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Paula Rodgers's avatar

I’ve just started listening to this book, and the idea of reactionary nihilism - that the actual world is devoid of value, impervious to reason, and governable only through brutal acts of will - is exactly what I see and hear from the “far white” (as you so aptly named the movement in the most recent Convocation Unscripted). Especially that the actual world is devoid of value. What a dark and empty viewpoint, and how counter to God’s view that every person has the greatest value and is worth sending His Son to die for. I am horrified to think that our country’s current leadership, elected or otherwise, has the hubris to believe they alone can “Save America”, and are willing to destroy democracy to do it. I pray that God will not allow them to bring their plans to fruition. But I wonder if America is under God’s judgement. Are Christian Nationalists our Babylonians?

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Jemar Tisby, PhD's avatar

Did you see his social media post with a painting of him as a king?!?

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Paula Rodgers's avatar

Yes, I did. Good grief. Considering what ultimately happened to Napoleon, Trump might want to re-think drawing that parallel…

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Would like to remain anonymous's avatar

What I have observed over the years is that most of this is reaction to gains made by the Civil Rights movement and saving America = returning to life bf Civil Rights laws. Southern strategy. All it is.

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Jemar Tisby, PhD's avatar

Absolutely. There is ALWAYS a backlash to civil rights progress, especially when Black people make progress.

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Steve Wilson's avatar

Paula, I've long held the belief that we are in fact under judgment. And it isn't just Christian Nationalists that are the problem, if they are Christina at all. It's also those who sympathize with them and don't be the light they need to be to be able to confront them and demolish their arguments. Also, what is happening on American soil has been happening around the globe. We mistakenly just thought it would never happen here and we're just the last to realize it isn't just coming, it is here.

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Would like to remain anonymous's avatar

I appreciate all people who are documenting what has happened. We need clear summaries like this for us and for future generations.

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Jemar Tisby, PhD's avatar

Yes. Katherine Stewart doesn't identify as a Christian, but she is doing the Lord's work, in my view. :-)

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Barbara  Nilsen's avatar

It's important to get books like Jemar's and Katherine Stewart's into as many hands as possible-buy them, get them into churches, and request your local public library to buy them. My local library is very responsive to requests from the public. Supporting public libraries is a form of resistance. Librarians protect our right to privacy when it comes to what we read, and they stand against arbitrary book bans.

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Carol A's avatar

Couldn't stop watching this cogent interview. Thanks very much. We need a Katherine Stewart in Germany, too. The fascist party here received a donation of 1.5m euros from a multimillionaire in Sachsen. 'Never again' seems to be losing. And the US (Musk/Vance) now supports that party as well. It happened here; seems like it's the turn of the US.

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NORMAN P FRANKLIN's avatar

Very thorough reveal of the machinations of the far right. Thank you

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RONALD C MILLER JR's avatar

Wow! What an amazing conversation! Thank you, both, for sharing your thoughts and insights! It is both troubling and encouraging at the same time! Seems we humans refuse to learn from history but are determined to repeat it with little more than new names. Anyway, as a parish pastor (Lutheran, but don't hold that against me!) I find the work you both do, and folks in the same perspective, most helpful! Thanks! We truly are in this together!

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Jim Hudson Jr's avatar

Please, it appears you failed to finish point #5: “Charismatic leaders and political figures consolidating” — consolidating what exactly? “Power”? Something else? Unfortunately, this pulled me up short from being able to complete the read.

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Jemar Tisby, PhD's avatar

Thanks for the heads up. The pic cut off the final word “control”. It will be worth your time to listen to my interview with Katherine.

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Bill Gestal's avatar

Thank you Jemar... i am new to the extra content as a paid subscriber.

i don't know how to fix an issue with my subsccription... sorry if this is the wrong venue but i don't know what else to do. I subscribed as a group of 2 but susangestal@gmail.com is not linked as a subscriber. Can you tell me how to fix this.

We so appreciate you big fans...

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