A Note Before We Begin:
I am aware this is a sensitive subject. I am not writing to endorse Charlie Kirk’s politics, nor to excuse every word he spoke. My intent is to respond, as a Christian and a pastor, to the disturbing way some have celebrated his murder. This post is about human dignity, biblical faithfulness, and how followers of Christ should respond when even those we disagree with are cut down.
I realize I’m late on the Revelation Monday post. I intend to write and schedule my posts for the next three weeks in the coming days. Thankfully, they do not take long to write if you are intimately familiar with the details at hand. I can write very quickly about WVU football. Lacrosse? Not so much.
I, like so many others, am bewildered by the state of our nation, particularly after the events on September 10, 2025, when Charlie Kirk was murdered in public, in front of thousands in person—including his family—and many more online.
Romans 14:1–4, 10–13 reminds us not to “pass judgment on disputable matters,” and Colossians 3:12–13 tells us to clothe ourselves with humility, gentleness, and patience. I want to keep that frame in mind as I process what I’ve seen since Kirk’s death.
Murder Is Not Debate
I’m not a political person. While I was aware of Mr. Kirk and his organization, I paid no attention. I don’t even really watch the news, and only found out about this because a friend asked me: “Did you see what happened to Charlie Kirk?”
When I looked it up, my first response was simple: “This does not surprise me.”
Was that a comment on what Kirk said or did? Not at all. This was the ultimate form of ad hominem attack—when one cannot defeat an argument and so resorts to destroying the person. In this case, physically.
Murdering any human being simply for having a difference of opinion is wrong. Always wrong (Exodus 20:13).
False Comparisons
What has angered me almost as much as the act itself has been the response. Some people are openly celebrating his death. One vendor terminated from Paycor Stadium said: *“Rest in ***! I swear some of y’all would mourn Hitler if he was shot!”
Let’s stop right there. This is comparing an apple to a sperm whale—a false equivalency. To equate a polemicist with a genocidal dictator not only demeans debate, it trivializes the very real evil of genocide.
I’ve done some light research into Kirk’s statements on race, DEI, and Affirmative Action. I won’t excuse or condone everything he said. Some of it was wrong, unhelpful, or inflammatory. Personally, I support my company’s DEI program because I believe it celebrates uniqueness rather than exacerbating differences.
But let’s be clear: Charlie Kirk did not start a genocide. He didn’t order mass murder. He was a husband and father who said controversial things. That does not put him in the same category as Hitler or Bin Laden.
Human Dignity and Imago Dei
I grew up in rural West Virginia, where even our dialect (“hoopie”) could draw strange looks. In Columbus, Ohio, I experienced both confusion and outright insult for simply being from Almost Heaven. Words can wound deeply, and yes, Kirk’s words sometimes wounded.
But Christians must remember: every human being bears the image of God. Even those we find deeply wrongheaded or offensive. To celebrate a man’s murder is to mock the Creator who gives life (Psalm 139:13–16).
Tribalism and the Death of Discourse
Our Founding Fathers warned against political parties for a reason. We’ve become so tribalized that differences of opinion are seen as hatred, and those across the aisle as enemies. That’s nonsense.
I’ve seen nearly every logical fallacy weaponized this past week: false equivalency, Godwin’s Law, straw men, ad hominem, hypocrisy. People can’t defend their views without anger, and that’s sad.
Even worse, I’ve seen this venom spill from the mouths of those who call themselves Christians. Faith isn’t just lip service. James 1:19 says we must be “quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger.” Philippians 2:3–4 commands us to value others above ourselves. Proverbs 18:13 warns against answering before listening.
If you claim to follow Christ, stop attacking people and stop celebrating murder.
Conclusion
Charlie Kirk said things I disagree with. Maybe you do too. That’s fine—we can debate ideas. But celebrating his death is an abandonment of both reason and faith.
If your only argument is to call someone a derogatory name, you’ve already lost. And if your response to an opponent’s life is to cheer their death, then you’ve revealed your heart.
As Jesus warned, on that day many will hear:
“Away from me, I never knew you” (Matthew 7:23).
Rooted & Reckoned 
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