Christian Nationalism: Examining the Demonization

Nationalism examining the demonization that is a topical discuss today right here on the Christian worldview radio program mission is to sharpen the biblical worldview. Christians and to share the good news of Jesus Christ. I'm debuting the host our website is the Christian worldview.org. Thank you for joining us today on the program as we talk about Christian nationalism, not because some people held Christian flags and crosses at the Trump rally in Washington DC on January 6 because a melee at the US Capitol ensued. The conclusion now pushed by the mainstream media and politicians and religious leaders on the left is that quote Christian nationalists are homegrown terrorist, threatening our democracy. But what exactly is Christian nationalism. It's being used as this catch all pejoratively a word expressing contempt for those who reach the capital, but by extension beyond that any and all Christians, including evangelicals, especially who want biblical values integrated into our civil life in polity in America. So the reasoning goes like this, you're a Christian, you voted for Trump Trump is a white supremacist who made baseless claims of election fraud and incited an insurrection at the US Capitol, which threatened our democracy. Thus, you are a Christian nationalist supporting white supremacy sedition and election did nihilism you are dangerous to democracy and you need to be marginalized, monitored and suppressed. You are the enemy of the state and the people. That's how they see it, but even professing Christians are piling on Tish Harrison. Warren wrote in Christianity today quote the responsibility of yesterday's us is back on January 7. She wrote this. The response of yesterday's violence must be in part laid at the feet of those evangelical leaders who ushered in and applauded Trump's presidency, they can also sadly be laid at the feet of the white American church more broadly on quote but you get the quote Greg Fraser today Prof. of political studies at the Masters University and author of the book the religious beliefs of America's founders joins us to explain Christian nationalism into what degree the American founders of this country envisioned biblical values to be integrated into public policy and in the interesting question of how Jesus Christ reigns someday. Will he be a Christian nationalist integrating biblical values into the kingdom he reigns over that all coming up on the program but before we get to those topics. I think it's important to understand the basis, the pivotal event for why this is all being brought up now. Being poor so so much ago really goes back to.

Obviously, the Trump presidency how much the left absolutely hated him and his viewpoints but also it really specifically goes to what took place on January 6 of the US Capitol without the melee in a riot that took place that particular day.

That event is being used as a pretext for the marginalization, the accusations that Christian nationalists are the biggest threat we have in our democracy today and so recently Tucker Carlson. The host on Fox News every evening at 7 PM central time went over the capital riot and what actually took place there and even when into the. The fact that how the George Floyd death last summer here in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis has been used again as a pretext for advancing leftist causes and how so many false claims and lies have been integrated into these narratives that are being brought out so this is a longer soundbite, but I think it's really important to understand with regard to this these accusations of Christian nationalism as being the biggest threat to our democracy because it's all based on what took place in that capital riot on January 6, along with the allegations of election fraud that Donald Trump was speaking about that day. Here's Tucker Carlson on January 6. Supporters of Donald Trump swarmed the capital building some force their way inside and Washington has never been the same.

It may never be the same as result of what happened on January 6. Your descendents will live in a very different country.

It was a pivot point in our history. Looking back, some in Congress have compared that day to 9/11, the Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer has likened it to Pearl Harbor the day that spurred America's entry into the second world war. Every day we hear new and more florid comparisons from Democratic partisans last night seen an outdated all of the Chernobyl. The Bhopal disaster, the Irish potato famine.

No, what happened on January 6 was worse than any of that. It was seen until this very much like the Rwandan genocide. The idea of authorizing people is something I think we saw a lot of over the last four years of his losing a lot over the last decades, but it's so easy to authorize people to make people other than other than American other than patriotic other than then human, you know, and we seen it in Bosnia we seen in Rwanda were radio was telling people they know Hutus were telling him radio listeners with two-tier cockroaches, you know, getting them ginned up for genocide. The Rwandan genocide. That's what it was like my nickel 12 million people were murdered in Rwanda in 1994.

That's what 70% of all ethnic tootsies in the country. Entire towns were hacked to death with machetes that were set on fire crossed alive by bulldozers. Hundreds of thousands of women were raped. He was almost horrifying crimes in human history. Okay so there's the opening to his monologue that night, saying how this January 6 riot during the time president Trump was making his allegations of voting fraud. This was he set a pivot point in American history and you think will this this right at the capital really wasn't much of a right yes a few people.you can get into that in a sec of the stories behind them, but the capital wasn't burned down. People dissipated the same day. This wasn't a takeover of government. How did it get to the point of being compared to the most momentous dangerous events in US history. How does a country recover from something like that from a genocide will first, obviously, punish the guilty quickly and severely RK should impeach him. But then, and this is more important you said about reordering your society from top to bottom to make certain nothing like that ever happens again she will purge the military suspend basic civil liberties to emphasize the point you send troops to the capital you tear down the old you destroy all vestiges of the past in order to save the future that is going on now that is what exactly were taking place now all the purging on social media platforms. If you don't you post something is not consistent with the groupthink of today. You are just taken off those platforms mean the amount of free speech in this country, the, the freedom to speak has been complete completely diminished taken down since his capital riot on January 6 because again, they believe that that was a fundamental threat to the existence of America. What took place.

Now they may not believe it but they're going to use it to try to gain and control more power in this country. Tucker continues: before we remake America to prevent future genocide. The capital may wish to know a little bit more about the crime that occurred on January 6, if only to understand the justification for overturning our lives permanently. What did happen that day. Simple question may be surprised to learn how little we know even now, it's remarkable how many of the most basic questions remain unanswered. More than a month after the fact will start with the headline of the day. Five Americans died on the Capitol grounds on January 6. You've heard that you hear incessantly, including from Republican officeholders, five dead, but that doesn't really tell you very much. It's the details as always that matter.

Who were these people and how did they die. That's how you understand what actually happens with that in mind here, the facts, as of tonight, for the five who died that they were trump supporters. The fifth was a Capitol Hill police officer who apparently also supported Donald Trump. Why is this relevant, of course, the political views of the deceased shouldn't matter, but unfortunately in this case they do Alexandria because he Cortez and many other elected Democrats claim. The mob was coming from them that day get the only recorded casualties on January 6 were people who voted for Donald Trump. Okay, now here's where it gets interesting about who actually died and how they died very different than what we've been told by the media who is trying to turn it into the next catastrophe, murderous, riotous insurrection sedition in history of the world get the only recorded casualties on January 6 were people who voted for Donald Trump. The first among them was a 34-year-old woman from Georgia called Roseanne Boyland authorities first announced that Boylan died of a quote medical emergency. Later video footage suggested she may have accidentally been trampled by the crowd were still not sure that's the best guess the second casualty was 55-year-old Kevin Greeson recent died of heart failure will talking to his wife on a cell phone outside the capital quote. Kevin had a history of high blood pressure. His wife later said in the midst of the excitement he suffered a heart attack." The third was 15-year-old Benjamin Phillips of Ring town Pennsylvania filter was a Trump supporter who organized a bus trip to Washington for the rally that day he died of a stroke on the grounds of the capital.

There is no evidence that Phillips rioted, or was injured by writers or even when inside the capital building the force for person to die. The only person to die that day of intentional violence was 35-year-old Ashley Babbitt, a military veteran from San Diego. Babbitt was wearing a Trump Kate when she was shot to death by Capitol Hill Police Lt. Babbitt's death was caught on video so hers is the best documented death that took place that day, and it is surprising how little we know about it that was shot. She tried to crawl through broken window into the speakers lobby within the capital and that's essentially the extent of what we know authorities have refused to release the name of the man who shot her or divulge any details of the investigation they say they've done, we may never know exactly why this unnamed Capitol Hill police officer took her life.

According to that officer's attorney quote. There is no way to look at the evidence and think that he is anything but a hero which we can actually look at that evidence because a withholding we can even know his identity killing an unarmed woman may be justified under certain specific circumstances.

But since when is it quote heroic when the dead woman has read chewing on websites, Republicans are asking that question one Republican member of Congress in Oklahoma since he immediately hugged the officer who shot Ashley Babbitt you did what you had to do the Congressman said the officer really have to do that we don't know. It would be nice to know maybe someone could ask. We do know that Ashley Babbitt was not holding a weapon, when she was killed.

Nevertheless, at the impeachment hearing this week.

Congressman Davidson, Selena Ryland described what happened at the capital is quote armed insurrection. Watch, he incited an armed angry mob to riot and inciting an armed insurrection against the United States government and armed angry and dangerous crowd armed violence against the government of the United States of America. Davidson Selena is a former Mafia lawyer from Providence or presumably he knows what it is to commit a felony with firearms that was.

He does there are no reports of writers of the capital building that day. Discharging weapons were threatening anyone with a gun limited break in here to say yet what a great insurrection this was that no one had held any spaces of government with arms or try to take over government. But again that doesn't matter. You just lie about it. You make that event sound like it was we were on the precipice of losing our country being taken over by whoever breached the capital that day. We continue at Tucker. So what exactly is Davidson Selena talking about will apparently he's referring to the death of officer Brian sick neck in the hours after the right, the New York Times reported that trump supporters had brutally beaten officer sick to death with a fire extinguisher fire extinguisher apparently is the deadly weapon. The armed in the armed insurrection okay number to jump in here again because this was so widely reported that this police officer had been murdered by these preachers.

These rioters smashing his head with a firework signature. I think we actually even reported that here on the Christian worldview because it was so widespread it was just the accepted narrative well the truth turns out to be very different than that.

Now the news of sickness and death by violence was quickly picked up by countless other media outlets, cable-television anchors repeated and then amplified it officer Brian sick and died after being hit in the head with a fire extinguisher during the hours long attack they beat capital place officer to death with a fire extinguisher officer Brian sick. That died after being hit in the head with a fire extinguisher during the fight.

He died at the age of 42 after he was bludgeoned the fire extinguisher Capitol Hill police officer beaten to death with a fire extinguisher by a white supremacist mob is horrifying, and that is the story they were telling the story they still are telling that account forms the basis of the myth the Democrats have constructed around January 6, but in fact the story they told was a lie from beginning to end. Officer checked that was not beaten to death, not with a fire extinguisher, not with anything else. According to an exhaustive infesting new analysis on revolver news. There is no evidence that Brian sick think was hit with a fire extinguisher at any point during the day, not no video, nothing the officer's body apparently bore no signs of trauma. In fact, on the night of January 6 long after writers. The capital had been arrested or dispersed. Brian sick. Dick texted his brother from his office, according to his brother. Sick thinks that he "pepper sprayed twice and he was in good shape. 24 hours later officer Brian sick. Nick was dead officer sick die at the head of the capital policing has said he had a stroke. No cause. Given Morton that we still don't know sick Dick's body was cremated immediately. Authorities have refused to release his autopsy. No one has been charged in his death. No charges are pending. Whatever happened to Brian sick neck was tragic.

Obviously, but was also very different from what they have told us they have lied about how we.if you asked the regular person on the street how that police officer died. The narrative has been so firmly entrenched. Now that these preachers these rioters beat him over the head with a fire extinguisher but of course that is not true. And again, the reason for applying this extended soundbite from Tucker Carlson's program is because the capital riot is made out to be the most dangerous momentous event in American history and the last was say 50 years of comparing it to all these other huge events Pearl Harbor 9/11 and so forth, and also the claims of that the election was fraudulent. All this is being used to say will who's who are the people doing this trump supporters trumps a white supremacist truck trump question the election. Those who support them are white supremacist their election deniers.

They were derided. They almost took over democracy and therefore they need to be strongly tamped down and pushed to the margins of society or exterminated back to our Tucker's monologue. They lied about a lot. For example, how did this right start. Was it a spontaneous event incited by a reckless president on his way out in the fit of vicious peak. That's one version of the story or was the riot. Long planned was a conspiracy. That's another version of the story. Both cannot be true that's important because trump is being accused of inciting the riot wealth was Artie plan before hand. Obviously what he said on that day.

Didn't incited this weekend, the former chief of the Capitol Hill police Stephen son claimed in a letter to Nancy Pelosi that there was no intelligence suggesting that a riot might be imminent at the capital. Apparently, the Washington Post has better sources than chief son does days after January 6.

The newspaper reported that it was well known that a group of trump supporters was headed to the city to cause trouble. The FBI almost certainly knew this, the feds likely had paid informers in the ranks of protesters. So if the authorities knew that violence might be coming to the capital, where was the necessary security.

It wasn't there in some publicly available videos Capitol Hill policing to be all but inviting riders into the building. So what does all of this mean exactly where not sure what it means and were not to speculate we do know for certain that the known facts of what happened on January 6 deviate in very important ways from the story. They are now telling us, including the story told us today in the impeachment here and in many places the known facts bear no resemblance to the story that tells the just flat out lying that question is while they lie about. That's a very good question and get back to Tucker's answer to that question in just a minute. The Christian worldview returns in just a moment the new year has brought new features to the Christian worldview radio program first good news for those who don't have an affiliate station in their area and those who subscribe to a free podcast, the latest program will now be available@ourwebsitethechristianworldview.org VR podcast feed at 8 AM central time on Saturdays. Short takes will also be released on Mondays. Following the weekend during the program. These bite-size highlights are great for those who don't have time to listen to the full 54 minute broadcast short takes can be heard at our website podcast feed or social media pages on Facebook and YouTube for more updates, program previews and resources. Be sure to sign up for our free weekly email by visiting the Christian worldview.org or calling one AAA 646-2233. That's one AAA 646-2233 or visiting the Christian worldview.org there is an abundance of Christian resources available at the reality is that many of them even some of the most popular nightly to a sound and strong faith is only one perfect book. The key aim of the Christian worldview is to identify and offer resources that are biblically faithful and deep in your walk with God in our online store. We have a wide range of resources from all ages, adult and children's books and DVDs, Bibles and devotionals, unique gifts and more so browser store and then Christian worldview.org and find enriching resources for yourself, family, friends, small group or church. You can also order by calling toll-free, one AAA 646-2233. That's one AAA 646-2233 or visit the Christian worldview.org welcome back to the Christian worldview you should visit our website the Christian one.org. You can subscribe to a free weekly email an annual print newsletter resources for adults and children and support the ministry. Now back to today's program with host David Wheaton again. Remember what is going on here is you take the capital riot you blow it away out of proportion you impugn anyone who had anything to do a Donald Trump supporting him. You marginalize him as being a racist and election denier and therefore you have this huge group of people who are the enemies of the state and therefore if they do anything now you have justification to clamp down on them as hard as possible. Now Tucker gets into the whole situation of the racial unrest last summer with George Floyd question is why would they lie about this for an answer.

Think back to last spring, beginning a Memorial day BLM and their sponsors in corporate America completely change this country.

They change this country more than five months of the change in the previous 50 years how they do that they use the sad death of a man called George Floyd to upend our society. Months later we learned that the story they told us about George Floyd's death was an utter lie. There was no physical evidence that George Floyd was murdered by a cop.

The autopsy showed that George Floyd almost certainly died of a drug overdose. Sentinel but by that point.

Facts didn't matter was truly cities had been destroyed along with the fabric of this country itself scores of people have been killed. Democratic partisans used it carefully concocted myth ally to bum rush America into overturning the old order and handing them much more power.

It worked flawlessly. So why wouldn't they do it again. Again there was Tucker Carlson of Fox News and the monologue he did recently on his program and I think you really put things in context for our topic today because that was the launching point January 6 the riot the. The allegations of election fraud. Those things have been the pretext for will who did this. These are Christian nationalists. These are evangelicals that the biggest voting block of those who have supported Donald Trump. They are the danger to democracy. They need to be demonized. They are the enemies of the state, not those who are actually trying to implement Marxism and socialism and burn down our country and eliminator history can tear down statues. Those people are dangerous is the Christian nationalists and so now were seeing all sorts of columns and press and media coverage coming out about these Christian nationalists and there is a good example of this written in the Minneapolis Star Tribune recently entitled capital siege puts spotlight on Christian nationalist okay I want to read just a few paragraphs from this column because it's going against going to show how this term Christian nationalists is being stretched and broadened so much not to maybe just some crazy extreme people who want your to completely take over government and force people to know profess Christ or something but it's been stretched and broadened to really include anyone who wants to see Christian values biblical values integrated into public life to the article starts out by saying this pastor chick chick.

Haley's stood in front of the altar last month wearing a black T-shirt with the words democratic platform number one murder unborn children and number two molest the survivors.

Proverbs 2411, which is deliver those who are being taken away to death, and those who are staggering to slaughter all hold them back and then he said democratic platform is. He asked the faithful in the pews of Calvary Chapel of St. Paul, Minnesota. Then he proclaimed the message on his shirt.

Citing the Proverbs verse that obligates believers to rescue those being led away to death or destruction. So began a Bible lesson accompanied by rhetoric, reflecting growing stridency among a segment of Christians convinced that the nation's Christian heritage is under siege and must be restored that the government has overreached its authority, even that the presidential election was stolen that one paragraph exactly explains who these quote in Christian nationals are millions of people believe that that government has overreached its authority that Christian heritage in America is under siege. Even at the present presidential election was stolen. Even the T-shirt I don't know what what the man meant about molest the survivors but murder unborn children of the Democratic platform that's exactly what the Democratic platform is about.

There is been a holocaust of 60 million+ unborn children's murdered in this country intentionally through the the unjust and un-biblical law of abortion. Continuing with the column in the Minneapolis Star Tribune, often referred to as Christian nationalists adherence range from those in the pews who simply embrace those beliefs to faithful leaders who espouse conspiratorial views amplified by a network of clergy media, think tanks and politician again. Notice how broad this is. This isn't just maybe some people at the capital who rush the capital that day know it's conspiratorial views.

There is a conspiracy topic we talked about a few weeks ago and is amplified by a network. Here's the book here's the breath of it clergy media, think tanks and politicians all pushing Christian nationalism continuing with the column.

Such forces have long been part of the religious landscape. But here's the event the January 6 attack on the US capital which was stormed by some insurrectionist with banners proclaiming quote Jesus saves in Christian flags and crosses has put a new spotlight on the movement and its ramifications. Now I don't know the statistics but how many people actually did break the law and storm the capital holding flags or banners that said Jesus saves her bore Christian flags and crosses. II was that one person was a tandem mean how many people actually is. It but that is irrelevant to them if it's just one person within the other 70 million that support biblical values in the public square, are all implicated being Christian nationalists continues it to say threats by white supremacists in in our stake continue to be serious, officials say. While not everyone is hardline quote. These beliefs are accepted by millions of Americans, said Andrew Whitehead, a Purdue University religion researcher and co-author of taking America back for God. Christian nationalism in the United States.

Notice the leap year. Christians are not only for four biblical values in government are also white supremacists, the Rev. Darrell Knapp and in a video blog posted days after militants storm the capital militants now again the words chosen here.

Militants almost always implies having weapons firearms again like Tucker said there was no one taking over government buildings, with guns holding space. Only one person was shot was by Capitol police officer after militants storm the capital told followers at his cornerstone church in Alexandria, Minnesota, to be ready to quote arm up and join citizens militias to quote protect our freedoms from groups such as NT 4.0 and black lives matter. She urge then president Donald Trump to declare martial law. Quote the enemies against our country today are vast and wide, including the deep state, including Marxists and communists who want to see our country destroyed Sid Knapp in this pastor, they are in opposition to our freedoms of assembly, freedom of religion freedom to bear arms against tyranny.

Unquote the article then goes on to say such conspiracy theories. Okay, it's a conspiracy theory that there is a growing Marxists and communists influence our country. It's a conspiracy theory that there's threats to our freedom of assembly coronavirus freedom. Religion built the building to meet in church treatment bear arms against tyranny. Those are a completely accurate, but the Star Tribune the mainstream media sees these as conspiracy theories. Such conspiracy theories are no longer limited to fringe groups. The article says nearly half of the 1000 Protestant clergy surveyed last fall by Nashville-based life way research, a nationwide evangelical research firm said they quote frequently here church members repeating conspiracy theories about what's happening in their country unquote. Again, notice the idea of if you believe that the country becoming secularized. There is a restricting of the Christian faith in this country. You're believing a conspiracy theory because that that's actually even out don't believe your lying eyes. That's not happening. Continuing with the article Christian nationalism here to get to the definition can be defined as quote a collection of myths, traditions, symbols, narratives and value systems that idealizes and advocates of fusion of Christianity with American civic life unquote. According to Whitehead and co-author Samuel Perry of the University of Oklahoma. The movement is biggest in the South and Midwest stronger and rural than urban America. They found key beliefs of us in this key beliefs include political conservatism.

The inerrancy of the Bible and if the nation is on the brink of moral decay. So you're a demonized Christian nationalist. If you believe your politically conservative. If you believe in the inerrancy of the sky of Scripture, and that the nation is on the brink of moral decay see again stretch this definition to so wide to make a large group of people, the enemies of the state. These views, the article continues are commonly held by all look at here.

Evangelical Christians, to varying degrees. What sets ardent Christian nationalist apart his belief that God created the United States as a Christian nation that US laws must reflect their version of Christian values and that government has no right to interfere with their quote Christian liberties. This movement that they're describing what's the site just trump orders alone. 74 million according to the last election. According over told voted for Pres. Trump and all that.

74 million. A high very high percentage was white evangelical Christians he got in the summer at the 75 or 76% range of that particular demographic. And then he talks about the fact that Christian values that the government has no right to interfere with the religious liberties.

That's exactly what the First Amendment to the of the Constitution, the Bill of Rights says that that Congress shall not interfere basically was someone's freedom to pursue their religious belief. That's exactly what our Constitution says that's what made our country so great and so different than anywhere else in the world since the capital siege is always goes back to that incident. Some church leaders have scrub their media such as Knapp and whose quote arm up video was removed last month.

Others found that Facebook scrubbed it for them. Oh nice of Facebook, including the Rev. Dale Witherington, director of the Minnesota legislative prayer caucus which supports lawmakers working to preserve the nation's Judeo-Christian heritage and religious liberties, faith leaders, he said, have the duty to speak out. America's problems are the result of the failure of the church to do its job in raising up a righteous people who are qualified to govern according to the principles given by God sent Witherington an email. There is no line between church and state. He maintained an online video that is not in the Constitution, our nation was founded to glorify God and spread the gospel of Jesus Christ. He told an interviewer. The Rev. Mark Hopkins of Painesville Minnesota signed a statement condemning the movement the Christian nationalist movement as a quote a threat to both our religious communities and our democracy unquote. He said he once held Christian nationalist beliefs or shame. Shame reinforced by a bubble of who conservative Christian radio stations and his circle of friends his parents who fled Nazi Germany disapproved of those beliefs, never forgetting Christian complicity in the nationalist fervor of the Nazi regime he see that the linkage there that those people running that the Nazis were there was Christian complicity there and so therefore today, people who are come complicit in the Christian nationalism are somehow like helping the Nazis get it now you know why Christian nationals are being demonized. You watch people praying at across before they go into the capital and it's very disturbing. Caucus said they have co-opted the faith to further their agenda and agenda that has nothing to do with the Jesus in the Gospels copter believes many adherents haven't thought deeply about the implications he hopes the storming of the capital will be a wake-up call about the potential dangers again right back to the very beginning.

It's the capital riot. The election to nihilism the thinking that that your something wrong in this country that you few think that there's something wrong like this country becoming less Christian.

You're believing conspiracy theories that America is not becoming more secularized. It's not marginalizing Christians Marxism and socialism is not a thing to concerned about conspiracy theories are not better.

This is read level danger for America. Christian worldview returns in just a moment. David we hear host of the Christian worldview for over 15 years.

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The new year has brought new features to the Christian worldview radio program first good news for those who don't have an affiliate station in their area and those who subscribe to a free podcast, the latest program will now be available@ourwebsitethechristianworldview.org VR podcast feed at 8 AM central time on Saturdays. Short takes will also be released on Mondays.

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That's one AAA 646-2233 or visiting the Christian worldview.org thanks for joining us on the Christian worldview. Just a reminder that today's program and pass programs are archived at our website.

Christian worldview.org things are also available and be sure to share with others. Now back to today's program with host David. We as you read the comments to this column in the Minneapolis Star Tribune you get a sense of how effective this demonization of these quote Christian nationalist has been allowed to read a couple of them I guess the so-called Christians have never read the U.S. Constitution nowhere and it doesn't proclaim Christianity to be the official religion of the United States is specifically says that government should not establish an official religion that that's true with no one making that claim that it should be the official religion it saying that it shouldn't be limited or restricted for ability to practice our religion.

And there should be any laws against having the values of that religion like in any worldview integrated into public policy.

Another commenter said white Christian nationalist are the biggest danger to our democracy here. Here's a true believer all about bigotry, bigotry, bigotry, fear, ignorance, fear and bigotry its occult and the only hope for them is to be deprogrammed. Maybe grief therapy in addition to therapy in general. We are in danger of this militant cult and there's nothing quote Christian about them, whatever that description means. In today's American family. One more commenter I have said for years that Christian fundamentalism is a far bigger threat to the American way of life and Islamic fundamentalism.

Just think about that statement for second the people who killed 3000 people in New York City and the twin towers. They are not as big a threat as people who believe in the fundamentals of Christianity. It truly is amazing to fathom how effective the liars are in this country at the biggest threat to our country as those with Christian beliefs, so in preparation for this topic today and again our topic is Christian nationalism examining the demonization of that particular term. I listened to a podcast from Christianity today called quick to listen, podcast, and they they did it. A podcast on the the growth as a seed of Christian nationalism and the hosts are Christianity today global media manager Morgan Lee and editorial director Ted Olson weave also to soundbites that were going up play from this particular podcast to give you a sense of the fact that it's not only that the mainstream secular media who's trying to demonize Christians in this country but it's also those who I would call on the evangelical left as well. Those are Christianity today. In other more non-Orthodox from a doctrinal standpoint, organizations and people just listen to the opening part of this podcast and don't miss the very beginning about who is actually sponsoring a Christianity today podcast. This episode is brought to you by the upcoming PBS documentary, the black church with host Henry Louis Gates Junior Oprah Winfrey John legend Bishop � Ty Murphy McKenzie and many more. The black church premieres Tuesday at 98 central treatment or stream only on PBS so just think about that for a second PBS government-funded liberalism is supporting bringing this podcast from Christianity today to you and oh by the way, the special they have on the black church is going to be a include Oprah Winfrey, who is anything but Christian beers. The opening bell of the podcast is counseling up in front of the capital last week. Christian imagery was on display in Tom Penn's 2020 likes you and I never really crosses the same signs as well.

Protesters kind into the capital steps across the street someone so far, saying in the name of Jesus. Jesus reading this person even brought my national chamber editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg Texas resident who told him she was falling apart is the solution station and on the Bible. He said everything is printing. Donald Trump is in the Bible yourself writing.

Also, Goldberg's analysis. Completion of Trenton.

Jesus was a common theme at the rally, you believe in Jesus and the knee. You believe in Donald Trump matters years old when he saw a clear connection between the violence in Christian nationalism to share some Warren wrote for CT last week, the responsibility of yesterday's violence must be partly to local leaders who fought in terms, resident also sadly delayed white American church probably define Christian nationalism and understand its rise in the light. We also want to help church leaders who are trying to radicalize members of their own community.

Okay so that's how it opened up. It doesn't sound much different really than just secular mainstream media saying that people were holding Christian flags in crosses and Jesus saves, and gathers no specifics about who these people are there's going to be extreme. People who have even crazy beliefs who profess to be Christians. Of course that's not really what the issue there trying to make their wares as you get into the podcast as were in place, soundbites.

You can see that it stretched to include just millions of basically every day evangelicals Christians in this country. Anyone who supports political conservatism and anyone who voted for Donald Trump because again he is a white supremacist. He's a racist.

He's an election denier is a conspiracy theorist, and so therefore if you support that your part of this demonize Christian nationalism group okay you mentioned earlier that Greg Frazier, the head of the Department of political studies at the Masters University and the author of the religious beliefs of America's Founders is going to join us in working to get to the first part of the interview with him in this discussion on Christian nationalism. Greg welcome to the Christian worldview to talk about Christian nationalism and to start off I like to play a soundbites from this Christianity today podcast on Christian nationalism were Paul Miller from the ethics and religious liberty commission that the southern Baptist entity, a political advocacy group gave a definition of it like to get what you think of his definition is easiest to define Christian nationalism by contrasting it with Christianity. Christianity is a religion beliefs about ultimate things to Gourley about the life death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and is drawn from the Bible from the Nicene Creed, the apostles Creed Christian nationalism is a political ideology about American identity and it is a set of policy prescriptions for what the nationalists believe the American government should do and so it's not going from the Bible is drawn from political theory from secular philosophy and from their own version of history as well.

In a quote from Andrew Whitehead and send. There are a great book.

Just last year called taking America back for God.

All of our Christian nationalism. They defined what they say Christian nationalism is a cultural framework, a collection of myths, traditions, symbols, narratives and value systems that idealizes and advocates a fusion of Christianity. With Americans like to great weight in a standing Christian nationalism believes that American nation is defined by Christianity and that the government should take steps to keep it that way to sustain and maintain our Christian heritage of our Judeo-Christian values or something like that so it's not merely an observation about American history is a prescription for what America should do in the future we should sustain and continue our identity as a Christian nation that's Christian nationalism. Okay, great.

So maybe you could simplify that and give what you believe is a working definition that we can understand about Christian nationalism and why it's become such a hot topic right now.

I don't agree with everything Miller says certainly, but actually pretty much agree with this definition of the Christian nationalism. It's it's it is the belief basically that the American nation is defined by Christianity that America was founded as a Christian nation, and that the nation should, in a sense favor Christianity and Christians have a Special Pl. in America and that the government should protect that nationalism is the idea of distinct nationstates around the world versus something like globalism or there's a globalized government that you see more in Revelation, end time scenario is nationalism itself. God's intent for the world based on what will stay the example of Babel in Genesis, Babel is is really the biblical illustration of a because that Babel what God did was take people wanted to be all united that one-liners in different languages and make them spread around the world, which is what God instructed men to do to fill the earth and they were they man based on his pride wanted to overrule God and do his own thing and so God sort of made them scattered across the earth, but I don't know that there's any particular nationalism: but biblically speaking, I would say nationalism is really reflected in acts chapter 16 and verse 26, when Paul says in God made one man every nation of mankind to live on the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation and so God did ordain his plan that men live in nations and if you look at Isaiah you look at Jeremiah the prophets, God deals with nations, and he has a future for nations and evening establishes times for nations. Note to Nebuchadnezzar. He says you will rule your son and your grandson and then your time will be up in another nation will rule and so God works through nations is his plan that men live in nations. Greg Frazier today with us on the Christian worldview, Prof. of political studies at the Masters University. Also the author of the religious beliefs of America's founders we've had you on the program several years ago, for that very interesting book.

The nationalism part of Christian nationalism sounds that you're saying is a biblical thing that there should be nations, according to what God said in Scripture.

Now the Christian part of it.

Should those nations have be based on Christian principles or values. It says in Proverbs 1434 righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people. So there there's an idea of God did defines righteousness and if there is righteousness in a nation if those the righteousness of God specifies in his word is integrated into a nation that exalts a nation, but if there sin. That's a disgrace to any people also says in Psalm two. Now, therefore, all kings and rulers, show discernment take warning all judges of the earth so that it's directed here towards political leaders. Those in authority says in verse 11 Psalm to worship the Lord with reverence and rejoice with trembling due homage to the son. That's Christ that he'd not become angry, and you perish in the way for his wrath may soon be kindled.

How blessed are all who take refuge in him. So is being directed here at at rulers of the world due homage to the son to Christ. Unless you perish in the way. So the question here is, isn't it a God honoring thing for a nation to have policies and politicians who work for biblical values in civic life. That's what is said in a pejorative way about people who believe in Christian nationalism. The short answer to the first part of your question is yes. It is a God honoring thing to have policies and voltages work for biblical values.

Righteousness does exalts a nation, God expects nations.

If you look at the prophets, minor prophets, etc. God expects nations to have a modicum of justice and obeying God's fundamental law and he actually punishes nations also accountable for violating that and so yes we want Americans, America is to follow biblical values. Biblical values are God's values. We want to honor God and so yes you want to follow biblical values and Miller identifies as well. He says we ought to be working against abortion. And we ought to you while working for other things as well. That part of it is certainly true, but the thing about Christian nationalism is first of all, are you working for biblical values or are you working for values that you prefer, politically, and then trying to find some verse in the Bible that you can pull out to support what you have already decided a conservative value are liberal values that matter.

On the other side that you prefer.

And so, yes, we want governments and politicians and policies to work for biblical values, but for all biblical values and not to declare things that aren't biblical values biblical values okay were going to stop there for today but we have much more coming up next week on this topic.

In part two on Christian nationalism, many more soundbites from that Christianity today interview and also much more time with Greg Frazier but just want to close the program today reminding us that this scapegoating this blaming of Christians for inciting problems and in trouble in society is nothing new go back to the time of Christ when he was arrested and brought before Pilate, look what they said to him in said about him.

In Luke chapter 23 then the whole body of them.

This is the religious leaders got up and brought him Christ before Pilate, and they begin to accuse him saying we found this man miss leading our nation and forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar and saying that he himself is Christ the King. So Pilate asked him, saying, are you the king of the Jews, and he answered him and said it is as you say, then Pilate said the chief priests and the crowds. My final gift in this man. Verse five.

But they kept on insisting saying she's up people teaching all over Judea, starting from Galilee, even as far as this place just like we hear today for Christians today are stirring up there causing problems or inciting sedition rebellion. This is nothing new we need to stand firm, because we do live in a changing and challenging America but there is one thing we can count on entrusting Jesus Christ and his word are the same yesterday today and forever until next time think biblically live accordingly and stand firm. The mission of the Christian worldview is to sharpen the biblical worldview of Christians proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ.

We hope today's broadcast encouraged for that and here replay today's program or to sign up for the weekly email to find out what must I do to be saved to your website Christian.org or call us toll-free at 1-888-646-2233 Christian worldview as a listener supported ministry and furnished by the overcoming foundation, a nonprofit organization can find out more water resources make a donation become a monthly partner and contact us by visiting the Christian worldview.org bowling toll-free 188-864-6233 writing to Box 401, Excelsior, MN 55331 Box 41, Excelsior, MN 5531. Thanks for listening to the Christian worldview.

Until next time think biblically and live accordingly