The left is increasingly fearmongering\u2064 that\u200d a Donald Trump victory this November would \u201celevate Christian nationalism \u200bas a focal point\u201d in\u200d his second term.\u200b This hand-wringing was \u200b reported by Politico<\/a>, which defined Christian nationalism as the belief that \u201cthe country was \u200cfounded as \u2063a Christian nation and that Christian\u2062 values should be prioritized\u2062 throughout government and\u2062 public life.\u201d<\/p>\n

Politico\u200d acknowledged that \u200b\u201cTrump is\u2063 not \u2063a devout man of faith,\u201d but warned \u2062that his close associates seeking to influence policy are. In fact, \u2064\u201c[T]he effort \u200bto imbue\u200b laws with\u2063 biblical principles is already\u200c underway \u200din some \u200cstates.\u201d Trailers\u2062 for Rob Reiner\u2019s new film, \u2064\u201cGod and Country,\u201d similarly issue apocalyptic \u2063warnings of Christian involvement in public life.<\/p>\n

If nothing else, the left\u2019s propaganda machine is predictable.\u200b Their wheelhouse is\u200b the subtle manipulation of \u2062language, stigmatizing \u2062words that \u2062sound positive on their own, but turn into\u2064 a poisonous cocktail when blended.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m talking about the phrase \u2064\u201cChristian\u200c nationalism.\u201d The word \u201cChristian\u201d \u2064appears \u200bonly three times in the New \u2063Testament.\u200d It is first introduced in the book of Acts as\u2062 a noun \u2062\u2014 a \u2063pejorative\u200c term of mockery used against followers of\u200d Christ. \u2062But instead of running from the label, they welcomed \u2062it. They\u200c were glad to suffer derision just as their Lord had done.<\/p>\n

The word \u201cChristian\u201d is\u2064 now being used as an adjective to make \u201cnationalism,\u201d a word that already has negative \u200dconnotations on \u200cits own, sound even worse. \u2063When you modify \u201cnationalism\u201d by \u201cChristian,\u201d it becomes even darker. The evils of \u201cnationalism\u201d \u200care amplified in the name of God. \u2064It\u2019s wickedness done by divine\u200c decree. <\/p>\n

Leftists \u200dknow that carefully \u2064defining \u201cChristian nationalism\u201d would be \u200dcounterproductive. Its ambiguity is its utility. It needs to\u2062 be scary enough to make people\u2063 afraid of it but vague enough so\u200d they\u200b don\u2019t know what they actually fear. Thus, \u201cChristian nationalism\u201d has the \u2062requisite negative\u2062 associations \u2062to\u200b accomplish \u2063the \u2064desired effect: Christians are bad,\u2063 they want to\u2064 do bad things, and \u200bthey must\u200c be stopped.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

This \u200dis one of \u200bthe left\u2019s\u2062 favorite plays, and they run it\u200d all the time.\u200d Here\u2019s\u200d how it works.<\/p>\n

Step 1:<\/h2>\n
\n
Come up\u2064 with a vague, new label\u2062 that has \u200csinister overtones like \u201cChristian \u2062nationalism.\u201d Refuse to define\u2064 it, only \u2063denounce it. Consider it utterly unworthy of\u2063 serious discussion. The self-evident threat \u200cof Christian nationalism is a clear and present danger\u2064 to all decent Americans.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Step 2:<\/h2>\n
\n
Target and demonize politically involved Christians, especially \u2063conservatives.\u2064 Weaponize and deploy the \u200d\u201cChristian nationalist\u201d label\u2063 to turn decent, ordinary Christians against them.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Step 3:<\/h2>\n
\n
Demand \u200cdenunciations of Christian nationalism from ordinary \u2064Christians. Putting distance between themselves and so-called Christian nationalists\u2062 will demonstrate\u2063 their good faith and reasonableness.\u200c Dangle \u2062the carrot of inner-ring respectability\u2063 until they comply.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
<\/div>\n
Step 4:<\/h2>\n
\n
Slowly expand the \u201cChristian nationalist\u201d label like a canopy over an ever-growing number of Christians who \u2064would have previously denounced it. Any \u2062expression of historical biblical morality can be easily savaged as \u200cyet another encroachment of\u2062 Christian\u2063 nationalism that must\u200d be stopped.\u2063 The resulting cognitive \u2063dissonance \u2064will steer ordinary believers further and further away from historical Christianity\u2062 to avoid \u2063being implicated. \u2062Eventually, Christianity \u2062itself melts into the \u201cChristian nationalist\u201d label entirely.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Step \u200d5:<\/h2>\n
\n
Bludgeon \u2063believers and terrify them with the specter of \u201cChristian nationalism\u201d until all conservative Christians are driven \u200baway from political life\u2064 altogether. The \u2063more Christians cower in fear, the more Christians are controlled by the threat\u2063 of the label being applied to \u200cthem \u2062(see \u200dalso \u201cracist,\u201d \u201csexist,\u201d and \u201chomophobe\u201d).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
We can\u2019t\u2062 stop leftists from running their\u200c playbook, but \u2062we don\u2019t have to play their\u2062 games either. We don\u2019t have to give them \u2062the power to use rhetorical manipulation to\u200b dictate our beliefs.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s obvious at this point that anyone \u200cwho\u2064 believes the most obvious Christian teachings will be branded a\u2062 Christian nationalist. It\u2019s \u2063inevitable. <\/p>\n
There is \u2064no agreed-upon definition \u2062of Christian \u2064nationalism. I agree with some definitions and disagree with others. Ideally, we would \u200dclearly \u200cdefine our terms \u200cand \u2062apply labels that accurately describe \u2064the individual. I\u2019d prefer to choose labels that best reflect my views, but I don\u2019t always get \u200bthat \u200cchoice. <\/p>\n
Ultimately,\u2064 it matters not. As a conservative Christian who \u200dloves\u2063 God,\u200b believes \u2063the Bible, \u200dloves my country, and\u200b wants to \u2064see justice prevail \u200cand righteousness flourish in our society, I \u200bwill be called a Christian nationalist.\u200c This label is not used\u200c to create clarity and foster reasonable \u2064dialogue, but to bully,\u200b intimidate, and shut down dialogue. Name-calling is effective; that\u2019s why people do it. \u200dThey will keep running\u2062 the same play\u200b as long as it works.<\/p>\n
I say lean into it. Sooner or\u2063 later, every \u200cChristian \u2063will be lumped in with Christian \u200bnationalists.\u200d If we backpedal and become\u200c defensive every time they call us names, they become our masters and \u2064we their slaves. <\/p>\n
So I\u2019ll gladly accept<\/a> their derision and turn\u200c it into a badge of honor. I guess I\u2019m\u2064 a \u2064Christian \u200bnationalist.<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n
\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n
rnrn <\/p>\n
How\u2063 does \u200bthe use of the\u200b label “Christian nationalist” contribute\u200c to \u2063the marginalization of individuals who \u200badvocate for traditional Christian beliefs?<\/h2>\n
\u2063Values and ideals are silenced or dismissed as extremist and dangerous.\u200d Anyone who dares to stand up for traditional Christian beliefs or advocate for Christian\u200c principles in public life will be \u200clabeled as a “Christian nationalist” and marginalized.<\/p>\n
This\u2063 tactic\u200d is not new. The left has\u200b a long history of using fear and manipulation to further their agenda. They know that\u2062 by creating a vague\u200b and ambiguous label like “Christian nationalism,”\u200b they can tap into the fears and \u2063insecurities of the general public. They understand that most people will not \u2063take the\u200c time to research\u2063 and understand the true\u200d meaning and \u200dimplications of this label. \u2063Instead, they will simply accept<\/a> it \u200dat face value and\u2062 assume that anyone associated with it must be a threat.<\/p>\n
But we\u200d must not\u200b fall into this trap.\u200c We must not\u200c allow ourselves to be swayed\u200d by the left’s propaganda machine. We must educate ourselves and others \u200babout the true meaning\u200b of Christian \u200cnationalism and the importance of preserving Christian values and principles in our society.<\/p>\n
Christian nationalism \u2064is not about \u200cimposing\u200d a theocracy or forcing everyone to adhere to Christian \u200cbeliefs. It\u2064 is about \u2062recognizing the important role that Christian principles \u200dhave played in the\u2062 foundation and\u200b history\u200c of our nation. It is about understanding that our laws and institutions have been shaped by Judeo-Christian\u200c values, and \u2062that these values have contributed to\u200b the success\u2063 and prosperity \u200bof our country.<\/p>\n
Christian nationalism is not a threat, but rather \u2062a \u200bnecessary and vital part of maintaining a strong\u200d and moral society. It is \u2063about\u2062 upholding the truths and principles that have stood the test of time and have served as\u200c a moral compass for generations. It\u200c is about preserving the religious freedom and liberty that our\u200c founding fathers fought<\/a> and died \u2063for.<\/p>\n
So let us not be deceived by \u200bthe left’s attempts to\u200b demonize and\u2062 marginalize Christian\u2062 nationalists. Let us stand strong in our\u2064 faith and in our commitment to\u200d uphold Christian principles in our personal lives and in our public discourse. Let us reject the false narrative that seeks to divide\u2062 and \u200dsilence us. \u200bAnd let\u2062 us\u200c continue to defend and promote the values that have made our nation great.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
According to Politico, the left is expressing concerns that a second term for Donald Trump would intensify Christian nationalism, making it a central focus. Christian nationalism is defined as the belief that the US was established as a Christian nation and that Christian principles should hold prominence in government<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2903,"featured_media":2183533,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Person-reading-book-photo.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[546],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2183532","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-federalist"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Person-reading-book-photo.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2183532","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2903"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2183532"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2183532\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2183533"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2183532"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2183532"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2183532"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}