William Lindsey Jun 12, 2023

Robert P. Jones's statement about how white Christian churches in the US incubate anti-democratic sentiment has now appeared in Baptist News Global. I shared excerpts of it a day or so ago from his White Too Long substack site.

As I read Jones's statement again, I wonder what white US Christians intend to do with research-based findings like this:

#churches #racism #WhiteSupremacy #democracy
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https://baptistnews.com/article/the-call-is-coming-from-inside-the-house-white-christian-churches-as-incubators-of-anti-democratic-sentiment/

The call is coming from inside the house: White Christian churches as incubators of anti-democratic sentiment – Baptist News Global

In 1979, “When a Stranger Calls” became a surprise box-office success. The plot, which drew on a common folk legend, wasn’t original, but the harrowing first 23 minutes of the film created a cult following and the film is still...

Baptist News Global
Show threadWilliam Lindsey Jun 12, 2023

"Both historical analysis and contemporary public opinion data demonstrate that such anti-democratic views regularly find a comfortable home among white Christians — not only among white evangelical Protestant Christians but also among white non-evangelical/mainline Protestants and white Catholics."

Note the stress on historical analysis and contemporary public opinion data. Jones's statement is backed by substantial research.

#churches #racism #WhiteSupremacy #democracy
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Show threadWilliam Lindsey Jun 12, 2023

That research is readily available in his books The End of White Christian America and White Too Long.

As he notes, it's easy for white US Christians who don't hew to the right-wing evangelical line to pretend that the problem he's identifying exists ONLY among white evangelicals.

But solid empirical evidence shows white US Christians in general strongly committed to white supremacist ideology, and voting accordingly.

#churches #racism #WhiteSupremacy #democracy
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Show threadWilliam Lindsey 

Hence the votes of over half of US white Christians across the board — not just evangelicals, but also mainline Protestants and Catholics — for Donald Trump. Twice. In two elections.

And what will white Christians do with the following observation from Jones's article?

#churches #racism #WhiteSupremacy #democracy
/4

Jun 12, 2023 at 8:01pmWeb
Show threadWilliam Lindsey Jun 12, 2023

"Moreover, among white Americans, there is evidence that higher participation in churches is positively correlated with holding more racist attitudes and supporting anti-democratic, anti-pluralistic ideologies like nativism, white Christian nationalism and so-called Replacement Theory."

Or this?

"Among white Americans, those who attend religious services weekly or more are also significantly more likely than those who seldom or never attend to hold favorable views of Donald Trump…"

/5

Show threadWilliam Lindsey Jun 12, 2023

It's easy to pretend that this is a "bad Christian" problem, this penchant for dressing up white supremacist ideas in Christian garb and voting accordingly — while "good Christians" don't behave that way.

But the data, vis-a-vis voting patterns and professed beliefs of white Christians in the US across the board suggest there's a problem embedded in white Christianity itself, and that this problem has long been there.

#churches #racism #WhiteSupremacy #democracy
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Show threadWilliam Lindsey Jun 12, 2023

It's absolutely not accidental — or beside the point — that the January 6 insurrection attempt was filled with wall-to-wall Christian symbolism, crosses everywhere you turned, people blaring Christian prayers on bullhorns, the Christian flag (whatever that is) marched into the Capitol beside the Confederate battle flag.

The problem here needs to be faced squarely, not evaded or minimized.

#churches #racism #WhiteSupremacy #democracy

Show threadNoctisEqui 🇺🇦🇵🇸🇪🇹🏳️‍🌈Jun 12, 2023

@wdlindsy

Sadly true. I haven’t a clue how that could be done. Maybe the few white Christians that aren’t racist, the progressive Christians that stand with others should call their brethren on their racism.

Like you are doing, Sir! Bravo!

Show threadWilliam Lindsey Jun 12, 2023
@[email protected] point to what has long seemed to me to be a big part of the problem: many US Christians who claim to be "moderate" or "progressive" or "liberal" have long yielded the floor to right-wing Christians and refuse to challenge them on the ground that they are betraying core Christian principles. This has helped get us to the parlous situation in which we find ourselves politically today.
Show threadNed YeungJun 13, 2023

@wdlindsy

(pictured: Crowd of "very white" Christian Nationalists greeting Donald Trump in Mobile, Alabama with a large sign that reads, "Thank You, Lord JESUS, FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP".)

Show threadWilliam Lindsey Jun 13, 2023
@ned Yes, thanks for reminding me and others of that photo. It's such a snapshot of something very disturbing about the US — about many of us — at this moment of history. An instant classic that will is unforgettable once seen.
Show threadCanadian DudeJun 14, 2023
@ned @wdlindsy Jim jones would blush
Show threadshyduroffJun 12, 2023
@wdlindsy … sigh is not a big enough word …
Show threadWilliam Lindsey Jun 12, 2023
@shyduroff A sigh is definitely part of my own response.
Show threadAJDJun 12, 2023
@wdlindsy plenty of wolves dressing as shepherds. #WhiteSupremacists #fascists #christianextremism