Why does the word “Christianity” seem SO confusing these days? What it should demonstrate is “Christ-like” behavior. (i.e. love your neighbor as yourself). However, when it brings confusion through hypocritical ideations as touted by the extreme political right…could this be why so many people are walking away from so many organized religions that are seemingly going in very antichrist directions. Need examples? : anti LGBTQ; pro life, however, not pro mothers wellness or don’t believe in financially supporting those babies once born; pro life but love their guns more (regardless of the number of mass shootings happening); and supporting the lawless, lack of integrity previous president who obviously incited the January 6th riot to overturn our precious democratic process.
As if you needed more examples of where the far right evangelical community is now headed…have you learned about Christian nationalism… now being touting as their current beliefs/agenda…per Marjorie Taylor Green. This was new information for me…so let’s learn more.
Christian nationalism is the belief that our American nation is defined by Christianity, and that the government should take active steps to keep it that way. Christian nationalists assert that America is and must remain a “Christian nation”—not merely as an observation of American history, but as an accepted program for what America must continue to be in the future. Scholars like Samuel Huntington have made a similar argument: that America is defined by its “Anglo-Protestant” past and that we will lose our identity and our freedom if we do not preserve our cultural inheritance–in other words, divine entitlement or white supremacy.
Christian nationalists do not reject the First Amendment and do not advocate for church and state, but they do believe that Christianity should enjoy a privileged position in the public square. The term “Christian nationalism,” is relatively new, and its advocates generally do not use it by themselves, but it accurately describes American nationalists who believe American identity is inseparable from Christianity.
Here’s the challenge—humanity is not easily divisible. Cultures overlap and their borders are fuzzy. Since cultural units are fuzzy, they make a poor fit as the foundation for political order. Cultural identities are fluid and hard to draw boundaries around, but political boundaries are hard and semipermanent. Attempting to find political legitimacy on cultural likeness means political order will constantly be in danger of being felt as illegitimate by some group or other. Realistically, cultural diversity is essentially inevitable in every country/nation.
Is this a serious problem? When nationalists go about constructing their nation, they have to define who is, and who is not, part of the nation. But there are always dissidents and minorities who do not or cannot conform to the nationalists’ preferred cultural template. In the absence of moral authority, nationalists can only establish themselves by force. Scholars are almost unanimous that nationalist governments tend to become authoritarian and oppressive in practice. For example, in past generations, to the extent that the United States had a quasi-established official religion of Protestantism, it did not respect true religious freedom. Worse, the United States and many individual states used Christianity as a prop to support slavery and segregation.
In short, the act affirmed what we should recognize in every era: the right to practice any faith, or to have no faith, is a foundational freedom for all Americans. This right is also behind what Jefferson meant when he spoke of a “wall of separation” between the church and the state.
Religion, and Christianity in particular, has flourished in America not because of government aid or favoritism, but for the opposite reason: religion’s freedom from government control. Government involvement in religious affairs doesn’t aid the free exercise of religion. And as Christians, we are called to love our neighbors rather than make them feel unwelcome in their own country.
Christian nationalism–which to be clear, cannot coexist with democracy. The only way these people can impose their extremist beliefs on the majority is by blocking the vote and imposing right wing religious law state by state. If one believes the Bible…there is no such things as divine entitlement.
Warriors, let’s stand on the side of inclusion and love for those that need us…much better for our country’s holistic wellness state as well as ours! .
Covid Humor: What jokes are allowed during quarantine? Inside jokes =)