When I was nine years old, I attended a girl’s group called the Pioneer Girls (a Christian version of Girl Scouts).  The first night the group met, I wished with all my heart to be in Ginger’s group. In my pre-teen mind, Ginger was the coolest adult in the church. So, when she chose me to be in her group, I was overjoyed.

One day, during a Pioneer Girls outing, I had the opportunity to ride in the car with Ginger. While driving, someone merged into our lane and caused us to swerve to the side of the road. Shocked, we glanced at the driver who flipped us off and yelled obscenities out his window. I looked over at Ginger, and she gave the man—the index finger.

I thought it was strange. Had Ginger attended church so long that she did not know which finger to use to create the “bird”?  Although I brushed it off, I was disappointed that she would respond in the same way as the impaired driver.

The next time I rode with Ginger, I sat in the front seat of the car and talked non-stop. As a result, she lost concentration and cut someone off changing lanes. Of course, the other driver honked their horn in protest. I was ready to show Ginger that we were best-buds by giving the driver the middle finger. But, yet again, Ginger raised her index finger in the air and yelled, “There’s only one way!” 

Now I was baffled. Not only did my mentor not know how to give someone the “bird,” now she didn’t know that we were driving in a multi-lane boulevard. I chose not to acknowledge her shortcomings, so I agreed and yelled with her, “Yeah! It’s a one-way street, buddy.”  I turned to my leader, waiting to receive a high five, but instead, she looked at me and frowned.

“No, Dear, that’s not what I meant,” she said. A feeling of stupidity came over me. I apologized profusely. But in excellent, Ginger-like fashion, she gently explained to me what she meant. “I was trying to tell them what matters is Christ. He is the only way to heaven, and living a life with foul language and unforgiveness is un-Christlike.”

Well, why didn’t she say so?  How was I, and the driver, supposed to interpret that from an index finger? Even so, I marveled at her words.

I remember that situation the other day while perusing the news online. I found a lengthy article from Technologyreview.com entitled, “Evangelicals are Looking for Answers Online. They’re Finding QAnon Instead.” According to the article, “With the shutdown of in-person services, congregants are turning to Facebook, podcasts, and viral memes for guidance. And QAnon, with its equivalents of Scripture, prophecies, and clergy, was there waiting for them.”

I almost fell out of my chair. How could people who claim to be believers leave the church for politics? What does an anti-conspiracy organization—who spends their time, and resources, examining the motives and actions of secular government officials—have to offer us accept the continued exposure of a sin-filled world?

My research of QAnon found that the organization is an anonymous group (where the Anon portion of the name comes from) created by a retired military soldier who goes by the letter, “Q.” Although QAnon claims to be a political, conservative, Pro President Trump society, its media presence supports some individuals from both parties, all religions, and most military personnel.  Based on Q’s video posts, followers are called to decipher conspiracy theories reported by news organizations, political speeches, and prophecies. Q attempts to uncover the truth by exposing the lies promoted by the left-wing, deep state, government officials.

Also, in an article entitled, “QAnon: The Alternative Religion That’s Coming to Your Church,” found on the Religious News Service website, reporter Katelyn Beaty states, “QAnon is more than a political ideology. It’s a spiritual worldview that co-opts many Christian-sounding ideas to promote verifiably false claims about actual human beings.” Beaty also goes on to say, “QAnon has features akin to syncretism — the practice of blending traditional Christian beliefs with other spiritual systems. Q explicitly uses Bible verses to urge adherents to stand firm against evil elites.”

According to the research firm, the Barna Group, a biblical worldview is a belief that:

1. Absolute moral truths exist in the Bible and that the Scripture is accurate in all its teachings.
2. It affirms the belief that Jesus Christ lived a sinless life, and God is the all-powerful, all-knowing Creator of the universe.
3.  Salvation is a gift from God and cannot be earned.
4. Satan is real.
5. Christians have a responsibility to share their faith in Christ with other people.

Although media states religious leanings from the group, I watched four videos on the QAnon Hub, but none of them espoused a Christian worldview or even a bible verse, for that matter.  Instead, QAnon purports to expose conspiracy schemes devised by government leaders and assigns ulterior motives to their actions and speech. Now, I am not saying that there is no truth to some of their claims. I assume there are a lot of shady characters running our political systems; however, my point is that I would never look to the government as a guide of how to live my life as a Christian.  So, I ask again, why are Christians leaving the church to find answers in such a group?

In his January 13, 2004 blog post entitled, “Biblical Worldview,” Pastor Tim Challies says, “It makes you wonder what churches are doing if they are not teaching their people the basics of Christianity.  God as all-knowing, all-powerful Creator, Satan’s existence, and the Bible’s accuracy…these are not radical new teachings, and they are certainly not advanced teachings. They simply form the basis of a basic understanding of Christian faith!”

If a Christian turn from the teaching of Scripture and instead turns to a religion of politics, then that person has not correctly understood the foundations of Christianity. The world’s system (or religion) can never provide moral guidance because, as Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

Therefore, to leave the church for an organization that basis its doctrine on conspiracy theories reveals a faith that has its foundation on the sand, and not a firm foundation of Scriptural truth. According to 1 Corinthians 3:11, Paul says, “For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”

As Ginger taught me, so many years ago, there’s only one way to live, and that is in the knowledge of Jesus Christ, and not in quasi-spiritual, political groups.  So, Christian, don’t allow politics to rule your spiritual life. Unfortunately, there are few, if any, government leaders that can portray a standard of morality or provide guidance on how to live a Christian life. There are simply no answers in politics.