Are You A Political Barbarian?

Many conservative political activists approach politics like 1st-century barbarians. This presentation explores principles that will help you avoid pitfalls that hamper and often derail many movements and campaigns.

1. Are You A Political Barbarian? by Hannah Hill Saturday, August 3, 13
2. Saturday, August 3, 13 Great Britain was populated by Gaulish barbarians. These weren’t just ordinary barbarians
3. Saturday, August 3, 13 Huge, tall people Long hair, tatoos Hunted for their food, lived in primative huts The tribes often fought each other under their respective chiefs They hated outside influence. Wanted to live and die, hunt and fight in peace (relatively speaking)
4. Saturday, August 3, 13 Came to an end when the Romans decided they wanted to rule Britain Emperor Claudius sent General Vespasian over to conquer The British tribes fought but there was no coordination & very little communication so the Romans conquered them piecemeal
5. Saturday, August 3, 13 Fast-forward 20 years Nero is Emperor of Rome now
6. Saturday, August 3, 13 For 20 years, the Britons have suffered Driven off their land Treated like slaves Taxed (head tax, income tax, death tax - sound familiar?)
7. Saturday, August 3, 13 Things came to a head when King died, willed part of his property to Romans (bad idea) Romans came & took everything Enslaved the King’s relatives Raped his daughters When she complained, they whipped his widow, the Queen
8. Saturday, August 3, 13 Queen Boadicea was not a woman to take all that sitting down She immediately sent messengers through the whole tribe to assemble When they all gathered together, she gave them this speech:
9. Saturday, August 3, 13 You have learned by actual experience how different freedom is from slavery, how much better is poverty with no master, than wealth with slavery. Let us, I say, do our duty while we still remember what freedom is, that we may leave to our children not only its appellation, but also its reality.
10. Saturday, August 3, 13 Let us go against them, trusting boldly to good fortune. Those over whom I rule are Britons, men who are thoroughly versed in the art of war and whose wives and children possess the same valor as the men.
11. Saturday, August 3, 13 Wherefore may this Mistress Nero reign no longer over me or over you men; let her sing and lord it over Romans, for they surely deserve to be the slaves of such a woman after having submitted to her so long. Let us show them that they are hares and foxes trying to rule over dogs and wolves.”
12. Saturday, August 3, 13 And with that, she led them against the Romans The main Roman force was away at the time So the Britons conquered and destroyed a couple of cities and wiped out one Legion As soon as the General, Suetonius, heard what was going on, he headed back to Britain with all his troops
13. Saturday, August 3, 13 A lot was at stake with this battle. The Romans are tired of Britain. They are tired of the troublesome, turbulent people and the expense and hassle of keeping control over the island. If they lose this battle, they will leave Britain. If they win, they will be encouraged in over 100 years of tyranny. Now, when the Romans are in the field, they look something like....
14. Saturday, August 3, 13 ...this Their strategy and tactics were perfected over centuries of warfare The Britons, on the other hand, looked something like...
15. Saturday, August 3, 13 ...this. The Britons had 230,000 troops The Romans had 10,000 That is
16. 23:1 Saturday, August 3, 13 over 23 to 1. So, the two armies met.
17. Saturday, August 3, 13 The Britons started the battle by raising their war-cry and rushing at the Romans.
18. Saturday, August 3, 13 The Roman front ranks discharged a couple of volleys of javalins Then advanced in order against the barbarian mob Step by step they drove them back, then began to charge Roman cavalry swept down and charged the British flanks Having no order or discipline themselves, the Britons couldn’t withstand the charge and turned to run
19. Saturday, August 3, 13 At this point, the battle is over. Now it’s just a massacre as the Romans chase down the fleeing barbarians
20. Saturday, August 3, 13 Historians estimate that over 80,000 Britons died that day That is 8 dead Britons for every Roman on that battlefield Roman hold was established, and the cause of Britain...
21. Saturday, August 3, 13 ...was lost. Now, you have to ask...
22. Why? Saturday, August 3, 13 ...why did the Romans win? They were fighting under every disadvantage:
23. Outnumbered 23 to 1 Saturday, August 3, 13
24. Much smaller & weaker Saturday, August 3, 13
25. Were the bad guys Saturday, August 3, 13
26. Facing a mob ready to die for their country Saturday, August 3, 13 Every man in that army was willing to die for his country. Why did they defeat the huge British army?
27. Two Reasons Saturday, August 3, 13
28. Strategy Saturday, August 3, 13 Because the Romans had strategies and tactics perfected over centuries of warfare
29. Discipline Saturday, August 3, 13 And because every man in that army was disciplined to follow their officers and general in executing it. I want to ask you a question:
30. Are you a political barbarian? Saturday, August 3, 13 Are you a political barbarian? a disturbing tendency in conservative circles to approach politics typically, those who approach politics this way are
31. God-fearing & Patriotic Saturday, August 3, 13
32. Courageous & Willing to Sacrifice Saturday, August 3, 13
33. Stubborn & Idealistic Saturday, August 3, 13
34. Radical Solutions without a Plan Saturday, August 3, 13 Insist on radical solutions, but have no idea how to get there
35. An Example Saturday, August 3, 13 How does this thinking play out, practically speaking?
36. Saturday, August 3, 13 You see it frequently during the presidential elections There are Christian leaders and organizations who strongly encourage us to vote only for Biblically-qualified candidates
37. Saturday, August 3, 13 What do we mean by “Biblically qualified?” They should meet the qualifications in Exodus 18:21
38. Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness “Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness...” Exodus 18:21a Saturday, August 3, 13 This would be great, but how often does either of the candidates meet these qualifications?
39. Two Choices Saturday, August 3, 13
40. The Lesser of Two Evils Saturday, August 3, 13
41. A Third-Party Candidate Saturday, August 3, 13 This is a HARD decision to make The lack of good AND viable candidates has created a tension between two Biblical principles Our duty to vote righteously, and the duty of good stewardship Difficult to balance those
42. A Third-Party Candidate Saturday, August 3, 13 There will always be disagreement between where that balance is, but What you hear from many Christian leaders and organizations is
43. Saturday, August 3, 13 “Forget who ‘actually has a chance at winning.’ Vote Biblically and leave the results with God! Right is on our side. Just throw strategy to the wind and rush at the enemy! Leeeeroy Jenkins!!!” The war-cry of the political barbarian is...
44. “Duty is ours, results are God’s.” Saturday, August 3, 13 So is “Duty is ours...” inappropriate to use? not at all. It’s all in how you use it.
45. Saturday, August 3, 13
46. I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. 1 Cor. 3:6 Saturday, August 3, 13 The Apostle Paul gives us the key: (read the verse) We plant, we sow, and God gives the increase.
47. Politics is more like farming than fighting. Saturday, August 3, 13 Our duty isn’t just to show up to help reap the harvest, but to plow and plant and water for as long as it takes to get us to a harvest.
48. Politics is more like farming than fighting. Saturday, August 3, 13 it’s inglorious, humdrum, mediocre, hard day-in-day-out, for years • plowing and planting and sowing • no immediate results • Things like....
49. Saturday, August 3, 13 • If we haven’t been faithful in the cultivating, • “voting conscience” at election time is like a farmer who shows up... • there’s nothing in the field to harvest • So what does he do? He just goes through the motions... • Does he have anything to show for his effort? No. But that’s God’s fault, because He’s responsible for the results. • Futile? Yes. Heroic? No.
50. Reaping requires sowing. Saturday, August 3, 13
51. Sowing requires plowing. Saturday, August 3, 13
52. Plowing requires a plan. Saturday, August 3, 13 We saw this happen with the pro-life bill the TX legislature just passed Huge victory, but took years and years of small victories Small pieces of pro-life legislation and getting pro-life leaders elected one by one Years and years of sowing, which finally yielded a huge harvest.
53. Saturday, August 3, 13 Does this mean voting for religion and morality wrong? no This attitude comes from misapplying Biblical principles and teaching For instance
54. “Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness..” Exodus 18:21a Saturday, August 3, 13
55. “Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness..” Exodus 18:21a Saturday, August 3, 13
56. Saturday, August 3, 13 Voting Biblically and voting strategically are both Biblical principles
57. If you throw away strategy, you become a barbarian. Saturday, August 3, 13
58. If you throw away principle, you become a mercenary. Saturday, August 3, 13
59. We are called to be champions. Saturday, August 3, 13 • God calls us to be soldiers. He calls us to be champions • leaders in strategy, for the purpose of actually advancing His kingdom • To be a champion, you actually have to win. • One more thing to consider
60. Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; Saturday, August 3, 13
61. Unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman keeps awake in vain. Psalm 127:1 Saturday, August 3, 13 Having a strategy doesn’t guarantee success But God has put in principles by which the world works He works within those principles
62. Strategy Saturday, August 3, 13 Now, important as it is, strategy is not our primary area of weakness
63. We all have a strategy. Saturday, August 3, 13 See, we all have a strategy.
64. Saturday, August 3, 13 Every one of the Britons had an opinion on how that battle ought to have been fought.
65. Saturday, August 3, 13 And because they all insisted on fighting the battle in their own way, they were defeated.
66. Discipline Saturday, August 3, 13 What we also need is discipline. Discipline is when you are willing to submit to a plan you don’t agree with. If you agree with it, it doesn’t take discipline.
67. Following requires humility. Saturday, August 3, 13 Discipline means there will be times you need to follow. This is hard for us, because most of us in this room are called to be leaders. Lining up under someone else’s strategy requires great humility. But to have an effective army, there can be only one plan. An excellent example of what I’m talking about is this fellow right here
68. Saturday, August 3, 13 Thomas helped organize the grassroots in support of the pro-life bill At the beginning of the 2nd special session, he organized a conference call... On that call, Jason Vaughn suggested....
69. Saturday, August 3, 13 ...a “Let Texas Speak” rally where pro-lifers would share why they are pro-life Now, when they discussed it on the call, Thomas didn’t think it was the most effective approach And when everyone else did, he could have done what we call in SC...
70. Saturday, August 3, 13 ..Pitchin’ a hissy fit.
71. Saturday, August 3, 13 But he didn’t. Not only did he get behind it, he put all of his effort into making it a success He organized & MC’ed it.... And God blessed it Successful beyond anyone’s expectations
72. Saturday, August 3, 13 It went for hours after it was scheduled to end, then they all came back and did it again the next day Awesome media attention for the pro-life side Everyone who was at that rally can testify to the fact That its success was largely due to Thomas.
73. Different Roles Saturday, August 3, 13 God calls us all to different roles. Sometimes you need to lead. Other times you will need to follow. And sometimes you will need to work with other leaders. To do this effectively, you need humility.
74. Different Areas Saturday, August 3, 13 Another very important aspect of this is that there are many different aspects of the culture war God often calls different ones of us to different areas Some are called to focus on
75. Politics Saturday, August 3, 13
76. Grassroots Politics Saturday, August 3, 13
77. The Church Saturday, August 3, 13
78. Evangelism Saturday, August 3, 13
79. The Family Saturday, August 3, 13
80. Mentoring the Next Generation Saturday, August 3, 13 There are people God has raised up with a specific burden for each of these areas.
81. Saturday, August 3, 13 Know what God has called you to focus on. And focus on that area. We conservatives tend to meddle a lot. Because we are passionate, there’s a tendency to try to get involved in everything Not only does this dilute our own effectiveness, it hinders others
82. If God equips you for what He calls you to do... Saturday, August 3, 13
83. ...then God doesn’t equip you for what He hasn’t called you to do. Saturday, August 3, 13 God gives wisdom and guidance for you to know how to execute your role. If you disagree with what someone in another area is doing, remember: God hasn’t given you wisdom to know the best way to handle it.
84. Saturday, August 3, 13 The hand trying to tell the foot....
85. Saturday, August 3, 13 ...how to function.
86. Discipline Saturday, August 3, 13 Discipline is twofold: Taking your place in the overall strategy NOT taking a place that ISN’T yours.
87. Saturday, August 3, 13 All of this is a difficult balance. It’s so much easier to throw strategy to the wind and charge at the enemy. But we have to ask the question,
88. Why are you here? Saturday, August 3, 13 If you are here to be somebody, then effort is sufficient. You can spin your tires all day long and truthfully tell your grandchildren that you were not idle when their freedoms were lost. But if you are here to get something done, effort is not enough.
89. Saturday, August 3, 13 In the movie “Amazing Grace” which portrays William Wilberforce’s fight against slavery in England
90. Saturday, August 3, 13 West Indies plantations This time, gentlemen, we must not fail them And he went on to lay out the strategy that was the first step toward actual abolition of slavery
91. Saturday, August 3, 13 The lesson we can learn from the Britons and the Romans is that we don’t have to have bigger numbers to win. They won every war (not every battle) for the first 800 years of their empire because they worked at their strategy and they kept sending out new armies till they eventually won.
92. Saturday, August 3, 13 We can be that elite fighting guard, the sons of Issachar who understand the times and know how to lead our country to victory.
93. No [man] ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other [rascal] die for his country. Gen. George S. Patton Saturday, August 3, 13 God calls us to be champions. Not just to fight, but to win!
94. Not just to fight... Saturday, August 3, 13
95. ...but to win. Saturday, August 3, 13
96. Questions Saturday, August 3, 13
97. One More Story Saturday, August 3, 13
98. Saturday, August 3, 13 Around 1,500 years after the Romans defeated the Britons Their descendants stood on another battlefield • This time, they were fighting the French...in France • Now if you’re wondering why they were fighting, it was because they were English and because the French are...French. When you’re a medieval English soldier, fighting the French is what you do.
99. 5:1 Saturday, August 3, 13 • This time, they were the ones outnumbered (English had 8,500, French had 50,000) • they are hungry • they are very tired • they are sick • and if they lose the battle, most of them will die.
100. 5:1 Saturday, August 3, 13 But this time, They have learned from their ancestors’ mistakes...
101. Henry V Saturday, August 3, 13 And they have King Henry the V
102. Saturday, August 3, 13 • They put their archers in front • Then they drove long pointed stakes into the ground in front the archers • The English start the battle with a volley of arrows • Then the French knights charge, but couldn’t get through the stakes. • The English keep firing. Do you know what happens when an arrow hits a horse? • Cavalry retreats
103. Saturday, August 3, 13 • Then the French men-at-arms advance. • The English keep firing. The French who don’t die finally get to the English, and now the English archers are shooting at point-blank range. • Archers --> hatchets & swords --> French flanks • The French are bogged down in the mud with their armor, they are riddled with English arrows, attacked on three sides while their own troops behind them are still trying to advance.
104. Saturday, August 3, 13 • It’s the most awesome fight ever • The English crushed the French • and the battle of Agincourt went down in the annals of history as one of the most epic English victories ever.
105. Strategy & Discipline The difference between soldiers and barbarians Saturday, August 3, 13 The difference between a soldier and a barbarian isn’t sincerity, bravery, patriotism. They both have those qualities. It’s the willingness to help develop a strategy, and more importantly, the ability to follow someone else’s strategy for the sake of getting something done. Remember:
106. Soldiers reap in due season if they faint not. Saturday, August 3, 13
107. Barbarians usually end up tilling the soil for their conquerers. Saturday, August 3, 13
108. Don’t be a political barbarian. Saturday, August 3, 13