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this post was submitted on 27 Mar 2024
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As someone raised in a white evangelical household, an ex-evangelical myself, and someone who lived in a number of very conservative communities and as someone who regularly works with police and military, I feel I have a very solid understanding of (and have been thoroughly traumatized by) the conservative/evangelical/christian nationalist mindset - and I think the Christianity part is way more central that you are giving it credit.
Similarly, while there is most certainly racism present, I have encountered few overtly, stereotypically racist people in those communities. They will enthusiastically accept any minority that shares their beliefs. I think it's far more about ideology than race. Where the racism comes in is they automatically distrust people of other races unless they discover there is a shared ideology.
They hate white Democrats/liberals/progressives just as much, maybe even more, than those of other races, because those are people who have "rejected the word of God" rather than being those who have simply not heard it yet and potential converts.
I grew up in a similarly christian conservative community. I think it's a mistake to conflate conservative Christians with christian nationalists (though there is overlap for certain). Several of my very conservative christian family members are disgusted by the christian nationalists.
That's why I don't think it's the christianity driving the nationalism but rather the nationalism driving the christianity. Hence the reason nazis have felt pretty comfortable attending CPAC this year in nazi garb.
There are athiest christian nationalists who will talk about how it's "the culture" that matters and makes a "christian nation" superior to other government forms.
In my home state of Idaho, I see a lot of christian nationists in public office, and they are much more occupied with rooting out "CRT" (re: anything mentioning civil rights and slavery) and LGBT literature than they are focused on "getting prayer back in school" or other overtly "christian" motives.
By atheist Christian nationalist, do you mean people who aren't religious but believe in Christian values? Or as I think they're trying to reframe it: family values - to try to disguise their religion and appeal to more people.
People who have previously stated they are atheists but also are christian nationalists because they believe in the "cultural values" it grants. Generally just people with bigotries that line up with christian nationalism's current targets.
"I'm an atheist, but I believe that being gay will destroy society and this CRT stuff will erode the moral values of this nation" that sort of shit. Sam Harris and Jordan Peterson are two that fit right into this mold. Though there have been atheists that have explicitly said they are also christian nationalists, they are just more minor public right wing figures who's names I've already forgotten.
Yeah I think we're saying the same thing.
I've also listened to some Jordan Peterson, he clearly holds religion in high regard. I would not believe him if he says he's atheist.
You're definitely right, and I kindof lumped those together - it's hard to write a complete response during a poop break at work.
I was not aware of 'athiest christian nationalists' being a thing. Fascinating.
I also didn't adequately explain that I feel 'modern' Christianity has very little to do with the teachings of Christ, much less the content of the Bible even as a whole. It seems it's much more a justification of their targeted hatred.
Definitely agree there. I think the union of conservative politics and christianity has made both worse.
It's that bigotry and hatred that is the core of christian nationalism and nationalism in general. Having a target to hate is just how these fascist operate. Religion helps to have outgroups to hate, and nationalism exploits that to try and radicalize.