Taking back Jesus

Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.
By their fruit you will recognize them.

–Matthew 7:15-16, NIV

Many years ago, I identified strongly as an atheist, and at times as an anti-theist. I wrote frequently about religious fundamentalism and squandered an awful lot of time and energy arguing about it with Christians and Muslims, mostly.

It’s been nearly a decade since I ceased troubling myself about religion. I’m mostly indifferent these days, except for when callous acts of fundamentalism justify being called out. I now believe that everyone should be free to pursue their religious beliefs, provided they do not infringe on the rights of others. You could say I have made my peace with religion.

While religious fundamentalism became most conspicuous on the world stage through egregious acts of hateful violence perpetrated by those communities, it was not confined to them. Hindu Nationalism increasingly rears its ugly head, while Buddhist Nationalism seems to be confined to Thailand, Sri Lanka, and Burma only. Jewish Nationalism in the form of Zionism went largely unnoticed through very successful propaganda for nearly eight decades, but is now revealing its hideous nature with the genocide in Gaza.

However, the ugliness and danger of religious fundamentalism have once again been shoved rudely in my face with the tragic shooting of one of its proponents. It was not so much the shooting of Charlie Kirk that troubled me as the hysteria and misguided adulation and sympathy for him from the Christian community. Even here in South Africa, thousands of miles away from the epicenter of hatred, Kirk’s brand of vile, hateful bigotry has found a fertile breeding ground in the Christian community.

Even as I write this, I am still so disappointed seeing Kirk’s brand of hatred manifest in someone close to me. Someone whom I love dearly. Even as I patiently pointed out that Kirk was a hatemonger, providing evidence of his racist, homophobic, xenophobic, and transphobic bigotry, she refused to be swayed. Confoundingly, I know her well enough to recognise that she doesn’t have a hateful bone in her body. Except…

Alarmingly, there are many Christians in South Africa who have an unfounded affection and admiration for Charlie Kirk. What is influencing them all so antithetically, given the substantial evidence that points in the opposite direction? Church leadership and affiliation with the congregation? Social media? Preconceived racial bias? I am unfortunately reminded of a phrase that I thought I wouldn’t have to use again:

There’s no hate like Christian love.

Charlie Kirk was a grifter. Much like Jordan Peterson, who used a perverted form of psychology to influence and scam lonely young men, Kirk gift-wrapped and disguised his right-wing hatred in Christianity, specifically Christian Nationalism. It’s truly remarkable how easy it is to make people turn a blind eye to transparent bigotry when Jesus can be invoked to temporarily lower their guard.

Fortuitously, I came across at least one Christian who understands and espouses the true meaning of the faith. James Talarico is an American Democrat politician who currently represents the 50th District in Texas. He has a Master’s Degree in Education Policy from Harvard and is a seminarian. He has been warning about the evils of Christian Nationalism for a long time. A year ago, he gave a sermon at his local church in the absence of his pastor.

… I’ve been a member of this church since I was two years old and now I’m in seminary studying to become a minister myself. My faith means more to me than anything, but if I’m being very honest, sometimes I hesitate for telling somone I’m a Christian. There is a cancer on our religion. Until we confess the sin that is Christian Nationalism and excise it from our churches, our religion can do a lot more damage than a six pack of Lone Star [beer].

Two months ago, he even shocked Joe Rogan, a right-wing sympathiser, on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast. His message is clear and appropriate, particularly with the public shooting death of Kirk, who was such a strong advocate for guns that he once said that having some gun deaths every year is necessary to protect Second Amendment rights.

There is nothing Christian about Christian Nationalism. It is the worship of power, social power, economic power, political power in the name of Christ and it is a betrayal of Jesus of Nazareth. He told us we would know them by their fruits.

Those of you who follow some of my writings will know that I have absolutely no time for politicians. However, Talarico has struck a chord with me. If anyone can clean up the corrupt cesspit of politics, even religion, it may well be him or people like him.

People who understand that Jesus can not be usurped and appropriated for expedient biases and hatreds. People who understand that Jesus cannot be used as a cudgel against those with a skin colour that offends you, or a sexual orientation that you don’t understand. People who understand that Jesus must be taken back from the fundamentalists.