Thirty-one years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, socialism seems to be creeping into the core of so-called capitalist nations. According to a study by Gallup, in America, since 2010, young adults’ positive ratings of socialism have hovered near 50%. What could be the cause of the sudden rise of socialism across America and Europe?
Ignorance of history
It is said that those who do not know history will repeat the mistakes of the past. It couldn’t be truer in this age in which we live. A 2016 survey conducted by the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation found that 18% of millennials are completely unfamiliar with Joseph Stalin.
According to a recent study conducted by Conference on Joseph Material Claims Against Germany, two-thirds of American millennials surveyed cannot identify what Auschwitz is. Asked to identify what Auschwitz is, 66% of millennials could not come up with a correct response.
It shouldn’t be a surprise that many youths in America are advocating for the implementation of socialist ideas. Most of them do not know history.
Lack of elderly wisdom
We often say here in Africa, “what an old man sees sitting down, a young man cannot see standing up.” Another reason for the rise of socialism is the lack of elderly wisdom. It seems like the voices of elders have dwindled over the years. I’ve noticed during the recent race riots that the black community lacks elderly wisdom. It is young people like Candace Owens that have risen as voices of wisdom in the black community but where are the elders? As the streets burn and looters loot, the fathers have not arisen to calm the youths in their communities. May be this is because we live in generation where there is little or no respect for elders. One thing this generation must understand is that a generation that dishonors the elders cannot receive their inheritance.
Somehow, the youths of this generation seem to have come to the conclusion that they are wiser than their elders. This in itself is a set up for doom. In times like this, we need wisdom from elders.
How the church must react
In a world where men call evil good and good evil, how must the church react? I believe we will not conquer by throwing stones of accusation but by displaying God’s love. This generation needs to know the love of God. When we know the father’s love, we will not see black, white, Chinese etc. We will see all men as they were created to be- in the image of God.
Secondly, we must pray. I believe a basic knowledge for navigating the times is found in Ephesians 6.
“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” (Ephesians chapter 6 verse 12)
Man is not our enemy. Our enemies are invisible to the human eyes and we must contend against them in prayer. We must pray always for our children, relatives, friends and the world. There is no man so vile that grace cannot find. Even a nation can be saved in a day (Isaiah chapter 66 verse 8).
Let’s not forget the wise words of Samwise Gamgee in the Lord of the Rings series:
“It’s like in the great stories…full of darkness and danger, they were and sometimes you didn’t want to know the end. Because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end, it’s only a passing thing, this shadow. Even the darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine on the clearer…there’s some good in the world Mr. Frodo, and it’s worth fighting for.
Yes! There’s so much good worth fighting for and let’s not forget how the book ends- we won!
Rume Kpadamrophe is a graduate student at the University of South Carolina. Before leaving Nigeria, he mentored several youths in prophetic, intercession, and evangelism. He is a revivalist, a writer, a researcher, and an enthusiastic lover of revival history. He desires to see revival ignited and sustained in the nations of the earth. He currently serves as the president of The Carolina Church, a campus ministry at the University of South Carolina.Rume’s email is rumekpadamrophe@yahoo.com.