During her appearance on MSNBC Thursday night, Politico’s investigative reporter Heidi Przybyla was consulted for her alleged expertise on Christianity. However, she ended up demonstrating a significant lack of understanding.
Flawed Take on Christian Nationalism
When questioned about Congress members’ reactions to Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R-LA) leadership, described as an ‘infusion of Christian nationalism into the body politic of the House,’ Przybyla’s explanation failed to accurately distinguish between Christians and Christian nationalists.
A Rising Influence
Przybyla highlighted the influence of Christian nationalists in Trump’s inner circle, emphasizing their distinct belief system.
The Trump Era
She clarified that while there are various groups around Trump, what binds them as Christian nationalists — and not merely Christians — is the conviction that our rights as Americans and as humans aren’t derived from any earthly authority, not Congress or the Supreme Court, but directly from God.
Interpreting Divine Will
Expanding on her point, Przybyla expressed worry over how Christian nationalists interpret God’s guidance. “The problem with that is that they are determining man, men — it is men — are determining what God is telling them,” she said.
The Natural Law
Przybyla continued, “And in the past, that so-called natural law is, you know, it’s a pillar of Catholicism for instance, it’s been used for good in social justice campaigns. Martin Luther King evoked it in talking about civil rights.”
The Broad Impact
Przybyla further argued, “But now, you have an extremist element of conservative Christians who say that this applies specifically to issues including abortion, gay marriage, and it’s going much further than that as you see, for instance, with the ruling in Alabama this week that judges connected to that Dominionist faction and talking about a lot of other issues, including surrogacy, IVF, you know, sex education in schools. There’s a lot in addition.”
Standing Firm
In a follow-up to the backlash on X (formerly Twitter), where her comments sparked widespread discussion, Przybyla stood firm on her views.
Various Wings of Christian Nationalism
She wrote, “While there are different wings of Christian Nationalism, they are bound by their belief that our rights come from God. If you are Hindu, Jewish etc, this might help you understand the next part of my point, which is they are using this for a man-made policy agenda.”
A Common Belief Misconstrued?
It’s worth noting that the concept of humans’ fundamental rights being derived from God, rather than from human sources, is actually a widespread belief in mainstream Christianity and several other religions.
Declaration of Independence
This principle is prominently featured in the Declaration of Independence, particularly in its famous line: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
The Government’s Role
The Declaration further emphasizes that the government’s primary function is to ‘secure these rights,’ and asserts the people’s right to change or eliminate any government that doesn’t serve these ends.
Right to Establish New Governance
The Declaration of Independence also asserts the people’s right to establish a new government, based on principles and structures they believe will best ensure their safety and happiness.
When Revolution Becomes a Duty
It cautions that established governments shouldn’t be changed for minor reasons, as people tend to endure sufferable evils rather than disrupt their usual ways.
However, it states that when faced with a consistent pattern of abuses aiming at absolute despotism, it becomes not only a right but a duty to overthrow such a government and establish new protections for future security.
Christian Nationalism vs. Foundational Beliefs
Unlike this foundational belief, Christian nationalist ideology diverges, advocating not only for God-given rights but also for the U.S. to function as a theocracy, imposing a specific interpretation of Christianity through legal means.
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