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R.A. Fen

R.A. Fen

Babylon
14
Nov
Close-up of an old stone wall patched together from many eras, its uneven bricks and mismatched stones forming a single weathered structure.

How to Spot Babylon

Babylon isn’t a place. It’s a pattern. A spirit that rebuilds itself in every age. Here’s how we know it when we see it.
5 min read
07
Nov
The ornate dome of the U.S. Capitol, with a fresco of George Washington ascending among gods—a modern temple to power and divine ambition.

From Babel to Washington: The March of the Immortal Empire

Babylon didn’t fall. It learned English. Its gods wear new names: Commerce, War, and Liberty, and still demand our worship.
7 min read
12
Sep
Rome’s Colosseum and Arch of Constantine stand worn but enduring, framed by green grass and modern life—a living echo of empire amid the present.

The Immortal Empire: Why Babylon Never Dies

Empires rise. Empires fall. Babylon’s spirit endures. This post kicks off our series on spotting empire and living as holy exiles within it.
5 min read
30
Aug
Aerial view of green hills and farmland at dawn. Stone farm buildings sit near winding roads and dry-stone walls, as soft light breaks over the distant horizon.

We're Just Starting

We’ve named the tension. Now we name the empire. The next series asks what Babylon looks like in the modern world—and how we live faithfully within it.
5 min read
19
Jul
An amber field of grain in Oregon.

Citizens of a Different Kingdom: When Faith Becomes a Flag, It Ceases to Be the Gospel

Many American Christians would never say their country is more important than Christ. But look at what we put our hand on our hearts for. These aren’t universal expressions of civic respect; they’re the liturgy of a civil religion. And the early church had a word for that: idolatry.
5 min read
04
Jul
A quiet scene with a cannon behind a crumbling stone wall at the edge of the woods in Gettysburg National Military Park.

The Cross, Not the Sword: When Strength Looks Like Surrender

On the Fourth of July, it’s tempting to celebrate power, pride, and protection. But Jesus didn’t carry a flag; He carried a cross. His message wasn’t “Make Israel Great Again,” it was “Lay down your life.” In a world that glorifies the sword, we follow a King who surrendered to save.
5 min read
21
Jun
Crossroads with signpost in forest during fall.

Bearing False Witness: What We Share Shapes What We Believe

Christians shouldn’t spread falsehoods just because they fit our side’s narrative. Bearing false witness isn’t a political strategy—it’s a sin. And Scripture says it tears communities apart.
5 min read
07
Jun
“A sprawling refugee camp in a dry, hilly landscape. Rows of tents and shelters stretch into the distance, capturing the scale and humanity of global displacement.”

You Yourselves Were Once Foreigners: Have We Forgotten?

“You yourselves were once foreigners.” It’s not a political talking point—it’s a core part of biblical identity. If we forget where we came from, we risk forgetting the God who brought us in.
5 min read
30
May
A crumbling Egyptian statue in the desert.

Power Corrupts: And Christians Keep Forgetting That

Every time the Church gains political power, it drifts from Jesus. We justify cruelty, silence the vulnerable, and cozy up to empire. But Jesus said, “Not so with you.” Here’s why power corrupts—and what the gospel calls us to instead.
5 min read
21
May
Why this? Why now? (An Intro)

Why this? Why now? (An Intro)

I didn’t want to enter the culture wars—but I can’t stay silent either. This blog is my attempt at quiet resistance: to follow Jesus faithfully in an age of outrage, fear, and empire. Why a pen name? Why now? Here’s the story.
3 min read