Spiritual Accelerationism

Accelerationism and accelerationists are generally associated with right-wing extremist movements but have been dangerously evident in recent protests in the USA on all spectrums of the racial divide.  Sadly, many peace-loving believers unknowingly became part of a conspiracy that contributed to violence.

The general principle behind accelerationism is the idea to increase civil disorder — accelerate it — in order to foster polarization that will increase tensions between groups and tear apart existing systems and political order.  An accelerationist would, per example, enter a peaceful gathering and attack the police in order to trigger a reaction of force against law-abiding protestors.  While undetected, the same group will then shoot at protestors and trigger a reaction of violence against the police.  The accelerationists will then step back and simply observe how police and protestors clash in acts of accelerated retaliation.  Both parties unknowingly a pawn of an outside force with an inherently dangerous and violent agenda.

The current protests in the USA is a classic example.  America is built on the values of democracy, peace, and dignity.  The majority of protesters and police who were caught up in acts of violence probably look back at the events and wonder how it spiraled so out of control.  The answer is obvious:  ACCELERATIONISTS!   In the midst of every gathering were those who believed that conflict is not only inevitable but desirable, as a way to achieve their agendas and polarising the masses.

Daniel L. Byman^[1] describes it as follows:  “Accelerationists hope to set off a series of chain reactions, with violence fomenting violence, and in the ensuing cycle more and more people join the fray. When confronted with extremes, so the theory goes, those in the middle will be forced off the fence and go to the side of those they identify with. If violence can be increased sufficiently, the System will run out of lackeys and collapse, and the race war will commence.”

Daveed Gartenstein-Ross^[2] adds that accelerationists are moulded by a belief that people are insufficiently extreme and that only violence can lead to the establishment of specific agendas.  “Accelerationists are especially dangerous because they believe an act of mass violence by a single individual (a “lone wolf”) or small cell can trigger their desired war. Such attacks are intended to force the people to recognize their “true” enemy, join a revolutionary uprising, and destroy the political system. Accelerationists organize themselves to facilitate these attacks, following the principles of “leaderless resistance” and calling on individuals or small cells to perpetrate revolutionary acts of violence without centralized leadership. Accelerationist networks form small cells to train for and coordinate such attacks. Such a compartmentalized organization, where network and movement members take action based on a shared vision rather than at the direction of a single leader, is deliberately designed to resist infiltration by law enforcement.”

From a Christian perspective, followers of Christ need to guard against the toxic practice of polarising people and acting as religious accelerationists.  Sadly, COVID-19 became a breeding ground for accelerationism.  In a season of uncertainty, where people became paralysed with fear of the unknown, it takes very little to sow suspicion and dualism.  There are Christians who believe that fellow believers are “insufficiently extreme” and would use conspiracies to force fellow believers “off the fence” and go to the side of those they identify with.

Sadly, and this is stating the obvious, conspiracy theories, whether true or false, have never united the body of Christ but has always served as a tool in the hand of the enemy to divide.

According to Scripture Christians are called to reconcile people with God and people with people.  James 3:18  is a call to become accelerationists, but with an opposite spirit (Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness).  We have to penetrate fighting factions and sow seeds of peace.  Jesus blessed the peacemakers (Matthew 5:9), not the peacekeepers.  There has to be a concerted effort by all who live by the name of Jesus to move away from agendas, move into enemy territory, and move hearts towards one another.  All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: (2 Corinthians 5:18)

• Beware of agendas that aim to polarise, regardless of how noble it seems
• Beware of assumptions that create suspicion, regardless of how legitimate it sounds

 

[1] https://www.brookings.edu/blog/order-from-chaos/2020/06/02/riots-white-supremacy-and-accelerationism/

[2] https://www.fpri.org/article/2020/04/the-growing-threat-posed-by-accelerationism-and-accelerationist-groups-worldwide/