Posted on 12/16/2020 6:32:13 AM PST by SeekAndFind
This past Sunday morning, Beth Moore tweeted, “I do not believe these are days for mincing words. I’m 63 1/2 years old & I have never seen anything in these United States of America I found more astonishingly seductive & dangerous to the saints of God than Trumpism. This Christian nationalism is not of God. Move back from it.” Was she right in raising these concerns?
Before we can respond, let’s put aside the question of whether you are a Beth Moore fan or not. To some, she is a beloved and faithful teacher of the Word. To others, she has become “soft.” That is not the issue here. The issue is the substance of her words.
We also need to define what is meant by “Christian nationalism” (although we cannot say with certainty this is exactly what Moore meant).
Are you a Christian nationalist simply because you love and appreciate America? No.
Are you a Christian nationalist simply because you are patriotic and serve in the military? No.
Are you a Christian nationalist simply because you believe Trump was better for America than Biden? No.
Are you a Christian nationalist simply because you believe there was electoral fraud and are doing your best to fight for a free and fair election? No.
Are you a Christian nationalist simply because you believe that America must protect our religious liberties? No.
Are you a Christian nationalist simply because you believe that God raised up America for special purposes in order to bless and help the world? No.
But you are a Christian nationalist if you confuse loyalty to your country with loyalty to the kingdom of God.
You are a Christian nationalist if you wrap the gospel in an American flag.
You are a Christian nationalist if you “merge Christian and American identities” (as stated here; readers might have differences with other statements on this site).
As defined by Pastor Jeremie Beller, “Christian nationalism is the interwining of the Kingdom of God with the kingdoms of men. In the American context, it is often displayed by describing America through language reserved for the Kingdom of God. . . . The marriage between patriotism and righteousness further blurs the line between the Kingdom of God and the kingdoms of the world.”
To be sure, much of the attack against “Christian nationalism” comes from left-leaning thinkers, as can be seen in some critiques of the concept.
For example, according to Andrew Whitehead and Samuel Perry, authors of - TAKING AMERICA BACK FOR GOD: CHRISTIAN NATIONALISM IN THE UNITED STATES, “Christian nationalism merely uses the Bible to impose its conservative political agenda. By asserting that they are true followers of Christ in a country that is founded on Christian principles, adherents of Christian nationalism can brand their political opponents as both ungodly and un-American.
“By playing the role of an oppressed minority, Christian nationalism adds moral strength to its position while hiding the truth that its ideology is aging out and driving young people away through its intolerance.”
But putting aside these critiques, which we are often reacting against when stating our positions, is there substance to Beth Moore’s tweet?
In my view, the answer is absolutely yes. Many Christian conservatives today are equating the fate of America with the fate of God’s kingdom, making one party (obviously, the Republican Party) into God’s party and the other party (obviously, the Democratic Party) into Satan’s party.
That’s why, on Saturday, prayer rallies for election integrity were scheduled together with “Jericho Marches” in key, swing-state cities.
This was not simply a display of patriotism. This was not just a public demonstration against perceived injustices. This was not just a show of support for Donald Trump. This was about the kingdom of God advancing. The two have become merged as one.
That’s why a “peaceful protest and prayer march [that] took place in Washington, DC Saturday where participants rallied for America's election system to be free from fraud and corruption” was called, “Let the Church ROAR.”
That’s why a victory for Trump (even before the elections were contested) meant a victory for Jesus. (All the more is this true now that there is a widespread perception that the election was stolen.)
And that’s why I tweeted, “As a Trump voter, I must say candidly that it is very troubling to see many American Christians far more mobilized for Trump than they have ever been mobilized for Jesus.”
The problem is that the differences between being Christians who love America and Christian nationalists are often subtle, since we have many shared values (such as being pro-life).
Many sincere believers would also ask, “Should we just stand back and let our country be destroyed? Should we let democracy be crushed forever? Should we simply hand over our nation to corrupt leaders? Should we not stand up and fight for what is right?”
Certainly not. We should fight for what is right and against what is wrong.
But the cause of Trump is not the cause of Christ, nor is the battle for the Senate a battle for the kingdom of God.
America, like every other nation on the planet, is part of the world system (or, in New Testament terms, part of “the world”). It is not the kingdom of God, nor is it a special manifestation of the kingdom of God. In fact, God’s kingdom values are often diametrically opposed to the values of our country.
Let’s be real, my friends.
We have aborted more than 60 million babies since 1973. We lead the world in the making and exporting of pornography. Our murder rates are off the charts, as are our rates for teen drug use, teen promiscuity, and teen suicide. Much of our history has been marked by racial injustice, and we have as many radical elements on the right as we do on the left. And we have pushed LGBTQ extremism on other countries at the risk of them losing our financial support.
Need I say more?
To equate America with God’s kingdom or to merge the cross with the flag is to make a terrible and dangerous mistake. And that is the error of Christian nationalism.
The irony of all this is that if we would be kingdom-minded people first and foremost, we would bring the most blessing to America. If we would look at America as our mission field rather than our spiritual refuge, we would help our nation fulfill whatever plans the Lord has for us. And if we would exalt Jesus infinitely more than any political leader, we would best serve our country (and our leaders).
Has Beth Moore, then, gone soft? Is she becoming politically liberal? Those are not the questions I am asking here.
Is she right to warn about the dangerous rise of Christian nationalism in our country today? I say absolutely yes. (For the record, she also warned against falling into “Bidenism.”)
Are being a Christian and being a nationalist mutually exclusive? Love God, love your neighbor.
I have no idea who Beth Moore is, and from what she tweeted I have no interest in her whatsoever. She sounds just like another brain dead radical.
RE: I have no idea who Beth Moore is, and from what she tweeted I have no interest in her whatsoever
What is it about her tweet that you object to?
“I think that’s a fair assessment.”
You don’t know what you are talking about and neither does she. That is like saying people mobilize for work more than they do for Jesus because they get up and carry out their daily routine for forty hours a week.
A clear and present danger, a war for survival, calls for a cohesive and immediate response. The response is not false worship.
Our United States of America is a Christian nation, and that is a foundation in the Construction of our Constitution, as essential as the other foundations - for examples: original intent, and enumeration of powers.
Yet in the Construction of our Constitution, tolerance among various practices of faith, required that a formal religion not be established as an official religion of the nation state.
Our country is a nation under God.
In the Construction of the Second Amendment of our Bill of Rights, lays the foundation for being a “conscientious objector.”
The formation of the Second Amendment, included at one time, a portion that would exclude “the religiously scrupulos” from having to bear Arms (that is purposely a capital “A”).
But that portion was later removed from the Construction, because that might be used by forces for tyranny, to disarm all who believe in God. Such a possibility - being disarmed, was against the grains of our foundations and freedom.
Jesus clearly stated, “Think not that I have come to bring peace, but a sword...”
Dividing believers from the eternally damned has to start somewhere. We are perhaps seeing the beginnings of it in this Country, right before our eyes.
What is a nationalist? He is someone who cares about the lives of those who he considers part of his nation, more than those who are NOT part of his nation.
To globalists, this is evil.
I am a nationalist, and do not consider any globalist part of my nation.
From a Christian standpoint, I suppose the best way to look at things is “who is closer to the values I value?”.
Any candidate who is “pro-choice” is a no for me.
Trump has his warts, but he is pro-freedom, which is very important to me. He is also the strongest pro-life President I can remember.
Shove the “Christian” Post where the sun don’t shine.
a) it should be "oppressed majority"
b) it's not "playing," it's the truth, just look at the recent SCOTUS cases regarding COVID restrictions and LGBTQ-whatever persecutions.
c)The author confuses the fact that the Left has caused the US to adopt sinful policies with what the US can and ought to be
d) the adoption of sinful policies goes hand in hand with the persecution of observant Christians and Jews, the pass given to Islam, and the political corruption of the country, as well as the development of pseudo-Christian doctrines in various denominations that accept manifest sins like abortion and homosexuality.
If you are a believing Christian, how can you not take a political stand under these circumstances? And how can you not appeal to your religious convictions as part of that engagement?
Pro-life and Pro-freedom count for a lot.
I think God cares for the nation of Israel. I don’t see why God would be against our nation. I think Trump is fighting the good fight and I think Beth Moore is a wacko.
Karen Olsteen, she is. Wanda’s her first name.
She’s apostate, violating 1 Timothy 2:12.
Looks like she wants to increase her book sales.
She talks with God, too...https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=vIbBuJnqn5M
“To others, she has become “soft.””
No, her problem is that she claims God gives her special revelation and sets herself up as a teacher to the entire church. And what she teaches doesn’t have to be measured against the Word of God because....well, because she can take one word out of context and then derive life lessons for everyone.
The biggest sin is that men in the church have remained silent while she teaches gullible women and their weak-willed husbands.
“Many Christian conservatives today are equating the fate of America with the fate of God’s kingdom, making one party (obviously, the Republican Party) into God’s party and the other party (obviously, the Democratic Party) into Satan’s party.”
The Christians I know most decidedly do NOT do this! But we recognize that SOME conservatives, and often Trump, have championed religious freedom and many Godly causes - all of which are under constant attack from every Democrat I can think of.
DEMOCRATS HAVE OPENLY REBELLED AGAINST GOD. They most decidedly hate Jesus. And Jews. While they adore Muslims....
1. There is no such thing as bidenism. So that little canard of trying to act evenhanded is lower than moot.
2. The present phenomenon is not about nationalism at all. It looks like it to some because it DJT has made “America First” a rallying cry.
No, the present phenomenon is nothing less than a fight to the death, the two sides lining up along the ideological divide. Put simply, this is a visceral, tortuous war between good and evil. The standard bearers of good hold up the U.S. Constitution and the Bible (with their resultant liberties); the standard bearers of evil hold up the communist manifesto (with its inevitable tyranny).
Too bad so many words were wasted in a long, contorted tapdance around the real issue.
When our church brought that chick’s cult in as a official program — about 25 years ago, I think — we left.
“I think that’s a fair assessment. Unfortunate, but true.”
American pastors might want to look in a mirror to see what that is so. Trump is very non-apologetical about what he believes in unlike many pastors.
You won’t hear a pastor criticize unwed mothers or divorce culture. You won’t hear a pastor support couples having more children. Many pastors have refrained from coitizing the gay lifestyle.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.