The Violence of Fear in Evangelical Christianity

In “Are We Still Buying a New World with Old Confederate Bills,” Lillian Smith writes, “The Devil knows that if you want to destroy a man, all you need do is fill him with false hopes and false fears. These will blind him to his new direction and he will inevitably turn away from the future and destroy himself and those close to him.” Smith understood that fear is a powerful weapon because it causes people to have a visceral reaction in order to “protect” themselves from whatever “false fears” politicians and those in power proclaim as a threat.

The fears cause the populace to lash out, to become offensive instead of defensive, looking for threats where none exist. Imbibing these fears will lead to destruction, bringing individuals and nations to their knees. Smith continues by stating, “It is as true of a nation: fill its people with false hopes and false fears, and they will do the rest; they will go straight to their appointment with Death; and they will drag all nations friendly to them down into the maelstrom of their moral and mental confusion.” Politicians use fear to acquire political office and power, and those who seek power cozy up to these politicians, participating in a grift to stoke fears among the populace.

Politicians have known, for. along time, that fear drives votes. We can look at countless examples from fears of…