Onward Christian Soldiers

 

by Pa Rock

Citizen Journalist

With the rise of this diseased form of religion in America generally referred to as "Christian Nationalism," it is easy to see why the nation's founders worked so diligently to keep religion and government in distinctly separate arenas.  Today that "wall" between church and state is crumbling at an alarming rate as religious leaders and politicians work diligently, and in tandem, to pull down important supports like free speech, voting rights, education, healthcare, safe working conditions, and equal access to our bountiful resources and opportunities - and instead give us a world of censorship, greed, ignorance, intolerance, and oppression.

We obviously are not witnessing a spiritual rebirth that would please Jesus.

Here, from just the past week or so, are just a few examples of the emerging cesspool of religiously-inspired politics (or politically-inspired religion) of which I speak:

Donald Trump, the man many "Christian" fundamentalists and evangelicals seem to regard as the second-coming of their messiah, has apparently gone full-blown Old Testament (the pre-Christian gospels) in his condemnation of those who speak out against him.  Instead of some namby-pamby turning-the-other-cheek nonsense, Trump this week warned detractors, critics, and legal pursuers, "IF YOU GO AFTER ME, I'M COMING AFTER YOU!"  (Emphasis his.)

Onward Christian Soldiers, marching as to war,

With the cross of Jesus going on before!

There is also Marge Greene, the loud and abrasive congresswoman from the Georgia backwoods who openly prides herself on being a "Christian Nationalist."  One of the stunts that Marge used to first get elected to Congress nearly three years ago was to follow a high school student around Washington, DC, with her trusty video camera, while yelling at and harassing the young anti-gun activist.  He had survived a school massacre, and Marge abused his harrowing circumstances to enhance her Facebook page.  

Marge Greene's latest stunt involved her using taxpayer money to enlarge some naked pictures of the President's son (pictures taken from his stolen computer), and then wave those enlarged stolen nudies around the Capitol Building where they could be seen by anyone with normal eyesight, regardless of age.

Christ the royal Master, leads against the foe;

Forward into battle, see his banner go!

If Jesus ever visited the state of Florida, say as a tourist, and needed to take a uhm . . . make water, it would surely be the state's humorless and sanctimonious governor, Ron DeSantis, who would step forward to help with his aim.  DeSantis, who has worked long and hard to kill education and commercial activity in his state, is now taking his awesomeness nationwide as he attempts to wrest the upcoming GOP presidential nomination from fellow Floridian Donald John Trump.  Last week the Florida governor was campaigning in the early voting state of New Hampshire, and National Public Radio (NPR) had this to say regarding that trip:

"Throughout his trip to New Hampshire, he (DeSantis) appeared bent on demonstrating that no candidate talks tougher.  He promised that, under his presidency, Mexican drug cartels would be 'shot stone cold dead,' and vowed that when it comes to federal bureaucrats, 'we are going to start slitting throats on Day One.'"

At the sign of triumph Satan's host doth flee;

And then, Christian soldiers, on to victory!

And those - Trump doing Mob Talk in all caps, Marge Greene harassing children and waving dick pics around the US Capitol, and DeSantis making death threats - are just the most recent examples of what happens when religion and politics cross-pollinate.   But the election season is young and there will undoubtedly be many, many more to come.

Praise Jesus and pass the potato salad!