Elon Musk’s recent criticisms of “wokeness” have stirred discussions across a multitude of platforms, highlighting the divisive nature of this cultural ideology. Musk, who is known for his outspoken views and free speech absolutism, shared a deeply personal story involving his son, Xavier, who is now known as Vivian Jenna Wilson. Musk attributes this transition to what he calls the “woke mind virus,” which he believes was propagated by the medical and counseling establishments.
In a recent YouTube video, Vlad Savchuk, pastor of HungryGen Church and leader of the HungryGen movement, expanded on Musk’s concerns, offering a critique of wokeness from a Christian perspective. Savchuk emphasized that “wokeness” is not merely a social justice movement but a dangerous ideology that undermines traditional values and Christian teachings.
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“Wokeness is divisive. It’s hateful and it gives mean people a shield to be cruel and have false virtue,” Musk said in an interview with the Babylon Bee. Savchuk echoed this sentiment, arguing that wokeness prioritizes diversity, equity and inclusion (“DEI”) over meritocracy and traditional values. He pointed out that these priorities can lead to harmful practices, such as gender-affirming care, aka sterilization, which is a form of ideological indoctrination.
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For Savchuk, the term “woke” has strayed far from its original meaning. Initially popularized in the 1930s by blues singer Lead Belly, the term was a call for awareness against racial injustice. However, Savchuk contends that it has since evolved into a broader social movement that promotes moral absolutism, virtue signaling and a will to control others.
Savchuk outlined seven signs of wokeness that he believes are indicative of the “woke mind virus”:
- Lack of critical thinking ability: “Critical thinking is an analytical process that involves asking questions, seeking to understand and addressing ideas or actions,” Savchuk said, emphasizing that wokeness often discourages such inquiry.
- Identification and indoctrination with progressive issues: According to Savchuk, wokeness involves embracing ideologies like critical race theory and LGBTQ+ advocacy, which he shows are contrary to biblical teachings.
- Spirit of rebellion against God and Western Judeo-Christian values: Savchuk cites Romans 1:25, arguing that wokeness leads to the worship of nature and the rejection of divine authority.
- Blind devotion to the cause of redressing perceived injustice: “The problem is not that we don’t need to redress grievances, but the blind characterizing of all white people as racist…is just wrong,” Savchuk said, comparing this mentality to communism.
- Being offended by everything: Savchuk noted that even progressive writers have observed that “woke people have gotten too woke.” “It’s not possible to live in a world where there are no offenses but it seems like woke people are offended by everything, all the time, around them,” he says.
- Cancel culture that seeks to dominate all discourse: Savchuk criticized the tendency of woke individuals to silence dissenting opinions, emphasizing the importance of dialogue in Christian faith. “As Christians we believe in dialogue, not silencing someone. We believe that disagreement doesn’t mean hate,” Savchuk explains.
- Embracing spirituality but rejecting religion: Wokeness, according to Savchuk, promotes a naturalistic worldview that rejects the supernatural and views the Bible as merely a human record.
Savchuk’s message is clear: wokeness is a rebranded form of communism that seeks to undermine Christian values. “We can’t walk in justice and mercy if we don’t walk humbly with our God,” he says, urging Christians to resist the influence of wokeness in their lives and communities.
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James Lasher is staff writer for Charisma Media.
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