"It's frightening to see what was talked about decades ago coming to fruition today." Yes! Thank you for this overview and for your courage about sharing honestly about all this. I have a lot of hope for the future because of spaces like this where honest conversations about christofascism can happen, hopefully leading to a greater sense of why it's a problem and opportunities to resist. Thanks again for your work and words.
Thanks Kandi and Marla! It's true, that the spaces where these conversations happen seem to be opening up more. I've been reading and listening numerous things on this topic just this past week or two - DL, Straight White American Jesus, Chris Hedges, Lyz Lenz... we're all talking about some similar things and there's some hope there.
I vividly remember all the talking points of your childhood except the euro. It's strange sometimes what catches and entire culture's eye. I mean, it's currency, right? But I'm sure it was viewed as the end of the free world and the complete capitulation to socialism. Sigh.
Until this year, I saw my role in life as one of convicting the Christofascists in my personal orbit of what they were doing by pushing back a little at a time, knowing they would stop listening entirely if pushed too quickly. Giving up that dream has been very painful, but it's gone now. I've finally realized (at least to some extent - I have a feeling the realizations aren't over) the depth and reach of pain this type of Christianity has caused, and I just can't push calmly, bit by bit, anymore. Not while people are being hurt. Not while people are literally dying.
Thanks to my current situation, I'm still not terribly vocal, and the dissonance is killing me. But situations change, and I'm working on it.
One more thing: words are powerful. They're not everything, but I truly don't believe there actions can come without the words, so don't sell yourself short. Your writing matters.
"To me it feels like watching a play unfold where I read the script already, only I thought the script was just pretend and would never fly in real life. "
Yep.
I want to speak to the power of writing these words. Like you, I sometimes struggle to verbalize the thoughts and feelings that my history with christofascism evokes. Your work returns me to such vivid memories of hours in the churches of my youth, where I went from a hopeful and faithful 11YO to an incredulous and cynical 16YO. Can 16YOs really be cynical? Yes, if they've been presented with values that they come to realize are antithetical to their own and to what they thought the church was all about.
Then there's the horror and revulsion I feel when the pretend-play I thought the script represented turns out to be a blueprint for the society christofascism is lying and cheating its way into creating.
Thank you for your words. I'm glad we're all here together.
Yes to all you said! And teens can really have remarkable clarity on seeing through bullshit! Sad you had to be cynical about what you were seeing, but also, you saw it with clear eyes then.
I have to share something at least 10 times on Instagram before I have the courage to say it out loud in my real life. Lol. Sort of joking, sort of not. I think you said it precisely! So appreciate your and DLs perspective on this and I am finding myself in the same boat now - once you see it you can’t unsee!
Christofascist is the perfect word for that movement, Christine! I’m trying to remember why I once thought it was OK for christofascists to control a republic in which they are a minority. I guess we believed we were a majority, since a majority of Americans identify as Christians. (But here’s the rub! They are not a majority in support of christofascist beliefs or public policies!) Also, we believed we had a god-given right to impose (our version of) “god’s will” on our society (which is the definition of fascism, right?!). We *thought* god told us to and warned us by example that “he” destroys “ungodly” societies, like many in the Old Testament. It couldn’t be that the ancient Israelites were fascists themselves and used “hearing from god” as an excuse to wipe out other cultures and take their land, could it? (As an aside, it’s easy to see where the colonizers who settled America got the idea!) I suppose those excuses are the same ones they use to gerrymander districts, impose new voter registration laws designed to limit the non-white vote, and even resort to outright violence to take over the country as on 1/6/20. It isn’t cheating and lying if you do it for god, is it??! However, I will go out on a limb and predict christofascists will soon get a lesson in majority rule democracy when they are largely voted out of office at the next election for their dysfunctional and cruel extremism. God help us if they are not!
I think they *think* they're the "silent majority" (that was a phrase they used, right?) -- but other times they blatantly know they're the minority and will change whatever laws and standards needed so their will is done!
Wild how there's no thinking that "oh, maybe ancient civilizations that established dominance through killing and raping and pillaging should NOT be the moral model for our behavior?"!
Whew I would love that prediction to come true! I definitely get worried about how much of the country has gone to insanity, especially considering where I live, but maybe there really are enough people out there maintaining an interest in democracy and with a hold on reality...
Thanks, Marla! I really appreciate that :) Wish that just the writing of it would make things a little better... but I guess, writers have to believe in the power of words, otherwise what are we doing??
I so appreciate that you are writing about this, Christine! It starts here! We raise one another’s consciousness and it spills over into all of our many connections. Writing changes the world!
"It's frightening to see what was talked about decades ago coming to fruition today." Yes! Thank you for this overview and for your courage about sharing honestly about all this. I have a lot of hope for the future because of spaces like this where honest conversations about christofascism can happen, hopefully leading to a greater sense of why it's a problem and opportunities to resist. Thanks again for your work and words.
Thanks Kandi and Marla! It's true, that the spaces where these conversations happen seem to be opening up more. I've been reading and listening numerous things on this topic just this past week or two - DL, Straight White American Jesus, Chris Hedges, Lyz Lenz... we're all talking about some similar things and there's some hope there.
I’m also hearing people stand up and call it fascism openly now, even on the news. That’s a hopeful sign!
WHAT SHE SAID!!!!
I vividly remember all the talking points of your childhood except the euro. It's strange sometimes what catches and entire culture's eye. I mean, it's currency, right? But I'm sure it was viewed as the end of the free world and the complete capitulation to socialism. Sigh.
Until this year, I saw my role in life as one of convicting the Christofascists in my personal orbit of what they were doing by pushing back a little at a time, knowing they would stop listening entirely if pushed too quickly. Giving up that dream has been very painful, but it's gone now. I've finally realized (at least to some extent - I have a feeling the realizations aren't over) the depth and reach of pain this type of Christianity has caused, and I just can't push calmly, bit by bit, anymore. Not while people are being hurt. Not while people are literally dying.
Thanks to my current situation, I'm still not terribly vocal, and the dissonance is killing me. But situations change, and I'm working on it.
One more thing: words are powerful. They're not everything, but I truly don't believe there actions can come without the words, so don't sell yourself short. Your writing matters.
Completely agree. The more we write the words, the more consciousness it raises in others and the more the words seep into our heart and bones.
"To me it feels like watching a play unfold where I read the script already, only I thought the script was just pretend and would never fly in real life. "
Yep.
I want to speak to the power of writing these words. Like you, I sometimes struggle to verbalize the thoughts and feelings that my history with christofascism evokes. Your work returns me to such vivid memories of hours in the churches of my youth, where I went from a hopeful and faithful 11YO to an incredulous and cynical 16YO. Can 16YOs really be cynical? Yes, if they've been presented with values that they come to realize are antithetical to their own and to what they thought the church was all about.
Then there's the horror and revulsion I feel when the pretend-play I thought the script represented turns out to be a blueprint for the society christofascism is lying and cheating its way into creating.
Thank you for your words. I'm glad we're all here together.
💜💜💜💜
Yes to all you said! And teens can really have remarkable clarity on seeing through bullshit! Sad you had to be cynical about what you were seeing, but also, you saw it with clear eyes then.
I'm glad we're all here together, too!
I have to share something at least 10 times on Instagram before I have the courage to say it out loud in my real life. Lol. Sort of joking, sort of not. I think you said it precisely! So appreciate your and DLs perspective on this and I am finding myself in the same boat now - once you see it you can’t unsee!
Christofascist is the perfect word for that movement, Christine! I’m trying to remember why I once thought it was OK for christofascists to control a republic in which they are a minority. I guess we believed we were a majority, since a majority of Americans identify as Christians. (But here’s the rub! They are not a majority in support of christofascist beliefs or public policies!) Also, we believed we had a god-given right to impose (our version of) “god’s will” on our society (which is the definition of fascism, right?!). We *thought* god told us to and warned us by example that “he” destroys “ungodly” societies, like many in the Old Testament. It couldn’t be that the ancient Israelites were fascists themselves and used “hearing from god” as an excuse to wipe out other cultures and take their land, could it? (As an aside, it’s easy to see where the colonizers who settled America got the idea!) I suppose those excuses are the same ones they use to gerrymander districts, impose new voter registration laws designed to limit the non-white vote, and even resort to outright violence to take over the country as on 1/6/20. It isn’t cheating and lying if you do it for god, is it??! However, I will go out on a limb and predict christofascists will soon get a lesson in majority rule democracy when they are largely voted out of office at the next election for their dysfunctional and cruel extremism. God help us if they are not!
I think they *think* they're the "silent majority" (that was a phrase they used, right?) -- but other times they blatantly know they're the minority and will change whatever laws and standards needed so their will is done!
Wild how there's no thinking that "oh, maybe ancient civilizations that established dominance through killing and raping and pillaging should NOT be the moral model for our behavior?"!
Whew I would love that prediction to come true! I definitely get worried about how much of the country has gone to insanity, especially considering where I live, but maybe there really are enough people out there maintaining an interest in democracy and with a hold on reality...
This is my new favorite post of yours, and I would just like to second every single word that Kandi wrote.
Thanks, Marla! I really appreciate that :) Wish that just the writing of it would make things a little better... but I guess, writers have to believe in the power of words, otherwise what are we doing??
I so appreciate that you are writing about this, Christine! It starts here! We raise one another’s consciousness and it spills over into all of our many connections. Writing changes the world!