Epic Christian Fails: The Stepford Second Lady

In honor of Halloween, I've decided to make October's #EpicChristianFails entry more horror than humor. That being said, the occasion that inspired this month's blog post did elicit a dark chuckle and a smirk from me, while providing a heaping helping of disgust as well. It's definitely not a knee-slapper, but it does involve knees. … Continue reading Epic Christian Fails: The Stepford Second Lady

On the Conservative Movement and Evangelical Spin Doctoring: A Response to A. J. Nolte

The Big Picture: The Power of Denial in the Conservative Movement If there's one consistent thing that many #NeverTrump conservatives have tried to get the American public to believe, it's that the only problem in the conservative movement and the current iteration of the Republican Party is Donald J. Trump. If we could just get … Continue reading On the Conservative Movement and Evangelical Spin Doctoring: A Response to A. J. Nolte

#EvangelicalContributions? I Can Think of a Few

Donald Trump is reportedly hosting a dinner at the White House tonight in which he, as Christian Broadcasting Network David Brody phrased it on Twitter, "will honor contributions Evangelicals are making to american [sic.] life." Some 80% of white evangelicals voted for Trump in the 2016 presidential election, and, with 75% giving the so-called president … Continue reading #EvangelicalContributions? I Can Think of a Few

Happy 4th? On the Complicated Problem of Patriotism in Conditions of Injustice

"We've got the American Jesus Bolstering national faith We've got the American Jesus Overwhelming millions every day." – Bad Religion, "American Jesus," Recipe for Hate (1993) Some Reflections for Independence Day, July 4, 2018 Yesterday, Mandy Nicole, founder and editor-in-chief of Fundamentally Free, a multi-author ex-evangelical blog, published a piece called "Evangelicalism Killed my Patriotism." She notes the presence … Continue reading Happy 4th? On the Complicated Problem of Patriotism in Conditions of Injustice

Authoritarian Christianity, or, what Franklin Graham Really Means when he Equates Progressivism with Godlessness

In a recent New York Times piece by Elizabeth Dias, President and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Samaritan's Purse Franklin Graham is quoted as defining "progressive" as "just another word for godless." This language might strike some readers as mere hyperbole, or as a polemical swipe at political opponents meant perhaps to be … Continue reading Authoritarian Christianity, or, what Franklin Graham Really Means when he Equates Progressivism with Godlessness

The Last Temptation of American Journalism, or, Michael Gerson is Not a Hero

If there's one temptation America's major newspapers and magazines seem unable to resist, it's the temptation to normalize America's white Christian extremists--including traditionalist Catholics, yes, but especially Evangelicals. On the whole, this 81% Trump-voting population represents a clear and present danger to American democracy and the future of human rights, but time and again The … Continue reading The Last Temptation of American Journalism, or, Michael Gerson is Not a Hero

Ex-Evangelical Means Much More than Dropping a Label: A Response to Josiah Hesse

This morning, journalist, novelist, and ex-Evangelical Josiah Hesse published an important article in The Guardian. The original (and, as of 5:06 p.m. Eastern, current) headline of the article is "'Exvangelicals': Why More Religious People are Rejecting the Evangelical Label." Hesse's article focuses primarily on a new wave of Christians dissociating themselves from the term "Evangelical" due to … Continue reading Ex-Evangelical Means Much More than Dropping a Label: A Response to Josiah Hesse

#EmptyThePews – If You Attend a Trumpist Church, it’s Time to Leave in Protest

Two days ago, #IllegitimatePresident's economic advisory councils dissolved amid an exodus of CEOs unwilling to be associated with Trump's refusal to unambiguously condemn white supremacy in the wake of white nationalist terrorism in Charlottesville. (By the way, if you have not watched footage of the Nazis chanting "blood and soil" and describing their goals in their own … Continue reading #EmptyThePews – If You Attend a Trumpist Church, it’s Time to Leave in Protest