The complete meltdown on the left side of the American political aisle continues unabated.

Pres. Donald Trump’s recent executive orders relating to refugees sparked another round of nationwide protests, and even some international marches. It also created mass chaos at airports as federal authorities detained countless foreign travelers from the seven countries named in the EO.

I can certainly understand the outrage over the executive order and the general attitude many people take toward refugees. That said, I can’t help but wonder where in the world these people were when Pres. Obama was bombing the countries these refugees come from. The complete silence as the previous administration ripped seven countries apart with missiles and bombs for eight years indicates the left’s moral outrage has more to do with the person exercising political power than the actual impact of the government policies. While refugees make excellent lead characters in this latest act of political theater, the left sadly cast dead and maimed Yemeni civilians as extras when their guy was in charge. Dead Muslims don’t reflect well on the “peace president’s” legacy.

The truth is the left glowingly approves of the centralized government authority that makes Donald Trump possible. They spent the last eight years enabling and growing it. Now, they’re throwing a massive temper tantrum because it passed into other hands. Progressives seem blissfully ignorant of the fact that their view of governance gave Donald Trump the very platform and power they now bemoan.

Meanwhile, the political right gloats with a self-satisfied grin as it gleefully sticks it to the left. Last month’s cries of overreaching executive authority now echo into obscurity as Trump takes up Obama’s crown and scepter, and settles into his role as imperial president. The right has already mastered the art of political justification. For at least the next four years, Republicans will carry the mantel of supreme government centralizers, ignoring that at some point in the future, the left will wrest the steering wheel out of their hands.

The time has come to take a close look at the root of all of this evil – the existence of centralized government itself. Remove the source of power and all of these political actors become powerless. But nobody on the left nor the right wants to do that. No, they don’t want to be controlled. But they refuse to give up the opportunity to control – as this -quote from a progressive reveals.

“I am in favor of a strong central government, but not a tyrannical one, because…those are not the only two options. The world is not binary. I’m sick to death of people insisting that it is. Us “libtards” are not a bunch of stupid hypocrites because we want government but we don’t want it to do evil sh**.”

This individual completely misses a fundamental truth – you can’t have central government without tyranny because government itself rests on an evil foundation of violence and coercion. No matter what government does, all of its actions ultimately come down to force. Government may create some good outcomes, but it always accomplishes its goals through evil means.

Government acts contrary to the Great Commandment. You can’t love your neighbor as yourself while simultaneously threatening him with a club in order to force him to fund your program or embrace your vision of social utopia.

Jesus calls his followers to embrace a different way. He built his kingdom on a foundation of grace and mercy, not on violence and coercion. In fact, he rejected the political process and the bludgeoning force of government as way to establish his kingdom.

Satan offered it to him.

“The devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. ‘All this I will give you,’ he said, ‘if you will bow down and worship me.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Away from me, Satan! For it is written: Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’” Matthew 4:8-10

Note the implication: the all kingdoms of the world and their systems belong to Satan. They are his to give. Jesus rejected the iron scepter the devil offered. He chose a cross and founded a kingdom on sacrificial love. He offers us citizenship in his kingdom, but he does not compel us by force.

Here’s the thing:  We cannot serve two kingdoms.

If you embrace central government, at some point tyranny will grab you around the neck. You will ultimately get the “evil sh**” because the system is evil.

It’s time to seek a better way.