A Roadshow for Conspiracies (and Jesus?)

Fringe Internet Conspiracies + Bad Theology + Christian Nationalism

Religious fanatics and the mixing of religion and politics is not2016 election, the unapologetic mixing of religion and politics is the new normal. I can remember the old saying “don’t mix religion and politics, and don’t bring them to the dinner table.” But now, the opposite seems to be true and the dinner table is becoming more crowded as the My Pillow guy is seated next to the bowl of peas, and before dessert is served there is a serving of conspiracy sprinkled with a dash of bad theology.

Gone are the days of the Billy Graham days of Crusades for Christ and in are the days of the ReAwaken America Tour. For better or worse, the Billy Graham crusades proclaimed the Good News of the Gospel that drew people into lives of faith. At the beginning of his ministry, Graham left politics out of his crusades. People attended in large numbers; over one million people in Yoido Plaza in Seoul in South Korea in 1973. But as Graham grew older and the power of his ministry began to reach across the line of religion and politics, Graham would become the pastor to the Presidents. He was closest to President Nixon. This relationship would eventually be a regret for Graham.

Toward the end of his life, Graham told Christianity Today, “would have steered clear of politics.”

Graham took a step back from his political involvement but the void did not stay empty for long. The likes of Jerry Falwell stepped in the gap.

The ReAwaken America Tour is the latest toxic combination of religion and politics to sweep across America since the 2020 election cycle.

Annie Gowen of the Washington Post describes the tour as, “The traveling carnival of misinformation merges entertainment, politics and theology and makes the existential argument to those attending: The debate is no longer about Republican vs. Democrat, they say, it’s about good vs. evil. And it’s time to pick a side.”

The gospel Good News proclaimed at these rallies is anything but Good News.

“Doomsday prophets, anti-vaccine agitators casting doubt on all childhood vaccines, and a currency expert who predicted that the American monetary system could collapse by Thanksgiving and that Trump would be reinstalled as president by the end of the year.”

What is being proclaimed is a dangerous cocktail of Christian Nationalism, idolatry, and heresy.

Theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer warned of this cocktail.

“Christianity stands or falls with its revolutionary protest against violence, arbitrariness, and pride of power, and with its plea for the weak. Christians are doing too little to make these points clear ... Christendom adjusts itself far too easily to the worship of power. Christians should give more offense, shock the world far more, than they are doing now.”

Through the prophet Isaiah, the Lord told Israel to beat their swords into plow shares. And Jesus, the One in whose name this tour is taking in vain, said, “for all who take the sword will perish by the sword.”

I mention the sword because so many of these types of tours or rallies eventually begin to tiptoe around the use of violence to make their point, highlight their idolatrous addiction to the second amendment, or point to what happened at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, as just the starting point for further violence.

Again, all of this is being done and said in the name of Jesus.

Don’t forget, on January 6, in the US. Capitol, as police officers were being beaten, a gallows was being built to hang the Vice President, and members of Congress were taken to secure locations Christian flags were flown and prayers were recited.

Fringe Internet Conspiracies + Bad Theology + Christian Nationalism = ??? but it can’t be good.

Mark Burns, a South Carolina minister who was a member of Trump’s faith advisory council, asked the crowd, “Are you ready to go to war for the Lord Jesus Christ?”

Burns clarified that he was not talking about a physical war with. the caveat that if his guns were taken away then he’d be willing to physically fight.

Fringe Internet Conspiracies + Bad Theology + Christian Nationalism

Many have stated that it might be better to leave, to move somewhere else.

To this, Dietrich Bonhoeffer said of leaving Germany during the Nazi regime, “I have come to the conclusion that I made a mistake in coming to America. I must live through this difficult period in our national history with the people of Germany. I will have no right to participate in the reconstruction of Christian life in Germany after the war if I do not share the trials of this time with my people.”

The Gospel of Jesus Christ shines a brighter disinfecting light on the likes of the ReAwaken America Tour than any light former President Trump suggested we shine in our bodies to rid ourselves of COVID.

To the church in Galatia, the Apostle Paul wrote, “it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” In Christ, we have new life, freed from conspiracy, bad theology, and Christian nationalism. Jesus has offered the world the freedom we so desperately look for in failed leaders that are peddling their own get-rich-quick scheme.