Echo warnings about right wing Christian Nationalism

Echo opinion letters warn about the dangers of Christian nationalism:

Religion News Service:  Christian nationalism is a trending topic in midterm election campaigns, with extremists and even members of Congress such as (right wing nut case!) Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene identifying with the term and others, such as Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado and Pennsylvania Republican gubernatorial candidate Doug Mastriano, expressing open hostility to the separation of church and state. In the road show known as the ReAwaken America Tour, unapologetically Christian nationalist leaders crisscross the country spouting conspiracy theories and baptizing people.

Lancaster On Line:  Christian nationalism is quite simply a movement that uses Christianity as an excuse for prejudice and discrimination. It disavows many of God’s teachings and solidly opposes the concept of separation of church and state.

This country’s Founding Fathers specifically disavowed any connection between religion and government. These Christian nationalists offer nothing but division and discrimination, with no benefit to anyone. 

From Brad Tinkham in Elizabethtown, in Lancaster County Pennsylvania

Christian nationalism is the belief that the American nation is defined by Christianity, and that the government should take active steps to keep it that way.

CAP Times in Wisconsin: There has been a renewed resurgence to declare the United States a Christian nation, no longer keeping the church separate from the state.

Christian nationalists are promoting antidisestablishmentarianism.

That word has gained a renewed importance — no longer just one of the longest words in the dictionary. It refers to Christian nationalists advocating for Christian churches to receive government patronage rather than be disestablished, meaning separate from state support.

Proponents believe the church should have say and sway in our country's governance and have an official status there. There is even a movement in Congress for this.

Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado is spearheading an effort to have the United States declared Christian, preferably with her own version and vision as a foundation. She has up to 61% of Republicans in her camp. But this might in numbers does not make it right.

It's stated in the First Amendment to the Constitution that Congress can neither establish, nor prohibit the practice of religion. To declare the United States Christian would violate the establishment clause and put a de facto pariah label to non-Christian religions and the agnostics and atheists among us. These groups make up to 35% of the United States population. That is a lot of people who would be given outcast status.

Many Christian nationalists cry foul over gun control regulations. They scream that their Second Amendment rights are being violated, yet when they want to violate the First Amendment with no separation of church and state, that's OK. For them the Constitution is to be used as a convenient avenue to (selfishly) get what they want.

Bill Walters in Fitchburg Wisconsin