The left is increasingly fearmongering that a Donald Trump victory this November would “elevate Christian nationalism as a focal point” in his second term. This hand-wringing was reported by Politico, which defined Christian nationalism as the belief that “the country was founded as a Christian nation and that Christian values should be prioritized throughout government and public life.”
Politico acknowledged that “Trump is not a devout man of faith,” but warned that his close associates seeking to influence policy are. In fact, “[T]he effort to imbue laws with biblical principles is already underway in some states.” Trailers for Rob Reiner’s new film, “God and Country,” similarly issue apocalyptic warnings of Christian involvement in public life.
If nothing else, the left’s propaganda machine is predictable. Their wheelhouse is the subtle manipulation of language, stigmatizing words that sound positive on their own, but turn into a poisonous cocktail when blended.
I’m talking about the phrase “Christian nationalism.” The word “Christian” appears only three times in the New Testament. It is first introduced in the book of Acts as a noun — a pejorative term of mockery used against followers of Christ. But instead of running from the label, they welcomed it. They were glad to suffer derision just as their Lord had done.
The word “Christian” is now being used as an adjective to make “nationalism,” a word that already has negative connotations on its own, sound even worse. When you modify “nationalism” by “Christian,” it becomes even darker. The evils of
