Another insider view is provided by the podcast of former evangelical @frankschaeffer.bsky.social Frank Schaeffer. His introduction to Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R, LA) is helpful to understanding what's happening in American politics, today. 17/🧵 youtu.be/C0HrFoT_aYw
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"The Violent Take it by Force" by Matthew Taylor is another, released before the 2024 election. These books and articles written over many years by different authors have significant alignment. It also is one thing that makes sense in an insane political environment. @matthewdtaylor.bsky.social
Thank you. I added Matthew D. Taylor to the Spotlight on Christian Nationalism starter pack a while back, too. youtu.be/PslRnkrz9wE
There are people like David Brooks who seem to believe that the decline of religion is the cause of most problems with American politics. I suspect most of those issues are due to the concentration of Christian supremacists within a single party, and their reaction to declining influence.
"a problem confronting some Pentecostal groups is the tendency to cling to their faith conviction, but to disregard, as superfluous or unimportant, the whole area of faith knowledge. A life of discernment requires both." - Rev. Chris Aridas, Discernment: Seeking God in Every Situation
@amandamarcotte.bsky.social of Salon has published one of the best recent articles which shines a spotlight on the events of the moment. The wrecking crew is using "efficiency" as a smokescreen, while they dismantle American science, the root of American power. www.salon.com/2025/02/14/w...
According to Anne Nelson and NBC, Leonard Leo was behind 2/3 of the Project 2025 orgs. His surrogates hired Opus Dei Kevin Roberts. His surrogates annointed JD. If you want to understand techbros - read @gilduran.com & @jennycohn.bsky.social medium.com/@thcarter123...
Michelle Goldberg @michellegoldberg.bsky.social of the New York Times has published several articles and at least one book about the rise of Christian nationalism in the United States. 19/🧵 youtu.be/Yk0omGVyHPU
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As you see news in the coming days, weeks, and months about the damage being done to the public health infrastructure, to education, and to the engine of science in America, remember that this movement has been fighting globally, on many fronts, for decades. 20/🧵 www.theguardian.com/education/20...
Americans have been resistant for decades to accepting that this is a movement, because we see it from different angles, we see its internal incoherence. Messianic movements have always been incoherent, though; their theology doesn't need to make sense to us. 21/🧵 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prosper...
Thank you for curating — another revealing historical summary w/ present-day social context is by @mccrummen.bsky.social in the Atlantic: “Army of God” Feb. 2025 edition.
New one: bsky.app/profile/pama...
More threads in the tweets I'm migrating over this week, one in particular that addresses where Christian and Jewish Zionism intersect. I'll come back with the link.
"The recent organization of independent charismatics into well-coordinated networks has dramatically increased their religious and political clout... The primary organizational vehicle for the current wave of charismatics is the New Apostolic Reformation... x.com/Pamacious/st...
In addition to Bruce Wilson, et al, I have learned a great deal from the work of @fredclarkson.bsky.social on defining Dominionism and documenting the Christian nationalist copy-paste legislation referred to as "Project Blitz" x.com/Pamacious/st...
Frederick Clarkson has been added to the BlueSky Spotlight on Christian Nationalism starter pack. Thank you. I didn't realize he was here. go.bsky.app/LshiW3Y
Thank you!
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You might also appreciate this essay by Jess Piper on how Missouri has been a testing ground for Project 2025. jesspiper.substack.com/p/i-know-exa...
See also bsky.app/profile/matt...
People struggle to see the threat, partly because the visible parts seem so ridiculous (like Charlie Kirk) and partly perhaps because it’s difficult to imagine they believe the crazy stuff they say. www.npr.org/2024/09/22/n...
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I hope you'll follow the journalist I've mentioned above. To make that easier, I've added them to the Spotlight on Christian Nationalism starter pack. This is a matter of national security. Please feel free to suggest other voices who might be included on this list. go.bsky.app/LshiW3Y
Excellent list on those following Protestant/Evangelical Christian Nationalism. Dangerous, for sure. What about Catholic Christian Nationalism? Team Leonard Leo? No faith group has had more concrete, substantial results in destroying US democracy. medium.com/@thcarter123...
Starting w @jeffsharlet.bsky.social there are 20+ books, thousands of articles and several documentaries on Evangelical Christian Nationalism. Two on Catholics - @garethgore.bsky.social and @mjmcconahay.bsky.social Catholics have done far more damage to democracy. medium.com/@thcarter123...
medium.com/@thcarter123...
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Thank you!
Kristin Du Mez @kkdumez.bsky.social is the author of Jesus and John Wayne, which looks at a strain of militant masculinity within evangelical Christianity and its role in their affinity for the conman from Mar a Lago. (Trump-as-superhero cartoon art pegs the irony meter.) 23/🧵 youtu.be/hkxH1qWZz2I
This thread is spot on. I was raised in this dominionist/fundamentalist mindset. Folks outside of this movement have no idea that a huge minority of Americans have been in high control groups their entire lives, and have been groomed to see fascism and state sanctioned brutality as God's will.
Talia Lavin @swordsjew.bsky.social author of "Wild Faith" mentions in this interview that "Christian Zionism" isn't a separate movement, its entangled with and derives from the cross-denominational obsession with their end-times vision. theintercept.com/2025/03/07/b...
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* it’s entangled Autocorrect is a harsh mistress.
I became aware of this “trend” if you will, through the novels of Tim LaHay. I believe it was The End Times series. Icky stuff, but it does a good job of exposing their beliefs.
The series is generally known by the name of the first novel, Left Behind. The series of 16 novels sold over 65 million copies. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Left_Be...
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Amazing thread. Thanks for sharing all these resources. I look forward to digging in.
“I don't want everybody to vote… As a matter of fact, our leverage in the election quite candidly goes up as the voting populace goes down.” ― Heritage Foundation co-founder Paul Weyrich youtu.be/8GBAsFwPglw
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I just hate all Christians, throw them all in the pile of idiotic imaginary friend believers. Most people seemed shocked that I will not talk to a Christian anymore. I openly discriminate against all God believers and I would rather they kill me than try to convert me. I want a holy war against them
It can be quite frustrating, trying to reach religious believers. The bad news is also the good news, though: *only* 4 of 10 Americans are end-times Christians. We can't save democracy in America without *some* Christians realizing it's important for them, too. www.pewresearch.org/religion/202...
I have no use for any of their ideas.
I wouldn't try to persuade you to meet people half way to their superstitions, but there's way, way too many superstitious people to completely ignore, in the context of politics. Some religious people look both way before they cross the street, which is a hopeful sign! youtu.be/yIS3DB0vXX8
Absolutely fantastic thread. I’ve thought to myself about this very phenomenon often but have never seen or even thought of it with such precision and depth. Thanks
Thank you for the kind words.
Good stuff, I followed all on the list. Thanks again!
If you haven't already, you won't regret making a cup of tea and settling back for a chat with Dan Olson @foldablehuman.bsky.social In Search of a Flat Earth. youtu.be/JTfhYyTuT44
I will check it out. Might substitute the tea for a beer though, haha! Cheers
I would add @bradleyonishi.bsky.social & his podcast @straightwhitejc.bsky.social Straight White American Jesus. & the podcast “I Hate James Dobson” @ihatejamesdobson.bsky.social An earlier book to read is Catherine Keller’s 1996 “Apocalypse Now & Then”. 🇨🇦 book “The Armageddon Factor” 1/ 🧵⬇️
“The Armageddon Factor: The Rise of Christian Nationalism in Canada” (2011, Marci McDonald). … chronicles the rise of Christian nationalism in Canadian politics over the 20th and early 21st centuries and connections to US politics incl the rise of the Reform Party, the formation of the Alliance 2/
The Alliance Party (Former Prime Minister Stephen Harper) and many Canadian and Alberta conservative politicians including Jason Kenney who was a cabinet minister in Harper’s govt and then became premier of Alberta (& likely hopes to be PM 🇨🇦). Stephen Harper is current head of the IDU ⬇️ 3/
The Republican Party is a member of this “centre right” (more like far right) organization started by Thatcher and Bush in the 1980s. This is a matter of National Security for Canada too. www.idu.org/leadership/t...
Currently reading the book Exurbia Now by David Masciotra which touches on this. (Sorry not very far in).
@threadreaderapp Unroll
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Terrifying. So much is terrifying I may need a new word for this.
Semantic bleaching is a problem. www.merriam-webster.com/grammar/very...