The New Religion
Humans need religion. Historically, it is important to our collective traditions and identity. Sociologically, it acts as a cohesive mechanism, binding countries and people groups together, uniting them towards a common goal. Psychologically, we are built for it. Even today, in our increasingly secular age, religion is of vital importance to humans. It can either unite or divide us. It can cause friendships to be won or lost, or people to be embraced or shunned.
Yet, paradoxically following this sociological and anthropological truism is a revolutionary phenomenon: Critical Social Justice (i.e. Wokeism). Though, philosophically, it denies the existence God, Wokeism functions, in almost every facet, as a religion. It is also as deceptive as it is puritanical; it has converted many strong Christians and other people of faith to its cause – despite denying the need for religion – all while ostracizing any dissent.
But how, exactly, does Wokeism resemble religion? And, more specifically, how does it vary from Christianity? Unfortunately, this is not a simple question – answering it in full would require a lengthy essay (like James Lindsay’s “Postmodern Religion and the Faith of Social Justice”), or perhaps even a book (such as Joseph Bottum’s Wokeness: Old Religion in a New Bottle). However, in this post, I’ll simply attempt to highlight what I view as the most explicit religious function of Wokeism – “privilege” and its conception of original sin – and how it differs from Christianity.
Many readers will be familiar with the idea of original sin; it is inextricably tied to the Christian and Jewish creation narrative. According to this story, sin entered the world when Adam and Eve – the first humans – disobeyed God by eating from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Since then, the world has been in a fallen state; everything, from the food we eat to the labor we produce, is tainted with sin and is fundamentally broken and flawed. The only way to fix this reality, Christians say, is to believe in the Gospel, which is the message and work of Jesus Christ.
Contrastingly, Wokeism’s conception of original sin has a very different mythology, application, and solution. Wokeism’s mythology contends that oppression (read: sin) entered the world at the birth of Western Civilization. White men – particularly white heterosexuals – used language to construct societal power structures (such as the nuclear family) to enforce injustices like racism, sexism, misogyny, homophobia, transphobia, and economic inequities to ensure that all other identity groups would not be able to achieve identical outcomes. This fact – that all powerful groups will subjugate less powerful ones – is engrained into the very fabric of reality.
Thus, Wokeism claims that white people and any other member of a dominant group are burdened with “privilege” (read: original sin); that is, that members of powerful social groups are subconsciously motivated to “maintain” and “legitimize” their social authority by any means necessary. In other words, privileged people will oppress others because it’s just who they are – their explicit actions are irrelevant, as are their attempts to cure themselves of their biases. Furthermore, any denial of their privilege is simply further evidence of its existence; this they call “white fragility” or “willful ignorance.”
The only remedy to privilege, Wokeism says, is for oppressors to realize their powerful societal positions and to “check their privilege” – to acknowledge their place as perpetrators in the oppressive, Western, system that imposes injustices everywhere.
Let’s pause here for a moment. What, exactly, is my point? Most generally, my intent is not to convince readers that Christianity is better than Wokeism or any other religion, nor is it to argue that Wokeism or another religion is better than Christianity. (Though regular readers of this blog will probably be able to guess where I stand on the issue of religion.) Rather, my point is to highlight the similarities, the differences, and the incompatibilities between Christianity (the most popular institutional religion in America) and Wokeism (the most popular social movement in America).
The similarities between Christianity and Wokeism are that they both have a fundamentally pessimistic view of the world: sin (or oppression) exists. There is nothing to do about this fact other than feebly attempt to alter the consequences of our innate human nature. Often, this requires some form of penance. For the Christian, this may entail praying for forgiveness. For the Woke, this may mean “checking your privilege.”
The most basic differences between Christianity and Wokeism are their applications of sin and their remedies to its inherent dilemma. First, while Wokeism applies its version of original sin discriminatorily – namely, to white men and those who fall high on our Western societal hierarchy – Christianity applies original sin indiscriminately. In fact, Romans 3:23 says “For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” While Wokeism only offers a solution to members of minority groups – and little to nothing for those in dominant groups – Christianity’s message offers it to the entire world, regardless of their skin color or place in society.
And herein lies (at least) one incompatibility between Christianity and Wokeism: in its message, Wokeism discriminates, while Christianity does not; in its worldview, Wokeism discriminates, while Christianity does not; in its remedy, Wokeism discriminates, while Christianity does not.
If my hypothesis is correct – that humans need religion, and that is an integral part to our societies and genetic makeup – it should be no surprise that Wokeism has taken hold of American culture. Though it claims no God, Wokeism functions just like any other religion: it has a technical, fully articulated view of the world, an explanation for the human condition, and a proposed solution for it.
The Christian converts to Wokeism and Critical Social Justice should, then, be wary of the movement they follow; its worldview is antithetical to Christianity’s. The good news is, however, that though we all need religion, we get to choose the one to follow.
So, choose wisely.