Leftist Radicals

Beyond Politics: The Spiritual Darkness Behind a Nurse’s Shocking Words

Lexie Lawlor, a labor and delivery nurse at Baptist Health Boca Raton Regional Hospital in Florida, has been fired after declaring in a video she hoped White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt would have a traumatic and devastating childbirth this coming spring.

Karoline Leavitt, age 28, is married to Nicholas Riccio. They’re expecting their second child in May.

In December, Karoline shared the happy news on social media.

“My husband and I are thrilled to grow our family and can’t wait to watch our son become a big brother,” she wrote. “My heart is overflowing with gratitude to God for the blessing of motherhood, which I truly believe is the closest thing to Heaven on Earth … I am so excited to be a girl mom!”

That good news appeared to be bad news for Lawlor, who released a vile and profanity-laden video on her own social channels. In it she wished that Leavitt would be physically harmed by the delivery.

Boca Raton Mayor Scott Singer shared the post in disgust and horror but also reached out to the hospital where Lawlor reportedly worked.

This week, a spokesperson for the hospital has issued the following statement:

“The comments made in a social media video by a nurse at one of our facilities do not reflect our values or the standards we expect of health care professionals. Following a prompt review, the individual is no longer employed by our health system.”

Why would anyone, let alone an obstetrics and gynecology nurse, wish a pregnant woman harm?

In recent years, social media has provided radical activists with a platform from which to spew their often vile, hateful and even demonic diatribes. Once isolated to individuals, small groups or perhaps demonstrations, it is possible to now quickly and almost effortlessly propagandize.

Yet it’s one thing to ideologically oppose a politician or policy. Difference of opinion has long been the hallmark of American democracy. And a pluralistic nation demands tolerance lest culture devolve and spiral into chaos.

But what is driving the increase in the vile and profane reaction to the socially conservative viewpoint? Some analysts have even coined a term for certain manifestations of it: Trump Derangement Syndrome (TDS). 

But what if it goes beyond the political and ideological?

Despite a growing secularism in America and the world, there is a spiritual darkness that Christians must acknowledge and confront. Writes Dr. Albert Mohler, president of Southern Seminary:

The Bible clearly teaches that the Devil and his demons are real and that these invisible enemies are bent on destroying our spiritual lives. Yet many evangelicals rarely, if ever, meditate on our lives in light of this truth. Some Christians avoid any discussion of demonic forces because they are overreacting to fanatics who obsess over evil spirits and see the Devil in everything. Still other Christians fear that if we start to talk too much about the Devil, we will inevitably undermine personal responsibility in our sin.

Certainly the Devil and his demons are not behind every corner of our lives and responsible for every negative spiritual thing that happens. Yet at the same time, the Bible clearly warns us about demonic powers and encourages us to remain diligently opposed to their influence.

Regrettably, many Christians are blissfully complacent in matters of spiritual warfare. If Christians truly embraced biblical teaching on demonic powers, we would come to church with a tremendous sense of the fact that God has rescued us from the domain of darkness. As Søren Kierkegaard observed of the Danish church in his generation, most people sit in church, listen with their hands folded over their stomachs, and direct their sleepy eyes slightly upward. Rather than celebrating their redemption from the domain of darkness and living in light ofthis truth, they are indifferent to the fight. Jesus’ final petition reminds us that we have a daily fight against principalities and powers: “lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”

As Christians, we can act and live with great confidence knowing that Christ has already overcome and conquered the evil in this world. But until He returns, we must grapple with forces that seek to undermine, discourage and defeat us in the fight. 

As Martin Luther wrote in the majestic hymn, “A Mighty Fortress is Our God,” — “And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us, we will not fear, for God has willed, His truth to triumph through us. The prince of darkness grim, we tremble not for him; his rage we can endure, for lo! his doom is sure; one little word shall fell him.”

Please join us in praying that those overcome with such hatred in their hearts will turn toward the Light — and let’s also pray for the health and safety of Karoline and Nicholas, as well as their pre-born daughter.

The Charlie Kirk Radicals Hated Wasn’t Really Charlie Kirk

Since founding Turning Point USA at the age of 18, the late Charlie Kirk regularly visited high school and college campuses to engage the student body in civil debate.

Of course, it was during this exact type of event where Charlie was assassinated last week by a gunman who told his roommate (boyfriend) that he “had enough of [Kirk’s] hatred” and that “some hate can’t be negotiated out.”

What did Charlie Kirk say that Tyler Robinson found so distasteful and hateful?

Prosecutors in Utah are beginning to piece the puzzle together, noting that Robinson’s mother told them their son had “started to lean more to the left – becoming more pro-gay and trans-rights oriented.”

Yet, is it likely Tyler Robinson also believed things about Charlie Kirk that just weren’t true?

Not only is it probable but guaranteed.

Thanks to the propaganda and lies regularly spewed by radical agitators, a caricature of Charlie Kirk emerged over the years that was far from reality.

Back in July, the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) said Charlie was guilty of “racist, homophobic and transphobic speech while on campus” and labeled him a “professional provocateur” who was “actively hostile to higher education.”

Charlie was neither racist, “homophobic,” nor “transphobic.”

It’s not surprising then, that in the aftermath of last week’s murder, the group has come to the defense of teachers being disciplined for celebrating Kirk’s assassination. In a statement released this week, the group warned,

“The AAUP notes with great alarm the rash of recent administrative actions to discipline faculty, staff, and student speech in the aftermath of the murder of Charlie Kirk. We write to remind leaders of colleges and universities of their fundamental duty to protect academic freedom and the absolute necessity to ensure that the freedom to discuss topics of public import without constraint is not curtailed under political pressure.”

But what if that “freedom” is leading to a false portrayal of someone and that misrepresentation is enough to trigger another to resort to violence against someone else? The day after Kirk’s death, author Stephen King claimed that Charlie had “advocated stoning gays to death.”

He had never done any such thing. In fact, Kirk had simply quoted the biblical passage to point out how easy it is to cherry pick verses in the Bible. King later apologized – but how many people saw the original tweet not the retraction?

It’s one thing to have a fundamental disagreement with someone, but caricaturizing an opponent can be dangerous and deadly.

Deliberately mischaracterizing someone can shutdown openness to debate. It also discourages someone from digging deeper into a person’s actual background. After all, who wants to have a conversation with a racist or bigot? It’s easier to feel disdain for someone if you see them as a one-dimensional person rather than who they really are.

Some prominent liberals were praised for releasing empathetic statements in the aftermath of Kirk’s assassination. But if you listen or read carefully, you’ll find a common thought in many of them.

Senator Bernie Sanders decried the violent killing but noted Charlie was “Someone who I strongly disagreed with on almost every issue.” Actress Jamie Lee Curtis offered heartfelt comments but noted that she “disagreed with him on almost every point.”

Really Senator Sanders and Jamie Lee Curtis? Disagreement on almost every point?

Anyone interested in discovering the real Charlie Kirk would have found a humble Christian man who boldly and bravely brought his Christian faith into the public square.

Here are just a few of his recent public statements:

“I mean, I’m nothing without Jesus. I’m a sinner. I fall incredibly short of the glory of God. We all do. I gave my life to the Lord in fifth grade, and it’s the most important decision I’ve ever made, and everything I do incorporates Jesus Christ.” 

“The mechanisms of a religious society [are] good for everybody. When somebody walks around and thinks that you were created and that you’re not God, you tend to have better citizens.” 

“The greatest minds of history have been mesmerized by the Scriptures — Isaac Newton, Thomas Aquinas. Isaac Newton wrote more about biblical prophecy than even physics. And so there’s something about the Scriptures that are intellectual, that does push your limits. And that’s what I think is so beautiful about our faith is it can be accessible to everyone, but also infinitely nourishing in exploration.”

“It defies reason to think that this is just a roll of the dice. When you see a baby come into the world, when you see how we naturally heal, when you [see] even consciousness itself — I think it is a pretty miraculous thing. To think that’s all just a bunch of happy accidents — I think it’s more rational to think that that’s a byproduct of design.” 

“We as Christians have hope that we are going to see our loved ones again and that we will be in heaven and that we will be in perfect peace and that this is not it. In fact, there’s something even better awaiting us.”

Charlie found and discovered ultimate peace last Wednesday afternoon. It would benefit everyone, especially those who hated and thought they knew who Charlie Kirk was, to dig a little deeper and discover the truth about him. Even better, it would be ideal if they discovered not just who Charlie Kirk was – but the Lord and Savior he loved and worshiped right to the end.

Image from Getty.