MOST OF US HAVE NEVER FACED A MOMENT LIKE THIS. While it presents itself as political struggle, at its core it is a crisis of spirit. We can feel that this is more than a normal political disagreement. This disorients us as it tries to misarrange truths, virtues, facts and values. It seems to disrupt the very ground on which we can find understanding, solve problems collaboratively, and work for the common good.

The most helpful book I know that helps us unpack what we are experiencing is Walter Wink’s Engaging the Powers. While we may not have had a name for it, we are in a tsunami that Walter Wink calls the Domination System.

Liberation Not Domination

God-in-the-world invites us into liberation. It is a spirit that moves with grace, humility, mercy and unending forgiveness. We can recognize it because it leaves a wake of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Remarkably, it does not seek to control us; it invites us into a Divine partnership of Love. We sometimes call this the Kingdom of God/the realm of God/the culture of God.

In contrast, the System of Domination is the opposite—in spirit, methods, and results. It is the fallen counterfeit of God’s liberation system. Each aspect of the domination is held in place by a false message or script. As Apostle Paul might say, the answer to bringing God’s heart to earth is to address the spirit that animates and gives the false messages power.

In one of my workshops I created a handout that was drawn from Wink’s work to help us have some concrete ways to meet moments like this. And I am being led to share it with you below (or download original handout here). Blessings as we find our way together.   —Jan

The Domination System is the fallen counterfeit of God’s Kingdom/liberation system. Each fallen aspect is held in place by a false message/script.

So What Are We To Do?

• Recognize the message/assumption/script/untruth that holds the
  domination in place.
  – Reject the message inwardly and outwardly.
  – Replace with God’s message/assumptions/truths. Live out God’s scripts.

• Avoid fear.
  Fear is a tool–and a pleasure–of domination.
  – Accept the dangers as real and legitimate.
  – Replace any fear with love.
  – Physically, you can interrupt the cycle of fear by simply taking deep breaths.

• Don’t waste time on disbelief and bewilderment.
  Evil is misarrangement. It is not logical. Don’t waste valuable energy trying to make it logical/figure it out.
  – Simply name it & Move on.

• Replace powerlessness with a picture of God’s Kingdom order.
  That can be easily understood as things being on earth as they are in heaven.
  – Follow whatever Spirit raises as your next step.

• Don’t mirror evil.
  We become what we hate and what we fight. It is a way of accepting the enemy’s terms of the situation.
  – We liberate ourselves and others when we die to the control of evil.

• Praise, Laugh and Love… and Sing!
  These all break the grip of the powers–and befuddle them. They are
  opposite of the outcome domination is seeking and counting on.