Death Of Truth Teller Hated While Alive, Lauded In Death
By Al Cronkrite The Covenant News ~ August 20, 2008
“He caught the true, dark genius behind Stalinism — not simply to put two strangers into a room, one a victim, one an executioner, and convince the one to kill the other, but to convince both that this murder served some higher purpose. It is easier to imagine that such acts are committed by monsters, men whose minds had been brutalised and rendered different from our own by the horrors of war and collectivisation. But the fact is that ordinary, decent men and women, full of humanistic ideals and worthy principles, were ready to justify and even participate in the massacre of their fellows. ‘To do evil, a human being must first of all believe that what he’s doing is good,’ wrote Solzhenitsyn in his epic ‘literary investigation’ of the Great Terror of the 1930s. ‘Or else that it’s a well-considered act in conformity with natural law.’”
Owen Matthews, The Spectator, 8/6/08 “Russia’s Ignorant Still Hate Solzhenitsyn”
Alexander Solzhenitsyn is dead. He was 89 years old. The Wall Street Journal published a eulogy by Robert Conquest but buried a two and a half inch column announcing his death on an inner page of its first section. Though many WSJ readers will miss the announcement of his death and the few who read it may consider its insignificant location a gage to its importance, some will realize the true consequence of this funeral by finding the burial at a 16th-century monastery was attended by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and bore all the hallmarks of a state funeral.
In previous essays I referred to him as a modern day prophet but he was a critic prior to the birth of his prison spirituality and since the vilified few who are led into that role in our day lack the direct connection with God of their counterparts in ancient Israel, hereafter I will refer to him as a critic. He was, however, a particular kind of critic. He was a teller and supporter of truth. Truth tellers and truth supports are not necessarily Christian but when they are, their depth of perception and accuracy is joined with Ultimate Truth and their pronouncements, though not prescient, are often accurate prognostications.
To the jeers of Western experts Solzhenitsyn foresaw the demise of Communism, the economic rape of Russia, and the impossibility of a quick fix being applied to his beloved nation. His conclusions were backed by a keen sense of truth and justice but in spite of the fact that most of his admirers describe him as a devout Christian he seldom if ever mentions the Bible in either his writing or his public discourse. His demeanor would depict him as a spiritually active intellectual.
Obituaries run from Robert Conquest’s eulogy contending he was a Russian Patriot to Owen Matthew’s essay in “The Spectator” entitled “Russia’s Ignorant Still Hate Solzhenitsyn”. Like many critics, Solzhenitsyn loved his country and pointed to its misuse hoping it would repent and become a better nation, Conquest writes from that perspective. Matthews, whose Russian roots are imbedded in Stalin’s regime, writes about the undercurrent of resentment among the Russian people over the fall of the Soviet Union blaming it in part on Solhenitsyn’s success. From Stalin’s death in 1953 to this day, over a half century later, many Russians still revere him and believe he was innocent of egregious atrocities that occurred during his watch.
Solzhenitsyn’s obituary in Pravda recalls his disdain for those who supported Stalin. He attacked the complicity of millions of Russians in the horrors of Stalin’s Communism. "Suddenly all the professors and engineers turned out to be saboteurs - and they believed it? ... Or all of Lenin's old guard were vile renegades - and they believed it? Suddenly all their friends and acquaintances were enemies of the people - and they believed it?" The Stalinist era, he wrote, quoting from a poem by Alexander Pushkin, forced Soviet citizens to choose one of three roles: tyrant, traitor, or prisoner.
Alas, alack, is not the United States in a similar situation with half or more of our own “ignorant” being complicit with government propaganda, supporting aggressive warfare, torture, loss of freedom, and progressive tyranny?
The contrast in the way Russians assess Solzhenitsyn’s life reflects the division of the Russian people over Stalin. Russian Government propaganda during the 1930s and 40s claimed Stalin was a benevolent dictator – and they believed it.
Solzhenitsyn was as critical of the United States as he was of Russia. He did not find justice and morality during his exile here and he stated his dissatisfaction publically and in writing. I will never forget the sneer on the face of Senator John McCain as he listened to Congressman Ron Paul’s astute analysis during the 2008 presidential debates. Our press and the dons of Harvard reacted in a similar fashion to Solzhenitsyn’s denunciation of American society.
In the Old Testament God chose prophets and verbally directed them to bring His Word to His people. In a famous incident, following adultery and murder, Nathan the Prophet was ordered to admonish King David. It was a dangerous undertaking. King David was an absolute monarch. However, Nathan seemed to know David’s heart and brought the rebuke without fear. Skillfully maneuvering King David to condemn himself, Nathan told him a story about a covetous rich man who stole a lamb from a poor man to feed a guest. To the poor man the lamb was a cherished possession raised as a member of his family. King David was incensed at this injustice saying the man should die or at the least make restitution fourfold. With the irresistible power of perfect timing Nathan said, “You are the man!
Nathan was fortunate. King David was quick to repent; acknowledging his sin against God, and humbly seeking forgiveness. The encounter was, however, an anomaly. God’s Prophets in King David’s day were generally persecuted and killed. The situation has not changed substantially in our time.
God commands confrontation even when He knows it will be ignored. After reminding Ezekiel that his admonitions would be understood but not accepted, he said, “yet the house of Israel will not be willing to listen to you, since they are not willing to listen to Me. Surely the whole house of Israel is stubborn and obstinate. Behold, I have made your face as hard as their faces, and your forehead as hard as their foreheads. Like emery harder then flint I have made your forehead. Do not be afraid of them or dismayed before them, though they are a rebellious house.” Ezekiel 3:7-9
Confronting the rulers of His creation is one of the primary duties of God’s people. We worship a God of peace and His Son is a Man of peace. However, the long road back to righteousness, peace, and prosperity involves war against evil and confrontation is a strategic weapon. The evil that cries for remedy is not in Iraq, Iran, or Russia but right here in the United States.
The dictionary defines rebuke as a “sharp reprimand”. It is highly regarded in the Bible. Jesus reprimanded the High Priests with the same fury used by the Old Testament prophets. (See Matthew 23) Western Christians are too concerned about peace and not enough about justice and righteousness. Along with Government usurpation of God’s dominion, Dispensationalism, Antinomianism, Pelagianism and the failed theologies they represent, should be confronted and condemned with the intensity of a Biblical Prophet.
God will reward His intrepid servants but those who confront evil with good can expect to be persecuted, ostracized, vilified, and worse. Elijah fled from Jezebel who threatened his life, Jeremiah was thrown into a cistern for speaking truth during the reign of Zedekiah, John the Baptist was beheaded for challenging the marriage of King Herod to his brother’s wife, and Jesus, Himself, was crucified as a result of His condemnation of the Priests.
Solzhenitsyn was imprisoned for being critical of Stalin.
Now, dear reader, if you are a Christian have you yet so vehemently supported and professed sound Biblical doctrine that you have suffered as a result. Have you been ostracized, vilified, or snubbed? Are you a soldier in God’s war against those who seek to usurp His authority? Is there enough evidence to convict you for supporting the Kingship of Jesus? If not, you need to consider the strength of your Christian commitment.
Alexander Solzhenitsyn was touched by God during his imprisonment. It was his opinion that the imprisonment was a small price to pay for the reward he received. He was not a Pietist, he did not project a holier than thou image. Domineering and opinionated he was usually right in his predictions. The force of his contentions was directed where we work and live and have our being at government and society.
In 2003 Harvard University held a conference commemorating Solzhenitsyn’s 1978 address, “A World Split Apart”. Jay Nordlinger, a Senior Editor at National Review, spoke at the conference and published his speech in the NR. He contended that at the core of both Chambers and Solzhenitsyn’s writings is the question “Would we have a God-centered world or a man-centered one?” It is an excellent piece, read it here you will be glad you did!
Truth is seldom heard, often ignored, frequently resented, and usually condemned - - But God enjoins His chosen to boldly and strongly present it even though it is not heard! Can you discern the times, dear Christian? It is a time for war, a time when God expects His people to use the sword of the Spirit to cut through the morass of lies and deceptions and expose the truth.
Though to the secular mind Solzhenitsyn’s frequent references to evil seemed to indicate he was religious he avoided theology and according to a reporter for Britain’s Telegraph he was a womanizer and a difficult, authoritative husband. His two bouts with cancer, one in the stomach and one in the testicles, resulted in radiation therapy which he thought had rendered him impotent. A liaison with a woman he hired to do typing resulted in a surprise pregnancy. He divorced his first wife, Natalya, and in 1973 married the mother of his child who was also named Natalya. The marriage lasted and produced two more sons.
Each of us is born in sin. Being chosen by God and endowed with Faith in Christ provides a new, powerful Holy Spirit driven desire and strength but it does not remove the scar inherited from Adam; we all have sinful hearts. Individually, God guides us in various ways but that guidance comes through a sinful nature and we must be carefully tentative in exercising it.
Nordlinger’s synopsis of Solzhenitsyn’s Harvard address describes it well. Solzhenitsyn dissected Western society by pointing to the division between spirituality and humanism. He did not, however, mention what god or what set of moral codes might bring about the change. He warned the United States against ruling society by the letter of the law contending that when “the tissue of life is woven of legalistic relationships, this creates an atmosphere of spiritual mediocrity that paralyzes man’s noblest impulses.” He decried the tendency of our highly touted freedom to support evil equally or more than good; condemned the decline in courage; and indicted the press for failing to allow a full range of discourse. Maintaining that the United States press is more powerful than “the legislature, the executive, and the judiciary” he questioned to whom it is responsible and said, “who has voted Western journalists into their positions of power, for how long a time, and with what prerogatives?”
Near the conclusion of his remarks he denounced humanism, “It has made man the measure of all things on earth – imperfect man, who is never free of pride, self-interest, envy, vanity, and dozens of other defects. We are now paying for the mistakes which were not properly appraised at the beginning of the journey. On the way from the Renaissance to our days we have enriched our experience, but we have lost the concept of a Supreme Complete Entity which used to restrain our passions and our irresponsibility.”
Solzhenitsyn was appalled at the rape of Russian wealth that accompanied the regime of Boris Yeltsin. He hated Yeltsin and was initially at odds with Putin as well. Some believe that several meetings between Solzhenitsyn and Putin during Putin’s presidency influenced Putin to become an active Christian and to listen to the admonitions of the Russian Orthodox Church. It was Solzhenitsyn’s opinion that Eastern societies were different from Western societies and that Western democracy could not be successful in Russia.
To the chagrin of the elite cabal seeking to control our world, Putin halted the confiscation of Russia’s oil wealth by nationalizing the largest producer. The former owner of Yukos who turned out to be a close associate of the English House of Rothschild sits in jail. This defiance of the apogee of the banking world seems to have resulted in the ouster of Russia’s ruling class from the seat of world power and a new United States animosity. Making matters even worse for the centers of power and wealth, Russia’s current President Dmitri Medvedev is also active in the Russian Orthodox Church.
There are great similarities between the United States Constitution and Alexander Solzhenitsyn. While incorporating Christian principles both fail to mention the Savior. The Constitution defies our jealous God by allowing alien religions and Solzhenitsyn mentions Machiavelli, Hobbs, Rousseau, Marx, and Nietzsche but fails to mention Jesus. Both our Constitution and Solzhenitsyn are widely considered to be Christian.
At his core Solzhenitsyn was a writer. In spite of his mathematical education his first love was for the written word. His life was touched during his battles with imprisonment and cancer and he considered his survival miraculous. His contentions were blatantly Christian though he often failed to identify their Source. Through his life he chronicled his experiences measuring the world against the yardstick of righteousness.
Prophets and critics live solitary lives and can expect persecution. Confirmation and plaudits are reserved for their wakes.