Christian Nation series: “Honor your parents”

July 3, 2023 By Kathryn Shihadah

Many Christians believe that the founding fathers were inspired by God as they penned our founding documents, and consider (or want) Christianity to be our national religion. Constitutional attorney (and, as mentioned before, atheist) Andrew Seidel argues in his book, The Founding Myth, that our founding documents actually stand in opposition to the idea of a Christian nation. Continuing our series, let’s examine the commandment on honoring parents – specifically, is this commandment compatible with the freedom that Americans hold... Read more

Christian Nation series: “Holy Sabbath, Batman!”

June 24, 2023 By Kathryn Shihadah

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We’ve been discussing the idea, popular in some Christian circles, that the United States should be (or already is) a Christian nation, one in which the Ten Commandments should be displayed and obeyed by all. Today, let’s take a look at how the Third Commandment fits into the picture (or as non-Lutherans call it – wrongly – “the Fourth Commandment”). The Christian nation idea is an outgrowth of the myth that at least some of the founding fathers were devout... Read more

Christian Nation series: “God’s name in vain”

June 19, 2023 By Kathryn Shihadah

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A subset of American Christians believe the United States should be (or already is) a Christian nation, and in that vein want to see Christian symbols in public spaces. “It’s what our founders had in mind,” they insist. While many Americans, both Christian and otherwise, believe the at least some of the founding fathers were devout Christ-followers, this is actually more fable than fact – as Andrew Seidel argues in his book, The Founding Myth. As I have mentioned in... Read more

Christian Nation series: “no other gods”

June 10, 2023 By Kathryn Shihadah

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Many Christians insist that the United States is a Christian nation, or should be a Christian nation, or was intended by its founders to be a Christian nation. It’s what makes ours the best country in the world, and maybe why God has blessed us (well, that and our unwavering support for Israel). According to Pew Research, 45% of Americans (60% of Christians) believe America should be a Christian nation, and 1/3 believe we already are a Christian nation (my... Read more

The “America is a Christian Nation” hoax, revealed

June 7, 2023 By Kathryn Shihadah

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Is America a Christian nation? Was America created based on Judeo-Christian values? Many Christians would answer these questions with a hearty Yes. We pledge allegiance to “one nation under God,” we place our right hand on a Bible in our courtrooms (and some still have the Ten Commandments on the wall), our coins say “In God we trust.” And of course we have freedom to worship. So obviously we are, at least unofficially, a Judeo-Christian nation… Or are we??? (cue... Read more

GOP women promote purity (but don’t practice it) + sex appeal + toxic femulinity

May 25, 2023 By Kathryn Shihadah

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WARNING: this post is about Marjorie Taylor Green and Lauren Boebert, and is consequently both racy and racist. Reader discretion is advised. (TBH, it’s also a tad gossip-y.) It’s never been easy to be a woman, and nowadays it’s hard to keep up with the evolving standards. I was raised in the conservative world, and we did what men said the Bible said: we were quiet, demure, gentle, respectful, feminine. But, as they say, times, they are a-changin’. Our new... Read more

Christian org The Israel Guys calls for a “biblical” massacre of innocent Palestinians

May 8, 2023 By Kathryn Shihadah

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Christian Zionists believe that modern Israel is a continuation of Biblical Israel and therefore should enjoy special privileges. They declare that it is the responsibility of Christians to support the State of Israel and its policies. Christian Zionism is a religious belief system based on a certain interpretation of Scripture (especially Genesis 12, 15, and 17) – but it is also a deeply political ideology that places support for modern Israel as a top priority. Christian Zionists tend to idealize... Read more

Did you know? The “pro-life” party is also pro-suicide

May 2, 2023 By Kathryn Shihadah

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Before we jump to our discussion of suicide, let’s admit one thing. It is impossible to rationalize the “pro-life” party’s worship of weapons. They know it and we know it. Every time there’s a mass murder, they scramble for a scapegoat. In Nashville TN, the problem was not guns but trans people. In Cleveland TX, the border with Mexico is to blame. In Mojave CA, it was drugs. Elsewhere, it’s black-on-black crime, or homosexuals, or mental illness. Never guns. Because... Read more

Texas wants to take away religious liberty

April 28, 2023 By Kathryn Shihadah

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CNN has reported on several bills sailing through the Texas state legislature which seek to impose religion – no, to impose Christianity – on public school students. My previous self would have been ecstatic about this news, but today, I no longer live inside a bubble, and I know this legislation has nothing to do with religious liberty and everything to do with supremacy. One Texas bill would require each public school classroom to display a copy of the Ten... Read more

The ethnic cleansing of Emmaus

April 26, 2023 By Kathryn Shihadah

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In recognition of the Easter season, please ponder the factual history of one of the holiday’s most beloved stories: Jesus and the Emmaus disciples. The peaceful town was populated by Palestinians until it was ethnically cleansed by Israel in 1967. The author, Alison Weir, is a friend and colleague of mine who has been fighting for Palestinian rights for many years, and a historian in her own right. (Her book on the creation of the state of Israel is available... Read more