I was listening to a podcast discussing Christian Nationalism. It reminded me that for decades now all political campaigns on a more national level have mostly run on fear. “Elect us (our agenda/ideology), or this nation will collapse (or some other disaster will ensue).”
For half a century conservatism (and other forms of it) have put a DNA of fear into the conservative Christian side of our culture. We used to galvanize around causes: Defeat Hitler, Stalin, etc. Then it was reduced to “isms.” Communism, Socialism, “wokeism.”
Our DNA culturally has as a part: we have to have an enemy that must be vanquished. Plus, we generally can’t solve deep problems without violence. That is part of our American DNA.
We need enemies to vanquish. What does not occur to us FIRST is this: “What would it take to help our society (and those around me) to flourish?” (We like to think of how we can individually “do well.”)
But to think of how we can bring flourishing to those around us? It doesn’t hit our radar very fast.
Apprentice 2 Jesus 