<p class="button-wrapper"><a class="button primary" href="https://bit.ly/12LiesBook"><span>Read Twelve Lies</span></a></p><div class="youtube-wrap" id="youtube2-WyIP2Plmdko"><div class="youtube-inner"></div></div><div class="pullquote"><p style="text-align: center;"><em><strong>The views and opinions expressed here are solely my own and do not represent those of my employer, any affiliated organization, or any institution with which I am associated.</strong></em></p></div><div class="callout-block"><p>Whenever I’m asked to celebrate “America”, I always remember I am being asked to worship. Jesus of Nazareth and false messiah of White American Folk Religion are not the same thing. </p></div><p>In 2019 while Trump was ascending and MAGA was establishing itself as an enduring force, I wrote a book called,<a href="https://www.ivpress.com/twelve-lies-that-hold-america-captive"> </a><a href="https://bit.ly/12LiesBook">Twelve Lies that Hold America Captive and the Truth that Sets Us Free</a>. Questions have come to me since <a href="https://thecrux.substack.com/p/charlie-kirk-was-a-martyr">Charlie Kirk was killed and I said he was not a martyr</a> for Christianity but died for White American Folk Religion. The main one is: what is that? And I answered them directly. </p><p>But these questions only intensified after his memorial service that included popular worship leaders and calls for forgiveness alongside threats of violence, retribution and supposedly god-ordained uses of force against all opponents. This mix was new to some, normal others and toxic to those in the know. </p><p><strong>For me, it is sad, normal and toxic.</strong> Kirk was the latest in a long line of prophet profiteers using a race, class, gender and environmental hierarchy under a false messiah to enrich themselves and they choose to be with them. What millions witnessed that day, heard on his podcasts and short form videos is syncretism; and in this context, it is White American Folk Religion. Let’s put this into context with an essay I wrote in 2020. </p><div><hr /></div><blockquote><p><em><strong>A NOTE ABOUT MY WORK</strong><span>: On July 1, I started two new roles! I joined </span></em><a href="https://bit.ly/Support-CBR-ArochaUSA">AROCHA USA as a Senior Associate and Lead for Northeast Partnerships and I am establishing the Center for Beauty and Resistance</a><span>.</span><em> </em><span>Click </span><a href="https://bit.ly/Lets-WorkTogether">here</a><span> to learn more about how you can pray, give, learn and serve to nourish whole people and fruitful communities and care for God’s creation and teach others do likewise. If you </span><a href="https://bit.ly/Support-CBR-ArochaUSA">DONATE</a><span> you will be made a founding member. Thanks for your prayers, support and generosity.</span></p><p class="button-wrapper"><a class="button primary" href="https://bit.ly/Lets-WorkTogether"><span>Let's Work Together!</span></a></p><p></p></blockquote><div><hr /></div><p>81% of White Evangelicals voted for Donald Trump<a href="https://www.ktfpress.com/p/a-practical-view-of-white-american#footnote-1-90964007"><sup>1</sup></a> to Make America Great Again. But it was not Christianity that got him elected. White American Folk Religion (WAFR) did. This ideology, not Christianity, is the oxygen burned in the spiritual fire of the United States. That heretical flame is not the Holy Spirit. WAFR is a race, class, gender and environmentally-based hierarchy hijacks the Christian label to sanction abuse, greed, and violence, and then absolve leaders who live lives contrary to the teachings of Jesus and wield power in opposition to God’s plan for the world. This is not limited to the White House.</p><p>It was not faithful Jesus followers that rejoiced as Kavanaugh was belligerent and unrepentant during his confirmation hearings.<a href="https://www.ktfpress.com/p/a-practical-view-of-white-american#footnote-2-90964007"><sup>2</sup></a> The cheering was from those who believe Jesus to be a White, straight, American Protestant male of <em>pure</em> Anglo-Saxon descent. And it is not disciples of Christ that are rallying to defend Jerry Falwell Jr.’s shady real estate deals, toxic campus culture,<a href="https://www.ktfpress.com/p/a-practical-view-of-white-american#footnote-3-90964007"><sup>3</sup></a> and whatever happened in night clubs or with pool boys in Miami.<a href="https://www.ktfpress.com/p/a-practical-view-of-white-american#footnote-4-90964007"><sup>4</sup></a> The people lined up behind Falwell Jr. exchanged the Kingdom of God for America and are lined up to defend their prophets, their pockets and their positions.</p><p>And though the pundits and pollsters will say it was the cocktail of neglect and dismissal toward the “flyover” states, urban elitism, the toxicity of Hillary Clinton, and the grievances of those on the losing side of globalization that ushered in the result of the 2016 election, an honest look at history reveals a different, more potent force at work. This power will fight for Jerry Falwell Jr. to keep his million-dollar salary even after he resigns, for Kavanaugh to stay on the Supreme Court, and for Trump to get four more years. </p><p class="button-wrapper"><a class="button primary" href="https://bit.ly/12LiesBook"><span>Read 12 Lies</span></a></p><p>Those devoted to WAFR align themselves with and pledge allegiance to the protected class of white, well-connected, well-resourced, straight men, the heresy of Christian Empire, and America as the New Jerusalem. This unchristian faith heralded at the 2020 Republican National Convention by Vice President Mike Pence and Housing Secretary, Ben Carson, aligns itself with political power for profit and protection and then absolves its prophets and people of sexual abuse, violence, and exploitation of people and the planet. This is not new. In fact, it is older than the constitution, the first thirteen colonies, or Columbus getting lost at sea.</p><p>In the time after Jesus’ crucifixion, His followers experienced terrible persecution. This is especially true during the early life of Eusebius. He was a theologian and historian who chronicled much of this violence in a work called Church History.<a href="https://www.ktfpress.com/p/a-practical-view-of-white-american#footnote-5-90964007"><sup>5</sup></a> He seems faithful at first, but after Constantine’s conversion, Eusebius’ work took a turn away from taking up his cross to raising the cup of empire. Instead of continuing to write about the wonders of Christ and the martyrs of the church, he began to record the marvelousness of the emperor and his empire.<a href="https://www.ktfpress.com/p/a-practical-view-of-white-american#footnote-6-90964007"><sup>6</sup></a> His recordings stand in stark contrast to Jesus’ Great Commission in Matthew 28 to “go and <strong>make disciples of all nations</strong>, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (Matt. 28:19-20, NIV).</p><div class="subscription-widget-wrap-editor"><div class="subscription-widget show-subscribe"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">Thanks so much for your support! Please subscribe or share with a friend!</p></div><form class="subscription-widget-subscribe"><input class="email-input" name="email" tabindex="-1" type="email" /><input class="button primary" type="submit" value="Subscribe" /><div class="fake-input-wrapper"><div class="fake-input"></div><div class="fake-button"></div></div></form></div></div><p>Also antithetical to the Great Commission was Peter’s cutting off the ear of Malchus, one of the men who came to arrest Jesus of Nazareth in John 18. Instead of mounting an insurrection, Jesus rebuked Peter, reminded him of His mission, and put the ear back on Malchus’ head. Additionally, in Acts 1:8, after Jesus rose from the dead and appeared to His disciples, the overwhelming question for the oppressed Jewish people that those gathered brought up immediately was, “is now the time that you have come to restore Israel?” (Acts 1:6, paraphrase).</p><p>If Jesus wanted to overthrow Rome and establish the seat of Christian Empire, He could have done so; but instead He acted upon his stated purpose and reality that His kingdom is not of this world. Lastly, before Jesus ascends to heaven, He doubles down on His call from Matthew 28 explaining that the Holy Spirit is coming, not a new empire to subvert the Romans (Acts 1, NIV).</p><p>Jesus’ words were the opposite of Pope Nicholas V’s in 1452 who authored what we know now as the Doctrine of Discovery.<a href="https://www.ktfpress.com/p/a-practical-view-of-white-american#footnote-7-90964007"><sup>7</sup></a> Jesus said, “<em>go out and preach,” </em>and the Pope said, “<em>go out and plunder</em>.” The theological foundation for White Supremacy and consequent imperialism birthed at that time dehumanized African and Indigenous people, stripped them of their land and humanity, and laid the foundation for genocide, land theft, environmental destruction, chattel slavery, and horrific sexual violence.</p><p>Catholics were not alone in their white-washing of Jesus; Protestants like John Winthrop<a href="https://www.ktfpress.com/p/a-practical-view-of-white-american#footnote-8-90964007"><sup>8</sup></a> also needed theological covering and a faith-based framework for the land theft, slavery, and genocide that ensued in his colonies in Massachusetts in 1630. He likened his band of believers to the Israelites and quoted Deuteronomy 30:18, but conveniently replaced “Jordan” with “vast sea,”<a href="https://www.ktfpress.com/p/a-practical-view-of-white-american#footnote-9-90964007"><sup>9</sup></a> firmly placing himself and his co-travelers in the Israelite narrative. Thus, those gathered in front of Winthrop, instead of looking out upon the lands and people with the Great Commission in mind; their eyes were set on expanding so-called Christendom.</p><div class="youtube-wrap" id="youtube2-cnOulTduNCU"><div class="youtube-inner"></div></div><p>The Doctrine of Discovery as expressed through Winthrop no doubt influenced Thomas Jefferson when he coined the term Manifest Destiny and claimed the land west of the Mississippi. His hypocrisy was mind-bending as he enslaved more than 600 human beings over his life, yet called to be liberated from slavery to the British.<a href="https://www.ktfpress.com/p/a-practical-view-of-white-american#footnote-10-90964007"><sup>10</sup></a> Jefferson did in practice what Pope Nicholas V and John Winthrop did in their preaching: he literally cut Jesus out of his personal Bible<a href="https://www.ktfpress.com/p/a-practical-view-of-white-american#footnote-11-90964007"><sup>11</sup></a> lest he come face to face with the original abolitionist who liberates the captives from physical and spiritual chains.</p><p>Sadly, WAFR is not just a problem that impacts those of faith. The town of Lynchburg would surely benefit from an institution that blessed its town instead of threatening it. The entire legal system of the United States would reap the benefits if there were another judge in its highest court who was cognizant of patriarchy and who abhorred sexual violence and alcoholism. And how amazing would it have been for the collective American consciousness if a president with compassion and empathy for communities of color had gone to Charlottesville in August 2017, Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria, or El Paso after the mass shooting.</p><p>With WAFR as the lens and history in the rear view, what is happening in the present day is clear. Trump, Kavanaugh and Falwell Jr. look a lot like the greedy, exploitative, heretical men who came before them and not much like the Jesus they claim to know. They are no doubt religious; but their dedication is to greed, self-preservation, self-gratification and pride. Instead of practicing disciplines to grow in love and kindness, they are committed to behavior that demeans and abuses and arises out of their entitlement as White American men. Jesus’ two commandments are to love God and love your neighbor. These three men in accordance with WAFR are only committed to loving themselves and those they deem worthy. Followers of Jesus who desire to be faithful and obedient with our political power must vote against what is self-centered, narcissistic, and self-preserving at the expense of the planet, the poor and the marginalized. Because to vote for what is best for the immigrant, prisoner, hungry and sick is to vote with Christ on the throne of our hearts; not ourselves, or the latest version of Caesar.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" href="https://bit.ly/Jonathan-on-Bookshop" target="_blank"><div class="image2-inset"><source type="image/webp" /><img alt="" class="sizing-normal" height="800" src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!BpR2!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F960e67a3-cf4c-4b5d-bf99-f26b3e8de480_800x800.jpeg" width="800" /><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image" tabindex="0" type="button"><svg fill="none" height="20" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" stroke-width="1.5" viewBox="0 0 20 20" width="20" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image" tabindex="0" type="button"><svg class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2" fill="none" height="20" stroke="currentColor" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" stroke-width="2" viewBox="0 0 24 24" width="20" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p><strong>Let me know what you think! I look forward to the conversation and comments because our screens make us into lonely consumers but God made us to be a vibrant, liberative community.</strong></p><p>In Christ and for His Glory,</p><p>jonathan</p><p><strong>Footnotes:</strong> </p><p>Jon Huang, Samuel Jacoby, Michael Strickland and K.K. Rebecca Lai, “Election 2016: Exit Polls,” <em>New York Times</em>, Nov. 6, 2016, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/11/08/us/politics/election-exit-polls.html">https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/11/08/us/politics/election-exit-polls.html</a>.</p><div><p><a href="https://www.ktfpress.com/p/a-practical-view-of-white-american#footnote-anchor-2-90964007">2</a></p><p>CNN, “Watch Brett Kavanaugh’s Full Opening Statement,” filmed September 28, 2018, video, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2018/09/27/brett-kavanaugh-opening-statement-senate-hearing-vpx.cnn">https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2018/09/27/brett-kavanaugh-opening-statement-senate-hearing-vpx.cnn</a>.</p></div><div><p><a href="https://www.ktfpress.com/p/a-practical-view-of-white-american#footnote-anchor-3-90964007">3</a></p><p>Ambrosino, Brandon, “‘Someone’s Gotta Tell the Freaking’ Truth’: Jerry Falwell’s Aides Break Their Silence,” <em>Politico Magazine</em>, September 9, 2019, <a href="https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2019/09/09/jerry-falwell-liberty-university-loans-227914">https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2019/09/09/jerry-falwell-liberty-university-loans-227914</a>.</p></div><div><p><a href="https://www.ktfpress.com/p/a-practical-view-of-white-american#footnote-anchor-4-90964007">4</a></p><p>Ambrosino, Brandon, “My Weekend at the Falwells’ South Beach Flophouse,” <em>Politico Magazine</em>, August 25, 2017, <a href="https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/08/25/jerry-falwell-miami-hostel-liberty-university-trey-falwell-215528">https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/08/25/jerry-falwell-miami-hostel-liberty-university-trey-falwell-215528</a>.</p></div><div><p><a href="https://www.ktfpress.com/p/a-practical-view-of-white-american#footnote-anchor-5-90964007">5</a></p><p>Eusebius, <em>Church History,</em> <em>Documenta Catholica Omnia</em>, ~340AD, <a href="https://www.documentacatholicaomnia.eu/03d/0265-0339,_Eusebius_Caesariensis,_Church_History,_EN.pdf">https://www.documentacatholicaomnia.eu/03d/0265-0339,_Eusebius_Caesariensis,_Church_History,_EN.pdf</a>.</p></div><div><p><a href="https://www.ktfpress.com/p/a-practical-view-of-white-american#footnote-anchor-6-90964007">6</a></p><p>Eusebius, <em>The Life of the Blessed Emperor Constantine,</em> <em>Internet Medieval Sourcebook, </em>Fordham University Center for Medieval Studies, May 1997, <a href="https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/basis/vita-constantine.asp">https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/basis/vita-constantine.asp</a>.</p></div><div><p><a href="https://www.ktfpress.com/p/a-practical-view-of-white-american#footnote-anchor-7-90964007">7</a></p><p>Steve Newcomb, “Five Hundred Years of Injustice: The Legacy of Fifteenth Century Religious Prejudice,” <em>Shaman’s Drum</em>. Fall 1992, p. 18-20, <a href="http://ili.nativeweb.org/sdrm_art.html">http://ili.nativeweb.org/sdrm_art.html</a>.</p></div><div><p><a href="https://www.ktfpress.com/p/a-practical-view-of-white-american#footnote-anchor-8-90964007">8</a></p><p>John Winthrop, “City Upon a Hill,” 1630, <a href="https://www.gilderlehrman.org/sites/default/files/inline-pdfs/Winthrop%27s%20City%20upon%20a%20Hill.pdf">https://www.gilderlehrman.org/sites/default/files/inline-pdfs/Winthrop%27s%20City%20upon%20a%20Hill.pdf</a>.</p></div><div><p><a href="https://www.ktfpress.com/p/a-practical-view-of-white-american#footnote-anchor-9-90964007">9</a></p><p>John Winthrop, “John Winthrop Dreams of a City on a Hill,” The American Yawp Reader, 1630, <a href="https://www.americanyawp.com/reader/colliding-cultures/john-winthrop-dreams-of-a-city-on-a-hill-1630/">https://www.americanyawp.com/reader/colliding-cultures/john-winthrop-dreams-of-a-city-on-a-hill-1630/</a>.</p></div><div><p><a href="https://www.ktfpress.com/p/a-practical-view-of-white-american#footnote-anchor-10-90964007">10</a></p><p>History.com Editors, “Congress Issues a ‘Declaration on the Causes and Necessity of Taking Up Arms,’” <em>History,</em> October 15, 2010, <a href="https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/congress-issues-a-declaration-on-the-causes-and-necessity-of-taking-up-arms">https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/congress-issues-a-declaration-on-the-causes-and-necessity-of-taking-up-arms</a>.</p></div><div><p><a href="https://www.ktfpress.com/p/a-practical-view-of-white-american#footnote-anchor-11-90964007">11</a></p><p>Blakemore, Erin, “Why Thomas Jefferson Rewrote the Bible Without Jesus’ Miracles and Resurrection,” <em>History</em>, July 31, 2019, <a href="https://www.history.com/news/thomas-jefferson-bible-religious-beliefs">https://www.history.com/news/thomas-jefferson-bible-religious-beliefs</a></p></div>