Stand Up and Call Out the False Prophets of Christian Nationalism
A friend, who is a long-time member of the republican party, sent me a disturbing mailing that upset both of us. The two-page mailing included a note “From the Desk of Erika Kirk” and a second page with a request for donations for Kirk’s organization, “Turning Point USA.” The document stated the organization’s vision as “An America where every young person is enlightened to conservative, free-market values through non-partisan debate, dialogue, and discussion.” The idea that this organization touts a “non-partisan” agenda is laughable. Their mission statement is the very definition of biased and partisan. They state their mission as “Identify, educate, train, and organize students to promote the principles of freedom, free markets, and limited government.” That is the definition of partisan!
Yet I would not write an article based solely on their partisan bias. What raised my righteous anger was what Erika Kirk wrote in her letter. She states, “More than 10,000 pastors have partnered with us to bring pro-American programming to their churches.” Then, Kirk continues, “Over 1,000,000 teachers and parents requested our classroom curricula.” Charlie and Erika Kirk created Turning Point USA to instill biased, partisan beliefs throughout the United States. They've helped transform a significant portion of Christianity into a theologically corrupt form of Christian Nationalism.
Christians with faith and integrity must speak out against destructive ideologies like Turning Point USA before any more false prophet pastors lead people further away from the Biblical truth of our Triune God. Sadly, many people cannot, at first glance, recognize the serious heresy behind bringing “pro-America programming to their churches.” I can hear well-meaning people saying, “What’s the problem? I love God, and I am a patriotic American. Why not unite my two core beliefs?” Jesus was not an American. Jesus would not affirm free markets without the checks and balances of governmental oversight. God knows that sin exists, and with power comes more corruption.
Regarding “pro-America programming to their churches,” God loves all God’s children, not just American children. Christ strove to provide for “the least of these,” and not just for those who are better at taking advantage of what Turning Point USA describes as a core belief: “Capitalism is the most moral and proven economic system ever discovered.” Is it morally appropriate that Elon Musk is the richest man in the world and is worth over one trillion dollars, while using a chainsaw to cut government services like Medicaid and international medical programs? It is immoral for so few to have so much when the United States President calls African nations “S**t hole countries,” and cuts funding, which increases starvation and disease in their communities?
Charlie Kirk was murdered, and murder is never acceptable. Yet, that does not mean that his biased and warped Christian ideology is now somehow acceptable and normative. No! People of faith must continue to stand up and state clearly that America is not a Christian nation. Faith in our Triune God is greater than any one nation. While I am grateful to be a United States citizen, no nation is always perfectly moral and superior. We limit God when we place God in a nationalist box. God is bigger than any nation or financial system. If we do not speak out now, God will be even more misunderstood, and Christianity will no longer represent the God we claim to love and worship. It is not too late. Talk about this serious issue with family, friends, and in your church. Reach out to your local, state, and national leaders. Do not let falsehood destroy the Christian faith.