Rep. Lauren Boebert said humanity is in its 'last days' and Christians should 'rise up,'

[aubiefifty 18,248]

businessinsider.com

 

Rep. Lauren Boebert said humanity is in its 'last days' and Christians should 'rise up,' invoking Christian nationalist imagery that's linked to violence

Kelsey Vlamis

5-6 minutes

---

• Boebert echoed Christian nationalist talking points and invoked the end times in a speech last week.
• She said it's time for Christians to "rise up" and "influence this nation as we were called to do."
• Christian nationalism experts say such rhetoric has been linked to violence.

 

A recent speech by Rep. Lauren Boebert — during which she invoked the end times and said it's time for Christians to "rise up" — demonstrated how Christian nationalist ideals, including some associated with violence, have made it to the halls of Congress.

"It's time for us to position ourselves and rise up and take our place in Christ and influence this nation as we were called to do," the Colorado Republican told the crowd at a Christian conference held by the Truth and Liberty Coalition in Woodland Park, Colorado, on September 9.

"We need God back at the center of our country," she added.

Boebert heavily quoted scripture in her speech. She framed the formation of the US as divinely inspired and described the founding fathers as men of faith who were motivated by God — contentions that have been challenged by historians.

"We know that we are in the last of the last days," Boebert later said, referencing the belief held by some evangelical Christians that Jesus will return after a period of tribulation, or great suffering, and save believers. "But it's not a time to complain about it. It's not a time to get upset about it. It's a time to know that you were called to be a part of these last days. You get to have a role in ushering in the second coming of Jesus."

Boebert's comments expressing an intrinsic tie between the US and Christianity aren't new: In June she said she was "tired of this separation of church and state junk" and that "the church is supposed to direct the government." But by invoking the end times, Boebert is tapping into a side of Christian nationalism that has been associated with violence.

Although a spokesperson for Boebert told The Denver Post she does not identify as a Christian nationalist, her comments align with the tenants of Christian nationalism, an ideology and cultural framework that says Christianity should have a privileged position in American society.

"We found in our book that among Americans that embrace Christian nationalism, we see increasingly this embrace of a premillennialist interpretation of the end times, where there will be a tribulation but Christ will take away the faithful," Andrew Whitehead, a sociologist at IUPUI and co-author of "Taking America Back for God: Christian Nationalism in the United States," told Insider.

Whitehead said Boebert was taking a specific and relatively new interpretation of the end times and melding it with the idea that Christians are supposed to have an influential role in public life. He said her view wasn't necessarily about saving the nation, but about Christians countering the forces of evil while they still can and remaining faithful up until the end.

"Citing the end times really does feel like a call to action and a rallying cry in some sense," Whitehead said, adding: "A lot of that end times imagery is associated with violence and rapture and descending into chaos societally."

Experts on religion and politics told The Denver Post that Boebert's remarks could be interpreted as a call for violence, particularly in relation to the midterm elections.

"Now the apocalypse is because if we don't get our people in, it's an apocalypse," Anthea Butler, chair of the University of Pennsylvania's Department of Religious Studies, told the outlet.

Though Boebert's comments aren't new among proponents of Christian nationalism, such rhetoric has rarely, if ever, been deployed by a member of Congress.

Christian nationalism has also inspired acts of violence in the past. A report published in February by a group of faith leaders, historians, and religious scholars — including Whitehead — argued the concept was on display at the Capitol on January 6 and helped justify the insurrection. Christian nationalist ideals were also espoused by the suspects in the 2018 Pittsburgh synagogue shooting and the 2019 New Zealand mosque shootings.

"Any time that our political rhetoric moves in an area where we are raising the stakes — where it is ultimate good vs. ultimate evil," Whitehead said, "that's when political violence becomes much more likely."

Boebert's office did not respond to Insider's request for comment.

[aubiefifty 18,248]

i hate this kind of crap. many christians groups have denied climate change until it is almost or already out of control. some of these same christians claim also claimed the end times are near so climate change was not a problem. i have heard this on facebook from christians i know. even the ones doubting it have heard the same ol riff. i believe it to be true because for several years in a row folks at aod depot have claimed certain days the christians would just rise up in the sky on whaqt i guess is the end of times. they did this for years and i would be surprised if it is still not going on.

[icanthearyou 4,468]

Jim Bakker talks about her all the time, what a great Christian, great American she is.

I would have thought Jim might have learned something about the Christian Nationalist after what Jerry Falwell did to him.

[SaltyTiger 8,575]

8 hours ago, aubiefifty said:

many christians groups have denied climate change until it is almost or already out of control

Are you saying it would be under control if Christians had not been deniers Fiddy? Of course they believe God is sovereign over everything. Most are equal in being good stewards of the earth like believers in climate change.

[homersapien 12,239]

What Is Christian Nationalism?

An explainer on how the belief differs from other forms of nationalism, patriotism, and Christianity.

Paul D. Miller|February 3, 2021

 

You’ve probably seen headlines recently about the evils of Christian nationalism, especially since December’s Jericho March in Washington, DC, and since a mob of Trump supporters—many sporting Christian signs, slogans, or symbols—rioted and stormed the US Capitol building on January 6.

What is Christian nationalism, and how is it different from Christianity? How is it different from patriotism? How should Christians think about nations, especially about the United States? If nationalism is bad, does that mean we should reject nationality and national loyalty altogether?

What is patriotism, and is it good?

Patriotism is the love of country. It is different from nationalism, which is an argument about how to define our country. Christians should recognize that patriotism is good because all of God’s creation is good and patriotism helps us appreciate our particular place in it. Our affection and loyalty to a specific part of God’s creation helps us do the good work of cultivating and improving the part we happen to live in. As Christians, we can and should love the United States—which also means working to improve our country by holding it up for critique and working for justice when it errs.

What is nationalism?

There are many definitions of nationalism and an active debate about how best to define it. I reviewed the standard academic literature on nationalism and found several recurring themes. Most scholars agree that nationalism starts with the belief that humanity is divisible into mutually distinct, internally coherent cultural groups defined by shared traits like language, religion, ethnicity, or culture. From there, scholars say, nationalists believe that these groups should each have their own governments; that governments should promote and protect a nation’s cultural identity; and that sovereign national groups provide meaning and purpose for human beings.

What is Christian nationalism?

Christian nationalism is the belief that the American nation is defined by Christianity, and that the government should take active steps to keep it that way. Popularly, Christian nationalists assert that America is and must remain a “Christian nation”—not merely as an observation about American history, but as a prescriptive program for what America must continue to be in the future. Scholars like Samuel Huntington have made a similar argument: that America is defined by its “Anglo-Protestant” past and that we will lose our identity and our freedom if we do not preserve our cultural inheritance.

Christian nationalists do not reject the First Amendment and do not advocate for theocracy, but they do believe that Christianity should enjoy a privileged position in the public square. The term “Christian nationalism,” is relatively new, and its advocates generally do not use it of themselves, but it accurately describes American nationalists who believe American identity is inextricable from Christianity.

What is the problem with nationalism?

Humanity is not easily divisible into mutually distinct cultural units. Cultures overlap and their borders are fuzzy. Since cultural units are fuzzy, they make a poor fit as the foundation for political order. Cultural identities are fluid and hard to draw boundaries around, but political boundaries are hard and semipermanent. Attempting to found political legitimacy on cultural likeness means political order will constantly be in danger of being felt as illegitimate by some group or other. Cultural pluralism is essentially inevitable in every nation.

Is that really a problem, or just an abstract worry?

It is a serious problem. When nationalists go about constructing their nation, they have to define who is, and who is not, part of the nation. But there are always dissidents and minorities who do not or cannot conform to the nationalists’ preferred cultural template. In the absence of moral authority, nationalists can only establish themselves by force. Scholars are almost unanimous that nationalist governments tend to become authoritarian and oppressive in practice. For example, in past generations, to the extent that the United States had a quasi-established official religion of Protestantism, it did not respect true religious freedom. Worse, the United States and many individual states used Christianity as a prop to support slavery and segregation.

https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2021/february-web-only/what-is-christian-nationalism.html

[aubiefifty 18,248]

On 9/18/2022 at 7:15 PM, icanthearyou said:

Jim Bakker talks about her all the time, what a great Christian, great American she is.

I would have thought Jim might have learned something about the Christian Nationalist after what Jerry Falwell did to him.

hey ichy i watched father stu on netflix a couple of days ago. i saw a lot of you in father stu. good movie and i cried like a baby in a couple of parts. he was a boxer that turned to god and wanted to be a priest but the church did not. they say it is based on a true story as well and have quite a few clips of the real father stu.

[aubiefifty 18,248]

23 hours ago, homersapien said:

What Is Christian Nationalism?

An explainer on how the belief differs from other forms of nationalism, patriotism, and Christianity.

Paul D. Miller|February 3, 2021

 

You’ve probably seen headlines recently about the evils of Christian nationalism, especially since December’s Jericho March in Washington, DC, and since a mob of Trump supporters—many sporting Christian signs, slogans, or symbols—rioted and stormed the US Capitol building on January 6.

What is Christian nationalism, and how is it different from Christianity? How is it different from patriotism? How should Christians think about nations, especially about the United States? If nationalism is bad, does that mean we should reject nationality and national loyalty altogether?

What is patriotism, and is it good?

Patriotism is the love of country. It is different from nationalism, which is an argument about how to define our country. Christians should recognize that patriotism is good because all of God’s creation is good and patriotism helps us appreciate our particular place in it. Our affection and loyalty to a specific part of God’s creation helps us do the good work of cultivating and improving the part we happen to live in. As Christians, we can and should love the United States—which also means working to improve our country by holding it up for critique and working for justice when it errs.

What is nationalism?

There are many definitions of nationalism and an active debate about how best to define it. I reviewed the standard academic literature on nationalism and found several recurring themes. Most scholars agree that nationalism starts with the belief that humanity is divisible into mutually distinct, internally coherent cultural groups defined by shared traits like language, religion, ethnicity, or culture. From there, scholars say, nationalists believe that these groups should each have their own governments; that governments should promote and protect a nation’s cultural identity; and that sovereign national groups provide meaning and purpose for human beings.

What is Christian nationalism?

Christian nationalism is the belief that the American nation is defined by Christianity, and that the government should take active steps to keep it that way. Popularly, Christian nationalists assert that America is and must remain a “Christian nation”—not merely as an observation about American history, but as a prescriptive program for what America must continue to be in the future. Scholars like Samuel Huntington have made a similar argument: that America is defined by its “Anglo-Protestant” past and that we will lose our identity and our freedom if we do not preserve our cultural inheritance.

Christian nationalists do not reject the First Amendment and do not advocate for theocracy, but they do believe that Christianity should enjoy a privileged position in the public square. The term “Christian nationalism,” is relatively new, and its advocates generally do not use it of themselves, but it accurately describes American nationalists who believe American identity is inextricable from Christianity.

What is the problem with nationalism?

Humanity is not easily divisible into mutually distinct cultural units. Cultures overlap and their borders are fuzzy. Since cultural units are fuzzy, they make a poor fit as the foundation for political order. Cultural identities are fluid and hard to draw boundaries around, but political boundaries are hard and semipermanent. Attempting to found political legitimacy on cultural likeness means political order will constantly be in danger of being felt as illegitimate by some group or other. Cultural pluralism is essentially inevitable in every nation.

Is that really a problem, or just an abstract worry?

It is a serious problem. When nationalists go about constructing their nation, they have to define who is, and who is not, part of the nation. But there are always dissidents and minorities who do not or cannot conform to the nationalists’ preferred cultural template. In the absence of moral authority, nationalists can only establish themselves by force. Scholars are almost unanimous that nationalist governments tend to become authoritarian and oppressive in practice. For example, in past generations, to the extent that the United States had a quasi-established official religion of Protestantism, it did not respect true religious freedom. Worse, the United States and many individual states used Christianity as a prop to support slavery and segregation.

https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2021/february-web-only/what-is-christian-nationalism.html

is it not true we are supposed to use the new testament? if so why are some of these dummies clinging to the old testament?

[SaltyTiger 8,575]

5 hours ago, aubiefifty said:

is it not true we are supposed to use the new testament? if so why are some of these dummies clinging to the old testament?

How are they “clinging” to the Old Testament? Simply put the Old Testament is about the rejection of God by his chosen people (Israelites) and the consequences. Prior to the birth of Christ there were laws or instructions from God. In a sense they are considered null and void after Christ.

With true Christians Christ is the centerpiece of everything. Most are tolerant of other religions and understand the need for some separation of institutions like government. 
 

Islam is supposedly the fastest growing religion in the world. Fastest growing in the US is “none”. In the relatively near future there could be another religion wanting to define our nation.

https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/585764-the-fastest-growing-us-religious-affiliation-none-poll-says/

Edited September 20, 2022 by SaltyTiger

[SaltyTiger 8,575]

5 hours ago, aubiefifty said:

hey ichy i watched father stu on netflix a couple of days ago. i saw a lot of you in father stu

Habitually judging folks huh?

[icanthearyou 4,468]

50 minutes ago, SaltyTiger said:

How are they “clinging” to the Old Testament? Simply put the Old Testament is about the rejection of God by his chosen people (Israelites) and the consequences. Prior to the birth of Christ there were laws or instructions from God. In a sense they are considered null and void after Christ.

With true Christians Christ is the centerpiece of everything. Most are tolerant of other religions and understand the need for some separation of institutions like government. 
 

Islam is supposedly the fastest growing religion in the world. Fastest growing in the US is “none”. In the relatively near future there could be another religion wanting to define our nation.

https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/585764-the-fastest-growing-us-religious-affiliation-none-poll-says/

You might want to think deeply about why Jesus came to earth.

[icanthearyou 4,468]

50 minutes ago, SaltyTiger said:

Habitually judging folks huh?

Do you feel as though I have "judged" you?  I have always liked you Salty.

[SaltyTiger 8,575]

1 hour ago, icanthearyou said:

Do you feel as though I have "judged" you?  I have always liked you Salty.

Just a friendly jab ICHY. Would not do it if I did not like your input. 

[icanthearyou 4,468]

Clearly, Jesus is a devout conservative.

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/dog-bounty-hunter-says-little-184758558.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall

[homersapien 12,239]

On 9/18/2022 at 8:38 PM, SaltyTiger said:

Are you saying it would be under control if Christians had not been deniers Fiddy? Of course they believe God is sovereign over everything. Most are equal in being good stewards of the earth like believers in climate change.

I wish they would come to their senses and realize Christianity has a cancerous problem that is threatening democracy.

Edited September 21, 2022 by homersapien