For the name of Jesus and the protection of the Church, I am ready to embrace death.
– the last words of St. Thomas a Becket, Dec. 29, 1170
Those of us who know of Thomas Becket (1118-1170 AD), we know through his portrayal by the more famous actor, Richard Burton, in the 1964 cinematic production: Becket.
As a historical figure, Becket was appointed as Archbishop of Canterbury by his drinking buddy, King Henry II (portrayed by Peter O’Toole) as a political appointment by the king to get control over the church. Expecting a compliant ally, the king was dismayed when Becket suddenly developed a conscience. As is often the case, the office changes the man.
Unyielding in his threat of excommunication for encroachments committed by the King, Becket’s religious zeal set him in harm’s way. At one point, the King cried out in the throne room, “Will no one rid me of this troublesome priest?” To which his body guard, ever in his service (“Your wish is our command”), promptly hunted and then murdered Becket in the cathedral, evidently without the King’s knowledge or explicit consent.
Becket was canonized and the King was flogged in penance.
So the story is told.
Fast-forward to September 10th, 2025, and a young, kind, but also zealous, Christian man is shot to death, presumably, by a lone gunman at the university campus in Orem, Utah.
Charlie Kirk, beloved by millions world-wide, had been a long-time campus “evangelist,” social influencer and founder of the organization, “Turning Point” which recruits smart and committed Christian conservatives to challenge the leftist ideology dominant on college campuses throughout the United States. His wit made him many friends and many enemies as we have sorrowfully learned.
America will never be the same.
– Charlie Kirk’s last social media post, September 10, 2025 on the murder of Iryana Zarutska
Conspiracy theories abound ranging from a “hit” by the FSB (Russia) to deflect attention and sympathy for the young Iryana, the Ukrainian refugee brutally murdered just mentioned . . . to the Mossad because Kirk’s enthusiastic support for Israel was waning (he found the slaughter in Gaza to be deeply disturbing). Although any fanatical leftist group in the country could be implicated, authorities and civic leaders seem to have settled upon the member of a transgender cult and perhaps “Antifa“: a self-proclaimed militant group opposing “fascism.” Because Kirk was instrumental in the reelection of Donald Trump as President, such people believe that the strike at Kirk was also a strike at Trump.
The Mormon community is implicated, as well, since it obviously botched campus security – just as it did for Mormon founder, Joseph Smith – and if the deed is somehow connected to the CIA or FBI (Mormons are popular recruits for those agencies because of their patriotic naiveté and ability to keep secrets) the shooter’s unusual connection to those agencies through his father (former law enforcement) and youth pastor (FBI missing persons task force), it has led to the suspicion by some that he is a patsy. “Patsy” is a term used of accused assassins who are lured to the scene of a crime to take the blame while the true perpetrator escapes detection. As a former hunter familiar with the .30-06 caliber rifle, I find it difficult to believe that the bullet inflicted such a “clean” wound. This is the alleged murder weapon.
Whatever the case might be, the enthusiastic endorsement and celebration of the murder by American leftists is troubling and represents a deep psychological divide in the country. It will likely result in a crack-down by Trump’s jack boots with escalating push back devolving into some kind of civil war. That is probably the intended and inevitable result. We shall see.
As a former campus minister from many years ago – my case made the pages of the Journal of the Christian Legal Society (1980) – I was focused on high school campuses, a much more difficult task considering the entrenched “separation of church and state” dogma which limits religious expressions in those venues. I sympathize with Kirk’s vision because I once shared it. Although a speaking platform is much easier to obtain on a college campus, it is too late to reach the majority of young people who have received their indoctrination while yet in high school.
The shooter is said to have been a college dropout after attending a mere semester, so his worldview and militancy were already shaped by his academic training at a much earlier age. It is not the fault of university culture in this instance.
There is also the gaming culture which seems to be the shooter’s support group. Social deviants have always been drawn to the arts to indulge their fantasies and perversions. “Gaming” is just another art form to escape reality; the real world is not as forgiving of our deviancies.
Regardless, as of today’s very public memorials involving the President and the Vice-President, they will become poignant testimonies that America is at a “turning point.” This death will catalyze the nation with a resolve for national reform.
Whether it will result in the kind of preparations for God’s Great Day remains to be seen.
— JWS, 9/21/25
