I’ve never been able to understand the utter hypocrisy and the warped interpretation of the bible these so-called Christians have demonstrated throughout the Trump era. Many believe he’s some kind of messiah when in fact he’s as far away from a messianic figure as there could possibly be. That’s why these phonies are so afraid of James Talarico. He quotes, correctly, from the bible that we should all be our brother’s (or sister’s) keeper, that to do otherwise is an abomination. I am encouraged that these religious zealots who have helped put Trump in power and thus driven our country off a cliff will get their day of reckoning—in November and whenever they face their own judgements.
This Catholic is a blue dog Democrat. Unfortunately many Catholics think abortion is the only issue to vote on. This is incorrect and Pope Francis had issued a voting guide highlighting about 7 issues to consider when voting. Many pastors are not aware of nor have shared this information so many are still getting abortion is the only issue to vote on. Of course, I think it’s “hilarious” that people can think the GOP is the pro life party when they’re literally killing people in the streets, ocean and other countries. Many of them support the death penalty(which the Catholic Church does not). And just general treatment of the poor and vulnerable leading to a very possible early death for these folks. When life begins is a religious teaching. It should not be forced on those who are not your coreligionists.
Excellent post. The inability to look at "the big picture" is a common failing of one-issue voters. On character alone I am mystified at how any practicing Christian could vote for Trump.
You likely encountered some Catholics who need more education in basic Christian teachings. Almost none of the Catholics I know support Trump, or are "die-hard conservatives". Study Church teachings and you will see that Trump goes against nearly all original Christian teachings. I'm sure you've heard the pope and many bishops speak out against Trump and what he is doing. In the past week, the pope even spoke out about Trump's press ban and Trump's dismissal of A.I. threats as "fake news". The pope has also spoken out against Trump's treatment of immigrants, his separation of families, the bombing of Venezuelan boats, and "the desire for domination" in current wars. He also said that "Universal health coverage is … a moral imperative for societies that wish to call themselves just.... Official Catholic teaching closely aligns with many or most Democratic principles.
One of my Catholic friends went on a rampage when I forwarded him an article from America Magazine, a Jesuit (Catholic) publication, about treating undocumented immigrants as the Bible says: "Welcome the foreigner"
(Leviticus 19:33-34; Exodus 22:21;Deuteronomy 10:18-19; Zechariah 7:9-10; Matthew 25:35-40; Romans 12:13; and Hebrews 13:2; Romans 15:7)
My reply: "You voted for a convicted felon, an adjudicated rapist and a pedophile. How do you reconcile that with your Catholic faith?"
In my family it's the abortion issue. Leo's attitude of 'yes, abortion is a moral sin, but look at the multitude of moral sins enacted by this administration' has brought many of them around. Many Catholics have politely ignored the churches views on contraception, and I see the same shift: 'it's a private matter'
Very well said, Chris. I've never understood how a man who embodies every one of christianity's seven deadly sins is allegedly the role model of [right wing] christianity.
A fascist is a fascist is a fascist, no matter what bumper sticker they paste on their car or what emblematic jewelry they wear around their neck. Studies have indicated that fascism is embraced as a familiar and comforting stance by people raised in authoritarian households, of no matter what stripe. And then, as we can easily see in these days when much that was formerly hidden is being made apparent, including the complete moral vacuity of many of those who claim to be followers of Jesus, while violating all of his teachings. And all in the name of corruption of one kind or another.
I agree with your comments, Chris. Christian Nationalism is not Christianity. It is an ideology based on power. There is nothing about love, peace, kindness or the fact that We are All One. It is joyless, as well.
Trump and MAGA are not Christians. Taking care of foreighners and poor people are two fundamental commands of God from the beginning. Read Deuteronmy 10:18-9.
To add emphasis to what I wrote, I sought out a latter-day interpretation of the phrase "my brother's keeper." Here's what scholarshipinstitute.org says:
Today, people use “my brother’s keeper” to express the idea of looking after others. Not just family, but also friends, neighbors, and even strangers.
Being your brother’s keeper means:
Taking responsibility when others are in need
Standing up for those who can’t speak for themselves
Acting with empathy and compassion
The phrase also reminds us of the consequences of turning our backs on others.
This is literally ALL James Talararico talks about, and it's why the conservative Christian right (i.e. bigots hiding under the cloak of religion) is scared the movement is teetering on the brink.
I have a neighbor, and while I don't often acknowledge it, a relative, who I'd always considered to be a moderate Republican. Somehow during Trump 1.0 he became radicalized and is now full MAGA. He constantly sends Facebook messages denouncing DEI, declaring me 'woke' and the whole nine yards. I told him he should aspire to be woke. He's a church goer and while his religion is different from mine, I think neither his God nor mine would subscribe to his views. But he proudly flaunts his religion. I don't get it.
As a liberal Christian, it does my heart good to see candidates like James Talarico who recognize that Christian nationalism is false teaching. We need to go back to traditional practices such as feeding the poor and welcoming the stranger. What we don’t need is a continuation of the devaluation of human life. People are people, no matter their skin color or gender identity.
Thank you for this comment. I took note in a NYTimes focus group of Texas swing voters that a woman who described herself as Christian didn’t like Talarico talking to her about morals. She wants him to stick to the issues. I found this interesting and wondered if she finds his message about moral wrongs in governmental policy and activities (that is, “the issues”) too challenging. It seemed to me that she doesn’t want him encroaching on her sense of what is moral. Well, he’s a Christian too. It seems like a fair conversation to have for the points you are making. Spreading the faith is another reason for Christians to engage in moral questions of what is happening in politics. They have to reach people with love. How many young people are being turned off by the cruelty and mean-spiritedness of Trump’s government and all those in his court?
Americans have grown weary of the moral rot and corruption which MAGA + Christian Nationalism have shown us. I'm ethnically a Jew, by dint of my Mom's family, but a life-long atheist. And yet I support the courage of these moral leaders stepping into the fray. I believe the majority of Americans are good and decent people and are going to have to step in and put down this era of chaos and amorality.
As a fellow life-long atheist it is nice to see real Christians step up. I'm suspicious that Pastor Matt Shultz's observation about those "hoping to be innocent bystanders" also applies to more than a few not so innocent, guilty bystanders.
Trump is the least Christian person, based on behavior, to ever occupy the White House. He claims to be pro-life, but an actually pro-life person would not remove food aid from women and children, kick poor people off Medicaid, end critical subsidies for medical insurance under the Affordable Care Act, and throw law-abiding immigrants out of the country.
You are correct. These people are not Christian and certainly not pro-life. They have no regard for the child once it is out of the womb and couldn't care less if it starves, is abused and tortured or gets murdered at elementary school. A true Christian would be looking for ways to help those people that are in need. Like everything MAGA, they proclaim very loudly how they have superior morals and patriotism as they act in the most immoral ways and work tirelessly to destroy what has made America a leader among nations.
If the Democratic Party embraces diverse Christian supporters they will be far more successful than the Republican Party that has gone way too far with the Christian nationalist extremism. The only thing that interests the MAGAs is starting a culture war no matter how ridiculous or how patently false it is. Even the momentum is here in Alabama to push Democrat Doug Jones over the finish line in the final stretch.
I'd like to see more public acknowledgement (in the US) that one does not need to be Christian to be a good person. By coincidence, I seem to follow Christ's teachings without the supernatural and being "saved" stuff. Somehow I came to invoke the Golden Rule, however imperfectly, without buying the threat of damnation. I do not claim to follow any religion, but it seems I'm more "Christian" than the Christian Supremists.
It baffles me why so many religions feel the need to make converts of others who think or believe differently.
As an agnostic, it’s NOT difficult for me to understand why so many people feel the need for religion. Not knowing what happens after we die can be frightening. Religious beliefs can provide comfort.
BTW, agnostics don’t believe “nothing.” We simply believe that it’s impossible to know. And that does not frighten us.
As for why religions feel the need to make converts, organizations in general either grow or die. They prefer growth. So, they work to retain current members, involve members' descendants, and recruit new members as converts from other faiths. In our chaotic Universe, remaining static is not an option.
Fear of death is not the top motivating factor for seeking religion. At the top is a need to socialize with like-minded others. As a species, humans are social animals. That is, they prefer working cooperatively with others. That, of course, requires knowing the ground rules for conduct in a group setting. That's where modern religion's development and dissemination of codes of ethics and morals comes in.
In the past, the need to understand and predict what will happen next (in order to plan for it) was also part of religion's appeal, but natural sciences usurped that role by doing it better.
We'll skip the whole "fear of death" business for now because that's wrapped up with some rapidly evolving cognitive neuroscience research. Expect big changes in theoretical frameworks in the next 6-12 months.
You can look objectively at the impact of religious beliefs on society, and they all have serious negative impacts. The societies around the world that have the lowest crime rates, the highest rates of equality, and the happiest people are secular. Non-religious. Being religious is a strong predictor of being a bad person. Focusing on Christianity in particular, Christians are much more likely to be rapists, pedophiles, domestic abusers, sexual harassers, child abusers, and committers of hate crimes and petty theft than non-religious people are. Some Christians are good, but it's despite being Christian. The creed itself is evil to the core.
No, the core Christian principles are not evil. Over the past 2,000 years, "evil" people have corrupted many of the organizations that have disseminated Christianity. So-called "white Christian nationalism" is just the latest iteration. It's easy to get confused because the corrupted sects make so much noise.
This reminds me of a Buddhist friend who soundly criticized (which is about as strongly as Buddhists express negativity) Maharishi Mahesh Yogi for charging money to teach transcendental meditation. He said Buddhist teaching should be given for free. Note that you hardly ever hear about Buddhist sanghas, whereas MMY's TM cult made A LOT of noise in the late 1960s! Same problem, different religion.
Religions of all faiths have certainly been twisted down evil paths, but they do have clear, strong benefits. Writing here as a retired physician, I have witnessed too many suicides among my co-workers. Harvard published a study in 2020 showing a marked reduction in suicides among medical personell who attend church every week.
Also, since my wife died I have found important and valuable support in my church community.
You've hit the nail on the head! In today's civilization, religion's main function is to satisfy the basic human need for codes of ethics and morals (they ain't quite the same thing). Different folks need to understand them in different ways, but everyone feels the need (even, surprisingly, criminals). To see this in action, read works by de Sade — if you can stand the experience! (Most humans can't.) The white Christian nationalists need their perverted religion to justify their perverted actions.
Jennifer, well said. Freedom of religion or choice of no structured religion is a basic human right. Not something to be twisted to how any one "religion" wants.
What a wonderful article. It is refreshing to see religious leaders, and others, stepping up to speak of loving thy neighbor, toleration for individual beliefs, and morality, compassion, and tolerance for all.
This is certainly encouraging overall. But the lede that *only* 32% of Americans believe in Christian nationalism suggests how far the Overton window has slid on this once very marginalized ideology.
Well stated. Thanks for a clear message. We have been studying Catholic Social Teaching at our church. Basically it is our duty to vote. We are using excellent information from “See, Love, Vote” put out by NETWORK which started out as “Nuns On The Bus” years ago. We need to push for social justice and get out the vote.
The important thing to me and millions of other non-religious Americans is that the Democratic believers running for public office are all in favor of the separation of church and state as our Constitution intends. It's wonderful if their faith inspires them to run for the purpose of doing good for their fellow Americans while, at the same time, respecting the rights of others who don't share their religious beliefs. There's no God in the Constitution, no mention of christianity, and it's good to see religious folks running for office who acknowledge that fact.
What is called "Christianity" in these emails, blogs, and written utterances is, in fact, "morality." It needs no religion to be moral. Religion seems to be just one more way to divide ourselves.
Why is this good? I don't want ANY flavor of Christianity in government. I want a complete wall between religion and state. I would NEVER vote for a pastor or priest of any religion. And you need to keep firmly in mind that there are no types of Christianity that support equal rights for women. All forms of Christianity want to turn women into reproductive slaves with no rights at all and all forms of Christianity are opposed to everyone except standard heterosexuals.
What I don't understand is why "Christianity"--of whatever flavor--is thought to be normative. Like you, I don't want ANY flavor of Christianity--or any other religion--to have a part in government. The Constitution is clear there is a right to be free of religion, just as there is a right to practice religion of one's choice.
There's a difference between having Christianity in government, which is what the White Christian Nationalists want, and what you (and I) rightly object to, and having human beings who are Christians or other flavors of religion, even if they are religious leaders, in government. As long as they are not imposing their religious views on anyone else, I don't care what they personally believe, no matter how silly I think it. Sure, I'd rather have a bunch of ethical non-believers, but I'll happily take a Talarico over a Paxton, no question at all.
For those of us who are "nones"--and I would guess for at least some of us who are of faiths other than Christianity--this is somewhat of a puzzle. Just because "Christians"--progressives, Christian nationalists, ALL of them--declare themselves to be the standard, we nones believe the Constitution is clear that "religion"--or lack of one--must not play a role in our democracy. So while I applaud those who think that "progressive Christians" stepping up will bring a needed turnabout in how the party and Americans in general view "Christianity," I'm still waiting for the country to come to the place where it decides that religion (of any stripe--or none) plays no role in our government.
Actually, organized religion, as a developer and disseminator of morals and ethics, is needed to check government misbehavior. It serves the same function in checking misbehavior in the business sector. They just haven't been doing it. SHAME! SHAME!
LoL! My point is that while religion has no place IN government, it has an important place NEXT TO government. Too many Americans get seduced by the media's seeming mindset that politics is all there is. Government makes up about one third of a healthy society. It constitutes the "Public Sector." There are also a Private Sector (individuals and businesses) and a Plural Sector (non-profit organizations), which are of similar size. Each has a role to play in making civilization civilized.
My personal experience is that truly religious pious people eschew outward flaunting of their faith and good works, hoping instead to lead by example and better the world without calling attention to their own deeds. This communication vacuum
has made some people think that those on the liberal side of the aisle are less fervent in their faith, which is a grave mistake.
I think in The MidWest and West, using this type of discussion will resonate.
I’ve never been able to understand the utter hypocrisy and the warped interpretation of the bible these so-called Christians have demonstrated throughout the Trump era. Many believe he’s some kind of messiah when in fact he’s as far away from a messianic figure as there could possibly be. That’s why these phonies are so afraid of James Talarico. He quotes, correctly, from the bible that we should all be our brother’s (or sister’s) keeper, that to do otherwise is an abomination. I am encouraged that these religious zealots who have helped put Trump in power and thus driven our country off a cliff will get their day of reckoning—in November and whenever they face their own judgements.
Well said.
I long for the days of my liberal Catholic upbringing, where service to others, humility, and the embrace of pluralism were the overriding messages.
It tied in well with my dad's "lead by example" adage.
All the Catholics I know are die-hard conservative Trump supporters.
Have you heard of Joe Biden?
And that Leo guy :-)
This Catholic is a blue dog Democrat. Unfortunately many Catholics think abortion is the only issue to vote on. This is incorrect and Pope Francis had issued a voting guide highlighting about 7 issues to consider when voting. Many pastors are not aware of nor have shared this information so many are still getting abortion is the only issue to vote on. Of course, I think it’s “hilarious” that people can think the GOP is the pro life party when they’re literally killing people in the streets, ocean and other countries. Many of them support the death penalty(which the Catholic Church does not). And just general treatment of the poor and vulnerable leading to a very possible early death for these folks. When life begins is a religious teaching. It should not be forced on those who are not your coreligionists.
They are "pro-fetus," not pro-life. Once you've passed the birth canal, "yer on yer own, kid."
Excellent post. The inability to look at "the big picture" is a common failing of one-issue voters. On character alone I am mystified at how any practicing Christian could vote for Trump.
You should check with some former Catholics, or maybe listen to Pope Leo.
I grew up during the era of the Berrigan Brothers.
You likely encountered some Catholics who need more education in basic Christian teachings. Almost none of the Catholics I know support Trump, or are "die-hard conservatives". Study Church teachings and you will see that Trump goes against nearly all original Christian teachings. I'm sure you've heard the pope and many bishops speak out against Trump and what he is doing. In the past week, the pope even spoke out about Trump's press ban and Trump's dismissal of A.I. threats as "fake news". The pope has also spoken out against Trump's treatment of immigrants, his separation of families, the bombing of Venezuelan boats, and "the desire for domination" in current wars. He also said that "Universal health coverage is … a moral imperative for societies that wish to call themselves just.... Official Catholic teaching closely aligns with many or most Democratic principles.
None of that matters to the conservative Catholics I know.
Yes Debbie, my experience as well. Some Catholics hide behind religion as do members of other faiths. Jesus didn't leave us many places to hide.
Many of us are not, and never were nor were my parents.
I looked it up.
Catholics voted for Trump in 2024 by a 55-45 margin. So not overwhelming, though obviously not great either.
One of my Catholic friends went on a rampage when I forwarded him an article from America Magazine, a Jesuit (Catholic) publication, about treating undocumented immigrants as the Bible says: "Welcome the foreigner"
(Leviticus 19:33-34; Exodus 22:21;Deuteronomy 10:18-19; Zechariah 7:9-10; Matthew 25:35-40; Romans 12:13; and Hebrews 13:2; Romans 15:7)
My reply: "You voted for a convicted felon, an adjudicated rapist and a pedophile. How do you reconcile that with your Catholic faith?"
Never got back to me on that.
In my family it's the abortion issue. Leo's attitude of 'yes, abortion is a moral sin, but look at the multitude of moral sins enacted by this administration' has brought many of them around. Many Catholics have politely ignored the churches views on contraception, and I see the same shift: 'it's a private matter'
That’s right wing/fundamentalist catholics. They sprung into action after the Vatican II reforms in the 60’s as i recall.
Very well said, Chris. I've never understood how a man who embodies every one of christianity's seven deadly sins is allegedly the role model of [right wing] christianity.
A fascist is a fascist is a fascist, no matter what bumper sticker they paste on their car or what emblematic jewelry they wear around their neck. Studies have indicated that fascism is embraced as a familiar and comforting stance by people raised in authoritarian households, of no matter what stripe. And then, as we can easily see in these days when much that was formerly hidden is being made apparent, including the complete moral vacuity of many of those who claim to be followers of Jesus, while violating all of his teachings. And all in the name of corruption of one kind or another.
👍
I agree with your comments, Chris. Christian Nationalism is not Christianity. It is an ideology based on power. There is nothing about love, peace, kindness or the fact that We are All One. It is joyless, as well.
Christian Nationalist > Nationalist Christian > NatC > Nazi
If the shoe fits... right?
I keep praying for the rapture to take them and leave the rest of us in peace.
Trump and MAGA are not Christians. Taking care of foreighners and poor people are two fundamental commands of God from the beginning. Read Deuteronmy 10:18-9.
To add emphasis to what I wrote, I sought out a latter-day interpretation of the phrase "my brother's keeper." Here's what scholarshipinstitute.org says:
Today, people use “my brother’s keeper” to express the idea of looking after others. Not just family, but also friends, neighbors, and even strangers.
Being your brother’s keeper means:
Taking responsibility when others are in need
Standing up for those who can’t speak for themselves
Acting with empathy and compassion
The phrase also reminds us of the consequences of turning our backs on others.
This is literally ALL James Talararico talks about, and it's why the conservative Christian right (i.e. bigots hiding under the cloak of religion) is scared the movement is teetering on the brink.
I have a neighbor, and while I don't often acknowledge it, a relative, who I'd always considered to be a moderate Republican. Somehow during Trump 1.0 he became radicalized and is now full MAGA. He constantly sends Facebook messages denouncing DEI, declaring me 'woke' and the whole nine yards. I told him he should aspire to be woke. He's a church goer and while his religion is different from mine, I think neither his God nor mine would subscribe to his views. But he proudly flaunts his religion. I don't get it.
I noticed the perversion of Christianity within the republican party in the 90’s. It involved equating the republican agenda
As a liberal Christian, it does my heart good to see candidates like James Talarico who recognize that Christian nationalism is false teaching. We need to go back to traditional practices such as feeding the poor and welcoming the stranger. What we don’t need is a continuation of the devaluation of human life. People are people, no matter their skin color or gender identity.
Thank you for this comment. I took note in a NYTimes focus group of Texas swing voters that a woman who described herself as Christian didn’t like Talarico talking to her about morals. She wants him to stick to the issues. I found this interesting and wondered if she finds his message about moral wrongs in governmental policy and activities (that is, “the issues”) too challenging. It seemed to me that she doesn’t want him encroaching on her sense of what is moral. Well, he’s a Christian too. It seems like a fair conversation to have for the points you are making. Spreading the faith is another reason for Christians to engage in moral questions of what is happening in politics. They have to reach people with love. How many young people are being turned off by the cruelty and mean-spiritedness of Trump’s government and all those in his court?
Americans have grown weary of the moral rot and corruption which MAGA + Christian Nationalism have shown us. I'm ethnically a Jew, by dint of my Mom's family, but a life-long atheist. And yet I support the courage of these moral leaders stepping into the fray. I believe the majority of Americans are good and decent people and are going to have to step in and put down this era of chaos and amorality.
As a fellow life-long atheist it is nice to see real Christians step up. I'm suspicious that Pastor Matt Shultz's observation about those "hoping to be innocent bystanders" also applies to more than a few not so innocent, guilty bystanders.
Trump is the least Christian person, based on behavior, to ever occupy the White House. He claims to be pro-life, but an actually pro-life person would not remove food aid from women and children, kick poor people off Medicaid, end critical subsidies for medical insurance under the Affordable Care Act, and throw law-abiding immigrants out of the country.
You are correct. These people are not Christian and certainly not pro-life. They have no regard for the child once it is out of the womb and couldn't care less if it starves, is abused and tortured or gets murdered at elementary school. A true Christian would be looking for ways to help those people that are in need. Like everything MAGA, they proclaim very loudly how they have superior morals and patriotism as they act in the most immoral ways and work tirelessly to destroy what has made America a leader among nations.
Who said it's easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for Trump to enter heaven?
WE ALL DO!!!
If the Democratic Party embraces diverse Christian supporters they will be far more successful than the Republican Party that has gone way too far with the Christian nationalist extremism. The only thing that interests the MAGAs is starting a culture war no matter how ridiculous or how patently false it is. Even the momentum is here in Alabama to push Democrat Doug Jones over the finish line in the final stretch.
I'd like to see more public acknowledgement (in the US) that one does not need to be Christian to be a good person. By coincidence, I seem to follow Christ's teachings without the supernatural and being "saved" stuff. Somehow I came to invoke the Golden Rule, however imperfectly, without buying the threat of damnation. I do not claim to follow any religion, but it seems I'm more "Christian" than the Christian Supremists.
Like many an agnostic or atheist!
Be patient with agnostics and atheists. It's difficult to make sense of nothing!
It baffles me why so many religions feel the need to make converts of others who think or believe differently.
As an agnostic, it’s NOT difficult for me to understand why so many people feel the need for religion. Not knowing what happens after we die can be frightening. Religious beliefs can provide comfort.
BTW, agnostics don’t believe “nothing.” We simply believe that it’s impossible to know. And that does not frighten us.
Sorry. It was sort of a joke.
As for why religions feel the need to make converts, organizations in general either grow or die. They prefer growth. So, they work to retain current members, involve members' descendants, and recruit new members as converts from other faiths. In our chaotic Universe, remaining static is not an option.
Fear of death is not the top motivating factor for seeking religion. At the top is a need to socialize with like-minded others. As a species, humans are social animals. That is, they prefer working cooperatively with others. That, of course, requires knowing the ground rules for conduct in a group setting. That's where modern religion's development and dissemination of codes of ethics and morals comes in.
In the past, the need to understand and predict what will happen next (in order to plan for it) was also part of religion's appeal, but natural sciences usurped that role by doing it better.
We'll skip the whole "fear of death" business for now because that's wrapped up with some rapidly evolving cognitive neuroscience research. Expect big changes in theoretical frameworks in the next 6-12 months.
Weird, we say the EXACT SAME THING about deists.
I didn't know there were still enough deists around to support a conversation!
You can look objectively at the impact of religious beliefs on society, and they all have serious negative impacts. The societies around the world that have the lowest crime rates, the highest rates of equality, and the happiest people are secular. Non-religious. Being religious is a strong predictor of being a bad person. Focusing on Christianity in particular, Christians are much more likely to be rapists, pedophiles, domestic abusers, sexual harassers, child abusers, and committers of hate crimes and petty theft than non-religious people are. Some Christians are good, but it's despite being Christian. The creed itself is evil to the core.
No, the core Christian principles are not evil. Over the past 2,000 years, "evil" people have corrupted many of the organizations that have disseminated Christianity. So-called "white Christian nationalism" is just the latest iteration. It's easy to get confused because the corrupted sects make so much noise.
This reminds me of a Buddhist friend who soundly criticized (which is about as strongly as Buddhists express negativity) Maharishi Mahesh Yogi for charging money to teach transcendental meditation. He said Buddhist teaching should be given for free. Note that you hardly ever hear about Buddhist sanghas, whereas MMY's TM cult made A LOT of noise in the late 1960s! Same problem, different religion.
Religions of all faiths have certainly been twisted down evil paths, but they do have clear, strong benefits. Writing here as a retired physician, I have witnessed too many suicides among my co-workers. Harvard published a study in 2020 showing a marked reduction in suicides among medical personell who attend church every week.
Also, since my wife died I have found important and valuable support in my church community.
Our national regime needs to make a public announcement that one need not be a Christian to be an American.
This particular national regime does not agree with that. Funnily enough one of the worst of them is Stephen miller who is Jewish…
I've wondered about how any Jewish people in "his" orbit feel about the christian-nazi dogma coming down.
You've hit the nail on the head! In today's civilization, religion's main function is to satisfy the basic human need for codes of ethics and morals (they ain't quite the same thing). Different folks need to understand them in different ways, but everyone feels the need (even, surprisingly, criminals). To see this in action, read works by de Sade — if you can stand the experience! (Most humans can't.) The white Christian nationalists need their perverted religion to justify their perverted actions.
Jennifer, well said. Freedom of religion or choice of no structured religion is a basic human right. Not something to be twisted to how any one "religion" wants.
What a wonderful article. It is refreshing to see religious leaders, and others, stepping up to speak of loving thy neighbor, toleration for individual beliefs, and morality, compassion, and tolerance for all.
This is certainly encouraging overall. But the lede that *only* 32% of Americans believe in Christian nationalism suggests how far the Overton window has slid on this once very marginalized ideology.
1% is too many.
Well stated. Thanks for a clear message. We have been studying Catholic Social Teaching at our church. Basically it is our duty to vote. We are using excellent information from “See, Love, Vote” put out by NETWORK which started out as “Nuns On The Bus” years ago. We need to push for social justice and get out the vote.
Tell it to Pope Bob, an American citizen.
Why haven't anti DEI Catholics been excommunicated?
The important thing to me and millions of other non-religious Americans is that the Democratic believers running for public office are all in favor of the separation of church and state as our Constitution intends. It's wonderful if their faith inspires them to run for the purpose of doing good for their fellow Americans while, at the same time, respecting the rights of others who don't share their religious beliefs. There's no God in the Constitution, no mention of christianity, and it's good to see religious folks running for office who acknowledge that fact.
What is called "Christianity" in these emails, blogs, and written utterances is, in fact, "morality." It needs no religion to be moral. Religion seems to be just one more way to divide ourselves.
Why is this good? I don't want ANY flavor of Christianity in government. I want a complete wall between religion and state. I would NEVER vote for a pastor or priest of any religion. And you need to keep firmly in mind that there are no types of Christianity that support equal rights for women. All forms of Christianity want to turn women into reproductive slaves with no rights at all and all forms of Christianity are opposed to everyone except standard heterosexuals.
What I don't understand is why "Christianity"--of whatever flavor--is thought to be normative. Like you, I don't want ANY flavor of Christianity--or any other religion--to have a part in government. The Constitution is clear there is a right to be free of religion, just as there is a right to practice religion of one's choice.
Correct. There is no place for any religion in any part of government. Religion is needed as an outside check on government misbehavior.
There's a difference between having Christianity in government, which is what the White Christian Nationalists want, and what you (and I) rightly object to, and having human beings who are Christians or other flavors of religion, even if they are religious leaders, in government. As long as they are not imposing their religious views on anyone else, I don't care what they personally believe, no matter how silly I think it. Sure, I'd rather have a bunch of ethical non-believers, but I'll happily take a Talarico over a Paxton, no question at all.
Unh! Not true! You've been talking to the wrong "Christians."
Thank you for this
For those of us who are "nones"--and I would guess for at least some of us who are of faiths other than Christianity--this is somewhat of a puzzle. Just because "Christians"--progressives, Christian nationalists, ALL of them--declare themselves to be the standard, we nones believe the Constitution is clear that "religion"--or lack of one--must not play a role in our democracy. So while I applaud those who think that "progressive Christians" stepping up will bring a needed turnabout in how the party and Americans in general view "Christianity," I'm still waiting for the country to come to the place where it decides that religion (of any stripe--or none) plays no role in our government.
Actually, organized religion, as a developer and disseminator of morals and ethics, is needed to check government misbehavior. It serves the same function in checking misbehavior in the business sector. They just haven't been doing it. SHAME! SHAME!
Honestly, I don't care WHAT organized religion does or doesn't do. It just has no place in our government.
LoL! My point is that while religion has no place IN government, it has an important place NEXT TO government. Too many Americans get seduced by the media's seeming mindset that politics is all there is. Government makes up about one third of a healthy society. It constitutes the "Public Sector." There are also a Private Sector (individuals and businesses) and a Plural Sector (non-profit organizations), which are of similar size. Each has a role to play in making civilization civilized.
My personal experience is that truly religious pious people eschew outward flaunting of their faith and good works, hoping instead to lead by example and better the world without calling attention to their own deeds. This communication vacuum
has made some people think that those on the liberal side of the aisle are less fervent in their faith, which is a grave mistake.
I think in The MidWest and West, using this type of discussion will resonate.
You make a good point.