Many of us have come across terms that most parents had never even heard before, “Discord” being one of the most alarming. The recruiting and influence that take place inside schools and on social platforms like Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, Facebook, and others is hard to imagine. Discord is particularly concerning because private servers and closed channels let conversations happen out of public view; it is often there that young people are drawn in and the process of indoctrination begins.
The pandemic, together with near-constant internet access, created a perfect storm. Parents, understandably preoccupied with the challenges of that season, did not notice a tsunami of influence growing inside bedrooms and behind screens. Suddenly, many of us saw sons and daughters change, abandoning the values and principles they were raised with and repeating messages that sounded scripted, as if handed down from elsewhere.
A recent article in the New York Post signaling that this problem is finally getting public attention a sign that more people are beginning to look in the right direction. That raises important questions we must face: How does this “brainwashing” happen, and where does it happen most effectively? Who is funding or amplifying these efforts? Why do so many young people adopt nearly identical speeches, beliefs, and talking points across different communities and countries? Is it really just coincidence or are there organized networks and repeated tactics at work?
We are still learning the answers and it’s important to avoid unfounded accusations. At the same time, the pattern is troubling and demands investigation: closed online spaces, repeated prepackaged messaging, and similar recruitment techniques across borders suggest a chain reaction that affects not only America, but many parts of the world.
Friends, this is serious and it is not a reason to panic but a call to act wisely. Here are concrete steps we can take together:
Educate ourselves, learn the platforms our kids use, especially private and invite-only spaces.
Open honest conversations with our children without judgment, so they know they can share what they see online.
Work with schools and community groups to raise awareness and ask for transparency about any troubling activity.
Track reliable reporting and research (and be cautious about speculation) so our actions are informed by facts.
Come together as a community, meet, pray, and plan a coordinated response (parent workshops, information handouts, and support groups).
Stay loving and present our relationships with our children are the single most powerful protection against harmful influences.
Let us stand together in awareness, investigation, prayer, and practical action. The fact that major outlets are beginning to write about this should encourage us, we are not alone, and public attention can help bring solutions.
With concern and hope.
You lost me at “without judgment.”
I say judge, judge often, and apply everything life has taught you in your judgment. Otherwise you remain in infancy.
“Trans” is sick. Start there. It needs to be treated away, not “affirmed.” A boy who thinks he wants his genitalia removed is a sick boy. Learn to see that sickness and drop all the “respect their choices” garbage.
Healthy people have no distinction between gender and sex, and sex is binary and immutable.
Perhaps parents should go on these sites and pose as kids and lure these creeps out of the shadows and get the law after them. Just a thought.