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"According to a May 2022 poll from the University of Maryland, 61% of Republicans favor declaring the United States a Christian nation – even though 57% recognized that it would be unconstitutional. Meanwhile, 31% of all Americans and 49% of Republicans believe “God intended America to be a new promised land where European Christians could create a society that would be an example for the rest of the world,” a recent survey from the Public Religion Research Institute found.
Those statistics underscore the influence of a set of ideas called “Christian nationalism,” which has been in the spotlight leading up to November 2022 midterm elections. Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene has openly identified as a Christian nationalist and called for the Republican Party to do the same. Others, like Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert and Pennsylvania gubernatorial candidate Doug Mastriano, have not claimed that label but have embraced its tenets, such as dismissing the separation of church and state."
Why do we call it "Christian Nationalism?" It has nothing to do with Christianity. It's religious nationalism.
It has a great deal to do with a large swath of Christians in this country. You can argue that they have departed from the True Faith in promoting it, such that it has "nothing to do with ChristianITY" but countless churches and para-church organizations in the evangelical world promote a nationalistic / fascistic / theocratic form of patriotic hornswoggle, and many individual Christians are fertile ground for political hucksters to tell them how Jesus has a special role for them to fulfill in protecting our "Christian nation". General Flynn for example is currently running around the country holding rallies in which people are literally baptized into the movement.
In fairness of course it is not strictly a Christian problem. Hamas for example is an Islamic nationalist organization. I don't think there's anything about Christianity that is specifically more conducive to being manipulated by nationalism. It is more the authoritarian / fundamentalist sects of all religions, which are already fascistic and controlling by nature.
I no longer am member of a churches due to the large number of people there subscribe to QAnon beliefs and other far right beliefs. I just feel unsafe being in a church like that. I am a Christian and certainly read the bible and used to love going to church. Jesus after all preached about loving others and our enemies, turning the other cheek and helping the poor. All this commands of Jesus seem to be missing in what QAnon and other far right followers believe or teach.
It has a great deal to do with a large swath of Christians in this country. You can argue that they have departed from the True Faith in promoting it, such that it has "nothing to do with ChristianITY" but countless churches and para-church organizations in the evangelical world promote a nationalistic / fascistic / theocratic form of patriotic hornswoggle, and many individual Christians are fertile ground for political hucksters to tell them how Jesus has a special role for them to fulfill in protecting our "Christian nation". General Flynn for example is currently running around the country holding rallies in which people are literally baptized into the movement.
In fairness of course it is not strictly a Christian problem. Hamas for example is an Islamic nationalist organization. I don't think there's anything about Christianity that is specifically more conducive to being manipulated by nationalism. It is more the authoritarian / fundamentalist sects of all religions, which are already fascistic and controlling by nature.
Fundamentalist authoritarian religions automatically bring that Fascist orientation. It takes enormous hubris and arrogance to believe you have (magically) discovered the one and only truth about God and life and what we are supposed to do and not do and want to impose it on everybody!!
I agree with the bolded wholeheartedly. I also think we should acknowledge and encourage those who do not remain silent.
Quote:
Originally Posted by LearnMe
You don't see how pointing out wrong-thinking as coded in the Bible has anything to do with what people can do beyond just speaking out against wrong-thinking? Or wrong-doing? Perhaps it's all the same thing, but let me make this distinction if nothing else but to make myself clear.
If someone speaks out against being a White Supremacist or violence without addressing the causes for a good deal of wrong-thinking. That's one thing. Better than nothing I suppose, but not as good as addressing what causes people to act in the negative ways they do.
In this particular case, given this particular thread, it's how people have used the Bible in whatever way they might, right or wrong, that can and should be additionally addressed so some people will stop thinking the Bible is good reason for wrong-thinking or backward-thinking.
I know. Good luck with all that, but what I mean in any case...
I knew I couldn't call myself a Christian a long time ago, and here's to you if you can manage and keep a sense of humor while participating in all those arguments in the Christianity forum. Hehehe. I can barely manage the few threads I dabble with in this forum as it is.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mightyqueen801
I even heard that floated as a theory in my northern Reformed Church. Almost like slavery was part of God's Plan.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mordant
Yes and other studies have shown that conservative thinker's brains are wired quite distinctly from others, in terms of things like less open and curious, tendency to see difference as a failed pattern-match and therefore a threat, etc.
There was a video that went viral not long ago taken by some hapless Latino guy just trying to back his delivery truck out of a parking space and was blocked by an upright Christian lady demanding to know what he was doing there. She had the police on her cell phone and was demanding they investigate because "this guy looks Mexican -- he doesn't belong!!". This is what I mean by seeing every outlier or difference as an existential threat. (At this point since she could not explain what illegal activity was happening, the police dispatcher she was speaking with was willing to suggest that what she was suggesting sounded racist and she went ballistic, explaining that she could not possibly be racist because her husband was black, lol).
This perception that people who "don't belong" must be "up to no good" and then demanding that "law and order" be imposed is the quintessential conservative mindset. It is not to say that all conservatives are that ridiculous (even today, mercifully, most aren't) but it IS to say that as the human brain is said to scan the environment for threats 4 times per second, conservatives (religious, political, whatever) are scanning for very distinctive threats. That is the source of the ubiquitous question in the American South, asked of seemingly every stranger: "So, where do you go to church?" It is really just a way of asking, "Do you belong? Are you safe, or a threat?" And if a person is not white, or heterosexual, or doesn't tick off various other boxes, then they are a source of, at the very least, discomfort and wariness. It is easy to see how this is tied in with racist stereotypes.
Quote:
Originally Posted by LearnMe
"Conservatism is dead -- there is nothing left to conserve."
Quote:
Originally Posted by LearnMe
Another good question...
Answer:
"According to a May 2022 poll from the University of Maryland, 61% of Republicans favor declaring the United States a Christian nation – even though 57% recognized that it would be unconstitutional. Meanwhile, 31% of all Americans and 49% of Republicans believe “God intended America to be a new promised land where European Christians could create a society that would be an example for the rest of the world,” a recent survey from the Public Religion Research Institute found.
Those statistics underscore the influence of a set of ideas called “Christian nationalism,” which has been in the spotlight leading up to November 2022 midterm elections. Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene has openly identified as a Christian nationalist and called for the Republican Party to do the same. Others, like Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert and Pennsylvania gubernatorial candidate Doug Mastriano, have not claimed that label but have embraced its tenets, such as dismissing the separation of church and state."
It has a great deal to do with a large swath of Christians in this country. You can argue that they have departed from the True Faith in promoting it, such that it has "nothing to do with ChristianITY" but countless churches and para-church organizations in the evangelical world promote a nationalistic / fascistic / theocratic form of patriotic hornswoggle, and many individual Christians are fertile ground for political hucksters to tell them how Jesus has a special role for them to fulfill in protecting our "Christian nation". General Flynn for example is currently running around the country holding rallies in which people are literally baptized into the movement.
In fairness of course it is not strictly a Christian problem. Hamas for example is an Islamic nationalist organization. I don't think there's anything about Christianity that is specifically more conducive to being manipulated by nationalism. It is more the authoritarian / fundamentalist sects of all religions, which are already fascistic and controlling by nature.
Of course...some Anti-Christians cannot help themselves but to saturate the thread with political screeds.
And, as usual...they are biased and discriminatory against "conservatives", even naming specific political officials they are biased against.
I thought we weren't supposed to speak of "politics" here?
In the U.S., to prevent Discrimination, there have been designated "Protected Classes"....Race, Color, Religion or creed, National origin or ancestry, Sex (including gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity), Age, etc,
It is deemed to be biased & discriminatory to attribute or associate "badness" with any of these.
Yet, for some reason, many here feel it is perfectly OK to be openly biased against people on the basis of their Religion...and speak negatively and associate all manner of evil volition to them, on the basis of their Religion/Creed.
What's up with that?
Do they not see that they are being just as biased and discriminatory as those they point fingers at?
Christianity makes up a third of the world, and Religion takes up over 4 out of 5...so, of course there will be some "bad actors" in a group that vast.
It is outright Discrimination, Bias, and Prejudice to associate "bad acts" with a protected class like Religion...no different than it would be to associate "badness" with a certain race, ethnicity, sex, etc.
Of course...some Anti-Christians cannot help themselves but to saturate the thread with political screeds.
And, as usual...they are biased and discriminatory against "conservatives", even naming specific political officials they are biased against.
I thought we weren't supposed to speak of "politics" here?
In the U.S., to prevent Discrimination, there have been designated "Protected Classes"....Race, Color, Religion or creed, National origin or ancestry, Sex (including gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity), Age, etc,
It is deemed to be biased & discriminatory to attribute or associate "badness" with any of these.
Yet, for some reason, many here feel it is perfectly OK to be openly biased against people on the basis of their Religion...and speak negatively and associate all manner of evil volition to them, on the basis of their Religion/Creed.
What's up with that?
Do they not see that they are being just as biased and discriminatory as those they point fingers at?
Christianity makes up a third of the world, and Religion takes up over 4 out of 5...so, of course there will be some "bad actors" in a group that vast.
It is outright Discrimination, Bias, and Prejudice to associate "bad acts" with a protected class like Religion...no different than it would be to associate "badness" with a certain race, ethnicity, sex, etc.
Time for me to sign off now, but before I do, it might help you to better understand if you see comment #147...
There's also the title of this thread, but regardless, some religious people can't help themselves but to forever bellyache about what comments don't perfectly fit their religious parameters. Nothing anyone can or really should do about that, other than perhaps the moderators.
I always leave it to them as I do again now that it's time for me to move along and begin preparing our BSB. Here's to a good Sunday for you, yours and anyone else who wants to express an opinion (or heartburn) in this forum. Let freedom ring, and/or let's not always get our undies up into a twist over nothing just because everyone's perspective tends to vary along these lines.
I guess it's more of a general whine. Not necessarily about YOUR post in particular, but the general tone around here toward Christianity. This crap gets old. It's nonstop the same garbage. And like it or not, it's encouraged.
Quote:
Originally Posted by LearnMe
Is pointing out where and how the Bible was or is either being used or misused to perpetuate some of this wrong thinking perhaps at least one thing people can do beyond just speaking out against wrong thinking?
Quote:
Originally Posted by LearnMe
Time for me to sign off now, but before I do, it might help you to better understand if you see comment #147...
There's also the title of this thread, but regardless, some religious people can't help themselves but to forever bellyache about what comments don't perfectly fit their religious parameters. Nothing anyone can or really should do about that, other than perhaps the moderators.
I always leave it to them as I do again now that it's time for me to move along and begin preparing our BSB. Here's to a good Sunday for you, yours and anyone else who wants to express an opinion (or heartburn) in this forum. Let freedom ring, and/or let's not always get our undies up into a twist over nothing just because everyone's perspective tends to vary along these lines.
The ones that have "their undies up in a twist" are the ones that ascribe negative volitions to others on the basis of their Religion.
This is outright bias, prejudice, & Discrimination.
For some reason there are those that have no problem speaking about those that belong to some Religion, in a way that they would never do about those that belong to whatever race, ethnicity, sex, etc.
Speak about those of a specific race, ethnicity, sex, etc, the exact same way you do about Christians...see what they think of that.
Constantly go off on those that belong to some race, national origin, or sex...and ascribe to them an association with the most odious of views/acts...and when they take exception, tell them, "let's not always get our undies up into a twist over nothing". See if they find that acceptable.
I no longer am member of a churches due to the large number of people there subscribe to QAnon beliefs and other far right beliefs. I just feel unsafe being in a church like that. I am a Christian and certainly read the bible and used to love going to church. Jesus after all preached about loving others and our enemies, turning the other cheek and helping the poor. All this commands of Jesus seem to be missing in what QAnon and other far right followers believe or teach.
There are plenty of churches that don't promote conspiracy theories or fascistic ideation, and emphasize the teachings of Jesus concerning love and charity. You are just accustomed to a backward segment of Christianity.
I'm not even a Christian anymore, but I feel constrained to point these things out. If you like church, then find a church you feel safe in, and be less concerned about dogma.
There are plenty of churches that don't promote conspiracy theories or fascistic ideation, and emphasize the teachings of Jesus concerning love and charity. You are just accustomed to a backward segment of Christianity.
I'm not even a Christian anymore, but I feel constrained to point these things out. If you like church, then find a church you feel safe in, and be less concerned about dogma.
Even thought there are plenty of churches that don't promote conspiracy theories or fascistic ideation and focus on love and charity, I have seen a lot of hypocrisy there, on what they say or put on social media, shows the fruit of their life. However not all are like that and there are genuine Christians out there.
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Fundamentalist authoritarian religions automatically bring that Fascist orientation. It takes enormous hubris and arrogance to believe you have (magically) discovered the one and only truth about God and life and what we are supposed to do and not do and want to impose it on everybody!!