The over-politicization of our culture has ruined so much. Among plenty of other things, our language has been one of the greatest casualties of our 24-hour "news" culture, our obsession over ideological purity and political scandal. Words don't mean what they used to mean anymore.
People who aren't bigots are called bigots because it's easier to call names than make arguments.
Things that aren't racism are deemed racist because shaming is easier than logically engaging.
Ditto that for xenophobia, misogyny, fascism, and now the left's newest term of the moment, the great boogeyman of "Christian nationalism."
- Ever seen the Handmaid's Tale? That's Christian nationalism.
- Ever heard "Pastor" Greg Locke call Democrats "demons?" That's Christian nationalism.
- Ever watched former Vice President Mike Pence talk about how he doesn't meet privately with women who aren't his wife? That's Christian nationalism.
- Ever read David Barton's work documenting the faith of our Founding Fathers? That's Christian nationalism.
- Ever looked at the people storming the Capitol building on January 6th wearing elk horns? That's Christian nationalism.
- Ever watched ministers like John MacArthur refuse to close down their churches when the government tells them they have to for health reasons? That's Christian nationalism.
- Ever seen churches send congregants to the March for Life? That's Christian nationalism.
But wait, there's more.
Last week Politico ran a piece warning Americans of how "Trump allies prepare to infuse ‘Christian nationalism' in second administration." They published,
Christian nationalists in America believe that the country was founded as a Christian nation and that Christian values should be prioritized throughout government and public life.
Wait, what Christian values? Honesty? Integrity? Moderation? Generosity? Frugality? And that would be a bad thing? That's what is deserving of ominous sounding headlines and journalistic finger-waving?
To make matters worse, one of the authors of that piece, Heidi Przybyla, went on MSNBC to humiliate herself by pushing this clown narrative:
The one thing that unites all of them, because there are many different groups orbiting Trump, but the thing that unites them as 'Christian Nationalists' - not Christian by the way because Christian Nationalist is very different - is that they believe that our rights as Americans, as all human beings, do not come from any earthly authority, they don't come from Congress, they don't come from the Supreme Court, they come from God.
Plenty of folks have pointed out the goofiness of this kind of claim. Progressives have become so consumed in using labels to dismiss their opposition that they're getting sloppy. For instance, by Przybyla's definition, not only is Thomas Jefferson a rabid Christian nationalist, so is Joe Biden:
But this is what I was getting at earlier: Over-politicization has ruined more than just our language. It has ruined our intellects. It may be the nature of elites to act as our "betters," parading themselves around on television as if they exude a deeper understanding, a firmer grasp, a more thorough command of the issues that surround us. But we desperately need better, smarter elites.
This article in Politico and Przybyla having the cluelessness to say it on MSNBC, and MSNBC having the impertinence to air it, demonstrates a colossal failure of our society's grasp of history, civics, ethics, and (perhaps most of all) theology.
See, Christian nationalism is actually a thing. It's not a new thing. It's just that it goes by that name now rather than what it has always been called - theonomy. Theonomists, or more specifically Christian theonomists, are those who believe that in order to properly serve Jesus, Christians should prepare to take over the world's governments and courts.
They believe in something far more than just legislating according to God's universal Moral Law, or promoting Christian values through public policy. They believe in using the power of government to impose specific Christian doctrines on the masses - something violative of both American constitutional government, and sound Christian theology.
But rather than have elites who understand this fairly simple reality and properly explain it to the masses, we are treated to political stooges who perform with name-calling, posing, and pandering. I might humbly suggest that is a far greater threat to our republic than this so-called Christian nationalism.
