Poll: Majority Of Republicans Want U.S. Declared A Christian Nation

 

The results of a new University of Maryland Critical Issues poll reveal the cognitive dissonance of Christofascist Republicans who claim a passionate regard for the Constitution, but only when it serves their interests and beliefs:

We started by asking participants if they believed the Constitution would even allow the United States government to declare the U.S. a “Christian Nation.” We found that 70 percent of Americans — including 57 percent of Republicans and 81 percent of Democrats — said that the Constitution would not allow such a declaration. (Indeed, the First Amendment says Congress can neither establish nor prohibit the practice of a religion.)

We followed up by asking: “Would You Favor or Oppose the United States Officially Declaring the United States to be a Christian Nation?” The findings were striking.

Overall, 62 percent of respondents said they opposed such a declaration, including 83 percent of Democrats and 39 percent of Republicans. Fully 61 percent of Republicans supported declaring the United States a Christian nation. In other words, even though over half of Republicans previously said such a move would be unconstitutional, a majority of GOP voters would still support this declaration. (our emphasis)

Those results should shock and repel any American who truly stands by the Constitution and the doctrine of separation of church and state.  It should not be necessary in 2022 to restate this, but:  We were not established as a Christian Nation;  the Founding Fathers instituted a secular- based form of government, bolstered by the very First Amendment to the Constitution's "Establishment Clause" (see this historical discussion for more clarity).  That we are a "Nation of Christians" is very debatable, given what we see many self- identified "Christians" doing in the name of their religion.

The near- full embrace of rightist Christian Nationalism by the Republican Party has been ongoing for many decades.  As they see their world changing around them, becoming more diverse and secularized, and their cult leader under criminal investigation, they're responding with calls from some of their most prominent sub-morons to "rise up", and with acts of performative cruelty toward the weakest and most vulnerable by others in power (i.e., DeSantis' human trafficking and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's and Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin's various publicity stunts).  

That's the road they're trying to take us down.  In 47 days, we have a chance to respond.

BONUS:  See Ed Kilgore's "Mixing Christianity With Nationalism Is A Recipe For Fascism."

The Terrorists Are Already Here (Cont.)

Why a religion should not be judged by the words and actions of a few (h/t Raw Story).

Exhibit A:

The president of a Christian university encouraged his students to get concealed firearm permits so they could prevent the next mass shooting from happening there.

Jerry Falwell, Jr., head of Liberty University, a Christian school in Virginia, invoked the mass shooting this week at the Inland Regional Center in San Bernardino, California. Fourteen people were killed and 21 were injured in the attack, which was carried out by a husband and wife who claimed loyalty to the Islamic State.

Falwell criticized President Obama for urging gun control in the wake of recent shootings, and made it clear he was armed during his speech at a convocation Friday night.  [snip]

He encouraged people to carry guns so they could "end those Muslims before they walk in and kill us,” Falwell said.  (our emphasis)

That would be the son of the late and not lamented Jerry Falwell, creator of "The Moral Majority" (one of the original -- if you don't count the KKK-- "Christian" right political organizations) which, it was said, was neither moral nor a majority.  Apparently being a soulless hypocrite is genetically transmitted.

Exhibit B:

A Florida man taken into custody for vandalizing a Palm Beach Islamic center, has a Facebook page containing posts attacking Muslims, with other photos showing him admiring guns, saying: “That AR-15 will put down any radical Islamic!! I wish they would!!!”

Acting on a tip, North Palm Beach Police arrested 27-year-old Joshua Warren Killets who confessed to detectives after being taken into custody, the Sun Sentinel reports. [snip]

While police did not release any details of his confession or motive, a perusal of his Facebook page shows a deeply-held belief in Christianity combined with hatred for Muslims and refugees.

In one photo, Killets can be seen holding a AR15 assault rifle next to a comment saying it would “take down any radical Islamic.”

In another, in what appears to be the same gun shop, he holds a handgun, with the caption: “Yea it’s bout that time!! The worlds gone crazy!! Ima be ready to protect mines !! Best believe!!!”   (our emphasis)

You be a mean motor scooter and a bad go-getter, white boy!!!

And, wait for it...

Still another posting shows Killets has recently been admitted to Palm Beach Atlantic University  — a “faith-based college” — in their Organizational Management program.

Seems like an intelligent, nice boy who's fully grasped the meaning of Christ's teachings.  Maybe they have a rifle team he can join.  Or possibly a KKK chapter he can organize.