Concerning: “Satanic Invocation Exploited by Non-Believer Reveals False Claims“, February 4:
Michael Smith’s attempt to refute my defense of satanic prayer at the Washoe County Commission meeting only proves my original point: “So when prayers are extended, it is not that they become anti-gay or whatever; rather let them discover Christianity, and yes, conservatism, and abandon the misery of liberalism,” Smith wrote.
It has become fashionable for extremist Christian nationalists to spread the lie that America is a conservative Christian nation. They vilify atheists like me, but they also attack and offend all other religions, from Hinduism to Islam to (yes) “Satanism.” Christian nationalism fuels polarization, tears apart our local community, and relies on absolute fabrications of history. This harms both America and faith in it pretend follow.
John Adams said in June 1797, “the government of the United States of America is in no way founded on the Christian religion.” Satanism is exactly as valid and important as Christianity in the eyes of the law. Just this week, a right-wing Christian nationalist was charged with a hate crime for destroy satanic Christmas display in Iowa. If you want to be religious in public, prepare yourself for an onslaught of spells and hexes.
Many Americans might be confused when they see “Under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance or on paper money, but these symbols were forced into public life in the 1950s, in response to “godless” communism. By combining political views and religion, we transform political disagreements into existential religious questions. If you disagree on a tax policy or a candidate, it’s suddenly a sin against God. Religious governments tend to be abusive, misogynistic and violent; they make their country worse. The Taliban are a good example.
Christians come from across the political spectrum – including progressive Christians obsessed with feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, and welcoming the stranger (Matthew 25). The Democratic Party has large blocs of secularists and devotees. True Christianity is about following the teachings of Jesus Christ, while political Christianity is about “appropriating liberals” and winning elections. Even some conservative Christians are horrified to see their religion misused for partisan purposes.
Politicians have always loved religion when it allowed them to raise money or get them out of a scandal. The more dishonest the politician, the louder the false Christianity. Donald Trump created his own brand of Christianity with him at the center. Trump is bigger than Jesus in these circles, an absolute distortion of the faith. Some secular but confused MAGA supporters have even begun calling themselves “evangelicals,” despite never attending church.
I want to be respectful of most Christians, but I have no respect for MAGA-Christianity. MAGA Jesus has nothing in common with Jesus according to the original recipe. MAGA Jesus is muscular, angry, masculine and armed with an AR-15. Smith claims wrong-Twin Jesus should rule America (and therefore me). As a public service reminder, the biblical Jesus says nothing about government except to pay your taxes (Romans 13, Mark 12).
Equating Christianity with the Republican Party is bad for both, but it has been good for secularism. The toxic hypocrisy of MAGA Jesus is driving away record numbers of young people. Recently, those who have no religion became the largest religious plurality in America. People under the age of 30 are more likely to be LGBTQ than Republican.
After my defense of the Satanic Invocation, I heard so many strangers thank me. Many are fed up with religious eccentrics who shout and judge, attacking our libraries and government institutions. They attempt to impose religious dictates by harassing government officials because they have no desire for kindness, humility, or persuasion. On this point, the Bible is clear: You cannot serve two masters (Matthew 6). I argue that it is impossible to be a MAGA Republican And a faithful Christian. The Bible demands a choice. For Smith, as for so many others, it is obviously politics over faith.
RGJ columnist Edwin Lyngar is a Reno resident.
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