Fighting Christian Nationalism

THOSE WHO EMBRACE Christian Nationalism generally do so fervantly, enthusiastically, strongly. Therefore it is encumbant upon those who oppose it to do so with equal vigor, in our great chaotic "democracy" where often the loudest voice drowns out the sensible, sane voice. And indeed, opponents of Christian Nationalism tend to be highly motivated. They should be, becaue their cause is urgent, and just. If by some bizarre chance and Republican congress is elected in November, do not doubt that the Christian Nationalist movement will attempt to legislate Christian Nationalism into law, and that there will be conisderable support for it in Congress, and, quite likely, most importantly, the always ready to please Donald Trump will happily go along with the idea, pledge his support for it, and reap the rewards of enhanced support from conservative evangelical Christians, a group which already strongly supports Trump. The Christian religion would become official in the United States, which would formally be declared a 'Christian" nation. America, at long last, a theocracy. Many if not most American Christians already assert that the United States is and always has been a Christian nation, founded unon Christina values and principles. Perhaps Christians should ask themslves how they would react if the United States adopted a religion other than Christianity as official. The United States of Islamic America? Or pantheism or deism? The great clockmaker god, stepping back and out of the way of his creation. The sentient scientist god. one can perhaps begin to see the problem in establishing any religion, even one dominate and embrace by a majority of the citizens, as "official". To elevate any one religion above all others is to diminish the equality of all religions, and their acceptance, and tolerance, in a nation of religious freedom and tolerance. Those who insist that America is a Christian country founded upon Christian values are perhpas thinking about the pilgrams landings in Massachussets in 1620 and 1630, and the very definate religious centered beginnings of European civilization in North America. The same is true, to a lesser extant, in Virginia beginning in 1607. But things change. By 1776, the spirit of revoultion and independence has seized America, and the leaders of the independence movement were, for the most part, a bookish bunch of intellectuals, independent thinkers who tended to question authority and tradition, and to dream big. They understood the importance of religious freedom, tolerance, and equality, especially in the midst of a culture dominated by Christianity, with the inherited tradition of a strong, dominant ahurch, and a church deeply embedded within the political power structure of all European countries. The revolutionary founders of the constututional republic of 1787 wanted a stong, indisputable seperation of church and state, above nearly all else. We have generally done a good job of maintaining this desirable and sacred state of affairs, and we must never relax our determination to maintain it and, if neessary, to fight to defend it. We have a very acceptable religious situation in the United Staes, in which thousand of religions thrive without threat, and yet, the Christian religion maintains its preeminent place, due to its being a majoritiy religion. Nobody is trying to destroy or thereaten the Chrsitian faith, contray by excessvie claims to the contrary. But all good Americans should staunchly and persistently resist any attempt on the part of any religion to become dominant, legally, by becoming officially established by government.