TOO MANY CHRISTIANS TOOK THE BAIT BY ALLOWING THEMSELVES TO BECOME IDENTIFIED AS “CHRISTIAN NATIONALIST”. GUYS LIKE ALBERT MOHLER , WHO ONCE CONDEMNED CHRISTIAN NATIONALISM AND THE “NATCON3” EVENT HELPED TO RALLY BELIEVERS AROUND THE FALSE IDENTITY. NOW THE COORDINATED BACKLASH OF ACCUSATION AND EXTREMISM HAS BEGUN AND IT IS COMING FROM THE EMERGENT -FAR LEFT OF EVANGELICALISM.

Rev Thomas Littleton

4-22-2023

( NOTE- the Rhetoric speaks for itself – from Vote Common Good event website:)

“What We Are Doing -“Many Evangelical and Catholic voters have been taught that to be faithful, they must vote for Republican candidates regardless of the candidate’s character or policy positions.”

“In recent years a significant percentage of these voters have watched the Republican party disregard a commitment to the common good as they support political and social movements rooted in white-nationalism, a misguided approach to “America First,” and practices of division.”

“This was highlighted by the treacherous insurrection and attack on Congress on January 6, 2021, and the continued spreading of the “big lie” about the 2020 Presidential election outcome.”

“Many Evangelical and Catholic voters are experiencing a reckoning of their faith and feel called to oppose policies and approaches of division, racism, selfishness, cruelty, and exclusion.”)

THE REAL PROBLEM -APART FROM THE RHETORIC –

Biblical Christian conservatives have long fought efforts by the left to paint them “Extremist” and as a “threat to American” and to “Democracy”. Labels and public finger pointing in the media are generally all that is needed to ramp up the anti Christian emotions and isolate convictional believers. It also helps to have a ton of money and the help of a complicit media like Doug Pagitt and “Vote Common Good ” and other similar activist and organizations.

Launch of the new and expanded chapter in the attack on Christians conservatives as”Christian nationalist” was helped along by liberal Religion News Service and an article by “Ruth Braunstein is an associate professor of sociology at the University of Connecticut and the director of the Meanings of Democracy Lab. “

HERE COMES THE LAUNCH OF THE 2024 HATE ON CONSERVATIVE CHRISTIANS.

“Doug Pagitt, center, speaks during a Vote Common Good rally at a United Church of Christ in Fresno, California, on Jan. 19, 2020. Video screen grab.”

(RNS) — “Christian nationalism — the idea that being Christian is core to the American identity — is nothing new, either in American religious culture or its politics. But it used to be a radical proposal, and holding Christian nationalist views disqualified politicians and even clergy from higher leadership. Recently, however, it has been embraced as a badge of honor. A sitting member of Congress has sold “Proud Christian Nationalist” T-shirts on her website. Books defending Christian nationalism are given serious discussion. And according to a recent survey from PRRI, nearly one-third of Americans now hold Christian nationalist attitudes.”

“These developments rightfully raise concern. But there is another, relatively untold, side of this story: The most recent rise of Christian nationalism has ignited a wave of resistance.”

THE RHETORIC- SHAPING A “PLURALIST RESISTANCE “

“According to PRRI, Americans who have heard of Christian nationalism are twice as likely to hold a negative than a positive view of the term. These Americans also reject the specific ideas associated with the ideology. Indeed, the 3 in 10 Americans that PRRI found who align with Christian nationalism to some degree are opposed by nearly the same percentage (29%) who completely reject the ideas associated with Christian nationalism. Another 39% is skeptical.”

“Most importantly, these Americans are joining a growing movement I call the pluralist resistance. They are taking action through a diverse set of organizations that each tackles a different dimension of Christian nationalism’s influence.”

THE GROUPS INVOLVED AND THEIR TACTICS

“Christians Against Christian Nationalism and Vote Common Good are the most visible of the groups attempting just that. Amanda Tyler of the Baptist Joint Committee, which leads the Christians Against Christian Nationalism coalition, has been speaking around the country to raise alarms about the dangers of Christian nationalism. Last December, she testified before a House subcommittee about the role Christian nationalism played in the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection.”

Vote Common Good recently completed a “March on Christian Nationalism” campaign, which builds on the group’s year-round work to educate Christians about how to identify and confront Christian Nationalism through podcasts, webinars and a state-of-the art training program, titled “Confronting Christian Nationalism Curriculum,” for faith community leaders and individuals.”

THE TRAINING AND THE END GAME .

Vote Common Good actually has online training videos and indoctrination tools

This free three-session video and discussion curriculum includes 17 video segments and guided discussion resources to help participants:

• Develop an understanding of Christian Nationalism
• Explore research-based characteristics of American Christian Nationalism
• Incorporate responses to Christian nationalism
• Learn ways to talk with those who adhere to Christian nationalism
• Consider some Scripture passages that remind us how to interact with others lovingly, even when we do not agree

Questions addressed include:

• Was America founded as a Christian nation?
• What does Christian Nationalism look like in the United States?
• Is there a difference between conservative Christianity and Christian nationalism?
• Is Christian nationalism embraced only by a fringe element in America?
• How should the Christian church think about Christian Nationalism?
• How can I talk with those who embrace Christian nationalism.

THE “PRO DEMOCRACY”-ANTI INSURRECTION -CANDIDATE TRAINING

“We Create Contexts for Direct Contact with Voters”

“Through the Faith, Hope, & Love: Not Insurrections and Christian Nationalism Tour, we will hold events in states with the most significant impact on the 2022 and 2024 elections. We are working to change the too commonly believed narrative “that people of faith must support Republicans.” We accomplish this through various messaging efforts and working extensively with the media to convey the message of voting for the common good.”

We Train Candidates Running for Office

“We instruct, coach, and consult candidates on connecting with and speaking authentically to faith motivated voters.”

END GAME OUTCOMES

The end game is a fight for the soul of America’s churches , Christian Youth and for …of course Christian Votes.

“One pivotal front of this battle is in the nation’s churches. Conservative Christians, lured by new online platforms and hyper-partisanship, have been sucked into a vortex of right-wing disinformation, conspiracy theories and fear. They are repeatedly told by right-wing influencers and politicians that Christians need to “take their country back.” Mistrustful of outsiders, these believers can only be convinced of the threat Christian nationalism holds for our democracy and to Christianity itself if other Christians are doing the talking.”

THE THEATRICS OF CHRISTIAN NATIONALISM

MUCH of the push for Christian Nationalism labeling also came from leftist “Conservative Christians in Name Only” like Russell Moore and David French – Others considered to be far more theologically sound and even some trusted Christian journalism outlets joined the confusing chorus seeking to draft evangelical’s political and cultural identity around the false and sticky trap label of “Christian Nationalism.”

HOW CHRISTIAN NATIONALISM WAS PROMOTED BY A JEWISH THINK TANK, A GAY LIBERTARIAN BILLIONAIRE , EVANGELICALS LIKE ALBERT MOHLER AND NEWLY POPULAR ” EVANGELICAL JOURNALIST” “MEGAN BASHAM.

2022’s NATCON is just one example of the how the honey trap FEATURING “Christian Nationalism ” as an mainstream IDEOLOGY was set for Conservative Believers.

NATCON’s WEBSITE PROMOTES THE NARRATIVE AND BOOKS LIKE

“The Case for Christian Nationalism “

“Stephen Wolfe”

“Evangelical elites and the progressive media complex want you to think that Christian nationalism is hopelessly racist, bigoted, and an idol for right-wing Christians. Is Christian nationalism the golden calf of the religious right—or is it the only way forward?“

“In The Case for Christian Nationalism, Stephen Wolfe offers a tour-de-force argument for the good of Christian nationalism, taken from Scripture and Christian thinkers ancient, medieval, and modern. Christian nationalism is not only the necessary alternative to secularism, it is the form of government we must pursue if we want to love our neighbors and our country.”

“Wolfe shows that the world’s post-war consensus has successfully routed the United States towards a gynocratic Global American Empire (GAE). Rather than the religious right’s golden calf, Christian nationalism is the idea that people in the same place and culture should live together and seek one another’s good. The grace of the gospel does not eliminate our geography, our people, and our neighbors. Instead, it restores us to pursue local needs and local leadership freely and without apology.”

“If you want to be able to answer the political debate raging today, you must understand the arguments in The Case for Christian Nationalism.”

NatCon 3

“The National Conservatism Conference brings together public figures, journalists, scholars, and students who understand that the past and future of conservatism are inextricably tied to the idea of the nation, to the principle of national independence, and to the revival of the unique national traditions that alone have the power to bind a people together and bring about their flourishing.”

“Dr. Albert Mohler serves as president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, which is the flagship school of the Southern Baptist Convention and one of the largest seminaries in the world. He has written nine books and authored thousands of articles on a wide range of topics. His most recent book is The Gathering Storm: Secularism, Culture, and the Church (Thomas Nelson, 2020).”

“Dr. Albert Mohler spoke on the topic: “‘Your God Will Have Been Supplanted by an Idol’: The Dangerous Illusion of a ‘Secular’ State”

“Megan Basham is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic and a culture reporter for the Daily Wire and a frequent contributor to Morning Wire. In her previous role as an entertainment editor and podcast co-host for World Magazine, she interviewed numerous A-list celebrities. She has also written for the Wall Street Journal, National Review, and Townhall. She is the author of Beside Every Successful Man: A Woman’s Guide to Having It All (Random House, 2008).”

“Megan Basham spoke on the topic: “How Pastors are Compromising the Gospel to Appease the Left”

CONCLUSION

After a several years of rally cries AROUND “Christian Nationalism ” identity- perhaps some Biblical conservatives can now see what a honey trap the entire movement has been and will have learned a very expensive lesson – costly to both the church and the America. Or maybe they have not. learned it.