When a former Soviet KGB agent named Yuri Bezmenov defected to the West from Russia in 1970, he set about exposing the KGB’s strategies to spread propaganda and keep the Soviet people in line with their political overlords’ agendas. The group used myriad tactics in this campaign of what today has been labeled mis- or disinformation.

One of the most effective tools for subjugation in the former Soviet Union was “demoralization,” which Bezmenov explained this way:

Exposure to true information does not matter anymore. A person who is demoralized is unable to assess true information. The facts tell nothing to him, even if I shower him with information, with authentic proof, with documents, with pictures … he will refuse to believe it. That’s the tragedy of the situation of demoralization.

You can learn more about this particular method and many other tools of keeping citizens compliant by watching an interview Bezmenov gave to Canadian television back in 1984. I also expand on the effects of demoralization in a key chapter, titled “What Prevents People from Seeing the Truth?” in my new book, Obvious: Seeing the Evil That’s in Plain Sight and Doing Something About It.

As we can see, demoralization fosters hopelessness and excuses like, “You can’t fight The Machine.” And the kind of inaction associated with, “If I stand up, will anyone join me?”

The Idols That Keep Christians on the Sidelines, and the Hope That Brings Us Back Onto the Field

In his new book Religionless Christianity, bestselling author Eric Metaxas outlines many “idols” Christians employ to rationalize staying on the sidelines of the present-day fight to preserve the basic tenets of America’s foundation. In a world where “evil is called good and good evil,” many people who fill church pews Sunday after Sunday are sitting this one out. It’s as if they have turned Doris Day’s “Que Sera Sera” into a solemn hymn — “Whatever will be will be.” 

This attitude exemplifies the idol of “fatalism.”  The argument plays out with a Christian spin: “Since God is in charge, whatever He wants to happen will happen. I don’t have to do anything but go along with it.”

Two of the best takeaways from Religionless Christianity are that Metaxas doesn’t just tell the unvarnished truth; he closes the book by lavishing on a thick layer of encouragement. 

Can we imagine that if we dare to answer His call to be transformed as He would transform us, that we might via our newfound wings arise to confront the evil of our time in a way otherwise impossible or unimaginable?

Now that’s an exceptional fundamental transformation, and a personal one at that. That kind of transformation could help restore this nation to its noble standing in the world.

Consider the Lilies of the Field

The hour is very late. We must all “answer His call.” We just can’t let all the heavy lifting fall upon the upper echelon of the official “pundit class” to share their opinions. We, too, must be part of the “regular guy class” and make a difference within our own sphere of influence.

It is imperative that we do something. Something, whoever we are and wherever we are. Something inspired and motivated by a loving God.

We can be nice about it. Sometimes all it takes when we feel someone is on the wrong side of an issue is to confront them gently, to “speak the truth in love,” as the book of Ephesians suggests. For example, we could ask, “Have you considered this other idea?” And state what we find is the rational, common-sense way of seeing an issue.

Remember, when Jesus was among open-minded people eager for the truth in His day, He didn’t shout at them even though He Himself was the embodiment of all Truth. He said, “Consider the lilies of the field.” Jesus helped the crowd to see the obvious.

The most important thing is that we all need to do what we can to push back against the madness which seems daily to be spiraling further out of control.

The Left wants you demoralized and staying planted on the sidelines. But you know down deep that you need to get into the game  — while you still can.  Don’t let them keep you from “fighting the good fight.”

A version of this article appeared previously at TheBlaze.com.

Albin Sadar is the author of Obvious: Seeing the Evil That’s in Plain Sight and Doing Something About It, as well as the children’s book collection Hamster Holmes: Box of Mysteries. Albin was formerly the producer of “The Eric Metaxas Show.”