Far-right Christians think they're living in a Bible story, and that you are as well

[Nevilledog]

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Matthew Sheffield
@mattsheffield
People who aren't familiar w/ the traditions often don't believe that millions of far-right Christians think they're in a Bible story battling demons daily, and that anyone who disagrees is a servant of Satan.

All the details on this week's @TheoryChange:

Far-right Christians think they’re living in a Bible story, and that you are as well
Literature professor Christopher Douglas discusses the modern-day rewriting of Biblical apocalyptic literature as a justification for political extremism
flux.community
8:28 AM · Oct 22, 2021

https://flux.community/matthew-sheffield/2021/10/far-right-american-christians-think-theyre-living-bible-story-and

Most people aren’t preoccupied with Satan, demons, or the end of the world. But like it or not, many Americans are greatly concerned with these topics. A 2010 poll from the Pew Research Center found that 58 percent of white evangelical Christian adults surveyed believed that Jesus Christ would return to the earth within the next 40 years. That was significantly higher than any other religious group. Just 32 percent of Catholic respondents agreed, for instance.

Speculating about how the world ends is probably as old as humanity itself. It was pivotal to the early formation and growth of Christianity. And early leaders of the faith frequently suggested it was just around the corner in their own lifetimes. But over time as those hundreds of predictions fail to come true, End Times literature and that tradition faded away in Christianity.

But it came back with a vengeance in the mid 20th century after the development of nuclear weapons, especially when white evangelicals began to emerge as a political movement in the 1970s.

Talking about all of this with me in this episode is Christopher Douglas, a professor of English at the University of Victoria in British Columbia, Canada. He is also the author of “If God Meant to Interfere: American Literature and the Rise of the Christian Right.”

A video of our conversation is below. A lightly edited version of the audio follows.

*snip*

[Thomas Hurt]

1. They want a christian version of Iran...a Christian Republic of the United States...

Last edited Fri Oct 22, 2021, 03:08 PM - Edit history (1)

one party, one dictator.

[hunter]

2. Bad news, Evangelicals...

Jesus returned to earth, the Rapture already happened, and you weren't Chosen.

You'll just have to get along with the rest of us until the asteroid known as Matilda strikes.

[fwdthinkingdem]

3. They arent Christians.. They're White Supremacist

nm

[temporary311]

8. They can be two things.

[SoonerPride]

19. Same thing

[Solly Mack]

4. Bottom line: Right-wing evangelicals are delusional and a danger to everyone else.

They are capable of anything - any violence - in pursuit of their goal of a Christian nation and reaching their final goal of the "end times" - getting raptured, etc.

And that we all need to understand just how dedicated they are to these beliefs. (end times, rapture, everyone not them is their enemy, and worse, the enemy of their god - and enemies of their god must be destroyed)


Yeah. I knew that.

[lagomorph777]

5. Bobbleheads in a Bible babble bubble

[lindysalsagal]

6. Big takeaway is that evangelicals refuse to share power with anyone outside the cult. That's us.

And so they feel that as agents of god they can commit any crime or violate any societal rules because they're not from god. THis explains anti-vaxxers and maskers: They're entitled to "fight back" against anyone for any reason. There is no co-existence with them. It all comes from apocalyptical historical biblical history, but magnified by social media and the vast "news" networks. Thanks for posting!

[walkingman]

7. Thanks for posting - an excellent and troubling discussion that explains

a lot of what I have seen over the last 50 years and especially the post-70's rise of Christian Nationalism.

[marble falls]

10. Can't say as I am clear on your point. What "they' are you speaking of - seems vague to me.

[marble falls]

12. I'm a christian, I didn't feel put upon. Again, what 'them' are you speaking of?

[Celerity]

16. unless you are RW fundie xian, why would 'they' bother you, as that is what 'they' is referring to

[Duppers]

15. Note the thread title...

"Far-right Christians "...

We know not all Christians think alike.

"the Pew Research Center found that 58 percent of white evangelical Christian adults surveyed believed that Jesus Christ would return to the earth within the next 40 years. That was significantly higher than any other religious group. Just 32 percent of Catholic respondents agreed, for instance."

Hope you'll stay & continue to contribute but be warned many of us are proud atheists, including myself. We are okay with our fellow DUers but we do call out those rightwing religious groups as anti-democratic & delusional.

[Celerity]

20. this option has been taken off the board

Hope you'll stay & continue to contribute

[Hortensis]

14. Republican Jesus, of course. We don't know him, and they know us by that.

[Progressive Jones]

17. I have zero respect for their way of thinking. I find this kind of "faith" to be delusional.

I don't want their "beliefs" ( or the beliefs of any "religion&quot coloring our society, nor the US government.

[onethatcares]

18. If Jesus were to show up

He'd be crucified again in short order.

I don't think he'd last long with the money changers and pharisees while talking about feeding the poor and being your bro's helper.

Nope, the crystal palace and the universities would have the sheriffs on his ass in no time. I mean, Joel and the boyz have worked hard for those estates, automobiles and sneakers.

[Celerity]

21. that conflicts with Christian eschatology (I am an atheist so it is all irrelevant to me)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_eschatology#The_Second_Coming



this is my thoughts on it

Battalion Of Saints – 2nd Coming
Label: Mystic Records – M 45128
Format:
Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM
Country: US
Released: 1983
Genre: Rock
Style: Hardcore, Punk