One of my favorite online programs is a call-in show called The Line. Various hosts, most of whom identify themselves as atheists, take calls and engage in debates with believers from various faith traditions. The discussions are always interesting, although I often find myself amazed at the seemingly nonsensical things that some callers believe and attempt to defend. I grew up in a Christian home and was very active in church for much of my life. However, even as a child, there were some aspects of the Christian bible and organized religion that were problematic for me. Now, at age 63, I have definitely undergone a deconstruction of the teachings of the Baptist church in which I was raised. I’m not an atheist. I still believe that there is some sort of spiritual higher power, and I believe there is an afterlife. I reject the notion, however, that the Christian Bible came directly from God and that humans have interpreted the ancient writings that now comprise what Christians refer to as “The Holy Bible” correctly. It is from this constantly evolving perspective on my faith that make the current push toward Christian nationalism in the United States even more puzzling.
In much the same way that I struggled to resolve the inconsistent Bible stories that I learned as a child, I continue to be puzzled by the contradictions that continue to emerge as a result of the desire of evangelical Christians to blend religion and politics for the purpose of establishing Christian nationalism in the United States.
For me, the major issue is the disconnect between what traditional Christians say that they believe and the behavior that they exhibit toward others. In Philippians 4:4 – 6, Paul tells the Christians in Philippi to “Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all…Do not be anxious about anything.” In verse 19, Paul continues by assuring the Christians that, “God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” When I read these verses, I would think that the main takeaways are these: God is in control of all of the resources that the world will ever need; God loves every person; God commands His children not to fear; and that God promises to provide for His children.
The America First movement, seems to be a direct contradiction to what Paul is expressing. America First appeals to fear by telling us that we should fear:
- Immigrants because they will take our jobs, change our culture, and drain our country of resources that should be reserved for the express use of white, Christian, native-born American
- Minorities and women because Affirmative Action and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs will give them unfair advantages, and
- Members of the LGBTQ+ community because their existence threatens the rigid gender roles and traditional family structures that are championed by religious conservatives as the singular “right” way to live.
However, the problem is that all of these fears share an underlying assumption of scarcity and lack, and I would argue that this runs completely contrary to Jesus’ other teachings.
There are countless examples in the Bible of Jesus modeling the theology of abundance. Jesus taught that we should love our enemies, care for strangers, welcome outsiders, and generously share our resources. I always want to ask these “America First” Christians a simple question, “If you believe that Jesus was able to feed a crowd of 5000 people with a few loaves of bread and a small number of fish, why are you afraid that Jesus won’t provide everything that you need today?” If you truly believe that God loves you and will provide for your needs, why do you panic at the thought that someone else receiving help will mean fewer good things for you?
When my son was growing up on the 1990s, the WWJD (What Would Jesus Do?) bracelets, T-shirts, hats other gear were all the rage. I think we need to bring back the WWJD swag and really focus on the meaning behind it. Would Jesus be opposed to universal health care? Would He support mass deportations and subjecting undocumented immigrants to horrendous conditions in detentions centers, located in countries to which these individuals have no ties and to which they have never been? Would Jesus cut off SNAP benefits to the poor so that billionaires can receive bigger tax cuts?
How can Christians truly believe that God is sovereign, loves all people, and promises to care for those who trust Him, yet turn around and fear that immigrants, refugees, minorities, or other marginalized groups will somehow diminish their own blessing? Doesn’t this reflect a lack of trust in God’s abundance?
I’ve never believed God’s blessings were a pie with only so many slices. Another person’s dignity doesn’t reduce mine. Another family’s safety doesn’t threaten my own. If I believe God is generous, then I don’t have to live as though everyone else is my competitor.
If our politics are driven more by fear than faith, perhaps the problem isn’t our politics at all. Perhaps it’s what—or whom—we really trust.
quietlyradical 