Rise Of The Christian Nationalist

Salon journalist, Michelle Goldberg has written “Kingdom Coming: The Rise of Christian Nationalism” to shine a light on Christian nationalists–people who believe the bible is literally true and that America should be governed by it. This is how she defines it”

It comes from those who adhere to a political ideology that posits a Christian right to rule. Christian nationalists believe in a revisionist history, which holds that the founders were devout Christians who never intended to create a secular republic; separation of church and state, according to this history, is a fraud perpetrated by God-hating subversives. One of the foremost Christian revisionist historians is David Barton, who, in addition to running an organization called Wallbuilders that disseminates Christian nationalist books, tracts and videos, is also the vice-chairman of the Texas Republican Party. The goal of Christian nationalist politics is the restoration of the imagined Christian nation.

In an interview with Terry Gross on Fresh Air, Goldberg paints a pretty bleak picture of how these people have infiltrated the government during the Bush administration. These people do not have respect for other religions and believe that America is for Christians. I find this quote from one of the Christian nationalist leaders, George Grant, quite frightening:

“Christians have an obligation, a mandate, a commission, a holy responsibility to reclaim the land for Jesus Christ — to have dominion in civil structures, just as in every other aspect of life and godliness.

But it is dominion we are after. Not just a voice.

It is dominion we are after. Not just influence.

It is dominion we are after. Not just equal time.

It is dominion we are after.

World conquest. That’s what Christ has commissioned us to accomplish.”

I think The State Of . . . our Nation should be different than the world’s other theocracies–those found in the middle east that we are so fond of deriding. Since when did the framers not want separation of church and state? Some are worried about “The Lobby.” Perhaps they have a right to be so. But I am worried about this group because they seek to directly affect domestic policy and how I live my life.