Some scary-ass shit...
‘Bad Faith: Christian Nationalism's War on Democracy' Review: A Scary Look at the Potential Soldiers of A Second Trump Reign
“Bad Faith: Christian Nationalism’s War on Democracy” is the scariest film I've seen in a long time. It's a documentary that explores the rise of Christian Nationalism, and much of what it shows you, about the mutation of the Christian Right into a movement that has openly abandoned any loyalty to democracy, has been covered in the mass media in recent years. But the film's directors, Stephen Ujlajki and Christopher Jacob Jones, go deep into the roots of this movement, and what's new and disquieting is how the current presidential race changes everything. Viewed against the looming possibility of Donald Trump's re-election (a scenario that most liberals I know believe is unlikely; I think they may be seriously deluded), the rise of Christian Nationalism takes on a whole new meaning.
In 2017, Trump, once he took the reins of power, was constrained - by the other branches of government, and by the rule of law. He didn't become the explicitly, committedly anti-democratic figure he is now until the 2020 election, when his declaration that he was actually the winner, and that Joe Biden had stolen the election, became the new cornerstone of his ideology. In the intervening period, Trump has been setting himself up to rule the United States as an authoritarian leader, and that meshes perfectly with the goals of Christian Nationalism, a movement that's built around the dream of transforming America into a theocracy: a Christian nation ruled by a higher power than the Constitution - that is, by the will of God, as interpreted by his white Christian followers.
The Christian Nationalist movement was the driving force behind the January 6 insurrection, and what we saw there was a preview of their ideals and methods: a frothing hostility toward the U.S. government, coupled with the willingness to use violence. Russell Moore, the editor of Christianity Today, talks about how the new wave of Christianity is “a church growth movement, but for angry people. A sense of theatrical anger feels, to some, like depth of conviction.” Yet even on Jan. 6, these “rebels,” participating in their own form of action-movie cosplay, were, like Trump himself, at least somewhat constrained. What “Bad Faith” captures is that Christian Nationalists now have the potential to be the shock troops in a second and far more threatening Trump presidency.
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They're about as "christian" as Charles Manson, David Koresh, and Jim Jones.
ReplyDeleteReligion is the worst thing mankind ever fell for.
In some cases, good, normal Christians can be worked into a frenzy by a "motivated pastor" to where they will believe everything he says about "good vs evil". The Christian Good must prevale, which fits their orientations. Nothing wrong with that, per se, BUT it's HOW it prevails that is the issue. Then add-in politics and things can get worse.
ReplyDeleteFEW people seem to remember that this country was founded on RELIGIOUS FREEDOM AND SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE. As religious operatives seek a more religious nation of laws. To them, church and state together make perfect sense and they are motivating their congregations in that particular orientation. The flock follows the Shepard, as the flock wants to be considered "good Christians".
The interesting thing is that many unknowingly followed Trump for what he promised he could do. When, if they had remembered their high school government class, he really had NO power to do them, constitutionally. But "He was Trump and HE could make it happen", so he claimed. Many had seen him in action on TV, which they seemed to like. So HE was their choice for President. They believed the HYPE from him, which glorified him as somebody who could get things done, allegedly, with real history proving otherwise. Or his gains were on the backs of poor people who had to have jobs and took glory that they worked for him, even if he didn't pay them fully for their work.
IF one does not know history, they are doomed to repeat it. World War II was fought to defeat fascism in Europe. Now it has risen in the USA. Many aspects of it have been normalized into our daily lives. Few younger people understand what the big deal is, as long as we have elections. Russia has elections, too.
What I see from here, Canada, it's a society that didn't separate church from the politic systemn even if your founding fathers did include it in your Constitution.
ReplyDeleteBack in time, before the 60's in Province of Québec, we were Catholic people who weren't too educated and our politic system and the Catholic church were leading us to what to think.
Then after 1962 we did what we called "la Révolution Tranquile" (the Quiet Revolution) in which the Liberal party in Québec did evacuate the Church out of schools and all the politic system.
This was fallowed by Pierre Eliott Trudeau in the 70's by saying that governement has nothing to do in any Canadian bedrooms.
Leading to our 1982 new Constitution with the adding of our «Canadian Charter of Rights and Liberties».
This is so different of what is going on in USA where you are still struggloing with all those preachers who are commited to one oe the other party.
Not mentionning your issues over racism and sexism and the sad economic disparities where the wealthy 1% are getting richer and richer and the 99% are struggling to just be able to live a normal life.
Yes, we are a «social democracy», we pay lot of taxes but we can live without worrying if we can finish the month with food on our tables for many reasons.
Cdadbr - The last two sentences of your comment hits the nail on the head.
ReplyDeleteThe Christian nationalists await Armageddon and Gods judgement. Watch them squirm when they find God’s judgement seat turns into an electric chair just for them. After all they’re the ones who worship their material goods more than God and are the ones advocating violence and death all in the name of Christ, blasphemy is theirs for all to see. :( -Rj
ReplyDeleteRj - Absolutely!
ReplyDelete