Why ‘Christian nationalism’ misses the mark
Was this country founded on Christianity?
The 1796 Treaty of Tripoli was a Treaty of Peace and Friendship between the United States of America and the Bey and Subjects of Tripoli of Barbary, now known as Libya. Article 11 states, “As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion…”
That was 1796, and today we have many Republicans like Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who said: “We need to be the party of nationalism, and I’m a Christian, and I say it proudly, we should be Christian nationalists.”
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Last month, Greene said Christian nationalism is “nothing to be afraid of” and that the “movement” will solve school shootings and “sexual immorality in America.” I find this belief strange and fascinating but mostly disturbing.
A Christian nationalist is an individual who primarily focuses on internal politics. They support passing laws that reflect the views of their religious faith and their role in political and social life. So, Christian nationalism would prefer statutes that would result in a culture that rewards or punishes acts according to their faith-based values.
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The founders drafted the Articles of Confederation, the framework of our nation for some time, then the Constitution, which established a democratic republic. This country's framers expressly and intentionally banned faith-based legislation through the First Amendment because the founders and the framers were not all Christians. The First Amendment states Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion.
Greene is not the only person in power supporting Christian nationalism. There has been a recent resurgence of white Christian nationalism in our nation. But what is Christian nationalism?
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Before the Declaration of Independence and the founding of this country, it was colonization, genocide, enslavement, plunder and exploitation. All this was “justified” by a peculiar type of capitalism based on a co-opted religion of a vengeful but merciful god and a white Jesus.
The first English colony in North America was the Roanoke colony of 1583, the so-called Lost Colony. The settlement and the settlers disappeared, and no one knows if they died, were killed by the land's indigenous people, its flora or fauna, or whether they succumbed to a weather event. No archaeological evidence has ever solved that mystery.
Was this colony based on or founded on Christianity? No. This colony was a product of the British crown. It was intended to enrich the monarchy. They would ultimately resort to violence, enslavement and exploitation to capture the resources of the land.
What are some of the basic Christian concepts? They are not unique — they are actually universal and shared among all faith-based religions. They are about being a good person by being good to others. Many follow them, but then many use Biblical verses to suit their needs, goals and desires.
Let's take a look at some of these tenets. First, Christians are supposed to be monotheistic and love their one and only God. Is this what they did? No, the colonists worshiped their God, money and power. Did they love thy neighbor and love thy enemies? Absolutely not! There was a genocide, and they killed the indigenous First Nation people for their land.
Did the Christian settlers follow the biblical tenet of not judging others? Nope. They would consider the natives of their land as savages who did not deserve the land because they were heathens and, therefore, less than human.
This tenets of their religion not only suited them in the past but has resurfaced anew in today's political and social realm.
The repentance of sins is essential in Christianity. It is an important tenet, not just then but also now. Yet, many Christian Americans do not want to admit to any wrongs committed in the name of their God or country. It could be out of faith or patriotism. It's unknown, and like the Lost Colony, it's another one of many of America’s unsolved mysteries.
But, like science, it’s true whether you believe it or not. And I have a creed that goes like this: “If someone is getting mad, then I must be saying something true. And if they get angry, it's the folks I want to be mad anyways.”
In conclusion, this country has had three distinct periods that consequentially birthed this nation. There was a period before the founding. It was not based on Judeo-Christian values, nor did it resemble Christianity itself. After that, there was the founding, which was the end conclusion of the Declaration of Independence, which was the separation from the crown. And finally, the Framers of the Constitution prohibited the establishment of religion.
Anyone stating that The United States of America was founded under, for, or about any religion is incorrect. What motivates one to say that when the First Amendment expressly banned the passing of laws that are religion and faith-based? I'm not sure, but it's not very honest or even slightly unbiased.
Daron Davis lives in Fayetteville. He can be reached at theedavis5@gmail.com.
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Why ‘Christian nationalism’ misses the mark
