tax rate, the best trade policy and the role of the United States around the world.

Now we debate over whether abortion is a positive good, whether sex-change surgeries for minors should be permitted or prohibited, whether children should be able to access overtly sexualized books in public schools and whether kindergarteners should be taught about the anti-body ideology of “gender identity.”

These are not traditional policy debates. They are spiritual debates.

These are not normal political disagreements. They are debates over right vs. wrong, good vs. evil.

Here, it’s also important to note that this partly explains why finding common ground in modern politics is so difficult. There is no common ground between “abortion is good,” and “abortion is evil.” There is no common ground between “teach kindergarteners about gender identity,” and “don’t confuse and sexualize children.”

“For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?” (2 Corinthians 6:14 ESV).

One side will win. And one side will lose. One is right. And one is wrong.

Despite the immensely difficult struggles facing modern Americans, there is good news. Christians especially should take hope. Spiritual warfare is nothing new.

Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus:

Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm (Ephesians 6:11-13 ESV).

We do live in an “evil day.”

But praise God, we have armor provided to us, revealed in Ephesians 6: truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, the Word of God and prayer.

Only through these means will we be able to “stand firm.”

Related articles and resources:

Tucker Carlson, a Divided City, and a Culture’s Hunger for Boldness

Photo from YouTube.