Live Not By Lies

Live Not by Lies by Rod Dreher

“What if the answers to life’s questions that young Christians the world over are looking for are not to be found in the West but rather in the East–in the stories and lives of the Christian dissidents?” (p. 209)

    The title of this book comes from the final message posted by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, author of Gulag Archipelago, as he was being exiled from Russia to the West. Dreher argues that events in America today are reminiscent of when communism first came to Czechoslovakia, as well as other countries in the former Eastern Bloc- at least according to survivors, some of whom were political prisoners. However, he believes we are experiencing a transition to what he terms “soft totalitarianism”, not as overt as what Eastern Europe and the former USSR endured. To understand the premise and future of the United States outlined in this book, it is important to understand totalitarianism.

   

    But what about the idea of this “soft” form of the dictatorial form of government? Certainly, the general public knows enough about the rise of brutal dictators throughout history to recognize such a harsh shift from the current, albeit very flawed, democratic republic currently in effect? I pose this last question as such because the reality, which Dreher also expounds upon, is that a large portion of the population is ignorant of so much of the world’s history; and this portion grows in each subsequent generation as we continue to live in a society plagued by distractions. Even if those of us who are aware of the history of the 1900s can spot the changes that are leading us toward an undesirable, controlling form of government: 

“What if we really are witnessing a turn toward totalitarianism in the Western liberal democracies, and can’t see it because it takes a form different from the old kind?” (p. xi)

    These distractions and those increasing them in our daily lives, may not even be a direct action of the government, although they certainly benefit from the way society has been changing in more recent times.

“In an America that now runs on the internet, five companies- Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, Google- have an almost incalculable influence over public and private life” (p 73)

We’re allowing our lives to be run by automated technology, letting the proverbial Big Brother into our homes through “smart” devices and with our every move observed by our cellphones. Virtually every aspect of our lives is monitored by some device, allowing those collecting this data to predict our preferences and daily routines. Privacy no longer exists and is sadly not a priority for us anymore, something that those who Dreher interviews for this book cannot believe. By choosing “convenience”, what are we truly sacrificing? A huge strength of what this book conveys is how technology that is essentially ubiquitous in America is being used currently in China, where the Communist government has infiltrated daily existence on every conceivable level. While there is no evidence that America is using all of the data we freely hand over on a daily basis, the reality that it could so easily do so is frightening. 

     Further,

“Once you perceive how the system runs on lies, stand as firmly as you can on what you know to be true and real when confronted by those lies. Refuse to let the media and institutions propagandize your children. Teach them how to identify lies and to refuse them.” (p. 108)

   Simply turning on the news shows that these tactics are apparent. The bulk of what is reported on amounts to nothing but manufactured issues under the guise of “science”, when the reality of the actual science behind the information disproves what is being broadcast. We’re seeing a clear push to indoctrinate young children about issues that they cannot possibly understand, let alone things they need to know as children. This is also seen in he push to consider abortion, which is murder, a “right” or “women’s healthcare” and the attitudes society at large takes against those who are Pro-Life as if that’s a rephrensible belief to hold. The mental gymnastics required to believe these ridiculous assertions is mind-blowing. We are seeing the words of Scripture come to bear:

Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! (Rom 5:20)

    After laying the groundwork to understand why those who survived Communist regimes are concerned for America’s trajectory, Dreher also provides advice on how to stop the seemingly inevitable transition:

“The political religion that murdered tens of millions, imprisoned and tortured countless more, and imprisoned the lives of half of humanity in its time, and the defeat of which required agonizing struggle by allies across borders, oceans, political parties, and generations–this hateful ideology is romanticized by ignorant young people” (p. 112)

Where are the older generations to teach the realities of history to our young people who are advocating for Communism? To dispel the myths being propagated by those either running for or in office in our present world? Where is the curiosity and desire to know history in our young people? Whatever your favorite celebrity posted on Instagram is not more important than knowing history and the atrocities that have been committed by Communist regimes; but I suppose this shift in young people is all part of the design to usher in this very type of totalitarianism. If we cannot even know and understand the history of America, then how can we ever truly expect the younger generations to care about what goes on around the world? 

    This is on display when looking at the media coverage of the Russia/Ukraine war. Everyone seems to have an opinion, or more accurately everyone seems to be parroting what they are told is the right opinion to have. By no means am I saying we should be ignoring what is going on, as war is never something to be ignored, but we should be doing our own research to form our own opinions as there is so much propaganda being circulated by all sides involved. Where is the media coverage and public outrage for other atrocities happening in the world? There is genocide happening in China, persecution on a large scale worldwide, civil wars in Ethiopia and other countries, and conflicts over resources all over the world that no one is talking about. War doesn’t (and shouldn’t) only matter when it affects America’s access to resources. This lack of coverage about important events in the world should be enough for us to take the education of both ourselves and our children into our own hands. Dreher sums this idea up more succinctly than I can:

“Once you perceive how the system runs on lies, stand as firmly as you can on what you know to be true and real when confronted by those lies. Refuse to let the media and institutions propagandize your children. Teach them how to identify lies and to refuse them.” (p. 108)

    The second portion of the book, titled How to Live in Truth, is devoted to looking at the current landscape and its direction as a Christian. Dreher begins with a discussion on how our values as Christians are preparing us to withstand, especially in a culture where individuals are increasingly becoming more isolated.

“In the Christian model, marriage and family offers three gifts that are urgently needed for believers struggling within a totalitarian order…the fruitful fellowship of love…freedom…the dignity of the individual within family fellowship” (p. 131)

However, just because we have faith as our driving force, we are not immune to falling into the trap of turning a blind eye to totalitarianism.

“Christian dissidents will be unable to mount an effective resistance if their eyes aren't open to and focused on the nature and methods of social justice ideology and the ways in which data harvesting and manipulation can and will be used by woke capitalists and social justice ideologues in institutional authority to impose control” (p. 94-5)

    It is important that we continue to search Scripture for Truth and to reject the deceptions the world would have us believe. Reminiscent of the warning to the Church of Laodicea in Revelation (3:14-22), Dreher states:

(p. 162)

Regardless of what view you hold surrounding eschatology (the study of the End Times), there should be no debate that Jesus will be returning for His Bride (the Church). Regardless of whether or not you believe we are living in the Last Days, I think we can all agree we are closer to End Times in the year 2022 than the world was in say, 1400. The praises, admonishments, and warnings given to the seven Churches in Revelation are universal. We should all be taking note and striving to live in a way that truly reflects Christ.

“The important lesson to draw is that a creed one holds as a statement not of one’s subjective feelings, but as a description of objective reality, is a priceless possession. It tells you how to discern truth from lies. And for those whose creed is Christianity, then in the face of ubiquitous hatred and cruelty, faith is evidence that the true Truth, the real Reality, is the eternal love of God.” (p. 152)

    We don’t want to find ourselves, especially as believers, unequipped for what the future may hold. We certainly don’t want to be put in a situation where we’re questioning our faith, our commitment to God or even our salvation. Without sound doctrine and time spent in God’s Word, will we be better off than someone without a faith background? According to Dreher, and I agree, the answer is not:

“And this is the thing about soft totalitarianism: It seduces those- even Christians- who have lost the capacity to love enduringly, for better or for worse. They think they love, but they merely desire. They think they follow Jesus, but in fact, they merely admire Him.”(p. 182)

Some final quotes I enjoyed and think are worth noting:

“The ordinary man may not be able to overturn the kingdom of lies, but he can at least say that he is not going to be its loyal subject.” (p. 17)

What I Liked: 

• -This book is a necessary read for the history lesson alone. As someone who has always been interested in learning about history, it is appalling to me how much of the information included in this book is unknown to the general public. The Eastern Bloc countries fought back against the oppressive regimes and regained control of their governments in the 1980s, but even what is considered to be more recent history is so quickly forgotten. Even if you’re not a Christian, the first portion of this book has invaluable insights into our possible future as a nation if we continue to prioritize social media over true, factual history.

“This is why Hannah Arendt described the totalitarian personality as ‘the completely isolated human being’. A person cut off from history is a person who is almost powerless against power” (p. 117)

• Quoting Father Kirill, who created a memorial for Christian martyrs at Butovo Field and spends his life teaching the youth of Russia about the Great Terror:

‘The same methods from the communist era are being used. People today have a responsibility to search out more information than what they are offered on TV, and to know how to look critically on what they’re reading and seeing. That’s what is different now than before’ (p 125)

We absolutely have more than enough resources to learn about any era of history we choose, but how many of us are aware of the realities of communism? How many Millennials (my generation) and younger are even aware that Stalin is responsible for more murders than Hitler? 

•  I have been interested in reading accounts of persecuted Christians for the past year or so, when I first learned about the realities that Christians face all over the world in the present day. I loved how Dreher touched on these stories, citing first hand accounts from Richard Wurmbrand, among others. Under a Communist government this ideology becomes its own religion, making all others incompatible and thus, silenced/persecuted. It is so important for every believer to know just how blessed they are to be living in a country with religious freedom, even when a Biblical worldview is ostracized and considered to be almost radical.

“The faith of martyrs, and confessors like those who survived to bear witness, is a far cry from the therapeutic religion of the middle-class suburbs, the sermonizing of politicized congregations of the Left and the Right, and the health-and-wealth message of ‘prosperity gospel’ churches. These and other feeble forms of the faith will be quickly burned away in the face of the slightest persecution” (p. 204)

What I Didn’t Like: 

• Dreher posits that America is lining up to mirror Brave New World, not 1984, yet he continues to cite and draw parallels to Orwell rather than Huxley. There were a few quotes from Huxley’s science-fiction masterpiece, but not until the concluding chapter

“Though again, the totalitarianism we are facing today looks far more like Huxley’s than Orwell’s, both books teach a lesson about suffering and truth-and so do the survivors who felt the communist lash” (p. 185)

• There was far too much talk of those who have been canonized as saints through the Roman Catholic Church. This is an unbiblical practice, as the Scripture is clear that all those who believe in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior are saints (See Romans 1:7; 8:27, 1 Corinthians 1:2, Ephesians 1:1;4:12, Philippians 1:1, among others). I am aware that many of those whose accounts were featured were Catholic or Orthodox and thus believed in the concept of the papacy designating saints. However, if we are to stand against what is likely coming, we should be standing on the truth of God’s Word, not on things created by man.

Books I’d Recommend to Learn More about the realities of Communism: 

• Tortured for Christ by Richard Wurmbrand
• I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys
• A Night Divided by Jennifer A. Nielsen
• ​​The Year That Changed The World: The Untold Story Behind the Fall of the Berlin Wall by Michael R. Meyer

I’ve Not Read Yet but on my TBR:

(all but the first of which were mentioned/cited in Live Not by Lies)

• The Child of Gulag by Yuri Feynberg
• The Gulag Archipelago by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
• The Origins of Totalitarianism by Hannah Arendt
• Notes from the Underground by Roger Scruton