Charlie Kirk's death sparked a national conversation about his words. Just as evangelicals welcome him as a martian, others point to the harm he caused through racist, sexist, homophobic and violent remarks he made in his life.
“I am overwhelmed to call this country to honor and worship the flag of the United States of America, honoring and worshiping men who have divided all lives and embraced hatred on this land,” said Rev. Howard John Wesley of Alfred Street Baptist Church in Alexandria, Virginia.
He added, “The way you die doesn't red how you lived.”
AI-generated image of Charlie Kirk in Heaven.
Many people on the right appear to be unaware of the hateful words that Kirk said in his life. They think he is simply a Christian Republican and hates all the sleazy, leftist Gods. So they act defensively to support their team.
Others were well aware of what Kirk said and accepted his cruelty as their gospel.
However, another strange trend is beginning to emerge. Rather than reflecting on what Kirk said in his life, the Evangelicals are creating an AI video of Kirk talking to the Evangelicals after his death.
“Persecuted are blessed.”
“I'm Charlie” opens one video with Kirk's image in a room with a black background, as the piano calmly plays a version of the worship of “Oceans” of the Hill Ng service. “My faith has taken my life to me, but now I am glorified forever with those who were standing firm.”
AI Kirk then adds, “At this point I want to introduce some of my siblings and new friends.” Note that he does not introduce any of his sisters to the evangelicals. It's pretty much on the brand.
“My name is Paul,” says the old man who grew a beard in his first century robe. “And I was beheaded for the gospel of Jesus Christ.”
Then the awful, long-haired man in dirty clothes said, “My name is Andrew, and I was crucified by obeying the cross of Christ.”
“My name is Stephen,” says the focused young man. Then he adds rebelliously as the camera zooms in.
“My name is Peter,” the old man shares weakly in a voice that evokes sadness. “And I was crucified for my faith in Jesus.”
I Kirk then returns to his vision and recommends with confidence. “My brothers and sisters, I will take root in the Church of Bible Belief. I pray for your enemies. Our battle is spiritual. It is time to awaken your faith.
The video ends with an image of Ikirk and his four martian friends staring at the camera in the caption.
“Don't lament… double down.”
Phoenix's Dream City Church jumped into the mix on Sunday with its own posthumous AI video. This was attended by Kirk and his family from the Pentecostal Church.
“Really, all AI is to take the perfection of the man's words they've recorded, they crunch it all and answer the questions in the way he answers it,” explained Dream City Pastor Luke Barnett.
Dream City Rev. Luke Barnett
“First, I want you to know you're feeling well,” Ikirk began as Ikirk had a dim blue light and an image of Kirk smiled on the screen with the words “Well done, Charlie.” “Not because my body is healthy, but because my soul is safe in Christ.”
Cheers began to erupt into the congregation.
“Death is not over,” continued I Kirk. “It's promotion. Don't mourn me for a second. I knew the risk of standing up in this cultural moment. Secondly, don't this violence separate us further. Our enemies want confusion, fear, retaliation. Instead, don't double the truth. For our families, for the sanity of a crazy culture, it's all worth it.”
He then concluded: “Dry your tears so much, pick up the cross, go back to battle. Do it with joy. Do it with strength.
The congregation cried out in applause.
Code Language
“Isn't it cool that a computer can take what's really important to a man and spit it out and say, 'This is what my life was standing in'? I think that's pretty cool,” Pastor Barnett said.
Of course, these AI videos do not share Kirk's inhuman language about black people, women, LGBTQ people, or immigrants. They don't show that Kirk is talking about airing Coca-Cola-sponsored beheadings to monitor or call President Joe Biden's death penalty.
Instead, they need to avoid lament and double down on the cause, which is a battle, while presenting a veneer of hope and joy for a resurrection, while subtly speaking to convince the white evangelicals who are being persecuted by crazy, baby-killing Democrats.
“In early churches, they experienced the most explosive growth when Christians were eaten by lions at the Coliseum,” Burnett told his Arizona congregation. “President Trump just said, “There's an attack on American Christianity, there's a bias towards Christ,” and this happens the next day. Isn't that surprising?
Of course, there is no remorse on how Kirk's white evangelicalism plays the role of the Roman Empire against today's oppressed people.
Just as the righteous compares his opposition to Trump with Jesus' crucifixion, so did Barnett. “They beat him. They tortured him,” he reminded the church of Jesus in calling Kirk a martian.
For leaders like Burnett, the reaction to Kirk's death is clearly political. “We declare with more Clarion's calls than ever before before before, before that marriage is between men and women. We declare that we have no more than two genders, male and female, and God decides that at your birth.”
Afterwards, looking directly at the camera, the pastor threatened, “You have released the dragon! You have released the Kraken!”
Rick Pidocock He graduated from Bob Jones University in 2004 with a Bible Arts degree. He is a South Carolina-based freelance writer and a former Clemon's Fellow at BNG. He received his master's degree in worship from Northern Seminary. He is a stay-at-home father of five children and produces music under the artist's name. Follow his blog on www.rickpidcock.com.
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