Michael Knowles speaks to packed house at epic TPUSA event in Minnesota: 'To honor Charlie, go to church'

The first event for Turning Point USA's campus tour around the country since Charlie Kirk was assassinated took place on Monday evening with Michael Knowles, who was slated to speak with Kirk before the killing. He spoke about faith, and what it means to honor Kirk in light the assassination that took place at Utah Valley University.

The event was billed as a "high-energy evening featuring a candid conversation about conservative values, followed by a live Q&A," according to the website where tickets were available. Leading up to the event, tickets were sold out. There were nearly 2,000 people in attendance, according to The Minnesota Star Tribune.

Knowles told The Post Millennial, "It was immensely heartening to see thousands of young people turn up—undeterred and unafraid, as Charlie always was—to honor our friend and make sure that his enemies would not succeed at stopping his movement. Charlie gave his life inspiring young Americans. They clearly got the message."

During the speech, Knowles reflected on what it meant that Kirk was assassinated, not that it meant Charlie was taken, but that the assassin took "what we imagined Charlie's future would be."

"We can entrust Charlie's soul to our Lord Jesus Christ as Charlie always entrusted himself, while still knowing that his assassin took something from us that he didn't have to take. What the assassin took was not even Charlie. He could not have taken Charlie. Charlie belongs to God, as do we all. What the assassin took from us more precisely is what we imagined Charlie's future would be. That is part of what makes death so shocking. The realization that our plans are not guaranteed," the commentator said.

“Charlie accomplished more in his 31 years than most people could accomplish in many lifetimes. His most public accomplishments were political. His most important were religious. He wanted to be remembered for his faith. He wanted to help as many souls to heaven as he could. If you want to honor Charlie, go to church. Read the Bible, pray, and do it right now."

The house was packed and applauded the statement from Knowles and applauded the point on religious observance.

Other clips of the speaking event from Knowles went viral online, with the political commentator, in the Q&A portion, debating a left-wing student, who said that Jimmy Kimmel did not lie when he suggested that Kirk's assassin was part of the "MAGA gang."

Knowles also pointed out that there is "no contradiction" between Erika Kirk publicly forgiving Tyler Robinson for the murder of her husband and the consequence of Robinson facing the death penalty.

"Erika Kirk forgave her husband's killer. The state of Utah will inject poison into that killer's veins until he's dead. There is no contradiction between those two things. Christian forgiveness does not demand that we allow the cruel to ravage the whole earth. It demands that we love our enemies - and sometimes, love is tough."