MY THOUGHTS ON THE ASSASSINATION OF CHARLIE KIRK AND THE MEMORIAL SERVICE

 

Copy of Charlie Kirk's profile photo on Facebook

On the morning of September 16, 2025 - six days following Kirk's assissination - I was at a men's prayer meeting at church, with six participants. The moderator asked us to go around and share our thoughts on Charlie Kirk; half of the attenders never heard of him before his death, including me. 

At this point in time, I had a blessing - my computer went on the fritz on September 2 and we didn't get it going again until the 19th. Why is this a blessing? I wasn't inundated by posts and replies on my Facebook Feed! 

I did get to hear several podcasts about Charlie Kirk and of the Memorial Service September 21, most of which were ones I regularly listen to (Al Mohler's "The Briefing," Alisa Childers, and Natasha Crain, and others I was familiar with to find out their slant ("Good Faith" with Curtis Chang and "Wretched Radio" with Todd Friel). I also had a couple of friends whose post was shared on my wall which I noticed once I got back on-line, and I looked up two other friends who I had a hunch would take a different (i.e. negative) perspective.

One last comment before I got started - this has taken me QUITE a while to write. At first, in late September, I thought of writing a blog on why I hadn't posted and following it up with one on Charlie Kirk. A day later, I thought Kirk was the hot story and was going to focus on that angle. I then went back to plan A, finishing the other blog on October 10th. And I felt a struggle getting back. Was that a hint that I shouldn't worry about it? Or was it telling me that this wrestling meant I was supposed to complete it? Well, if you're reading it, it's completed, so you can let me know your thoughts.

Allow me to start with two facts:

1. Charlie Kirk was a Christian. On Curtis Chang's "Good Faith" podcast - the most negative of those on Kirk himself - guest David French stated repeatedly that he disagreed strongly with Kirk on several issues, that Kirk was definitely a Christian. 

2. EVERYBODY is not quite the person their dog - or their greatest fans - think he/she is, nor as terrible as their opponents make them out to be. With all the info I've looked at - and I could find much more - I have a mostly positive impression of Kirk with some flaws, and the same with the Memorial.

Allow me to now give a rapid fire thought on several things concerning the Memorial.

• I was saddened by a pair of Christian friends who gave a "10 Spies" report on the Memorial. One was three one-word-sentences, all words negative; no mention of Erica Kirk's speech on forgiving the killer. The other mentioned Erica, but neither mentioned that Christ was preached, or that people are going to church now after the killing. Very sad.
• About Christ being preached - Todd Friel (Wretched Radio) played all the segments from where Memorial speakers spoke about Christ. He pointed out there were things from some of the speakers he disagreed with (e.g. altar calls, Arminian theology) but said repeatedly that Christ was preached, Christ was preached, and he rejoiced. It's sad not all Christians have that mindset.
• Pastor/Christian musician Steve Camp pointed out something interesting and without explanation: while Kirk's widow spoke, his parents and sibling didn't. Why not? No, I have no idea.
• On the theological end, there was a mixture. Alisa Childers gave five quick facts on the Memorial, and the final 3 were "There were wolves (i.e. false teachers) there, there was bad theology there, and there was good doctrine there. Dawn Hill, hostess of the podcast "The Lovesick Scribe", has focused on the first two episodes in a series on the Memorial that there was definitely false teaching there. 
• Okay, more about Kirk than the memorial, but on September 26, my Release Update had three songs about Charlie Kirk. No new ones since. One especially bothered me - "Godspeed Charlie" by Patriotic refers to him as the eternal patriot. No, I don't think so. Charlie's now in God's Kingdom. 
  
• This leads me into "Christian Nationalism." What is Christian Nationalism? Is it when one equates Christianity with their nation? Or is this a name bullies use to silence those opposed to progressive/liberal ideas on abortion, the alphabet soup group, etc.? I always cringe when Patriotism is considered a virtue; in Russia, this means praying for victory over Ukraine. If we qualify patriotism to be righteous nations, what if our nation becomes unrighteous? And yes, persecution can arise here. The assassination, the martyrdom, of Charlie Kirk shows that possiblitiy.

Okay. I've gotten that off my chest.