Christian nationalists have been around for decades, but have never been more dangerous than they are today with many holding powerful offices in government, and with Trump as their nominee.
Sociologist Andrew Whitehead writes, "Christian nationalism refers to an ideology that asserts all civic life in the U.S. should be organized according to a particularly conservative and ethnocentric expression of Christianity. Christian nationalism is more than theological or religious beliefs. It includes several cultural assumptions including:
"MAKE AMERICA PRAY AGAIN" Donald Trump embraces Christian Nationalists because they are some of his most avid contributors - and now he's even selling them bibles. But those who seek to make all of us pray flout our constitution. Thomas Jefferson wrote:“No man shall be compelled to frequent or support any religious worship, place, or ministry whatsoever...all men shall be free to profess, and by argument to maintain, their opinion in matters of religion, and that the same shall in no wise diminish enlarge, or affect their civil capacities.”
Andrew Whitehead says, "Comfort with violence is a natural byproduct of Christian nationalism’s obsession with power. At times, the only way to get people to do what they should—as God commanded—is with the use (or threat) of force."
Max Burns writes, "Trump-aligned think tanks are actively crafting plans to infuse Christian nationalist principles into a potential second Trump administration. These principles entail:
This initiative, part of Project 2025, seeks to reshape the executive branch for unchecked authority under Trump's leadership. Trump's Christian nationalist allies openly advocate for these measures, viewing them as essential for a "moral restoration" of the United States, which necessitates dismantling democratic structures that allow non-Christians to participate in governance. According to Project 2025's manifesto, "Freedom is defined by God, not man," justifying unconstitutional actions to return America to a perceived Christian past. With a significant faction of Republicans seeing Trump as a messianic figure, this interpretation of freedom holds significant sway."
The Hill, February 21, 2024, by Max Burns
The Heritage Foundation, a right-wing think tank, has been lobbying for an anti-democratic Christian nationalist government since Ronald Reagan first said, "Let's Make American Great Again." Reagan implemented over half of Heritage's first Mandate for Leadership in his first year in office (1981). Today, Heritage is allied with many anti-democratic groups across the country who purport to stand for 'family values' and 'freedom' but seek to impose their interpretations of those values on everyone else.
In Salon, Andra Watkins writes, "Evangelicalese allows Trump’s MAGA supporters to hide their extreme positions in plain sight..."
Andra deciphers what the authors of Project 2025 mean when they propose outlawing all pornography (which in their lingo includes homosexuality...); having religious organizations distribute public funds to welfare recipients (who will only receive the help if they attend religious indoctrinations...); or ban all contraception (because women should embrace even unwanted pregnancies as messages from God who never makes mistakes.
Andra writes, "Christian Nationalists believe every human problem can be solved with the Bible. Mass shooters have a heart problem, they reason. A shooter’s heart can be transformed by knowing the One True God. From their pulpits, pastors claim gun violence is God’s judgment on a country that has rejected the One True God. Until we turn to him, we must live with this violence and its deadly consequences."
As Mika Brzezinski puts it, Trump "blames America for everything he's done to it."