Faith vs. Faithless: Why Tragedy Reveals Who You Really Are

We all witnessed the same thing on September 10, 2025.

Yet, not understandably, the two main reactions that followed were these:

• One feels grief, clarity, and a call to prayer.

• The other shrugs, blames, mocks, or even celebrates the pain.

The second one is the one that’s not understandable.

But the different reactions are not random.

They’re the dividing line between the faithful and the faithless.

And nothing made that line clearer than how people responded to the murder of Charlie Kirk.

Today, I want to discuss how the faithful and the faithless process hardship differently, in general, and why your reaction to this particular tragedy is a reflection of your soul and where you stand with God.

The Charlie Kirk Litmus Test

Charlie Kirk wasn’t a soldier in battle. He wasn’t a criminal caught in the act. He was a man targeted and killed for his opinions. Let that sink in.

Now ask yourself: how should I process that?

– If you are grounded in God’s teachings, your heart recoils. Life is sacred.

Murder is detestable. You see his death for what it is: evil.

– But if your conscience is detached from God, your reaction is different. You might feel indifferent. Or worse, you might justify it.

I’ve coined this difference in reactions as “The Charlie Kirk Litmus Test.”

It’s the thin line between knowing God and flat-out ignoring Him.

Faith as the Dividing Line

The Bible is clear: “I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse.

Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live” (Deuteronomy

30:19).

Faith teaches us that life is sacred. That’s why believers see abortion not as a personal choice but as a life issue. It’s why we reject political violence.

Because once you cross that line, once you accept the idea that killing can be justified for convenience or ideology, you’ve stepped into chaos.

Without faith, there is no moral anchor. And when there’s no moral anchor, deception creeps in.

People start believing lies — like the lie that someone who disagrees with you “hates” you. Or the lie that silencing an opponent by force is acceptable.

Deception and the Absence of God

Look at the shooter’s own words. He engraved bullets with memes. He admitted he targeted Charlie Kirk because, in his mind, “some hate can’t be negotiated out.”

That is not reasonable. That is a self-righteous, delusional justification.

That is deception.

The prophet Isaiah warned, “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil,

who put darkness for light and light for darkness…” (Isaiah 5:20).

When people stray far from God’s precepts, their minds become warped.

They justify the unjustifiable. They celebrate violence. They confuse chaos with freedom.

And that is precisely what we saw in some reactions to Kirk’s death.

Why Does Any of This Matter?

From my experience, this is the ONLY THING that matters.

If you are not perceiving this world through God’s prism, you will suffer.

You may or may not experience physical pain. But you’ll definitely suffer spiritually, mentally, psychologically, conceptually, etc.

As I have repeatedly told my children, I am Exhibit la.

I was a man who was highly active and able-bodied.

Never could I foresee my current status as a barely mobile adult over 50 afflicted with a neurological disorder. Nevah! Evah! Evah!

My immobility has genuinely been a culture and life shock for me. I’m pretty sure that without God, my mental state would be in shambles.

As a matter of fact, I know it would be since I still struggle with the psychological realities of my situation to this day.

The point is, those who are even further away from their Creator must feel like their life is a total train wreck, mentally, when their life circumstances push them to the limit.

And believe me, circumstances will eventually push everyone around – pretty or ugly, tall or short, rich or poor.

But the one thing that will remain a constant truism is this: Your life will be as satisfying and bearable as whatever your closeness or distance is from The Creator.

Be indifferent or scoff at this proclamation, at your own peril.

But I ask you this — chart it. Literally log or journal events in your life, your thoughts, and reactions, and grade your connection with your Maker at the time.

I did. I was blown away by my utter lack of wisdom, in hindsight, when I wasn’t seeking God regularly. And simultaneously, the level of anguish I perceived.

Faith Brings Moral Clarity

A healthy, stable, even mildly God-involved perspective reaches one conclusion: murder is wrong. Full stop. There’s no “but” after that.

Faith sharpens moral clarity. It prevents us from getting lost in endless debates or political spin. It draws a line in the sand: life is sacred, and taking it unjustly is evil.

Without that clarity, people drift. Some cheer violence. Some excuse it.

Some shrug it off. But every one of those responses reveals distance from the divine.

Why Hardships Test the Soul

Every challenge is a test. It reveals what’s inside us. Faithful people grieve, pray, and seek further wisdom among other things.

Faithless people rationalize, despair, mock, or ignore.

And that’s why this Charlie Kirk tragedy is a perfect watermark for evaluating God’s influence in one’s life.

It reveals whether your heart is in alignment with God’s order or consumed by chaos.

And this is why your response to tragedy is a mirror of your soul.

So Where You At?

So let me leave you with this: faith is not just a belief system. It’s the dividing line between clarity and confusion, between life and death, between light and darkness.

When you encounter tough times, tragedy, and chaos, ask yourself: What does my response say about me?

It might be worth giving God a first or second look if you don’t like what you see.

I’m sure glad I did.