Straight White American Jesus

Return episode following a great thread by @CaitlinJStout, Brad discusses why the people who leave evangelicalism are often the ones who devoted themselves wholeheartedly to it. Subscribe for $5.99 a month to get bonus episodes, ad-free listening, access to the entire 500-episode archive, Discord access, and more: https://axismundi.supercast.com/Linktree: https://linktr.ee/StraightWhiteJCOrder Brad's book: https://www.amazon.com/Preparing-War-Extremist-Christian-Nationalism/dp/1506482163 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Back in the early 1990s, the Unification Church demanded an apology from a brash real-estate mogul they accused of using the church as “a scare tactic” in a “morally reprehensible” effort to get Palm Beach, Florida, officials to grant his zoning wishes. But that religious sect, founded by Sun Myung Moon — and thus often derisively called the “Moonies” — has apparently since made amends with that owner of Mar-a-Lago. Now his son is leading a dangerous movement in MAGA Nation through his church--which often features AR 15s in worship rituals.Brian Kaylor, Word&Way Editor & President since 2016, is an award-winning writer and sought-after expert on issues of religion, politics, and communication. He also hosts the award-winning podcast “Baptist Without An Adjective.”In addition to articles and editorials for Word&Way, his writings have been published by CNN, Houston Chronicle, Kansas City Star, Louisville Courier-Journal, Religion News Service, Roll Call, Sojourners, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Washington Post, and many other outlets.A Strange Unification: https://wordandway.org/2022/02/17/a-strange-unification/Subscribe for $5.99 a month to get bonus episodes, ad-free listening, access to the entire 500-episode archive, Discord access, and more: https://axismundi.supercast.com/To Donate: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/BradleyOnishi Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brad and Dan begin by discussing the new Hillsong documentary, "Hillsong: A Megachurch Exposed," and the various sexual abuse and infidelity scandals that have rocked the church of the stars. They draw on work by Dr. Leah Payne in order to link Hillsong to a long line of celebrity megachurches that use spectacle, entrepreneurial tactics, and slick marketing to attract young, hot, and rich parishioners. History tells us that eventually scandal will rock the church, due in large part to the authoritarian leadership structures that often characterize this type of ministry.Leah Payne's op-ed: https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/justin-biebers-former-church-hillsong-usa-decline-hypepriests-will-end-rcna23685They then dig into the news that the Saudi Crown Prince helped funnel 2 billion dollars to Jared Kushner's new firm, despite reservations from pretty much everyone else involved. This leads to a discussion of how propaganda and corruption mark autocratic regimes whose constituents lack trust in their leaders and government. It also provides a helpful rebuttal to Uncle Ron's "whatabout Hunter Biden" line.“The real concern here is that the public has no way of knowing exactly what favors someone like Kushner may have done for the Saudis.” - Walter ShaubThe episode finishes with substantive discussion on the Georgia Senate runoff and how it illuminates the failed promises of the Democratic party and the incredible war the GOP has made on the state level in just over a year.Subscribe for $5.99 a month to get bonus episodes, ad-free listening, access to the entire 500-episode archive, Discord access, and more: https://axismundi.supercast.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this final series episode, Dan tries to understand why well-meaning liberals and progressives so often experience identity politics as a threat, and why they fail to take hold of the opportunities it provides. He outlines how defensiveness and a presumption of insight into the experiences of marginalized communities leads to paternalism and condescension that undermines a progressive politics that could meaningfully change our political and social reality.Subscribe for $5.99 a month to get bonus episodes, ad-free listening, access to the entire 500-episode archive, Discord access, and more: https://axismundi.supercast.com/To Donate: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/BradleyOnishi Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When the rallying cry “Black Lives Matter” was heard across the world in 2013, Andre Henry was one of the millions for whom the movement caused a political awakening and a rupture in some of his closest relationships with white people. As he began using his artistic gifts to share his experiences and perspective, Henry was aggrieved to discover that many white Americans—people he called friends and family—were more interested in debating whether racism existed or whether Henry was being polite enough in the way he used his voice.Now Andrew calls on Black people and people of color to divest from whiteness and its false promises, trust what their lived experiences tell them, and practice hope as a discipline as they work for lasting change.Subscribe for $5.99 a month to get bonus episodes, ad-free listening, access to the entire 500-episode archive, Discord access, and more: https://axismundi.supercast.com/Andre Henry, All the White Friends I Could Not Keep: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/673889/all-the-white-friends-i-couldnt-keep-by-andre-henry/To Donate: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/BradleyOnishiProduced by Bradley OnishiEdited by Shannon Sassone Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's a small world after all. So small we can go from Florida to Alaska to Arizona to California in one episode. A magically tragic journey through American politics and history.Brad and Dan begin the road trop in Florida, where Uncle Ron DeSantis has labeled Disney the wokest place on earth due to its opposition for the Don't Say Gay bill. Marjorie Taylor Greene stated that Disney wants to indoctrinate children with sexual filth. While it's laughable to think of Disney as "woke," the absolute temper tantrum GOP leaders have thrown over this matter is reflective of how extremism has become the only virtue in GOP politics.In order to understand how this works and where it came from, Brad and Dan turn to the news that Sarah Palin is running for Congress in Alaska. While this may not seem like big news nationally, it opens a window into the "Palinization" of politics over the last fifteen years. Brad and Dan recall how and why John McCain chose Palin as his running mate and what this unleashed in the Republican party: Birtherism, the Tea Party, obstructionism, xenophobia, and so on.From an examination of McCain, they look to his predecessor in the Senate, Barry Goldwater, who also ran for president and courted radical White Christians in order to get ahead in the polls. What emerges from this picture is a look at American politics that shows how for 65 years Republicans have tried to use extremists for political gain, only to unleash a disease on the American body politic.Subscribe for $5.99 a month to get bonus episodes, ad-free listening, access to the entire 500-episode archive, Discord access, and more: https://axismundi.supercast.com/Link to Satanic Panic Episode: https://getpodcast.com/podcast/straight-white-american-jesus/satanic-panic-then-and-now_1c0f630e61Link to the Graham and Dias article at NYT: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/06/us/christian-right-wing-politics.htmlLink to Goldwater's remarks on regretting alliance with White Christian nationalists: https://www.nytimes.com/1981/09/16/us/excerpts-from-goldwater-remarks.htmlTo Donate: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/BradleyOnishi Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of the fallacies that often arises when we think about diverse identities, marginalization, and exclusion, is that all those groups who have experience marginalization or exclusion will naturally or organically come together in solidarity. But the social and political landscape is full of examples illustrating that this doesn’t happen. This episode explores this fallacy and looks at how it operates with an eye to thinking about how we can cultivate real solidarity and shared social identities.Subscribe for $5.99 a month to get bonus episodes, ad-free listening, access to the entire 500-episode archive, Discord access, and more: https://axismundi.supercast.com/Linktree: https://linktr.ee/StraightWhiteJCOrder Brad's new book: https://www.amazon.com/Preparing-War-Extremist-Christian-Nationalism/dp/1506482163SWAJ Apparel is here! https://straight-white-american-jesus.creator-spring.com/listing/not-today-uncle-ronTo Donate: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/BradleyOnishi Venmo: @straightwhitejc Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Christian nationalism seeks to merge Christian and American identities, distorting both the Christian faith and America’s constitutional democracy. Christian nationalism demands Christianity be privileged by the State and implies that to be a good American, one must be Christian. It often overlaps with and provides cover for white supremacy and racial subjugation. We reject this damaging political ideology and invite our Christian brothers and sisters to join us in opposing this threat to our faith and to our nation."It may surprise you to learn that this statement was crafted in principal by a Baptis and has been signed by hundreds of other faith leaders. We hear all the time about the threat of Christian nationalism. But what about the Christians fighting to prevent another J6 and for the American principles of religious liberty and freedom from religion?Amanda Tyler is executive director of BJC. She leads the organization as it upholds the historic Baptist principle of religious liberty, defending the free exercise of religion and protecting against its establishment by government.. Called a “powerful advocate” and “rising star in the sector” by The Nonprofit Times, she was named one of the nation’s top 50 nonprofit leaders in 2018. Tyler was named “Baptist of the Year” by EthicsDaily.com in 2019. She also co-hosts the Respecting Religion podcast series, and she serves on the board of the Center for Faith, Justice, and Reconciliation.Subscribe for $5.99 a month to get bonus episodes, ad-free listening, access to the entire 500-episode archive, Discord access, and more: https://axismundi.supercast.com/Linktree: https://linktr.ee/StraightWhiteJCOrder Brad's new book: https://www.amazon.com/Preparing-War-Extremist-Christian-Nationalism/dp/1506482163SWAJ Apparel is here! https://straight-white-american-jesus.creator-spring.com/listing/not-today-uncle-ronTo Donate: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/BradleyOnishi Venmo: @straightwhitejc Produced by Bradley OnishiEdited by Shannon Sassone Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brad and Dan begin by discussing how Madison Cawthorn's claims about cocaine and orgies sounded like youth group scare tactics.They then dig into the significance of the texts between Ginni Thomas and Mark Meadows, focusing on the Christian nationalism rife in their conversations, their characterization of Democrats as "evil," and the hope that God would not allow for the fair and free election of Joe Biden to go through. They also point out how this poses a conflict of interest for Clarence Thomas on SCOTUS cases involving January 6 and provide rebuttals to the Uncle Ron claims that criticism of Ginni Thomas is just misogyny.In the second segment Brad examines Trump's hopes that since Putin is now mad at Biden, Putin might release dirt on the President. For Brad and Dan this shows how the enemy of the people in the minds of MAGA Nation is not a war criminal like Putin, but their political opponents, who are not real Americans.The episode finishes with a lengthy discussion of the rise of Donald Crow--arguing that Trumpism will outlast Trump through the bundle of policies that are being passed at the state level. Trump himself was very bad at passing legislation. But governors and state legislatures are now putting into law the animus that his platform activated in the MAGA base. In the future, regardless of what happens with Trump and his role in public office, the legacy of Donald Crow will divide the country along lines similar to Jim Crow.This idea was first put forth by Charles Blow: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/27/opinion/desantis-trump-republican-party.htmlSubscribe for $5.99 a month to get bonus episodes, ad-free listening, access to the entire 500-episode archive, Discord access, and more: https://axismundi.supercast.com/Linktree: https://linktr.ee/StraightWhiteJCOrder Brad's new book: https://www.amazon.com/Preparing-War-Extremist-Christian-Nationalism/dp/1506482163SWAJ Apparel is here! https://straight-white-american-jesus.creator-spring.com/listing/not-today-uncle-ronTo Donate: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/BradleyOnishi Venmo: @straightwhitejc Produced by Brad Onishi Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do we understand a complex social and political phenomenon like Christian nationalism? Does it represent a strategic coalition of different identity groups (e.g., political conservatives, conservative Christians, etc.)? Or is it something else? Dan argues that understanding something like Christian nationalism requires a different understanding of social and political identity. Instead of a strategic coalition, a phenomenon like Christian nationalism represents the emergence of a single new, complex social identity.Subscribe for $5.99 a month to get bonus episodes, ad-free listening, access to the entire 500-episode archive, Discord access, and more: https://axismundi.supercast.com/Linktree: https://linktr.ee/StraightWhiteJCOrder Brad's new book: https://www.amazon.com/Preparing-War-Extremist-Christian-Nationalism/dp/1506482163SWAJ Apparel is here! https://straight-white-american-jesus.creator-spring.com/listing/not-today-uncle-ronTo Donate: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/BradleyOnishi Venmo: @straightwhitejc Produced by Dan Miller and Brad OnishiEdited by Shannon Sassone Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices