Andra, you remind us that this is not just a Kakistocracy, Oligarchy and Kleptocracy (KOK) we live in, but a growing theocracy as well. This man was not just a Radicalized Christian Nationalist Extremist, but also a CN Terrorist. As such, he belongs along with ISIS under surveillance and the government should look at this terror from within. However, because it is a KOK regime, we have Trump and Republican sanctioned terrorism.
In my view, anyone with a kill list should be classified as a terrorist. But this crowd will deflect and blame-shift and excuse and ignore this behavior. They will try to say that calling it "radicalized Christian Nationalist extremist terrorism" is "anti-Christian bias" or "Christian persecution." Because radicalized Christian Nationalist extremists like Mike Lee care more about his hurt feelings than he cares about people being murdered in their own homes by Christian Nationalist terrorists.
Yes. I know that crowd will say it is Anti-Christian bias, but we still need to use the real words to describe this Kakistocracy and what is going on in it. Just as they used WOKE as a negative, we can use Terrorist to let them know it is a negative. Our success will be when Legacy Media starts to use it too, just as they used the term "No Kings." We need to be naming things.
I think a lot of Americans don't understand the term "theocracy." I've had to explain it often. Unfortunately, living in a theocracy will be very educational. Sigh.
While I don't do these exercises to terrify people, it is unconscionable that different law enforcement is going around, breaking into people's homes, masked, without identifying themselves, and anyone - any radicalized Christian Nationalist extremist like this one - can pose as the same.
In reading that sample sermonizing you wrote it reminds me of a fellow who kicked himself out of my church. He wanted to be a CN leader. We’re not CN. He wanted to radicalize the congregation. The congregation politely ignored his BS and blew him off as much as it could. He got sufficiently frustrated and just left. He’s now a CN trad-living influencer type who looks almost Amish as he goes around town solely by bicycle.
As a congregation with a steady 55-70 people attending each Sunday, we’re perfectly happy to not have the CN people. People occasionally bring up CN notions and we smack that down pretty hard. So far, we’re surviving this strange moment.
It is important for Christian congregations to reject Christian Nationalism in their midst. You've given examples before of how you've tried to win certain red hat wearers over, and you mentioned that you're starting to see some movement there. But sometimes, people won't be satisfied until the merge their political idol worship with their religion. I hope more Americans start to see that MAGA married with Christian Nationalism IS a religion, a cult of radicalized extremists.
"Radicalized Christian Nationalist religious extremists executing other human beings." I would change "executing" to "murdering" because that is what this was --the murder of two human beings. They show that they are not Christians since the Bible states "Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place to wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord." (Romans 12:19). But that doesn't matter to this lot. What's frightening is the sheer nimbers of these psychos. And of course, since Drumpf is in power, nothing will be done.
Of course, they ignore Romans 12:19. They prefer to focus on Romans 13, where the government is described as God's avenger on wrongdoers. I include a full excerpt from the Liberty Champion below, where they try to thread that needle:
New Testament principles of love and forgiveness apply to Christians but not primarily to governments and authority. The Bible makes it clear throughout Romans 13 that government was established as “an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer.” With that biblical view of government, Christians can promote the death penalty as directed by God.
Source: The Liberty Champion, the student newsletter of Liberty University (also not linking to them)
People who've never been exposed to Christian Nationalism can't understand how they can call themselves pro-life while radicalizing WCN extremist terrorists. If you look at my comment reply above about God's avengers, some radicalized Christian Nationalists will take that to the extreme of telling themselves they are individually doling out God's vengeance on "wrongdoers" - as they define wrongdoing. Radicalized Christian Nationalist extremists like Boelter will tell himself that by murdering people with specific beliefs he opposes, he is saving thousands, hundreds of thousands, or even millions of lives. And their pastors/priests/clerics by-and-large don't condemn these kinds of thoughts and statements. The sample sermon is pretty typical.
Unfortunately, it's possible for people to believe contradicting ideas at the same time. That's especially true when it involves things like politics, religion, and controversial things. One of the reasons I stay away from religious groups is that I want to keep a low profile. I expect Unitarian churches, mosques, etc. are going to be targets soon. I hope the day doesn't come when we all have to answer our doors armed. I'm afraid we might end up like The Troubles in Northern Ireland.
All churches that are not expressly Christian Nationalist will be targeted...even Christian churches that aren't sufficiently Christian Nationalist (like progressive Christians, for example.) Pagans, Buddhists, Hindus, atheists, Jews, Sikhs, and more will be targeted. As I've said more than once, Christian Nationalists believe their various sects' beliefs are the One True Faith. All of these other religions and belief systems are idol worship, false gods, and heresy. They will use that definition to deny religious liberty to all but Christian Nationalists, and then they will fight about which version of CN gets forced on everyone.
I agree, it is unfortunate that an individual can reconcile monstrous acts as doing God’s will or for the greater good.
I do understand why family and friends try to make the argument that we (the public) don't “really” know this man, this murderer, as they do ~ as a husband, father, and friend.
Yet, regardless of whatever Boelter claims are his reasons for targeting, assaulting, and murdering his victims, it is wrong. He doesn't have the right to kill another human being.
I'm sure people made the "we don't really know him" argument about Hitler. I'm sure some people make it about Putin.
I don't care what Boelter's reasons are. He is a radicalized Christian Nationalist extremist terrorist who pretended to be law enforcement for the express purpose of murdering people. Period.
This is one of the clearest breakdowns I’ve seen of how denial fuels danger. You’re right—journalists won’t name it, churches won’t confront it, and too many Americans still treat Christian Nationalist violence as an isolated outburst instead of the logical endpoint of a radicalized theology.
Keep calling it what it is. I’ll keep making memes to drag it into the light.
It's time also to call out the word "beliefs" for being "excuses." Excuses to be violent and cruel, and murderous. "In the Name a' Geezus!" I thought of you immediately when his bio went on the news -- Andra told us so.
I believe that every time someone is murdered by a CN extremist, it will empower another CN extremist who may have been considering murdering someone on their own list. I can't see anything but this trend escalating into a horror story. And if the church they belong to doesn't condemn the killing, that will make it "OK", too, in their mind. Thank you, Andra.
I've talked about this before - and it may be good as a video - how I was told as a child in WCN elementary school that I may someday have to kill people for Jesus.
THIS IS THAT.
People cannot sit in pews and listen to that for 50 years without a portion becoming radicalized. Lots of people take off-ramps. Some who don't take off-ramps wouldn't murder people. But a small percentage - like Vance Boelter - would.
And even if that percentage is as small as I've estimated, they could murder millions of Americans if activated at once. Like a Night of the Long Knives event.
Yes, it is horrific. And few Americans are willing to say THIS RELIGIOUS EXTREMIST RADICALIZATION IS NOT ACCEPTABLE.
So I'll keep at it. And other people here will keep at it. And I believe we can make a difference.
Boelter and people like him use use their religion as a damn poor excuse to murder as if that was his only option. I hope he enjoys prison for the rest of his days.
Andra, you expound well on areas of our lives that nervous the hell out of me. I find myself getting completely impatient about something that should not be tolerated at all. Yet our VP and Speaker are both part of it. If I write too much about my reaction, I end up offending people so I'm best off with this shirt commentary. Although, damn it: I don't know why I should feel that I have to cede ANY ground to people that live by such a credo. But seeing power SWELL, not be checked, does not bode well for someone that cannot abide it
I don't think you should hold back, Peter. I've taken the approach of saying, "People can believe whatever they want. They can't force ME to believe whatever they demand." Many Christians who've never been exposed to Christian Nationalism or don't understand what it is will get that framing right away. It isn't attacking ALL Christians to call some Christian Nationalists radicalized religious extremist terrorists. These distinctions are important. I probably offend people daily, but my intent isn't to offend; it is to educate more Americans and get them to think.
Andra, you remind us that this is not just a Kakistocracy, Oligarchy and Kleptocracy (KOK) we live in, but a growing theocracy as well. This man was not just a Radicalized Christian Nationalist Extremist, but also a CN Terrorist. As such, he belongs along with ISIS under surveillance and the government should look at this terror from within. However, because it is a KOK regime, we have Trump and Republican sanctioned terrorism.
In my view, anyone with a kill list should be classified as a terrorist. But this crowd will deflect and blame-shift and excuse and ignore this behavior. They will try to say that calling it "radicalized Christian Nationalist extremist terrorism" is "anti-Christian bias" or "Christian persecution." Because radicalized Christian Nationalist extremists like Mike Lee care more about his hurt feelings than he cares about people being murdered in their own homes by Christian Nationalist terrorists.
Yes. I know that crowd will say it is Anti-Christian bias, but we still need to use the real words to describe this Kakistocracy and what is going on in it. Just as they used WOKE as a negative, we can use Terrorist to let them know it is a negative. Our success will be when Legacy Media starts to use it too, just as they used the term "No Kings." We need to be naming things.
The theocracy part is the subject that no-one in my circle seems to get. When I say it, I get the odd looks.
Unfortunate isn't it.
I think a lot of Americans don't understand the term "theocracy." I've had to explain it often. Unfortunately, living in a theocracy will be very educational. Sigh.
Kakistocracy.....what a great descriptor.
This is what truly frightens me. That these folks are inside the walls, so to speak, and aided and abetted by those who hold positions of power.
While I don't do these exercises to terrify people, it is unconscionable that different law enforcement is going around, breaking into people's homes, masked, without identifying themselves, and anyone - any radicalized Christian Nationalist extremist like this one - can pose as the same.
People need further awakening. Keep up your excellent and absolutely important work.
In reading that sample sermonizing you wrote it reminds me of a fellow who kicked himself out of my church. He wanted to be a CN leader. We’re not CN. He wanted to radicalize the congregation. The congregation politely ignored his BS and blew him off as much as it could. He got sufficiently frustrated and just left. He’s now a CN trad-living influencer type who looks almost Amish as he goes around town solely by bicycle.
He’s not the sort the would’ve been at Smith Field for the local No Kings event Saturday: https://www.starbeacon.com/news/local_news/hundreds-gather-in-ashtabula-for-no-kings-protest/article_e6065a61-79fa-4b0b-8080-ece542307a70.html
As a congregation with a steady 55-70 people attending each Sunday, we’re perfectly happy to not have the CN people. People occasionally bring up CN notions and we smack that down pretty hard. So far, we’re surviving this strange moment.
It is important for Christian congregations to reject Christian Nationalism in their midst. You've given examples before of how you've tried to win certain red hat wearers over, and you mentioned that you're starting to see some movement there. But sometimes, people won't be satisfied until the merge their political idol worship with their religion. I hope more Americans start to see that MAGA married with Christian Nationalism IS a religion, a cult of radicalized extremists.
Who better to drink from the trump fountain of bs?
"Radicalized Christian Nationalist religious extremists executing other human beings." I would change "executing" to "murdering" because that is what this was --the murder of two human beings. They show that they are not Christians since the Bible states "Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place to wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord." (Romans 12:19). But that doesn't matter to this lot. What's frightening is the sheer nimbers of these psychos. And of course, since Drumpf is in power, nothing will be done.
Last year, I wrote about how Christian Nationalists twist the Bible to make themselves God's avengers on wrongdoers. Here's a December newsletter where I did a thorough roundup of newsletters on this topic. https://andrawatkins.substack.com/p/christian-nationalists-judge-that?utm_source=publication-search
Of course, they ignore Romans 12:19. They prefer to focus on Romans 13, where the government is described as God's avenger on wrongdoers. I include a full excerpt from the Liberty Champion below, where they try to thread that needle:
New Testament principles of love and forgiveness apply to Christians but not primarily to governments and authority. The Bible makes it clear throughout Romans 13 that government was established as “an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer.” With that biblical view of government, Christians can promote the death penalty as directed by God.
Source: The Liberty Champion, the student newsletter of Liberty University (also not linking to them)
A man claims to be a "devout Christian" and says he is "pro-life".
He then murders two people and nearly kills two others!?!?
Something is terribly, terribly wrong here!!!
Murder is neither Christian nor pro-life by any definition.
Full Stop.
People who've never been exposed to Christian Nationalism can't understand how they can call themselves pro-life while radicalizing WCN extremist terrorists. If you look at my comment reply above about God's avengers, some radicalized Christian Nationalists will take that to the extreme of telling themselves they are individually doling out God's vengeance on "wrongdoers" - as they define wrongdoing. Radicalized Christian Nationalist extremists like Boelter will tell himself that by murdering people with specific beliefs he opposes, he is saving thousands, hundreds of thousands, or even millions of lives. And their pastors/priests/clerics by-and-large don't condemn these kinds of thoughts and statements. The sample sermon is pretty typical.
Unfortunately, it's possible for people to believe contradicting ideas at the same time. That's especially true when it involves things like politics, religion, and controversial things. One of the reasons I stay away from religious groups is that I want to keep a low profile. I expect Unitarian churches, mosques, etc. are going to be targets soon. I hope the day doesn't come when we all have to answer our doors armed. I'm afraid we might end up like The Troubles in Northern Ireland.
All churches that are not expressly Christian Nationalist will be targeted...even Christian churches that aren't sufficiently Christian Nationalist (like progressive Christians, for example.) Pagans, Buddhists, Hindus, atheists, Jews, Sikhs, and more will be targeted. As I've said more than once, Christian Nationalists believe their various sects' beliefs are the One True Faith. All of these other religions and belief systems are idol worship, false gods, and heresy. They will use that definition to deny religious liberty to all but Christian Nationalists, and then they will fight about which version of CN gets forced on everyone.
I agree, it is unfortunate that an individual can reconcile monstrous acts as doing God’s will or for the greater good.
I do understand why family and friends try to make the argument that we (the public) don't “really” know this man, this murderer, as they do ~ as a husband, father, and friend.
Yet, regardless of whatever Boelter claims are his reasons for targeting, assaulting, and murdering his victims, it is wrong. He doesn't have the right to kill another human being.
I'm sure people made the "we don't really know him" argument about Hitler. I'm sure some people make it about Putin.
I don't care what Boelter's reasons are. He is a radicalized Christian Nationalist extremist terrorist who pretended to be law enforcement for the express purpose of murdering people. Period.
This is one of the clearest breakdowns I’ve seen of how denial fuels danger. You’re right—journalists won’t name it, churches won’t confront it, and too many Americans still treat Christian Nationalist violence as an isolated outburst instead of the logical endpoint of a radicalized theology.
Keep calling it what it is. I’ll keep making memes to drag it into the light.
Virgin Monk Boy stands with you.
You're doing good work. Keep it up.
It's time also to call out the word "beliefs" for being "excuses." Excuses to be violent and cruel, and murderous. "In the Name a' Geezus!" I thought of you immediately when his bio went on the news -- Andra told us so.
Excuses or “justifications.”
My favorite thing about radicalized white Christian nationalists with kill lists is that they’re the first ones to say “all lives matter”
Except for lives they hate. And they see no hypocrisy there. Sigh.
And so the struggle goes......
Can't get it
I believe that every time someone is murdered by a CN extremist, it will empower another CN extremist who may have been considering murdering someone on their own list. I can't see anything but this trend escalating into a horror story. And if the church they belong to doesn't condemn the killing, that will make it "OK", too, in their mind. Thank you, Andra.
I've talked about this before - and it may be good as a video - how I was told as a child in WCN elementary school that I may someday have to kill people for Jesus.
THIS IS THAT.
People cannot sit in pews and listen to that for 50 years without a portion becoming radicalized. Lots of people take off-ramps. Some who don't take off-ramps wouldn't murder people. But a small percentage - like Vance Boelter - would.
And even if that percentage is as small as I've estimated, they could murder millions of Americans if activated at once. Like a Night of the Long Knives event.
Yes, it is horrific. And few Americans are willing to say THIS RELIGIOUS EXTREMIST RADICALIZATION IS NOT ACCEPTABLE.
So I'll keep at it. And other people here will keep at it. And I believe we can make a difference.
Are you going to record the Spotlight Series event for those who cannot tune in on Wednesday?
It's Big Tent USA's event. I can ask if they will be recording it for replay and will let everyone know.
Boelter and people like him use use their religion as a damn poor excuse to murder as if that was his only option. I hope he enjoys prison for the rest of his days.
He is a terrorist. While I want him to get a fair trial, I hope he is condemned to prison for the rest of his life.
The Crusades, the Sequel.
Andra, you expound well on areas of our lives that nervous the hell out of me. I find myself getting completely impatient about something that should not be tolerated at all. Yet our VP and Speaker are both part of it. If I write too much about my reaction, I end up offending people so I'm best off with this shirt commentary. Although, damn it: I don't know why I should feel that I have to cede ANY ground to people that live by such a credo. But seeing power SWELL, not be checked, does not bode well for someone that cannot abide it
I don't think you should hold back, Peter. I've taken the approach of saying, "People can believe whatever they want. They can't force ME to believe whatever they demand." Many Christians who've never been exposed to Christian Nationalism or don't understand what it is will get that framing right away. It isn't attacking ALL Christians to call some Christian Nationalists radicalized religious extremist terrorists. These distinctions are important. I probably offend people daily, but my intent isn't to offend; it is to educate more Americans and get them to think.