Old-school Christian nationalism's avatar of racism, antisemitism and conspiracies

[Behind the Aegis]

he Rev. Gerald L.K. Smith loved Jesus so much he built a seven-story statue on the top of an Ozark mountain to honor his savior.

Smith loved America, too, but despised many of his fellow Americans. Especially those who were Black, Jewish or immigrants.

An ordained Disciples of Christ pastor, master showman, skilled fundraiser, prolific writer and “minister of hate,” Smith spent decades warning white Christians that they were in danger of losing their country to devious forces conspiring against them.

---

A recent survey by the Public Religion Research Institute and the Brookings Institution found that about 1 in 10 Americans favors an extreme form of Christian nationalism, while a 2021 Pew Research study found a similar number of “faith and flag” conservatives, whose faith in God and America are intertwined.

more...

Some things NEVER change.

[MayReasonRule]

1. Delusion begets Delusion, begetting Malice, begetting Violence

It used to be that way, it still is, but it used to be that way too.

Hence, the more things change, the more they tend to stay the same. There's nothing as constant as change.

The reason is, they're first order changes. First order changes do nothing but allow the status quo to pay lip service to the problem, allowing it to stay the same.

Second order changes are rare indeed.

The precise problem in this case is our country's long and sordid history of supplanting reason by enshrining closely held malevolently delusional beliefs as the law of the land.

The second order change would be eliminating all branches of government from implementing statues, laws, and regulations based on anything but factual evidence. This would banish the delusions of originalism and textualism, eliminating them forevermore from the "rule of law".

May reason rule where delusion dwells.

[Timeflyer]

2. There's no crazy like religious crazy--it's a virus that never dies out completely.

[twodogsbarking]

3. Isn't religious crazy redundant?

My apologies to crazy people.

[MayReasonRule]

5. Crazy is just another word for Delusional - so yes, it's redundant

Religion rejects doubt, thus rejecting reason, instead embracing the delusion of faith.

There is no reason without doubt.

May reason rule.

[multigraincracker]

4. I like to refer them

to those words in red, the Beatitudes. They try to find loop holes..

Not a religious person, just a hobby.

Peace.

[MayReasonRule]

6. Right on y'all! You're informing yourself through examining Mythology.

Doubt is the basis of Reason.

Mythology reveals and informs through it's embrace of doubt, and it's rejection of delusion.

Religion obscures and deceives through it's rejection of doubt, and it's embrace of delusion.

Reason restores.
Delusion destroys.

May reason rule.

[multigraincracker]

7. I look at it as "Locus of Control".

Some think every thing is planned or happens by outside forces. Others with an inside locus of control think shit happens and it's how you deal with it.

[MayReasonRule]

8. Right on, that's reasoned analysis

Well done!

[multigraincracker]

9. Psychology major.

[MayReasonRule]

10. Fuck yeah!