White Christian nation

I read a post this morning that talked about how they are targeting Lutherans and Catholics now as well. So it’s not just supposed to be a Christian nation, but a certain kind of Christian.

Also, Trump is appointing White Christian Nationalists like Russell Vought.

heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/february-7-2024-144

Senator Angus King (I-ME) took his Republican colleagues to task yesterday for their willingness to overlook the Trump administration’s attack on the U.S. Constitution. King took the floor as the Senate was considering the confirmation of Christian Nationalist Russell Vought as director of the Office of Management and Budget. Vought, a key author of Project 2025, believes the powers of the president should be virtually unchecked.

Vought, King said, is “one of the ringleaders of the assault on our Constitution. He believes in a presidency of virtually unlimited powers.” He “espouses the discredited and illegal theory that the president has the power to selectively impound funds appropriated by Congress, thereby rendering the famous power of the purse a nullity.” King said he was “really worried about…the structural implications for our freedom and government of what's happening here…. Project 2025 is nothing less than a blueprint for the shredding of the Constitution and the transition of our country to authoritarian rule. He's the last person who should be put in the job at the heart of the operation of our government.”

And what does that mean for Kavanaugh and Coney Barrett, two of his self selected Supreme Court justices, due to their very conservative views. Both are conservative Catholics.

Justice Stevens retired in 2010 and was Protestant, so it’s not quite that long ago, but yeah (and honestly I only knew because of his funeral, he was not exactly out there talking about his religion).

oh, I guess I missed him. It feels like I’ve been hearing about the all Catholic and Jewish Court for decades, anyway.

Wait a second . . . Thurmond Marshall and Sandra Day O'Connor were also Episcopalian. According to Wikipedia, of the 116 Justices who have been appointed to the SC, 92 have been Protestant (including Episcopalian, Methodist, Prebyterian, Unitarian, etc.). Rehnquist and one other were Lutheran.

The Catholic takeover is pretty recent.

Sorry for the hijack, katlady. I am horrified at the march toward Christian Nationalism in this country.

That could actually help you guys in defeating Trump. I remember reading an article ages ago about South Africa. The writer was anti-apartheid, a Black man, I believe even, who admitted part of the problem that Black South Africans had in defeating the Afrikaaners is that while they outnumbered the white racists, they weren't as unified in their goals, methods, etc. 

I see the potential for the same thing here. And while I'm not sure who else suggested it - could've been Heather Cox Richardson, could've been Teri Kanefield, could've been Dr Joanne Freeman (another historian.... History Matters - and So Does Coffee every Friday on Youtube. She's awesome & she's done some work with HRC).... maybe all 3 at various times - but they said similar; that MAGA would implode because the coalition isn't stable enough. Eventually they'd turn on each other as they fought for power/supremacy. 

Yup.

Gorsuch could surprise in a good way on some social issues at some point. I recall the hard right have already been tearing their hair out over him re: at least one ruling... Bostock, I think? 

The Handmaid's Tale, The Handmaid's Tale.

The Handmaid's Tale, The Handmaid's Tale.

Exactly. I have wondered if there will end up being a more formal Catholic schism at some point but there is definitely a religious and cultural rift.

I am Lutheran and have always considered it to be a “Love Thy Neighbor” church. They seem to specifically have an issue with Lutheran Social Services who have provided assistance to refugees, immigrants, and low income people. The neighbors who need the most love. I think this scary to single out churches for helping what they see as the wrong kind of neighbors. 

I live in a town with a large Somali population and Lutheran Social Services and Catholic Charities (but esp. LSS) have been blamed for the last 20 years around here for the influx.

For sure. I grew up Missouri Synod which is probably the most conservative and more "Catholic" in nature. Now I'm Evangelical Lutheran and we are about accepting everyone and "Love thy Neighbor."