Recently, there was an opinion piece in the Washington Times on 10/13/22 by Cal Thomas (whose writing I normally respect greatly). In the article, he shared his belief that Christian Nationalism is a “fringe group within a fringe group,” that it is basically a movement of white, older people, and that it does not represent the majority of voters. He then compared those involved in this movement with the zealots of Jesus’s time, whose political zeal is a misguided attempt to bring heaven to earth.
I felt strongly that I would like to address his arguments, and this article will share a different perspective on this topic.
I do agree that government cannot save anyone, only faith in Jesus can. But at the same time, I have noticed a recent awakening of the church at many levels to a dismaying fact: while church members were sitting in their churches praying for the second coming, their concurrent lack of involvement in the political arena created a vacuum which was quickly filled by the secular and humanistic.
And it is not the Christian Nationalist who is attempting to create something “approaching heaven on earth” through the political system, because they realize that we need checks and balances in government to counteract the tendency of human nature towards greed, corruption, and seeking power. The political “zealots” who are attempting to use political agendas to bring about utopia on earth are the humanists.
One only needs to read the UN’s Agenda 2030 to read what amounts to a very naïve humanistic plan to “end world poverty” and provide economic “equity for all,” while at the same time dismantling the looming specter of climate change, through a cooperative framework for what amounts to world government – all by the year 2030.
The frightening fact is that this very secular Agenda, which is currently being implemented around the world (think “ESGs” and sustainable development, as well as comprehensive sexual education starting in the primary grades) was signed by the member nations of the UN, including the United States.
Add to this humanistic plan to achieve utopia on earth any book by Klaus Schaub (I have read several) and his plans for the “Great Reset”, which lauds the benefits to mankind of technology and economic reform. And for those who truly do not frighten easily, read Homo Deus (“Man is God”) by Yuval Hariri, which is a humanistic look at a future where man and technology merge.
When Christians do nothing, plans like the above are created and proposed to a world seeking answers to its economic and social justice issues, and this plan then gets accepted by world leaders (without a vote by the people they represent) and eventually, if nothing is done, becomes legislation.
Four years ago, I was a Christian who sat in a pew, as were most of my friends, and I stayed away from politics which I was told by church leaders was “divisive”, “dirty” and something that as a Christian I should not take part in, since the only real solution was for Jesus to come back and usher in the Kingdom of Heaven. I prayed, and I only voted once every four years.
Then, 2020 happened. While I am not a “Trumper”, I did look at and personally evaluate the evidence for and against election fraud. The type of data proposed by groups such as True the Vote, in viewing before and after screenshots of voting machines in Colorado, as well as what was uncovered in Antrim County, Michigan (only an hour away from where I live) convinced me that our election was not the “safest and most secure in history” as the media fact-checkers were telling me.
Then, Joe Biden was sworn in, and an unprecedented slew of executive orders occurred, and I became concerned. Very concerned.
So, I decided to do something.
I started doing online research and reading. I joined the local Republican Party. And discovered that at the grassroots level, many others like me were doing the same. I started supporting candidates for school boards, and precinct delegates, and even went to “meet and greets” with district representatives. I overcame my natural distaste for things political because, to put it simply, I care about the future of our nation.
I joined some organizations, including Convention of States (COS) that are trying to make a difference. And what I discovered is that this is not a movement of the “old.” I have met those working with Charlie Kirk’s Turning Point USA who are committed to making a huge difference. I have been to local meetings where young mothers and dads in their 20s and early 30s are speaking up, and working to change things. Four concerned fathers are even running for the local school board. And this year, a 24-year-old County Commissioner ran for district representative in my district.
These millennials are all Christian. They all care about our nation, and regardless of age, we do not care what label is put on us by the media. We care about giving a voice to the majority of voters (and we are no longer a “silent majority”), in order to promote family values; protect the life of the unborn, support second amendment rights (there are a lot of hunters in North Michigan!), and protect our children from unnecessary indoctrination in a schoolroom setting, or from body-mutilating surgeries or sterilizing medications. We support voter integrity and the right to transparency in government.
Mr. Thomas referenced Clay Clark. I have gone to a Clay Clark rally; while I found the rally a bit too much “let’s make America Great again, and get Trump back in”, (I personally prefer “Make America Good Again”) I did respect the Christian leaders who were willing to speak out and say “We can’t let things keep going in this direction.” I especially respect Eric Metaxas, who has written an excellent and chillingly prophetic biography of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, pointing out the obvious parallels between the church during the rise of the Nazi movement and its decision to keep out of politics and our current national climate in the U.S.
Based on my personal observations, Christian Nationalism is not a rally or a small group of gray-haired white oldsters in the minority. It is people driving through the rain on a chilly day in northern Michigan to hear Kristina Karamo speak and promising to pray for her (because they understand where the real battleground is), as well as contributing to her campaign.
It is people of all ages taking clipboards and getting petitions signed.
It is people in states across the nation going door to door to verify addresses on voter rolls, and asking that the state voter rolls get cleaned up. I have several friends doing this, and the results they are finding are…concerning, to put it mildly.
It is Christians across the nation interceding, led by respected pastors such as Dutch Sheets, whose “Give Him 15” podcast has thousands of Christians of all ages praying daily for our nation.
It is Christians voting in the primaries, many for the first time (such as I did in this last primary).
It is Christians writing articles for local newspapers sharing facts and information that voters need to know.
It is Christian leaders holding revivals across the nation, including in California and New York, and reporting that thousands of people – the majority of them under age 40- are responding to the gospel in tent crusades (held by Mario Murillo among others), on the beaches (the LA Times even reported on the revival movement there), and in churches. I recently went to a church conference in another state, and it was not a meeting of the old and gray, but the young and determined of all ethnic groups, alongside those who were their seniors.
I believe that the answer for our nation is revival, with the gospel shared with those hungry for the truth. But I also believe that if we turn away from our responsibility to take back governance into the realm of righteousness and godly values, then as a whole, the church has failed in its responsibility to society.
We desperately need godly men and women who will take positions of leadership in this day and age, to be the “lamps that shine on a hill” and the “salt” to clean out the very dank corridors of government today. If this is Christian nationalism, then I am one, with no apologies. And there are many like me, praying and interceding for our country and its government at all levels – and running for office or supporting those who do.
Rather than a “fringe within a fringe group,” what I am witnessing is a national movement. One is motivated by the realization that no, political change will not bring “heaven to earth.” But we do have the responsibility to be heaven’s representatives while on this earth and to work for change that reflects this.
