(I refuse to capitalize or use bold print when referring to these impostors.)
The phrase christian nationalism (cn) is not a new phenomenon that began with DT. He simply endorsed it, and it endorsed him.
Unfortunately, cn is not just an American concept. It has an international history.
An astute historian could probably trace it back to the Mayflower, but in my books, cn started to rear its ugly head after World War II and the rise of fundamentalism in the USA.
I do not consider cn to be Christian or nationalistic. If cn were Christian, I would have no interest in Christianity. The christian nationalists have commandeered the word Christian and manipulated it to serve their perverted ideology of whiteness, power, and violence. They have done the same with nationalism, pretending to be the true patriots. In reality, they have no interest in our 250-year-old democracy. They want a theocracy, run by men, their men (DT for now), with iron fists.
Since their beginning, christian nationalists have had a victim mentality, and they work hard to maintain it. To guarantee they’ll be persecuted, they attack women as first-class citizens; abortion; the LGBTQIA+ community; biblical interpretation; Roman Catholics; Jews; me; and anyone who doesn’t think as they do.
Their anti-crusade works both ways. Piles of insecure, mostly White misogynists who love guns and power join the christian nationalist movement. Then, as people oppose their anti-stances and speak out against them, their persecution complex is fed.
I don’t understand why women are involved. They know they are considered second class and that White men rule. I guess they just leave their brains at the door.
I strongly suspect that all members of megachurches, evangelical churches, and fundamentalist churches, as well as many of our congressional leaders, are members of cn. I also suspect that many of these members have no idea what cn is and that the leadership of these churches doesn’t tell them. I also suspect that if many of those folks, especially women, truly understood the cn mission, they would resign immediately.
Let me share some words that describe cn: domination; authoritarian; boundary enforcing; biblical literalism; Christian nation (from the beginning); prejudicial (toward minority groups of color, immigrants, and sexual preferences); heavily armed (DT’s army in hiding); White supremacists; violent (when provoked even a little); apocryphal (believing in the second coming); patriarchal; loving their angry God; American superiority; censoring (media, journalists, opposition); damnation and hellfire; judgment; self-loathing; superior in every way, loving to hate.
They are a dangerous group I label as domestic terrorists. Unfortunately, very few people are paying attention to them because they are quietly waiting for the supreme leader (DT) to give them the go-ahead to enforce his (and their) agenda.
These are trying times, often very confusing, which is part of their game plan: to keep us so confused that we no longer know what to do. So we go home, lock the door, pull down the shades, and wait for the end.
In the Marine Corps, I learned that one must understand one’s enemies to fight them successfully, and that is my intention with this blog.
We need to put an end to christian nationalism as soon as possible. What do you think?
PeaceLoveJoyHopeKindness
Bil
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P.S. People often ask me provocative questions about current events, both religious and secular. I have found that some of these questions are being asked universally. I’ll be periodically alternating regular articles with one of those questions and my answer. I invite you to send me your question to bilaulenbach@yahoo.com.
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100% agree
Wonderfully insightful, Bil.
I remember the origins of the Moral Majority and the their bumper stickers.
I also remember the resistance they met with a bumper sticker that said, “The Moral Majority is neither”.
I’d like a bumper sticker today that would say, “Christian Nationalism is neither”.
All so true; all so sad. Never forget that the Nazi party was large and strong 100 years ago in Amreica–out and proud. They attempted to assassinate FDR at least once. And Hitler adopted the KKK banner of pushing out Black Americans as part of his Nazi platform—it is said he got his ideas from the KKK, The Nazis never died out, they simply went underground as WWII erupted and the Nazis were considered the evil in the world. But when Barack Obama was elected, the gloves came off and the old hatreds came out in public. Hello WCN!