EVANGELICAL LEADERS ON CHRISTIAN NATIONALISM
Attached is an important statement by Evangelical leaders condemning Christian nationalism. I have signed the statement and I encourage you to do the same.
Evangelical Leaders Statement Condemning Christian Nationalism's role in the January 6th Insurrection
As leaders in the broad evangelical community, we recognize and condemn the role Christian Nationalism played in the violent, racist, anti-American insurrection at the United States Capitol on January 6.
We recognize the damage done by radicalized Christian Nationalism in the world, the church, and in the lives of individuals and communities.
We know from experts on radicalization that one of the key elements is a belief that your actions are "blessed by God" and ordained by your faith. This is what allows so many people who hold to a Christian Nationalism view to be radicalized.
While we come from varied backgrounds and political stances, we stand together against the perversion of the Christian faith as we saw on January 6, 2021. We also stand against the theology and the conditions that led to the insurrection.
Over the centuries, there are moments when the Church, the trans-national Body of Christ-followers, has seen distortions of the faith that warranted a response. In ages past, the Church has responded by holding emergency councils in order to unilaterally denounce mutations of the Christian faith, and to affirm the core values at the heart of Christianity. It is in that spirit that we unite our voices to declare that there is a version of American nationalism that is trying to camouflage itself as Christianity -- and it is a heretical version of our faith.
Just as many Muslim leaders have felt the need to denounce distorted, violent versions of their faith, we feel the urgent need to denounce this violent mutation of our faith. What we saw manifest itself in the insurrection at the Capitol on January 6, 2021, is a threat to our democracy, but it is also a threat to orthodox Christian faith. The word “Christian” means “Christ-like.” As leaders in the Church, we do not agree on everything, but we can agree on this -- Christians should live in a way that honors Jesus, and reminds the world of Him.
As Jesus himself said, "They will know that you are my disciples by the way you love” (John 13:36). No Christian can defend the unChristlike behavior of those who committed the violence on January 6. Not only was it anti-democratic, but it was also anti-Christian.
On January 6 we saw the flags claiming Trump's name, calling for violence, and raising the name of Jesus. We saw images of a police officer being beaten with an American flag and another being crushed in a doorway. We know an officer was murdered in the act of insurrection. We witnessed the cross and the gallow being erected. We saw and heard the prayer the insurrectionists prayed from the Senate desk in Jesus' name. Many of us recognized the content, the structure, and the style of that prayer as matching our own churches and faith.
But we reject this prayer being used to justify the violent act and attempted overthrow of the Government.
We have witnessed the rise of violent acts by radicalized extremists using the name of Christ for its validity in the past, including the deadly actions in Charlottesville in 2017. We join our voices to condemn it publicly and theologically.
We recognize that evangelicalism, and white evangelicalism in particular, has been susceptible to the heresy of Christian nationalism because of a long history of faith leaders accommodating white supremacy. We choose to speak out now because we do not want to be quiet accomplices in this on-going sin. But we also want to celebrate the long tradition of prophetic Christian witness in this nation that has challenged white supremacy and violent Christian nationalism. Though the KKK in the South claimed the symbol of a Christain cross, prophetic Black Christians formed and discipled children in Birmingham, Alabama who led a nonviolent witness in the face of dogs and firehoses. Though an appeal to "biblical values" has been used to demonize immigrants, undocumented Christians in America today have led a movement that insists upon the dignity and full humanity of all undocumented people. There is a powerful Christian witness for the common good in our past and in our present. White evangelicals in America can grow in faithfulness by following this cloud of witnesses, including the many white freedom-fighters who risked their lives standing up for love in the face of violence and hatred.
We urge all pastors, ministers, and priests to boldly make it clear that a commitment to Jesus Christ is incompatible with calls to violence, support of white Christian nationalism, conspiracy theories, and all religious and racial prejudice.
Just as it was tragically inconsistent for Christians in the 20th Century to support the Ku Klux Klan and Nazi ideology, it is unthinkable for Christians to support the Proud Boys, Oathkeepers, QAnon, 3 Percenters, America Firsters, and similar groups.
We urge faith leaders to engage pastorally with those who support or sympathize with these groups, and make it clear that our churches are not neutral about these matters: we are on the side of democracy, equality for all people, anti-racism, and the common good of all people.
Instead of seeing the United States as God's chosen nation we thank God for the church around the world that calls people of all races, tongues and nations to the knowledge and love of God. Instead of seeing any particular political leader or party as divinely appointed, we believe in the prophetic and pastoral ministry of the church to all political leaders and parties. Instead of power through violence, we believe in and seek to imitate the powerful, servant love practiced by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Our faith will not allow us to remain silent at such a time as this. We are also aware that our world needs more than a statement right now… we need action.
Every one of the signers of this declaration is committed to taking concrete steps to put flesh on our words. We will combat bad theology with better theology. We will resist fear with love. We will tell the truth about our nation’s history.
We will seek to repair and heal the wounds of the past. We will seek racial justice on a personal, ecclesial, and systemic level. We will support organizations led by people of color. We will listen to and amplify the voices of people of faith who have been marginalized by the colonizing force of white supremacy and Christian Nationalism.
We will do our best to be faithful to Jesus, and to those Christ called “the least of these.”
You can see the list of current signers and add your signature at: https://saynotochristiannationalism.org/
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Who is USA praying to when there is no mention of a deities name to identify the focus of those prayers?
BIDEN BECOMES 1ST PRESIDENT TO OMIT 'GOD' FROM NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER PROCLAMATION
President Biden on Wednesday issued a National Day of Prayer proclamation that touted the "power of prayer" and invited Americans to "give thanks," although the proclamation's absence of the word "God" sparked criticism and marked the first time that's happened in modern history.
By a 1952 law, every U.S. president must issue a proclamation designating a National Day of Prayer. This year the day fell on May 6.
"Today, we remember and celebrate the role that the healing balm of prayer can play in our lives and in the life of our Nation," the proclamation reads. "As we continue to confront the crises and challenges of our time – from a deadly pandemic, to the loss of lives and livelihoods in its wake, to a reckoning on racial justice, to the existential threat of climate change – Americans of faith can call upon the power of prayer to provide hope and uplift us for the work ahead."
On the National Day of Prayer, "we unite with purpose and resolve, and recommit ourselves to the core freedoms that helped define and guide our Nation from its earliest days," it reads.
"We celebrate our incredible good fortune that, as Americans, we can exercise our convictions freely – no matter our faith or beliefs," it reads. "Let us find in our prayers, however they are delivered, the determination to overcome adversity, rise above our differences, and come together as one Nation to meet this moment in history."
The proclamation, though, omits the word "God," making Biden the first president not to include "God" in his proclamation in the modern history of National Day of Prayer proclamations. The omission is ironic, because secular groups in recent months have criticized Biden for discussing religion too much.
According to the text of proclamations at UC Santa Barbara's American Presidency Project, every proclamation since 1953 – the first year proclamations were required under law – had included "God" until this year. Most proclamations mentioned "God" multiple times.
David Brody, the chief political analyst for CBN News, criticized the proclamation for what it didn't include.
"Joe Biden's National Day of Prayer Proclamation has been released and it doesn't even mention God once! How do you release a proclamation about prayer and not mention God at all?" Brody wrote in a tweet.
President Trump's 2018 proclamation mentioned "God" multiple times, such as: "On this National Day of Prayer, let us come together, all according to their faiths, to thank God for His many blessings and ask for His continued guidance and strength."
President Obama's 2015 proclamation referenced God three times, including in the following phrase: "Through prayer we find the strength to do God's work." Obama's 2010 proclamation read, in part, "On this day, let us give thanks for the many blessings God has bestowed upon our Nation."
President George W. Bush's 2003 proclamation read, "We come together to thank God for our Nation's many blessings, to acknowledge our need for His wisdom and grace, and to ask Him to continue to watch over our country in the days ahead."
President Clinton's 1995 proclamation read, "Let us not forget those painful lessons of our past, but continue to seek the guidance of God in all the affairs of our Nation
And again, look what so-called Pro-life Evangelicals for Biden (and Harris—don’t forget: immediate succession!) an oxymoron if ever was! See what your misguided leadership seeking some quantity of ethical balance continues to do to our country:
The first-ever press conference by President Joe Biden showed a president who used prepared notes to call on reporters and to stay on message but who paused mid-sentence to gather his thoughts and appeared to lose track of his words.
AP FACT CHECK: Biden skews figures on border and taxes
Thanks to the real-time reaction on social media, in particular Twitter, reporters and political activists reacted with alarm as the 78-year-old answered what appeared to be pre-selected questions from pre-selected White House reporters.
“Why does Biden need to read his answers?” demanded Fox News host Laura Ingraham.
“It looks like he’s reading from his Qs and As on North Korea. No one does this,” commented Ari Fleischer, the press secretary for President George W. Bush.
Blind leading the blind; causing little ones to stumble; shame! All the leaders involved in this shameful mix of politics with preaching should bow in great humbleness and cry out to God for His forgiveness as millions of babies—human beings, innocently awaiting God’s great gift if life through birth—begin, once again, to hear that ghastly, horrendous metallic whining noise and feel the terrible coldness of the mirderous fate that awaits them under Biden/Harris and aided by your group; shame!