As I was resting from my work week on Friday, an anti-Trump Catholic friend of mine named Lesley Mac sent me a video called “God Made Trump.” Before I can describe it in words, please watch it.
This video “God Made Trump” created by Truth Social and presented by BLUX shows the crux of Christian Nationalism. I took some notes to highlight key phrases: “Fight the Marxists,” “Fight the Deep State,” “Den of Vipers,” “Shepard to Mankind,” “Remain Strong in Faith,” “Take Our Country Back,” etc….These are all key phrases of Christian Nationalism and are even linked to Nazism. This mindset to “Force the nation back to God” or “Take our country back” is all about force, power, privilege, bigotry, supremacy, and even political violence as a method to gain political power. This video is not the Gospel and Catholic Corporal Works of Mercy which are to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, give drink to the thirsty, visit those in prison, comfort those who are sick, and to love our neighbor as ourselves.
Let’s watch another video from an actual group called Christians Against Christian Nationalism which compares the two different types of prayer on the anniversary of January 6th, a militarized “prayer” and a different prayer encouraging peace.
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The question is, what can we do as Christians about the threatening rise of Christian Nationalism? We can join the Christians Against Christian Nationalism movement. About a month ago, I became the Director of Communications for Catholics Vote Common Good, a role outside of my full-time job in Educational Therapy. It’s a Catholic portion of the national Christians Against Christian Nationalism movement. This national movement is comprised of a smaller number of allied non-profit organizations which are networked together for a common purpose, to defeat Christian Nationalism. Here are some of them although not all: “Red Letter Christians, Vote Common Good/Catholics Vote Common Good, Christians Against Christian Nationalism, and Faithful America.
I will define Christian Nationalism again by using a definition from Christians Against Christian Nationalism. “Christian nationalism seeks to merge Christian and American identities, distorting both the Christian faith and America’s constitutional democracy. Christian nationalism demands Christianity be privileged by the State and implies that to be a good American, one must be Christian. It often overlaps with and provides cover for white supremacy and racial subjugation. We reject this damaging political ideology and invite our Christian brothers and sisters to join us in opposing this threat to our faith and to our nation.
Many times in my pieces, I close with the traits of fascism which are derived from Encyclopedia Britannica and The Washington Monthly.
1. Sources and capitalizes on economic woes and anxieties–Currently in Texas, instead of expanding programs like food stamps, Medicaid, and other programs which help people who are destitute, the state of Texas is squeezing and reducing these types of programs. According to the Texas Tribune, Greg Abbott is redirecting funds from Health and Human Services Commission and the Texas Department of Public Safety to the border, leaving those in great need with less access to social services. Greg Abbott redirects $500 million from other agencies for border mission | The Texas Tribune
2. Shifts political blame on to scapegoat groups like minority groups, the Democrats,
immigrants, and other groups while taking away blame from where it belongs, on the leadership–The treatment of migrants at our Texas border is downright criminal. President Biden had to end razors on buoys in the Rio Grande recently by suing our governor, Governor Abbott. Biden administration sues Texas governor over Rio Grande buoy barrier that’s meant to stop migrants – ABC News
3. Propagates extreme nationalism going hand-in-hand with racism and militarism–The United Nations is even concerned and published an article about it.—-Victims mount as extreme nationalism fuels racism | OHCHR
4. A melding of church and state when there should be a separation–According the Texas Tribune, opponents of church-state separation have been emboldened by recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions and the growing acceptance of Christian nationalism on the right. Conservative Christians push Texas Legislature on church-state separation | The Texas Tribune
5. Subjugation of women and sexism–The Austin-American Statemen wrote an article a year ago stating that Texas has always been tough on women, and now it’s worse. Commentary: Texas has always been tough on women. It’s worse now. (statesman.com)
6. A disdain for human rights except those of the elite, especially a disdain for those who identify as LGBTQIA+–The number of anti-LGBTQ+ bills which strip away basic human rights are skyrocketing in the United States and have over the last two years. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) gives further details. Mapping Attacks on LGBTQ Rights in U.S. State Legislatures | American Civil Liberties Union (aclu.org)
7. Obsession with crime and punishment–You can review the statistics of crime and arrests in Texas here through the Texas Department of Public Safety. Crime Records Reports and Statistical Information | Department of Public Safety (texas.gov)
8. Identification of enemies as a unifying cause for political action–According to a recent article in the Washington Post, the list of enemies in the Republican Party rises. Opinion | Republicans’ list of enemies keeps growing – The Washington Post
9. Disdain for intellectualism, science, history, and the arts–According the Texas Tribune, book banning is at an all-time high. Texas has banned more books than any other state | The Texas Tribune
10. Control of different types of media, including books–see #9
11. Rampant cronyism and government corruption–According to an article from the Texas Observer in 2021, Texas politicians face very little to no accountability for their actions. In Texas, Corrupt Politicians Face Little Accountability (texasobserver.org)
12. Attempt to control elections, like through voter suppression–Last, the Brennan Center for Justice gives account for the multiple attempts Texas Republican politicians make to suppress voter rights, particularly those who are of minority groups. Texas’s Voter Suppression Law Is On Trial | Brennan Center for Justice
After reviewing these articles, I don’t think we are in the outer rim of a fascist state anymore. We are closer to a variation of the Holocaust. Trump has promised to seek retribution if he returns to power. I believe him, and I believe a certain percentage of Christians will stand behind it.
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