January 6th, Tribal Blindness, and the Search for Truth

A call for honest judgment, sober citizenship, and prayerful discernment

One of the hardest things about discussing January 6th is that many Americans no longer seem interested in finding the truth. Too often, we are more interested in defending our tribe.

Many on the political left want to describe January 6th as if every person there was a violent insurrectionist, a mindless cult follower, or a direct threat to democracy. Many on the political right sometimes react by minimizing the seriousness of what happened, as if no real wrongdoing occurred at all.

Both instincts are dangerous.

Scripture warns us against judging a matter before we have truly heard it:

“He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.” — Proverbs 18:13, KJV

The truth is usually found by separating facts into categories. Some people went to Washington that day to protest peacefully. Some entered areas they should not have entered. Some committed crimes. Some acted violently and deserved prosecution. Some were swept up in confusion. Some may have been treated more harshly than comparable offenders from other political movements.

And yes, there are legitimate questions about security failures, government conduct, evidence handling, informants, selective prosecution, and the political use of the event afterward.

We should be mature enough to say all of that at the same time.

Condemning unlawful behavior does not require us to accept every official narrative. Questioning government conduct does not mean we excuse violence. Supporting Trump does not mean we worship him. Opposing Trump does not give anyone permission to abandon fairness, honesty, or due process.

Jesus Himself told us:

“Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.” — John 7:24, KJV

That is where America keeps getting into trouble. We do not examine events anymore. We weaponize them.

The left and the right are circling each other like enemies, each side convinced that all truth lives in its own camp. But truth does not belong to a political party. Truth belongs to God.

Facts matter. Motives matter. Context matters. Justice matters.

Before we write sarcastic comments, mock people, or paint millions of Americans with one ugly brush, maybe we should pause and pray. We should ask God for discernment. We should ask whether we are truly seeking truth, or merely defending a narrative we already prefer.

James gives us a standard that would heal a lot of our public arguments if we actually followed it:

“Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:” — James 1:19, KJV

January 6th should be examined honestly, not mythologized by one side or erased by the other. Wrongdoing should be punished. Government abuse should be exposed. Peaceful protest should be protected. Political vengeance should be rejected.

That is not a MAGA position.

That is not a left-wing position.

That is an American position.

Faith, Family, Freedom, and Common Sense