There is a form of Christianity that has exploded in popularity among President Trump’s MAGA base that poses a clear and present danger to people who are the decedents of slaves. And there is a man who is the current face of this movement that has the ears of high-ranking members of the Presidential Administration. Not many Black folks are talking about it, but we need to.
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Last week, the National Conservatism Conference (NatCon) was held in Washington, D.C. It is a yearly opportunity for thinkers who are dedicated to far-right conservatism to spread their ideas. There is something notable that has been happening at this gathering of late. Every time NatCon has met for the past few years, ideas that adhere to this thing called white Christian Nationalism keeps being espoused and Black folks absolutely need to pay attention to it.
“White Christian nationalism is attempting to rewrite the narrative of Jesus just like they have rewritten the narrative of January 6,” says Dr. Eric Gill, Director of Theological Field Education at Phillips Theological Seminary. “And if we aren’t careful, we’ll begin believing in a Jesus that doesn’t care about the sick, the poor and the immigrant.”
O.K. Let me break this down. Regular Christian nationalism wants to merge Christianity with Americanism. So, for example, if you hear someone say, ‘America is a Christian nation.’ Then you are hearing from a person who is flirting with this ideology. Now, white Christian nationalism goes even further.
Many who believe in this form of Christianity hold that American slavery was good because it introduced Black people to Jesus. (Which is an absurd notion because there are Black people mentioned in the Bible.) And surveys show that individuals who attend these kinds of churches hold less favorable views of immigrants and racial minorities and they are also less likely to believe that racism is a problem in America. So, hearing these ideas openly expressed at a mainstream Republican gathering is mad concerning.
But there is a white Christian Nationalist pastor who has become something of a rock star recently. You need to know his name.
“Douglass Wilson feeds and fuels cultural hatred, insinuating that his answers are the only path to salvation,” says Dr. Shannon Fleck the Executive Director of Faithful America, a Christian organization that is committed to combating these kinds of ideas. “The beliefs he pushes invariably evolve into a righteous takeover of society and an enforced faith, rather than a chosen one, that is rooted in white male dominance.”
She’s right. But you can find out why for yourself.
In a sermon given at his church in Moscow, Idaho, Wilson said, “All men exhibit the image of God equally, but all cultures are not equal….We have orchestras playing The Brandenburg Concertos compared to someone beating on a hollow log with a couple of sticks.” He goes on to say that these cultures are different because of the “uneven progress of the gospel throughout the world.” Imploring those listening to his words to spread the truth of the Gospel that he implies has been fully revealed to white people.
This is age old racism. What he is outright saying is that certain cultures (white ones) are inherently superior to others. Now, there have always been white churches that were comfortable with white supremacy.
What is new about Wilson and people who think like him is how aggressively they are spreading these ideas. After the 60s, most white churches tried to hide their racism. Now, white Christian nationalists are letting their freak flag fly.
But what’s worse is that people like Pete Hegseth, the United States Secretary of Defense (or is it Secretary of War?) has publicly endorsed Wilson and is a member of one of the pastor’s churches.
We must pay attention to white Christian Nationalism in general and Douglass Wilson in particular. Who knows what kind of crazy policies they would push now that he has friends in high places in the government.
Things are bad now for Black people. But if these people had their way, they would get significantly worse.
Straight From 
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