CompassCare Founder interviewed with Kirk and Brings a Unique Perspective
Via Rumble:
In a recent interview on One America News with Riley Lewis, Jim Harden, CEO of CompassCare, reflected on the shocking assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, a man with whom Harden had previously shared a platform. The conversation was both sobering and pointed, with Harden pushing back against the dominant narrative that Kirk’s murder was purely political. Instead, Harden emphasized that the killing revealed something deeper and more troubling: the rising persecution of Christians in America.
Harden began by recounting his relationship with Kirk, noting that he had appeared on Kirk’s show in the past and admired his boldness in addressing issues of faith, culture, and morality in an increasingly hostile climate. Kirk, Harden explained, was not just a political figure. His worldview was rooted in a distinctly Christian perspective, which is precisely why he believes Kirk was targeted. “This isn’t about left versus right,” Harden said firmly. “This is about good versus evil, about whether America will continue to tolerate people who profess the Christian faith without fear.”
Lewis pressed Harden on the point, asking whether he saw Kirk’s assassination as part of the broader escalation of political violence in the country. Harden acknowledged that politics plays a role in shaping tensions, but he warned that to stop at “politics” was to miss the central issue. “Yes, Kirk was outspoken about political matters,” Harden said, “but the real offense, the real reason he was hated, was because he stood unapologetically on biblical truth. That is what the culture war has come to: an outright rejection of Christianity.”
Throughout the interview, Harden tied Kirk’s death to a longer pattern of hostility toward Christians. He cited his own experiences leading CompassCare, a pro-life ministry that has been subject to firebombings, vandalism, and threats in recent years. For Harden, the violence aimed at Kirk was not isolated but rather part of a continuum: “When churches are burned, when pro-life pregnancy centers are attacked, when Christians are silenced online or mocked in the public square, the message is clear—Christians are being told to sit down, shut up, and stay out of the culture. Charlie Kirk refused to do that. And he paid the price.”
Lewis asked whether Harden believed law enforcement and political leaders were doing enough to respond to this kind of violence. Harden’s answer was blunt: “No. We see a double standard. When violence happens against Christians, it’s minimized or ignored. If the roles were reversed, if someone on the left were killed, we would be hearing wall-to-wall coverage about domestic terrorism. Instead, we’re told not to jump to conclusions.” He added that justice must be blind, but in practice, Christians often find themselves without equal protection under the law.
The discussion also turned to what Harden sees as the theological implications of Kirk’s death. “We have to understand that martyrdom is not new,” Harden said. “Christians throughout history have faced persecution. What makes this moment different is that it is happening here, in America, a nation founded on religious liberty.” Harden argued that the assassination was not simply the result of one deranged individual but a symptom of a society increasingly hostile to the gospel.
Despite the grim tone, Harden did not end without offering hope. He urged Christians to remain steadfast and not to retreat in fear. “We can’t be intimidated into silence,” he insisted. “The question is not whether persecution will come—it already has. The question is how we respond. Will we shrink back, or will we follow Christ faithfully even when it costs us?”
Lewis closed the interview by asking Harden what message he would want to share with young Christians who may be shaken by the news of Kirk’s death. Harden’s reply was pastoral and resolute: “Don’t give up. Don’t compromise. Remember that truth always wins in the end. Charlie’s life and death remind us that the world may hate us, but our calling is to love God, love people, and speak the truth without fear.”
In the end, the interview painted a picture of a cultural and spiritual battle that extends far beyond the politics of the moment. For Harden, Charlie Kirk’s assassination was not primarily a political act but a religious one—an attack on a man whose outspoken Christian faith made him a target in a world increasingly intolerant of believers.
