Top Trump administration officials will address a mass prayer meeting in the heart of Washington Sunday – an event organisers bill as reclaiming the country’s religious foundations, but critics say is a quasi-official rally for Christian nationalism.
EDIT: Apologies for the reply length!!
I respectfully, sincerely, beg to differ.
Yes, that’s definitely a picture we get when seen through the lens of headlines. We see the loudest and most obnoxious, hateful, and arrogant. We see ‘megachurches’ dodging taxes and preaching patriotism and idolatry to a flag and empire. We see crosses paired with those stupid red hats. We see gospel music “rockstars” at Turning Point rallies.
Raised hackles mean clicks! And clicks mean money. Our enemies boost this coverage to rile up their fanbase and demoralize their opponents.
We don’t see the number of faith based initiatives and charities desperately filling holes left by a gutted social system. We don’t see the everyday believers and even churches who are trying their best to stay sane and love their neighbors (and enemies!) as Jesus instructed.
I’m not even Catholic but kudos to the Pope for calling out the US goons’ nonsense!
Heck, look how long it took for the Guardian to actually report on Christians who are vocal against this stolen identity the Republican fascists are waving around. Ministers and other believers of a multitude of faiths are at protests, getting maced in the face by jackbooted govvie thugs. Churches are delivering food and supplies to families hunkering down trying to avoid capture by ICE.
And keyboard warriors want to lump them as enemies because they have belief?! How about all the people of differing queer identities that believe? Yeah, there’s lots of them too. God bless them, that’s got to be rough.
I’d argue the “vast majority” of Christians are pretty neutral: They could be doing a lot better. They just want to stay out of it, but they’ll try to help other human beings if they can, but they don’t read their Bible too deeply and are easy to lead astray.
The republifascists want to recruit these neutrals by taking over their church’s narratives, by equating faith with patriotism, and that gets easier when these poor (often self inflicted) ignorant neutrals keep getting bombarded with “ReLiGiOuS pPl SuK” messaging. It makes the bad guys look like friends. Then those neutrals become radicals.
A LOT of money has gone into this narrative that Christianity is simply “conservative by default.” Why? Because Christians used to be a leftist thorn in the side of capitalists! (Highly recommend “Behind the Bastards: How the Rich Stole. Christianity”
We’re harder to see. I definitely could do a better job, but we’re there.
The hard-right lean on pretending to be Christian because it serves two purposes: It galvanizes their radicalized blind fanbase, and attempts to snuff out the followers of Jesus that still remain. Letting them win is a net negative.
Thanks for listening to my ramble and for your thoughtful reply. I have to get back to work hahaha. XD
While it’s true that’s the impression the headlines give, unfortunately at least in my experience it’s also the reality. In my multiple decades (I’ll say I’m middle aged) I’ve met a grand total of about 4 people who are Christian and also decent people. The remaining 60 or so Christians I’ve personally met are of the conservative variety that are exactly the kind depicted in the media (I’m sure I’ve met more Christians than that, but they didn’t identify themselves as such nor did they act in any fashion that would allow them to be identified as such so it’s impossible to tell).
There’s a great quote from someone or another that goes something like “there’s no hate quite like Christian love” and that rings very much true. Some of the absolute most vile and vitriolic statements I’ve heard have come from those that spend the most time ranting about Jesus. I once saw a woman have a full blown panic attack because a black person dared to show up at her yard sale and then she went into a rant about how some bible verse meant “good Christians” should practice racial segregation.
I’ve seen relatives and friends subjected to hate and terrible treatment by their own families because they were gay all in the name of Jesus and being “good Christians”.
There may very well be plenty of these good and caring Christians you’re talking about out there, but much like the police, Christians have a major image problem right now and they need to be doing more if they don’t want to be lumped in with the MAGA Christians. It’s not enough to just say “but we’re not all like that”, they need to be seen to actively be disowning and denouncing those terrible behaviors by those claiming to represent them. Because right now what most people see are the conservative Christians, and if there are non-conservative Christians out there they’re not being visible in any meaningful fashion.
Hope if I’m not in that figure, I can be #5. :) 👋
But, yeah, all I can say is, I very much agree.
Unfortunately I’m not “John Christian” who can change the image of an entire people, but…
…Yep, that’s what I’m trying to do, at least. :) That’s what gets me to write paragraphs and correct misconceptions and try to build bridges out in the wild wherever I can and just…try to be good. I want to do more I just… don’t really know how.
I truly believe there is a distinct and tangible evil working in this world, and the nationalization of the Church is its most diabolical weapon. It disgusts me and breaks my heart.
The biggest obstacle is simply organizing the true followers and seekers. (I know “true” is often loaded. Are they actively trying their best to follow Christ and His teachings? Then let’s rock, I say. Theology can be endlessly debated over coffee if they like lol.)
We are often disparate and isolated, and unfortunately easily cowed into silence by both sides of these culture clashes. Those “maybe Christians but you wouldn’t even know it” types you spoke of.
We’re up against “principalities and powers and forces of darkness” here. There’s so much NOISE created by these ultra-massive organizations backed by rich, evil people, that shuffle their true intentions under layers of facade and funnel money into politics, pretending to be righteous while exploiting and robbing and abusing to further enrich themselves.
Then there’s us: We have the Word, we have the Spirit, and we have love. These are enough, but we have to use it and amplify it…and not enough are doing that right now.
Just like trying to start a union at work: lots are content to just keep their heads down and hope it shakes out. And the news definitely isn’t going to cover the strike!
Maybe I respond like this because I hope that speaking out will encourage more believers to make themselves known, to disown the regime, to call out the false teachers, to loudly rebuke the all-around jerkwads attempting to poison the well and keep people from reaching the living water.
I actually see it! Here on Lemmy even, I see tons of posts calling out this regime’s bullshit every time they try and claim they’re Christian, or that the country is, or that their actions are remotely so.
Loads of posts of unmistakable Bible verses refuting every word and action of these monsters. I try to join that chorus.
We have so much noise to overcome, and sadly one of our biggest problems can be a lack of coordination and a lack of fire.
But if I didn’t believe
weGod could change this through us, one little bit, one changed mind at a time, I would probably be keeping my mouth shut too…I appreciate your thoughtful responses and the conversation. I hope I haven’t taken too much of your time. Thanks for hearing me out and sharing your experiences as well. ❤️