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Mike Aurelius
November 13, 2022

As I write this, the polls have been open for about an hour and a half for our biennial "courtesy flush." Although there will probably be some residue floating in the bowl after the polls close and they count the ballots, I suspect neither side will be entirely happy (as usual).

Elsewhere, the drums of treasonous insurrection continue to beat as the country inches closer and closer to a "hot" civil war. And this time, instead of pro-slavery vs. anti-slavery, the sides will be based on political stance, right vs. left. Ultimately, if the guns come out, it will be neighbor vs. neighbor.

I’ve written about the dangers presented by the wave of fascism sweeping across the nation in the guise of "Evangelical Christianity." One hallmark of fascism is the intertwining of government and religion. In the past few weeks, the former Vice President went on national television (Fox Business, Oct. 27) and stated that he believed “that the First Amendment to the United States Constitution does not protect Americans from having other people’s faiths forced upon them.” From the same article, “He also suggested that the Supreme Court’s right-wing supermajority has a duty to side with one faith over another. Today that means the GOP’s embrace of Christian nationalism.”

Scary stuff. What does this mean for anyone who isn’t Christian? I think it’s clear if you take a step back and look at the big picture. Imagine non-Christian churches losing their tax exemption certifications. Mandatory Christian “indoctrination” being taught in all levels of schools from kindergarten through 12th-grade high school. Going further down the rabbit hole: red-lining neighborhoods to prevent non-Christians from living in them. Banks and credit unions refusing to accept non-Christian customers. Formation of "ghettos," where non-Christians would be forced to live. Further? Pogroms and ethnic cleansing of non-Christians.

There is plenty of basis in fact and fiction to back up these ponderings. Factually, look no further than the Russian expulsion of the Jews in the 1900s or the Nazi Jewish cleansing before and during WWII. In fiction, Robert Heinlein’s “If This Goes On--,” 1940, or Margaret Atwood’s “The Handmaid’s Tale,” 1985.

What’s that? You don’t believe it would happen? Huh. You really haven’t been paying attention, have you? Look no further than this past year, when the right-wing supermajority on the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe V Wade. "That’s not a religious issue!" you might say. Heh… and you’d be wrong. Look at the players who pushed for its overturn. Look at the people who supported its overturn. Christian nationalists, all of them (even if they won’t admit to it.) And it is being forced on everyone, regardless of religion, in those states where abortion has been banned. Jewish religious teachings allow for abortion to save the life of the mother. Now, they can no longer follow their religion in that matter. The first domino has fallen, and the rest are balancing on a precarious foundation.

I, and others, have a fundamental problem with a religion that tries to force itself down our collective throats, especially when that religion teaches nothing but hypocrisy in the hands of its believers. Evangelical Christians, especially in the Southern United States, hate Democrats, people of color, anyone not born in the United States, anyone who wants universal healthcare, and so on. Essentially, they hate everything that Jesus, one-third of their God, remember, said they should love. Nothing they do in the name of their God follows what Jesus taught. So, what do they believe in? Strong nationalism. Disdain for human rights. Identification of enemies to unify their cause. Supremacy of the military. Rampant sexism. Controlled mass media. Obsession with national security. Protecting corporate power. Suppressing the power of labor. Disdain for intellectuals and the arts. Obsession with crime and punishment. Rampant cronyism and corruption. Fraudulent elections. Every single one is a red flag for fascism.

Until next month, you can’t have any pudding if you don’t eat your meat. Trust your doctor (unless they are a religious zealot) and the science community. Ignore the lunatics from the fringes of both parties. And above all, ignore the propaganda from China, Russia and their allies. —

Mike Aurelius is a member of the Times Writers Group.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/evangelical-christianity-politics-aurelius-113145579.html