Saw the cartoon WWJD and it got me thinking a lot. So much so my wife needed a break. Welcome to her world.
What does it mean to be Christian or Jewish or Muslim, or the personal beliefs of all other religions? Or just simply spiritual. In any religion there are the haters. People who distort spirituality to spread and use hate for personal gain and power. For Christians gonna call it “anti-christ”, for Muslims anti-muslim, etc, you get the picture. People spewing hate death and destruction do not represent the true religious teachings of that religion or probably most religions. (not a religions expert by no means)
With this post I want to focus on christian speak(once again not an expert). I think this is what Christ intended as was passed on thru the bible with all it’s warts and flaws. WWJD = kind, loving, compassionate, caring, giving, considering others needs, not discriminating against anyone(not even the haters), forgiving, “love thy neighbor as thyself”, no swords(Last supper stuff, no such thing as “my god given right to carry guns”), willing to die to spread Christ’s teachings. Christian, all of the above and much more.
Anti-Christ(maybe trump???), someone who deceives even the true believers to follow them in ungodly or unchristian ways(christian nationalists??) Anti-gay, Anti-trans, Anti-etc, Racist, Sexist. OK with the “christian” as there is some passage, usually in the old bible(testament) that can be distorted to justify the hate. An example, Sodom and Gomorrah. Pretty sure it was about debauchery(or excess that harms other to meet your own needs), just happened to be gay debauchery. Not an expert, but guessing there was straight, bi and trans debauchery going on too.
Guess I’m trying to start a conversation about how these terms are used. Calling someone a “Christian Nationalist” actually empowers them. It allows them to falsely believe they are somehow blessed by God to continue their behaviors of hate. It lumps people that actually follow Christ’s teaching and alienates/groups those folk with the haters. Call it what it actually is “Anti-Christ nationalists”. Not sure even that works as even the nationalist suggests they are actually representing America. Let’s go full boat with “Anti-Christ Fascists”. It is just plain hate and extremely self-serving behavior in words and practice. Just don’t embolden people and give them credit for something they are not.
We’re all stuck on this planet together. Religious spiritual, atheists, godly, ungodly, haters, lovers, need I go on.