Christian Nationalism is a real threat to Democracy and to the Church, says Interfaith panel

[lees1975]

https://signalpress.blogspot.com/2022/10/interfaith-panelists-sound-alarm-about.html

"I actually bristle every time I hear the word 'Christian nationalism'" said Tayhlor Coleman, a Texas voting rights advocate who was raised Southern Baptist, "because when I look at the folks who are leading this movement, I don't see any Christianity,"

I don't see any, either. It would be hard to discern the virtues and values of the gospel of Jesus Christ, recorded in the gospel accounts and interpreted by the apostolic writers of the New Testament, in any aspect of the movement. Everything it does denies everything Jesus said. It's very difficult to promote and evangelize a faith that holds peace as a core value while stabbing at Capitol police officers with the sharpened end of a flagpole bearing Trump's name and wearing a shirt with a cross on the front attempting to over-run the U.S. Capitol building.

"Christian nationalism has its roots in the dangerous myth that we were founded as a Christian nation and, as a result, we enjoy special favor from God," said Baptist minister Paul Rauschenbush, son of Baptist theologian and Social Gospel activist Walter Rauschenbush. He claims the goal of Christian nationalists is to use the church, not advance its cause, to consolidate power in the hands "of an exclusively political-religious movement."

[JoeOtterbein]

1. K n R ! Thanks for posting! nt

[TexasBushwhacker]

2. Christian nationalists have chosen religion over faith/spirituality

They want their MAN-MADE structure, rules and dogma to be the law of the land. They couldn't care less if someone actually followed the teachings of Jesus. It's all about power for them and enforcing their BRAND of Christianity, which is in the minority BTW, on everyone.

[KS Toronado]

3. Is it time to take "In God We Trust" off our currency?

[Duppers]

4. Indeed! 👍

[I_UndergroundPanther]

7. Yes. Should have never been put

There in the first place. And get rid of. congressional prayer breakfasts and k street.

[NullTuples]

8. And invocations that give the appearance of endorsement

[Genki Hikari]

5. So they finally speak

When the problem has spiraled out of control.

I seem to recall something in their book about reaping wind and sowing the whirlwind.

Now they're worried, when it's far too late to do so. Sane people have been pleading with them for decades to rein in the awful amongst them. When they weren't ignoring us, they blew off the hateful and racist as a fringe, when it was never a fringe. I seem to recall them getting a warning about that when MLK told them the most segregated place in America was the churches. That was only ONE of the warnings that went unheeded--and he's been dead over half a century now.

Don't look to those of us outside your faith for help. If you belong to the religion, it's up to you to clean up the mess you ignored, for far too long. Nobody else can fix it for you. Only you can.

[lees1975]

6. There's no structure in place that would allow for "reigning in' the extremists

and it's been the embrace of the extreme, when Reagan opened the door and wanted votes against President Carter, who was a real Christian and it was visible, that started most of this wider acceptance of heresy. And no, it's not too late. It can't sustain itself within the Christian church and it can be voted out of politics. But people in both places have to pay attention and know what they're dealing with and which politicians are trying to cash in on the benefits.

[Genki Hikari]

11. Your fallacy NO TRUE SCOTSMAN

The people you call "fake" follow the same book you do, only different parts of it. Who are you to say they aren't "real" members of the faith? The evangelicals think YOU aren't a real member of the faith for what parts of the book you follow. I seem to recall your deity imploring you not to judge, lest ye be judged.

All of you need to knock off the "fake" accusation, because it's not true, and never has been. You all follow the same book, and claim loyalty to the same deity (deities? So confusing). That settles who are members of the religion. You can't define it away to fit whatever makes you feel less uncomfortable about the association with awful people. We all have to share associations with awful people.

What, do you think I like sharing the same lack of belief in deities with a sexist jerk like Richard Dawkins? It dismays me to no end that such a smart man is so stupid about some things, but it would be even dumber to call him a fake atheist, when it's obvious that it's just not so. I have to live with how he's an atheist who happens to be a jerk.

Liberal members of your religion need to do the same with the evangelicals. You will never find a way to get them reined in if you refuse to acknowledge that they are part of the same religion.

I also don't care if the various splinter groups within the religion don't have a "ruling" authority. The problem is within the religion, so guess who has to solve it? Nobody else can do it for you.

Find a way.

[lees1975]

12. You need to have a better understanding of "the book" and what it's authors say

before you engage in this discussion. Otherwise, I respect your opinion, but it's an opinion, not objective fact.

[NullTuples]

9. THIS is the danger of, "they aren't True Christians"

[czarjak]

10. Hateful ignorance wrapped in religion is STILL hateful ignorance.