It seems like hardly a day goes by that I don’t find myself shocked and saddened by yet another story on Christian Nationalism, a Supreme Court ruling, or the antics of Donald Trump. Through my (self-admitted) steady diet of social media, podcasts, and liberal-leaning news, I am always consuming another story about threats to democracy and the scary arc toward fascism. All too often, I find myself anxious and defensive. Just as so many do, I frequently want to respond with forceful messages, and explanations, and disseminate the truth as I take to my megaphone (with so few followers it may be more of a “whisperphone”) of Facebook and Twitter. But I know that only a few people will read what I have to say, and at that, they are mostly my echo chamber. The people who disagree with me have long since unfriended or unfollowed me on social media platforms. What is more, social media will never be a healthy place for political discourse. That is a losing strategy.
I have spent a substantial amount of time over the past few years educating myself about Christian Nationalism and the history of the Conservative Evangelical church. It may surprise you to know that Evangelicals didn’t initially capture abortion as their primary political flash point. Though Roe was decided in 1973, it wasn’t until 1978 that right-wing conservatives harnessed abortion as their war cry, and that was only after it became evident that racial integration was a non-negotiable issue with the federal government. Many prominent Evangelical leaders at the time were overtly racist in their views and railed against school integration, but racist policies seemed like a bridge too far for conservative Evangelicals to use as a political tool. So they chose the abortion issue instead, as they systematically integrated the Evangelical church into the Republican party with backroom deals and massive financing. In response to integration, Christian schools were founded in hopes of limiting government reach into admissions policies, thus extending the opportunity for segregated schooling, at least for White, Christian, well-to-do kids who could afford it. Bob Jones University even went to the Supreme Court to try to defend its discriminatory admissions policies when they risked losing their tax-exempt status for violating anti-discrimination laws.
As I have learned more and more about these issues, I have had to grapple with my own history. I went to a private Christian school from kindergarten through 8th grade. Was it because my parents wanted a segregated experience for my education? Of course not. They chose Christian education for me to affirm our conservative beliefs consistent with our Baptist church at the time: creationism, daily Bible reading, Bible classes, reciting the Christian pledge, sexual purity, and so on. Their motives were good.
The experiences I had as a child and teen were immersed in conservative theology and even some harmful ideology (purity culture: that will be another blog). I hold no anger or resentment towards my parents. We have all grown in our understanding of our faith and have matured into a new understanding and appreciation of what following Jesus looks like. I have worked through some anxiety and shame that was created in me as a result of some of those experiences and teachings of my youth. And I have moved on.
But knowing what I know now, how do I respond? How do I respond to the misinformation and heated and hateful rhetoric I am seeing in our nation right now? To Christian Nationalism. To the harmful messages against women, LGBTQ+, and immigrants.
I was talking to a friend, who decades ago left the cult that her family still belongs to, when she sighed, “Jen, it doesn’t matter. You can tell them all the facts. Send them books and articles. Talk to them about what we have learned and know to be true. It’s all ‘Fake News’ to them. I’ve never been able to persuade them with the truth.”
So how do we respond?
My response is clearly this: love.
Where I see the name of Jesus being used to marginalize and demonize immigrants, I will choose love and welcoming and acceptance of ALL who I encounter.
Where I see the name of Jesus being used to demand that a Christian nation is our God-given right and responsibility, I will choose love and peace and respectfully dissent, knowing that Jesus has no model of co-opting the government for his Kingdom.
When I see Christian symbols being used for political power, I will choose love and peace. Not violence.
When I see lawmakers quoting Jesus in defense of forcing Christian principles into our public schools, I will choose love and respect for all who resist because they hold different beliefs.
There is no amount of blasting social media or commenting with snappy memes or angry words that will change a single mind. No one can tell me to “Calm down” with great effect when I am anxious or upset and I cannot change hearts and minds with words on a page.
But I am certain that love can. Love can open the doors of curiosity and conversation. Love can lower walls and cool the tone.
So I choose to respond with more love.
PS: If you want to talk, my messages are open. I’d love to have a conversation with you!
Disclaimer: My viewpoints are not necessarily reflective of my employer, or any local, regional or national organization that I belong to. As a matter of fact, I pretty much just speak for myself. Please keep that in mind.
