Protesting is extremely popular in the modern-day. It has been a common practice throughout history for citizens to protest when the government or other leaders make a decision that they don’t agree with. With the increased popularity of protests today, it is important to know how to respond to protests as Christians.
A Christian’s Response to Protesting
Protests can become quite violent at times, yet not all protests are violent. Whenever I think of a peaceful protest, I think of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s protests. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. led peaceful protests during the Civil Rights Movement.
None of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s protests were ever violent. If Christians choose to protest, it needs to be only peaceful protests such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s protests. Violent protests are not permissible for the Christian as we are to be the light to the world (Matthew 5:14-16).
Most often, violent protests result in anger, pain, and even injury or death to others. It is best if a Christian chooses to participate in a protest, it needs to be only in peaceful protests. The best way to address problems is to turn to God in prayer rather than turning to riots.
If you are concerned over a situation, first turn to God in prayer and give your concerns over to Him. After you have prayed over the situation, you can participate in a peaceful protest if you would like to.
If you live in America, it is within your rights as an American citizen to participate in protests, yet as Christians, we should not engage in violent protests or riots.
Protests Throughout History
There have been many crucial protests in the past that were crucial to Christianity as we know it. The Protestant Reformation was a massive protest that radically changed the course of history. Martin Luther instigated the start of the Reformation by opposing the Roman Catholic Church.
If Martin Luther would have not chosen to stand up and protest against the Roman Catholic Church, the incorrect teachings of the Roman Catholic Church would have continued to be spread across the world.
By Martin Luther protesting against the Roman Catholic Church, it helped the true teachings of the Bible to flourish, and the Roman Catholic Church could not hold knowledge of the Bible back from the common people.
The Protestant Reformation was a radical protest that had to be done, and as 21st-century believers, we should be eternally thankful for Martin Luther’s protest against the Roman Catholic Church.
Another important protest that happened in history was the Boston Tea Party, which was centerfold to the development and rise of America. If colonial America chose to not protest, it would have threatened the freedom we know today.
A third protest worth mentioning is the protests involved in the Civil Rights Movement led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The protests led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. were crucial to the Civil Rights Movement.
Through the works of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and others who followed his example of peaceful protests, the Civil Rights Movement was successful in passing the Civil Rights Act in 1964 and the Voting Rights Act in 1965.
Therefore, protests in these senses are not bad or negative because they made a crucial difference to Christianity and to the development of the United States of America. Each of these protests made a good difference and was done in peaceful ways.
Dangers of Protests
Protests can often hit strong moral, social, or personal matters, which can quickly cause a person to feel deep emotions. It is best to never act under the pressure of anger or bitterness. If you feel particularly upset about an issue, take time to simmer down and consult God in prayer.
Psalm 37:8 warns us, “Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret — it leads only to evil.” After you have taken time to calm down and talk with God in prayer, it is a good idea to ask yourself some questions before deciding to participate in a protest.
Some questions to consider are, “Would Jesus support this protest?” “Is this protest supporting proper biblical morals?” and “What is the main driving point of this protest? What is it trying to accomplish, and is it biblical?”
By answering these questions honestly, we should be able to come to a logical and biblical decision on whether or not we should participate in the protest. If a protest is supporting unbiblical concepts, we should not join in with it.
If a Christian wants to participate in a protest that supports a biblical value, that is fine as long as it is a peaceful protest. Christians should not engage in protests that have unbiblical values or unbiblical end goals.
To Protest or Not to Protest
If you personally choose to participate in a peaceful protest that supports the Bible, that is perfectly fine, but you should not condemn someone else who chooses to not participate.
In the same way, if you do not personally endorse any protests, it’s not right to condemn those who choose to engage in peaceful protests.
Choosing to participate in protest or not is a crucial decision that ultimately comes down to the Christian and God. It is best to always approach God in prayer before we make a big decision, such as choosing to engage in a protest.
There are many important protests going on in the world today, with the most popular protest being over gun laws. Recently in America, we have been suffering from many shootings in schools, hospitals, churches, and grocery stores, which have injured and killed numerous people, including children.
While any moral matter can be touchy to address, gun laws are an important concept to consider in America today. Texas, in particular, has had a recent uprising in gun laws protests because of the recent shooting that occurred at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas.
Reconsidering our current gun laws could cut down on a majority of mass shootings in schools across America. While it is a Constitutional right for Americans to own guns, the right to own guns needs to be described better for individuals across the United States.
The National Rifle Association of America Institute for Legislative Action describes the Second Amendment in a more understandable way, “The Second Amendment protects an individual right to possess a firearm unconnected with service in a militia, and to use that arm for traditionally lawful purposes, such as self-defense within the home.”
Using guns in schools, stores, places of worship, etc., in unprecedented violence is not okay and is in violation of the Second Amendment. While many might disagree with me, guns have been a source of much pain, agony, and death.
Therefore, protests in the modern-day surrounding gun violence and gun laws can be practiced by Christians because protesting gun violence and proper gun laws could help save lives.
As Christians, we live in a fallen world, in which there will be peaceful protests, and there will also be violent protests. We may even witness some of these protests ourselves, yet we should only participate in peaceful protests.
If you choose to participate in protests that support biblical morals, that is great, but if you want to stay away from protests altogether, that is fine too. Consult with God in prayer and seek out His guidance. He will help, direct, and guide you in your decision over protesting.
For further reading:
What Does ‘Love One Another’ Truly Mean?
How Should Christians Respond When the Culture Pendulum Swings?
How Can We Read the Bible as Culture Changes?
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