Jesus’s teachings are simple (but not easy!): Love God; love your neighbor. And EVERYONE is your neighbor.
Yes, there is a lot of hate being spewed by people who claim to be followers of Jesus. But Jesus said, “You will know them by their fruits.” (Matthew 7:20) The fruits of the Spirit are: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23)
Don’t be fooled. Christian Nationalism has NOTHING to do with what it means to be a follower of Jesus.
I am a retired United Methodist Pastor. My Father was a Northern Baptist Pastor, both of these traditions are called Mainline, as opposed to Evangelical Christianity or the Christian Right. Christian Nationalism is the Extreme Right. The Christian right and fundamentalism are relatively recent additions to a Christianity that had existed 1800 years before they came on the scene.
It is good to remember there are many flavors of all Religions, some flavors seek to include, others exclude in the service of purity—. Exclusion is about who belongs and who can belong. Evangelical Christians put this search at the heart of their teachings. It is central. Mainline Christianity is more about learning to recognize that you are loved and included, that you already belong to God/ the Mystery/ the Divine/ the Cosmos. That recognition is liberating. For example, in Scripture it teaches that during his baptism, Jesus recognized that he was beloved. Christians in my denomination are baptized as a reminder to us, we all belong to God and to each other in love. We are beloved not because we are baptized.We baptize to remember we are beloved and God’s grace living is in us. We baptize infants to make clear it is not about our being good, but being loved, included. We are all family in God’s KIN -dom. And when we gather at a communion table, in my denomination, everyone, from any religious tradition is welcome and fed, rich or poor, and even if we are mad at each other, or hold differing beliefs—because Jesus fed people without tests of belief, he fed those others excluded. And this is why I love Jesus with all my heart. I try to see the world through his eyes.
Jesus, ( who was a Jew) emphasized love and inclusion, (one of the streams of Judaism,) over the narrower streams of Judaism, that excluded people who were not ritually pure. Most of the stories of Jesus make this clear, he includes those society and narrower religious cultures exclude.
One of the songs I learned in childhood is “Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world, red and yellow black and white, ALL are precious in his sight”- to me that means, gay, straight, trans, and Intersex too.
Before I go on, I want to talk about this, as Einstein did, in a secular, scientific way. Einstein said “one of the most important decisions you will make in your life, is if you believe the universe is benevolent.”
To me that means the universe embraces us all, it creates us, evolves us, is creative in moving all of life, from the cellular level on, toward the good, toward love.
We can exclude ourselves and others from love, but that is not the nature of love to exclude, to choose yes. We are not forced to be a loving person.
One of my favorite theologians, Thomas Oord, says that God is the un controlling love at the heart of the universe.
Christianity is a religion of love, but loving is not easy as Pastor Joanne said. It is hard for me to love people who hate, but if I hate them, I become a hater. What can I find in them that is somehow lovable? Their vulnerability? Their fear and insecurity so like my own, their desire to be in control, praised, recognized. We are both human?
I don’t see much love shining though Donald Trump, or in the kind of Christianity he represents. I don’t see these folks struggling with Jesus expansive love in their lives. I would not follow their lead. It causes harm. anger and sadness. It does not inspire the way truly loving people, like the current Pope, or Bishop Budde, and so many women and men who are loving do inspire.
I think the heart of Trump has not really been touched by love. A healthy love takes us beyond egotistical needs. And it is full of humor and fun. (I am the Lord of the Dance said he.”)
I liked what Pastor Joanne said “by their fruits you will know them” i.e. not by the Church they attend. I love the song, “ You will know they are Christians by their love.”To me that means a lot of Jews, Buddhists, Muslims, Hindus, etc. are more Christian than many Christians.
My dad said there is “the religion about Jesus and the religion of Jesus”,
I am inspired by the Religion of Jesus.
Jesus was offended when people were hurt and excluded, put down, he tried to love as best he could as a human being, he had been touched so deeply by God’s love he wanted to share that love—-that was his mission. He was willing to die for it. I see the heart of God, and the heart of the Universe through Jesus.
I am so proud of those kids for asking questions, being mad about what seems wrong to them, but staying curious and open to know more. You are quite a champion for them, I experience great love through you, for them and all of us.
I am an Interfaith minister. I am also part of an education for ministers group, in which we discuss every week the disgusting debacle that is our politics today. Trump is an antichrist and none of this behaviour is Christian at all. We are not evangelical though, as Episcopalians we walk the talk of feed the homeless, embrace everyone literally, we have priests in same gender marriages, we love our neighbours as ourselves in actuality existentially. The way they are behaving is absolutely UNChristian so please don’t confuse the hate of our leaders with a religion of love. They are not Christian and if they say they are they are just bullshitting.
What all these hate filled Christian are Christian Nationalism. I grew up in a non denominational church. My dad grew up agonist and then ended up getting baptized at age 28! My dad read a lot and at my church we were taught all forms of religion. I had an amazing church and family. However, my son questions the hate in Religion now as well. Honestly, I have struggled with church with the mega church’s. I do have an amazing mentor/former mister. He actually was actually a missionary in Ukraine for many years. I actually watched an interview on Bryantylercohen on YouTube today. This subject came up with a representative who is a Christian not the Christian Nationalist! As much as our government needs a restart so does a lot of the church. I didn’t answer your question, but I have struggled with seeing so much hate in a so called religion not what I was raised. You such an amazing mom and thank you for all you do!
Their actions are not christian at all. For me, Christians are hypocrites, To me, if I say I'm a Christian.It's like you should immediately trust me. I've always noticed that the people that say their Christian are the least understanding, quick to judge and often see themed as superior.
💯agree with you. Grew up Catholic, way too patriarchal, ALL about money. We were poor (dad died, on SS, living w/grandparents) but berated for not giving enough $ at mass in envelopes with our names on it-one for mom, sister, me. Yes envelopes with names-disgusting. Mom got called when we didn’t use envelopes asking where our $ was. Yuck, how unchristian 🤬🤬🤬
I'm Jewish and run a small non-profit called Crafting for a Cause. We're a bunch of older women who knit, crochet and quilt and we organize where we donate, do not solicit funds and just ask for yarn and fabric donations. If the girl who dies with the most yarn wins, I've already won!
Occasionally someone will inquire about joining. I'm very open but we also have a conversation. I'm really interviewing them as much as telling them about us. If someone says, "we'll, I'm a Christian" as if that answers all questions about his wonderful they are as it's a huge red flag and I know how to disuade them. We actually have people of several traditions in our group. Several of us are Jewish, there are various Christians of course and I just learned a Scientologist! Who knew?
Forty years ago, I went to Pepperdine University. I did not go because it was a Christian college. Like many others, I went because of where it was and yes, that’s pretty shallow. But I was a spoiled 18 year old who really hadn’t formed any real positions on serious issues in life. Except one. I wasn’t Christian. I wasn’t anything. I was agnostic. Over the four years I was there, we weren’t allowed to have a dance, women couldn’t read scripture, and the in my Jesus the Christ class we were told either Jesus was the son of God or he was a madman. I remember leaving class that day thinking you people are crazy. Anyway all I heard about were hateful things associated with the Church of Christ. Misogyny. Hypocrites. Homophobes. Racists. Bigotry. And so much hate - though they really tried to hide it using Bible verses or whatever BS they could think up. When I graduated I was an atheist. I would NEVER go there today. I have fond memories of friends, fun things I did, etc But it is not a place for all people. I went and got an MA in art history and taught college art history. That’s where I really learned, from the very beginnings of Christianity up to today, it has been warped and used as a reason to kill, to slaughter, to take land, to conquer, to pervert, to allow pedophilia, abuse, and now, it has been weaponized and warped into such hatred it’s stunning. I think you should tell your son and his friends that you don’t automatically find love in Christianity. Christianity comes from the love in a person’s heart. And yes, you can find people with hate in their hearts who’ve co-opted Christianity and warped it. You must be a truly loving person, with empathy for all, compassion for all and that love and compassion creates a Christianity of love. It begins with the person first, then the religion. Not the other way around. Hope that makes a little sense.
Jessica, Christianity has been mangled in the service of wars, tyranny, and all sorts of immense cruelty for 2025 years. You and your son should continue to view most of (not all of ) the New Testament as a template for a kind of civilization. MEN have modified it for political, financial, and criminal purposes. Most foundational concepts, have suffered the same distortions. Think of the Crusades, the misinterpretations of Islam…what constitution are the MAGA people fighting for now? This is our history. Brilliant people get together and craft
Plans for peaceful coexistence for communities for towns for whole countries to survive and men pervert them .
You described the essence of true Christianity very well! What's important is following the teachings & example of Jesus rather than being focused on a particular denomination or church. The problem is misinfo & misinterpretation by Christian Nationalists. I highly recommend for you & your child American Christian Nationalism by Michael W. Austin. It's only 78 pages, is very readable, and gives a good summary of the problem. You won't get this from a lot of evangelicals!
Jess, your kid and their friends are so right-on! I don’t consider myself a Christian, but I was raised with the teachings of Jesus, and the golden rule. Your kid and their friends have a great sense of the truth, and that is that our actions are what matters. Not what religion you claim to be.
It’s MAGA prosperity Christianity now, if God loved you, you’d have a mansion and private jet. It’s all about unregulated, unaccountable capitalism masking as Christianity. To keep followers paying their dues to you, like Trump does, you need to create hate for all others so you can feel better about your pitiful life and hold hope for promises of a better life that will never come.
Didn’t Jesus say something like it would be easier for a camel to pass through an eye of a needle than for a wealthy man to enter the kingdom of heaven?
Great video. Beautifully said. Behavior speaks louder than words and I am glad you validate these teens perceptions because if you were “Christian” they would be shamed and gaslighted for saying what they see
As a life long Christian, I completely agree with you! This is one of the hardest things for me to deal with right now. I cannot understand how ANY Christian can support him! He is the complete polar opposite of what Jesus is and what he asks us to be. Please tell your child that they are not alone in their struggle with Christians. Those who support trump and hatred are not Christian. I can call myself a coyote and get a large group of people to call themselves coyotes and have some behaviors like a coyote. If I would go into a group of real coyotes and they would not see me as one of them. They would see the truth; I don't belong. The same is with Christianity. They can claim it, but it doesn't make it true. They are Christian Nationalists, who are FAR different than Christians. Christ is not first for them. They pick and choose what verses in the Bible to stand on, forgetting to use the context in which it was written. So, please tell your child that I am sorry that they stole the word Christianity. I hate that they did and it hurts me. I do have many Christian friends who have been duped by this too! I know the truth, Christ has been weaponized and it was never his intention. Jesus is love, grace, forgiveness and mercy.
It is hard to understand, yet explain what is happening to this country. Just believe that it's all a self serving mission of lies that is hiding under a blanket they labeled Christianity!
Ps. Watch the documentary Bad Faith, if you haven't. It helps explain this.
Because Christianity in America today has largely been coopted as a cultural front for those who want control and power, and the USA to look and behave in a certain way. I encourage you to look into The Holy Post; they're doing excellent work right now on attempting to educate on what Christianity should be, and are taking a stand against Christian Nationalism. If you go far enough back in their YouTube archives, they have videos about how Christian Nationalism as grown in the United States.
Pastor, here.
Jesus’s teachings are simple (but not easy!): Love God; love your neighbor. And EVERYONE is your neighbor.
Yes, there is a lot of hate being spewed by people who claim to be followers of Jesus. But Jesus said, “You will know them by their fruits.” (Matthew 7:20) The fruits of the Spirit are: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23)
Don’t be fooled. Christian Nationalism has NOTHING to do with what it means to be a follower of Jesus.
By their fruits you will know them.
I am not a pastor. However, I believe it's important to include Matthew 7:15 with this important verse. Matthew 7:15-16
King James Version
15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
Trump is appears to be a false prophet to the Christian Nationalist.
16 Ye shall know them by their fruits.
Exactly
I am a retired United Methodist Pastor. My Father was a Northern Baptist Pastor, both of these traditions are called Mainline, as opposed to Evangelical Christianity or the Christian Right. Christian Nationalism is the Extreme Right. The Christian right and fundamentalism are relatively recent additions to a Christianity that had existed 1800 years before they came on the scene.
It is good to remember there are many flavors of all Religions, some flavors seek to include, others exclude in the service of purity—. Exclusion is about who belongs and who can belong. Evangelical Christians put this search at the heart of their teachings. It is central. Mainline Christianity is more about learning to recognize that you are loved and included, that you already belong to God/ the Mystery/ the Divine/ the Cosmos. That recognition is liberating. For example, in Scripture it teaches that during his baptism, Jesus recognized that he was beloved. Christians in my denomination are baptized as a reminder to us, we all belong to God and to each other in love. We are beloved not because we are baptized.We baptize to remember we are beloved and God’s grace living is in us. We baptize infants to make clear it is not about our being good, but being loved, included. We are all family in God’s KIN -dom. And when we gather at a communion table, in my denomination, everyone, from any religious tradition is welcome and fed, rich or poor, and even if we are mad at each other, or hold differing beliefs—because Jesus fed people without tests of belief, he fed those others excluded. And this is why I love Jesus with all my heart. I try to see the world through his eyes.
Jesus, ( who was a Jew) emphasized love and inclusion, (one of the streams of Judaism,) over the narrower streams of Judaism, that excluded people who were not ritually pure. Most of the stories of Jesus make this clear, he includes those society and narrower religious cultures exclude.
One of the songs I learned in childhood is “Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world, red and yellow black and white, ALL are precious in his sight”- to me that means, gay, straight, trans, and Intersex too.
Before I go on, I want to talk about this, as Einstein did, in a secular, scientific way. Einstein said “one of the most important decisions you will make in your life, is if you believe the universe is benevolent.”
To me that means the universe embraces us all, it creates us, evolves us, is creative in moving all of life, from the cellular level on, toward the good, toward love.
We can exclude ourselves and others from love, but that is not the nature of love to exclude, to choose yes. We are not forced to be a loving person.
One of my favorite theologians, Thomas Oord, says that God is the un controlling love at the heart of the universe.
Christianity is a religion of love, but loving is not easy as Pastor Joanne said. It is hard for me to love people who hate, but if I hate them, I become a hater. What can I find in them that is somehow lovable? Their vulnerability? Their fear and insecurity so like my own, their desire to be in control, praised, recognized. We are both human?
I don’t see much love shining though Donald Trump, or in the kind of Christianity he represents. I don’t see these folks struggling with Jesus expansive love in their lives. I would not follow their lead. It causes harm. anger and sadness. It does not inspire the way truly loving people, like the current Pope, or Bishop Budde, and so many women and men who are loving do inspire.
I think the heart of Trump has not really been touched by love. A healthy love takes us beyond egotistical needs. And it is full of humor and fun. (I am the Lord of the Dance said he.”)
I liked what Pastor Joanne said “by their fruits you will know them” i.e. not by the Church they attend. I love the song, “ You will know they are Christians by their love.”To me that means a lot of Jews, Buddhists, Muslims, Hindus, etc. are more Christian than many Christians.
My dad said there is “the religion about Jesus and the religion of Jesus”,
I am inspired by the Religion of Jesus.
Jesus was offended when people were hurt and excluded, put down, he tried to love as best he could as a human being, he had been touched so deeply by God’s love he wanted to share that love—-that was his mission. He was willing to die for it. I see the heart of God, and the heart of the Universe through Jesus.
I am so proud of those kids for asking questions, being mad about what seems wrong to them, but staying curious and open to know more. You are quite a champion for them, I experience great love through you, for them and all of us.
I am an Interfaith minister. I am also part of an education for ministers group, in which we discuss every week the disgusting debacle that is our politics today. Trump is an antichrist and none of this behaviour is Christian at all. We are not evangelical though, as Episcopalians we walk the talk of feed the homeless, embrace everyone literally, we have priests in same gender marriages, we love our neighbours as ourselves in actuality existentially. The way they are behaving is absolutely UNChristian so please don’t confuse the hate of our leaders with a religion of love. They are not Christian and if they say they are they are just bullshitting.
What all these hate filled Christian are Christian Nationalism. I grew up in a non denominational church. My dad grew up agonist and then ended up getting baptized at age 28! My dad read a lot and at my church we were taught all forms of religion. I had an amazing church and family. However, my son questions the hate in Religion now as well. Honestly, I have struggled with church with the mega church’s. I do have an amazing mentor/former mister. He actually was actually a missionary in Ukraine for many years. I actually watched an interview on Bryantylercohen on YouTube today. This subject came up with a representative who is a Christian not the Christian Nationalist! As much as our government needs a restart so does a lot of the church. I didn’t answer your question, but I have struggled with seeing so much hate in a so called religion not what I was raised. You such an amazing mom and thank you for all you do!
Their actions are not christian at all. For me, Christians are hypocrites, To me, if I say I'm a Christian.It's like you should immediately trust me. I've always noticed that the people that say their Christian are the least understanding, quick to judge and often see themed as superior.
💯agree with you. Grew up Catholic, way too patriarchal, ALL about money. We were poor (dad died, on SS, living w/grandparents) but berated for not giving enough $ at mass in envelopes with our names on it-one for mom, sister, me. Yes envelopes with names-disgusting. Mom got called when we didn’t use envelopes asking where our $ was. Yuck, how unchristian 🤬🤬🤬
I'm Jewish and run a small non-profit called Crafting for a Cause. We're a bunch of older women who knit, crochet and quilt and we organize where we donate, do not solicit funds and just ask for yarn and fabric donations. If the girl who dies with the most yarn wins, I've already won!
Occasionally someone will inquire about joining. I'm very open but we also have a conversation. I'm really interviewing them as much as telling them about us. If someone says, "we'll, I'm a Christian" as if that answers all questions about his wonderful they are as it's a huge red flag and I know how to disuade them. We actually have people of several traditions in our group. Several of us are Jewish, there are various Christians of course and I just learned a Scientologist! Who knew?
Horrible generalisations like this disrespect millions
This has just been my experience. I'm not claiming anything else
Forty years ago, I went to Pepperdine University. I did not go because it was a Christian college. Like many others, I went because of where it was and yes, that’s pretty shallow. But I was a spoiled 18 year old who really hadn’t formed any real positions on serious issues in life. Except one. I wasn’t Christian. I wasn’t anything. I was agnostic. Over the four years I was there, we weren’t allowed to have a dance, women couldn’t read scripture, and the in my Jesus the Christ class we were told either Jesus was the son of God or he was a madman. I remember leaving class that day thinking you people are crazy. Anyway all I heard about were hateful things associated with the Church of Christ. Misogyny. Hypocrites. Homophobes. Racists. Bigotry. And so much hate - though they really tried to hide it using Bible verses or whatever BS they could think up. When I graduated I was an atheist. I would NEVER go there today. I have fond memories of friends, fun things I did, etc But it is not a place for all people. I went and got an MA in art history and taught college art history. That’s where I really learned, from the very beginnings of Christianity up to today, it has been warped and used as a reason to kill, to slaughter, to take land, to conquer, to pervert, to allow pedophilia, abuse, and now, it has been weaponized and warped into such hatred it’s stunning. I think you should tell your son and his friends that you don’t automatically find love in Christianity. Christianity comes from the love in a person’s heart. And yes, you can find people with hate in their hearts who’ve co-opted Christianity and warped it. You must be a truly loving person, with empathy for all, compassion for all and that love and compassion creates a Christianity of love. It begins with the person first, then the religion. Not the other way around. Hope that makes a little sense.
Jessica, Christianity has been mangled in the service of wars, tyranny, and all sorts of immense cruelty for 2025 years. You and your son should continue to view most of (not all of ) the New Testament as a template for a kind of civilization. MEN have modified it for political, financial, and criminal purposes. Most foundational concepts, have suffered the same distortions. Think of the Crusades, the misinterpretations of Islam…what constitution are the MAGA people fighting for now? This is our history. Brilliant people get together and craft
Plans for peaceful coexistence for communities for towns for whole countries to survive and men pervert them .
You described the essence of true Christianity very well! What's important is following the teachings & example of Jesus rather than being focused on a particular denomination or church. The problem is misinfo & misinterpretation by Christian Nationalists. I highly recommend for you & your child American Christian Nationalism by Michael W. Austin. It's only 78 pages, is very readable, and gives a good summary of the problem. You won't get this from a lot of evangelicals!
Gene Tunnell, Ph.D. Cullowhee, NC
I’m a Christian. But not a Trump Christian. Those guys are Nationalist and Fundamentalist.
Jess, your kid and their friends are so right-on! I don’t consider myself a Christian, but I was raised with the teachings of Jesus, and the golden rule. Your kid and their friends have a great sense of the truth, and that is that our actions are what matters. Not what religion you claim to be.
It’s MAGA prosperity Christianity now, if God loved you, you’d have a mansion and private jet. It’s all about unregulated, unaccountable capitalism masking as Christianity. To keep followers paying their dues to you, like Trump does, you need to create hate for all others so you can feel better about your pitiful life and hold hope for promises of a better life that will never come.
Didn’t Jesus say something like it would be easier for a camel to pass through an eye of a needle than for a wealthy man to enter the kingdom of heaven?
Yes he did
Great video. Beautifully said. Behavior speaks louder than words and I am glad you validate these teens perceptions because if you were “Christian” they would be shamed and gaslighted for saying what they see
Didn't Jesus say 'Love thy neighbor, as long as they look and act like me"?
As a life long Christian, I completely agree with you! This is one of the hardest things for me to deal with right now. I cannot understand how ANY Christian can support him! He is the complete polar opposite of what Jesus is and what he asks us to be. Please tell your child that they are not alone in their struggle with Christians. Those who support trump and hatred are not Christian. I can call myself a coyote and get a large group of people to call themselves coyotes and have some behaviors like a coyote. If I would go into a group of real coyotes and they would not see me as one of them. They would see the truth; I don't belong. The same is with Christianity. They can claim it, but it doesn't make it true. They are Christian Nationalists, who are FAR different than Christians. Christ is not first for them. They pick and choose what verses in the Bible to stand on, forgetting to use the context in which it was written. So, please tell your child that I am sorry that they stole the word Christianity. I hate that they did and it hurts me. I do have many Christian friends who have been duped by this too! I know the truth, Christ has been weaponized and it was never his intention. Jesus is love, grace, forgiveness and mercy.
It is hard to understand, yet explain what is happening to this country. Just believe that it's all a self serving mission of lies that is hiding under a blanket they labeled Christianity!
Ps. Watch the documentary Bad Faith, if you haven't. It helps explain this.
Thanks for asking such a great question!
Because Christianity in America today has largely been coopted as a cultural front for those who want control and power, and the USA to look and behave in a certain way. I encourage you to look into The Holy Post; they're doing excellent work right now on attempting to educate on what Christianity should be, and are taking a stand against Christian Nationalism. If you go far enough back in their YouTube archives, they have videos about how Christian Nationalism as grown in the United States.
Excellent video - thanks, I will share!