I came of age politically in this environment and was a part of it until their "truth" didn't mesh with the evidence of my own senses, and I began to ask questions until they declared "he's not one of us" (spoken in a private meeting by someone looking to have me fired by my former employer). Fortunately, I escaped on my own terms, and I have yet to take the abuse that you and many other friends of mine have endured at their hands. Their actions simply confirm the righteousness of my decision to renounce their worldview, and how distant it is from the character and teaching of Jesus Christ.
“The problem is, after decades of embracing propaganda at the expense of rigorous truth-telling, careful reasoning, and good faith engagement, conservative evangelicals now under attack are ill-prepared to fight back. This is the fruit of the scandal of the evangelical mind.”
This is me. I’m ill prepared. I grew up being politically indoctrinated in church. I was never taught to reason. Now, even though I have my personal reasons for not considering myself a republican (or democrat) anymore, I don’t know if I can articulate it well. My brain defaults to wanting to be told what to think. This is true both politically and theologically (even after seminary). It frustrates me so much now. I’m glad I’m out though.
I grew up very Southern Baptist and received two of my degrees from Baylor University. Sadly, the lack of ethics in conservative circles has always bothered me.
It seems we need a bigger house, with room and respect for Christ-followers who disagree on divergent theological positions and the implications of those "theologies" for fellowship as well as ethics, politics and social engagements. In the end, I suppose, we need the Kingdom to come. But, speaking and writing truthfully is a sine qua non.
Keep sowing good seed Kristin. Your truth and the painstaking work of others is setting the table for Vice President Harris' "freedom ride". Be assured in the promise of the One we follow that the "truth will set us free". (John 8:31-32)
Visiting dear friends on the opposite coast, we were dismayed and disoriented by hints of their political leanings. This couple has such depth in emotional intelligence, and have been a strong and loving support for many of us strugglers. Puzzling over this w/ another friend, she mentioned a comment by Molly Jong Fast/Vanity Fair, something to the effect of how non-readers fall prey to conservative news outlets. For the first time, I realized there could be a such a wide disparity in someone's intelligence types. I think that is exactly what's going on with our friends.
Yikes. Seems to mirror how traditional conservative politicians are “primaried” by extreme right wing politicians, further polarizing inner-circle and public discourse.
What a sad state of affairs that someone as accomplished as yourself had to carry your book to counter any scurrilous attacks. Thank you for speaking truth.
Thanks! You help me to be strong! I will take this with me when I appear in front of Session to defend my showing God and Country to the Iowa City community on the schedule for Aug 25 at St. Andrew Presbyterian Church at 3:00. Come if you can!!!! If Session cancels it, show up and protest with me. If Kristen can do what she is doing, I can do this small thing! I am part of a small group in Iowa City we call Interfaith Alliance Exposing Christian Nationalism.
Wow! 😭😭 I’m not sure what else to say. It’s a bubble world and they are doing whatever it takes to protect it. But whatever else it is, it’s definitely not truth.
Funny (not really) that the people who quote the verse in John: "The truth shall set you free", have developed such an aversion to the truth.
And "Truth Social"? Talk about an oxymoron (heavy on the moron...)
Thank you for these letters. I really appreciate your thoughts and that you are in the difficult conversations. You're brave!
I'm currently narrating Amanda Tyler's "How to End Christian Nationalism". Wow. So wise and motivating. I'd kind of given up on talking to friends and family about all of it. I think I have some starting points now.
Thank you for your endorsement at the beginning. Along with Jamie Raskin!
I copied and pasted your note in my Yojimbo data base, which requires tag lines - your name, of course, and then, "truth" and then "truth and evangelicals" - and with that, I stopped writing ... to ponder how "truth" and "evangelicals" are now at war. It's been a long time a-coming. Having done high school, college, and seminary in Western Michigan - the 60s - I saw the slide from Reformed orthodoxy into fundamentalism into megachurch-envy ... and across the nation. I myself, in the 90s (while serving a church in Detroit - Livonia) attended a good many events at Willow Creek, and I was envious. In those years, I suppose, starting with Billy Graham, it was a "no mistakes" world - "we have gawd on our side, and our prayers are all going to be answered," and with the megachurch, "we also have foolproof methods." There was no longer any room for questions, no room for diversity, no room for doubt and sorrow and hurt; women, people of color, and LGBTQ persons all essentially excluded - it became a massive "healing" operation with "nickels and noses" to prove how godly it all was. Truth/reality set aside for a "world view" in which there is only victory, power, glory, and money. In Western Michigan, as I recall, it began with folks listening to Moody Bible ... sort of a precursor to FOX news ... with a conversion-centered "theology" rather than a covenant-centered faith. God replaced by experience, and experience became concretized in endless victory, always being on the right side of things, in an evil world out to get the saved, but the saved have a foolproof pathway of victory over the world ... and so on ... it's tiring for me to think about it ... a tragic loss of decency for the sake of "glory."
Kristin, your work and witness is invaluable ... may there be legions of angels to shelter you and your family, and your colleagues.
Thanks, Kristin. Your insights & ability to articulate them are held with much appreciation. Having grown up in this truth seeking life, I still struggle to set it aside for better forms of goodness. For the sake of all of us, keep those fingers moving that that pen close to you. Blessings.
I came of age politically in this environment and was a part of it until their "truth" didn't mesh with the evidence of my own senses, and I began to ask questions until they declared "he's not one of us" (spoken in a private meeting by someone looking to have me fired by my former employer). Fortunately, I escaped on my own terms, and I have yet to take the abuse that you and many other friends of mine have endured at their hands. Their actions simply confirm the righteousness of my decision to renounce their worldview, and how distant it is from the character and teaching of Jesus Christ.
“The problem is, after decades of embracing propaganda at the expense of rigorous truth-telling, careful reasoning, and good faith engagement, conservative evangelicals now under attack are ill-prepared to fight back. This is the fruit of the scandal of the evangelical mind.”
This is me. I’m ill prepared. I grew up being politically indoctrinated in church. I was never taught to reason. Now, even though I have my personal reasons for not considering myself a republican (or democrat) anymore, I don’t know if I can articulate it well. My brain defaults to wanting to be told what to think. This is true both politically and theologically (even after seminary). It frustrates me so much now. I’m glad I’m out though.
You said this well: "My brain defaults to wanting to be told what to think." This awareness is game-changing IMHO
I grew up very Southern Baptist and received two of my degrees from Baylor University. Sadly, the lack of ethics in conservative circles has always bothered me.
It seems we need a bigger house, with room and respect for Christ-followers who disagree on divergent theological positions and the implications of those "theologies" for fellowship as well as ethics, politics and social engagements. In the end, I suppose, we need the Kingdom to come. But, speaking and writing truthfully is a sine qua non.
Keep sowing good seed Kristin. Your truth and the painstaking work of others is setting the table for Vice President Harris' "freedom ride". Be assured in the promise of the One we follow that the "truth will set us free". (John 8:31-32)
Visiting dear friends on the opposite coast, we were dismayed and disoriented by hints of their political leanings. This couple has such depth in emotional intelligence, and have been a strong and loving support for many of us strugglers. Puzzling over this w/ another friend, she mentioned a comment by Molly Jong Fast/Vanity Fair, something to the effect of how non-readers fall prey to conservative news outlets. For the first time, I realized there could be a such a wide disparity in someone's intelligence types. I think that is exactly what's going on with our friends.
Yikes. Seems to mirror how traditional conservative politicians are “primaried” by extreme right wing politicians, further polarizing inner-circle and public discourse.
What a sad state of affairs that someone as accomplished as yourself had to carry your book to counter any scurrilous attacks. Thank you for speaking truth.
It was really wild for a few months.
“Many were stunned to find themselves demonized, shunned, cast aside. For telling the truth.”
Not my world, but find this devastating. Decent people don't do this to others.
Thank you Kristin. Your thread on X was excellent! This explanation of MB’s faulty writing is excellent as well! Thank you!
Thanks! You help me to be strong! I will take this with me when I appear in front of Session to defend my showing God and Country to the Iowa City community on the schedule for Aug 25 at St. Andrew Presbyterian Church at 3:00. Come if you can!!!! If Session cancels it, show up and protest with me. If Kristen can do what she is doing, I can do this small thing! I am part of a small group in Iowa City we call Interfaith Alliance Exposing Christian Nationalism.
Wow! 😭😭 I’m not sure what else to say. It’s a bubble world and they are doing whatever it takes to protect it. But whatever else it is, it’s definitely not truth.
Funny (not really) that the people who quote the verse in John: "The truth shall set you free", have developed such an aversion to the truth.
And "Truth Social"? Talk about an oxymoron (heavy on the moron...)
Thank you for these letters. I really appreciate your thoughts and that you are in the difficult conversations. You're brave!
I'm currently narrating Amanda Tyler's "How to End Christian Nationalism". Wow. So wise and motivating. I'd kind of given up on talking to friends and family about all of it. I think I have some starting points now.
Thank you for your endorsement at the beginning. Along with Jamie Raskin!
Bless you!
I copied and pasted your note in my Yojimbo data base, which requires tag lines - your name, of course, and then, "truth" and then "truth and evangelicals" - and with that, I stopped writing ... to ponder how "truth" and "evangelicals" are now at war. It's been a long time a-coming. Having done high school, college, and seminary in Western Michigan - the 60s - I saw the slide from Reformed orthodoxy into fundamentalism into megachurch-envy ... and across the nation. I myself, in the 90s (while serving a church in Detroit - Livonia) attended a good many events at Willow Creek, and I was envious. In those years, I suppose, starting with Billy Graham, it was a "no mistakes" world - "we have gawd on our side, and our prayers are all going to be answered," and with the megachurch, "we also have foolproof methods." There was no longer any room for questions, no room for diversity, no room for doubt and sorrow and hurt; women, people of color, and LGBTQ persons all essentially excluded - it became a massive "healing" operation with "nickels and noses" to prove how godly it all was. Truth/reality set aside for a "world view" in which there is only victory, power, glory, and money. In Western Michigan, as I recall, it began with folks listening to Moody Bible ... sort of a precursor to FOX news ... with a conversion-centered "theology" rather than a covenant-centered faith. God replaced by experience, and experience became concretized in endless victory, always being on the right side of things, in an evil world out to get the saved, but the saved have a foolproof pathway of victory over the world ... and so on ... it's tiring for me to think about it ... a tragic loss of decency for the sake of "glory."
Kristin, your work and witness is invaluable ... may there be legions of angels to shelter you and your family, and your colleagues.
Thanks, Kristin. Your insights & ability to articulate them are held with much appreciation. Having grown up in this truth seeking life, I still struggle to set it aside for better forms of goodness. For the sake of all of us, keep those fingers moving that that pen close to you. Blessings.