Christian Nationalists and the End of the World
An overview of apocalyptic Last Days beliefs and how they shape Republican foreign policy (Scroll to the end to listen)
We have many new subscribers - WELCOME! In upcoming newsletters, I am pivoting to my expertise as a survivor of Christian Nationalism. It’s a theme I’ve revisited again and again as I wrote about Project 2025. Christian Nationalists’ End Times apocalyptic beliefs are already on full display in cabinet choices. While I touched on this topic during my coverage of P2025 climate policies, a deep educational dive is necessary now. Strap in, pretend you’re reading Lord of the Rings, and never forget the 81% of evangelical Christians who voted for this fervently and fanatically believe these Biblical prophecies are 100% true.
Christian Nationalists base their End Times/Last Days apocalyptic beliefs on Jesus’ words from Matthew 24.
Christian Nationalists will become even more radicalized as the consequences of this election play out. As hard as it is to comprehend, they WANT suffering; mass suffering means Jesus is coming. They CRAVE horrors and chaos and death; it tells them their Bibles are coming true. The more the US falls apart, the louder they will proclaim, “America’s destruction will bring Jesus’ glorious return!”
Today, let’s go through selected verses of Matthew 24. I will explain their typical response to each verse in hopes this education will help readers better anticipate, prepare, and process what is sure to be an unholy shit show.
Matthew 24 selected verses KJV (To read the entire chapter, go HERE.)
3 And as he (Jesus) sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? 4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. 5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
I am Christ was parsed as false gods, idolatry, witchcraft, and faith modalities that were not Christianity (ie: their One True Faith.) They perceive their country becoming more secular with equal parts dread and jubilation. Their self-designated role? To aggressively call out these “false doctrines,” which could prepare more hearts to accept Jesus’ imminent return.
6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
Widespread war is a key plank of their End Times beliefs. Despite all the atrocious wars in history that didn’t result in the end of the world, they are convinced that this time is the one.
End Times beliefs likely fed conflicts including the Crusades, the Inquisition, and the Thirty Years’ War, but no matter. Today’s Christian Nationalists foment the hysteria that drove those atrocities and seek to promote more war. More wars mean their Bibles are coming true.
7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.
Christian Nationalist pastors point to every crop failure, drought, hurricane, flood, earthquake, pandemic, shortage, landslide, and eruption not as evidence of manmade climate change but as signs of the End Times. Their congregations are indoctrinated to view every natural disaster through that lens, and they rejoice at the fruition of God’s plan.
This is yet another reason why they lack empathy for the anguish of others. The more people lose, the closer Christian Nationalists believe they are to Jesus’ appearing.
9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.
Jesus was speaking to fellow Jews and could have been foreshadowing any historical attempt at Jewish persecution and genocide, from the Roman invasion in AD70 to the Holocaust. Because Jesus was addressing his disciples, Christian Nationalist pastors often interpret this verse to mean persecution of Christians.
They pour gasoline on religious persecution complexes within their congregations. Church members are trained to see their supposed persecution as a sign of the End Times.
I’m skipping a few redundant verses and moving to Matthew 24:14.
14And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
This verse is one basis for the Dominionist End Times belief that they must conquer the Seven Mountains and create the perfect kingdom for Jesus to return.
15When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)
The Abomination of Desolation is another name for the Anti-Christ. We will cover Christian Nationalist beliefs about the Anti-Christ in the coming days.
16Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: 17Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: 18Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. 19And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! 20But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: 21For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.
This is A LOT of Bible. Forgive me for foisting so much on you in one newsletter, but understanding the basis for Christian Nationalist End Times beliefs will help readers better interpret various choices the incoming government makes in the coming months.
And maybe, just maybe, this understanding will give more people tools to call out religious fanaticism and extremism in their own communities.
Matthew 24 : 23 - 31 recounts even more End Times upheavals. In upcoming newsletters, we will cover:
How Christian Nationalists believe the world must endure The Great Tribulation, a seven-year period of carnage and agony previously unseen in human history.
How the nation of Israel plays into their interpretation of these verses.
Why Mike Huckabee is the ideal Christian Nationalist choice to make American foreign policy align with their End Times prophecies.
How abandoning NATO aligns with Christian Nationalist End Times beliefs.
Along these lines, I also recommend this excellent read from
explaining the Christian Nationalist meaning behind Hegseth’s tattoos: Go HERE. (Note: I’ve been mega-trolled for sharing this newsletter as a note, which I take as an indication of its truth.)To help this publication reach more readers:
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I've also thought that the end times are why most Christian Nationalists treat their fellow human beings with such abhorrence and oft times live a moral life about as low as a snake. They know that since they're saved, any sinful earthly actions will be forgiven once they enter heaven.
Every word you’ve shared is true to my experience, as well, Andra. My second grade teacher (6 decades ago) scared me on a daily basis with her indoctrination pointed at preparing the students for how we would need to stand up to the anti-Christ. It was violent imagery that terrified me and we were also told not to tell our parents. At seven years old, I didn’t. By high school we’d moved on to The Late Great Planet Earth. I’m very aware of the damage done to me, as well as society.