Right-wing radicals are trying to whip up hysteria about Satanists so they can avoid any substantive policy discussion and just wage jihad.
But, as usual, the right-wing radicals are projecting their own sins. The real doers of devil’s work are the alt-right haters whom the Republicans have cultivated as their last-gasp base.
For an explanation of the Satanic roots of right-wing hate, we turn to President Matthew Harrison of the conservative Missouri Synod Lutherans:
The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, its president, vice-presidents and all 35 district presidents, along with its ministerium and congregations, categorically reject the horrible and racist teachings of the so-called “alt-right” in toto (including white supremacy, Nazism, pro-slavery, anti-interracial marriage, women as property, fascism, death for homosexuals, even genocide).
The Synodical explanation of Luther’s Small Catechism teaches that the Fifth Commandment, “You shall not murder,” includes the prohibition of “hating, despising, or slandering other groups of people (prejudice, racism, and so forth).” The Scriptures agree: “Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him” (1 John 3:15). Every human being is precious to God and as valuable as the very blood of Jesus Christ shed for all, “for God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son” (John 3:16).
We were shocked to learn recently that a few members of LCMS congregations have been propagating radical and unchristian “alt-right” views via Twitter and other social media. They are causing local disruption and consternation for their pastors, congregations and district presidents. They have publicly stated that they seek the destruction of the LCMS leadership. They have made serious online threats to individuals and scandalously attacked several faithful LCMS members. Through these social media posts, even our wonderful deaconesses have been threatened and attacked.
This is evil. We condemn it in the name of Christ.
…Of all the things I’ve seen as LCMS president, this is the most bizarre. I am informed that other conservative denominations are experiencing similar challenges. This horrid attack of the devil drives us to be firm in our confession. Our message of Christ the Savior for all, our local and global mission that serves the entire human race with forgiveness and joy stands firmly opposed to Satan and all evil. Our steadfast message of love and biblical fidelity on the cultural issues of marriage, sexuality, race, and life is an assault on the devil and his minions to no end. Our steadfast witness and assistance to our global Lutheran friends has the devil fuming [Pres. Matthew Harrison, Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod, open letter, 2023.02.21].
The Christian Bible says Love! The devil says Hate! At least that’s what my friends who practice Christianity say to those who pose as Christians to advocate their own exclusive white nationalism.
Amen.
Montana is bracing for civil unrest, christian/anarchist militias armed for the End Days are rattling online newspaper fora and the blogs with vitriol for people of color. But, how these bozos expect to take on ATF, FBI, and Homeland Security is the height of ignorance. Think Katrina: if civil order is temporarily suspended these idiots will kill only those innocents by whom they feel threatened. Unarmed people would be preyed upon by these monsters unrelentingly.
as judged by their reaction to Jan. 6th, the Army, ATF, FBI, the Blue-shirted Gestapo, cops, sheriffs yada, yada are not on our side…prove me wrong…
Thank you for giving President Harrison some space. He is
an excellent writer.
Well, well, well, there is no time like the present. If President Harrison, the vice-presidents and all 35 district presidents are “shocked” it’s only because they were willfully blind for over two decades. It’s unlikely the “shock”, rebuke, and course correction will stem or slow the fading of religion from the American scene.
My father’s job required that my family moved fairly often. He went to a Missouri Synod because it was the only Lutheran church in the New town. He was denied communion because he belonged to a certain organization. He never went back. Nuff said.
State and local law enforcers have been politicized. Taking over small state legislatures as the right has focused on for decades, to the exclusion of good governing, bears nasty fruit.
But the feds are on the right (not “the right-wing”) page for the most part. Navy SEALS flying Trump flags into battle were pretty much blown up by disgraced convicted Gallahger, “saved” only by a final-second hail mary.
[A] prosecution witness’s surprise reversal said that “although Gallagher did stab the [helpless captured] ISIS fighter, he did not actually kill him. The medic, Special Operator First Class Corey Scott who testified under an immunity agreement, testified that he himself had killed the wounded prisoner by covering his breathing tube and asphyxiating him.[31]” wiki
…contrary to the statements of at least seven other SEALs[33] as well as Scott’s previous statements.
[AND]
This was the first time a President directly intervened in an imprisonment conditions matter [Trump, who else?] since President Richard Nixon intervened in favor of Lieutenant William Calley, one of the perpetrators of the My Lai Massacre, by ordering him released from a military brig to house arrest in 1971.[20][21]
So much for the “glory” of special ops. As always, one Trumpist with access to Fox Nausea is nearly enough to sink the ship.
Northern Idaho was a Nazi hotbed in the 80s. These cold isolated socially backward mountain wildernesses draw right wing cuckoos, “Robin Hoods” and crooks like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid to Big Horns hole-in -the-wall hide outs. Montana is no exception.
White supremacy in all its diversions bears fruit for generations. https://news.yahoo.com/two-idaho-lawmakers-introduce-legislation-234504854.html
I am convinced “Dances with Wolves” was filmed in the Black Hills for that reason. Any real wolf would be executed on sight. Sympathy for the Devil indeed, in Pierre.
Cory’s work bears repeating.
…the horrible and racist teachings of the so-called “alt-right” in toto (including white supremacy, Nazism, pro-slavery, anti-interracial marriage, women as property, fascism, death for homosexuals, even genocide)….[are] “so they can avoid any substantive policy discussion and just wage jihad.”
Alt-right need scapegoats to feel holy, pure, strong, and mighty. Because God needs their help. And they have to have everyone in lockstep obedience because that’s the only way to heaven. And Jesus isn’t enough.
Well…there are folks out there who can’t wait for Heaven to loudly pronounce their Judgement. They have fallen away from the message of the Gospels. Forgiveness is a most powerful message of the faith and the Good Book.
Ahhh, Arlo, “forgiveness”, “forgiveness”!! Wasn’t that among Christ’s last words to His Father and us?
“Father, forgive them, as they know NOT what they do!” And, something His words to us in prayer jumps out of the
Lord’s Prayer: ” Forgive Us as We forgive those who sin against us”. !!
Words to meditate on, for certain.
Prayer quote could be – “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us” to some.
This well-written,, thoughtful article highlights the religious rights Taliban-like war on families.
“‘Our state is at war with our family’: Clergy with trans kids fight back”
It reads that its a gift article, yet sometimes the paywall doesn’t follow that notation: https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2023/02/28/missouri-transgender-bills/
““Daddy, do you think God could make me over again as a boy?”
Rabbi Daniel Bogard had just finished reading a story to his 6-year-old twin daughters one evening in 2019 when the older one by 15 seconds asked that question. Bogard wasn’t sure what to say, so he tucked them into bed, kissed them good night and left.
“It shook me,” he recalled.
As the months passed, and the child began asking people to use “boy words” to refer to him, cropping his hair short and joining the boys’ soccer team, the change just seemed to make sense. Friends, family and schoolmates accepted him as a boy, and he flourished.
All of which had brought the family to this fateful moment three years later. As Bogard and his now 9-year-old son piled into the family minivan at dawn for one of their regular four-hour round trips to the Missouri Capitol in Jefferson City to share their story with lawmakers, the rabbi worried what might lie ahead. Bills “to protect children,” as some Republicans described their measures restricting gender-affirming health care and limiting how schools treat gender identity, have become this year’s rallying cry in this state and elsewhere.
“Our state is at war with our family,” Bogard said. “It’s not an exaggeration that we are up at night talking about when and how far we might have to flee.””
-amorphous gender-
“As a student of theology, Bogard remembered finding references to nonbinary people in the Talmud and classical Jewish law going back thousands of years, such as a trans man born female who was taught to lead prayers, marries a woman and is described as an upstanding member of the community.
“There’s this idea that being trans is something new, but it goes back all the way to the very beginning,” he said.”
I believe that President Harrison of the LCMS is disingenuous with his letter/statement. Why now to make a statement? It is an election year for him. Where was his statement 5 years ago? He is good friends with Donald Trump and often supports politicians who are White Ring Conservative Christian Nationalists Republicans for office mainly in Missouri. What took him do long to excommunicate The Lutheran Christian Nationalists Pastor Corey Maher? 😳 Speak about the devil 😈 words. Research have shown The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod is a soft cult. Why believe in anything this man states.
John- thanks for the article. A good cry is good fuel and I burn a ton of fuel to get stuff done when I’m pissed off.
P. Aitch- I finally put my finger on what’s been missing…drop a smart line when CO gives you a free minute. I don’t take vitamins because I get my good medicine via daily doses of moxy from here:D
Young people are leading the charge out of organized religion. It’s described as a “generational snowball.”
It’s not they are are immoral or amoral. Rather, they are anti-hypocrisy. They don’t see religious elders living like Jimmy Carter, MLK, Gandhi, et al. Instead they see self-proclaimed religious elders living judgmentally and selfishly – especially those in the mega-churches with “feel good” nonsense, mansions, planes, etc.
Many, like the LCMS, are extremely pro-birth, but are nearly absent on pro family front as if they expect the newborn, child, and adolescent to exhibit their imaginary “rugged individualism”.
https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2022/09/13/how-u-s-religious-composition-has-changed-in-recent-decades/
“Northern Idaho was a hotbed for Nazi’s in the 80’s…” Oh honey, it still is….And now they’re moving to South Dakota because it’s become too much like California.
Thanks Kristi.
but we all ignored it/them for the last 45 years. thanks trump.
i’ve been yelling about “Kristi in Camoflage” (of very shallow intellect) since she started dog whistling them out of the weeds.
Our governor and the entire ruling SD Republican Party are flakes. We gotta build the Democratic Party back up or find a better solution than two party politics. https://republicanags.com/2022/11/08/raga-congratulates-south-dakota-attorney-general-elect-marty-jackley/
I believe this is a good move for the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. However, President Harrison is playing both sides of Christian Nationalism. LCMS President Harrison has given 100% support to Senator Cynthia Lummis, who is from Wyoming and is a member of Trinity Lutheran Church, Cheyenne. Senator Lummis is a pure Christian Nationalist. She has made speeches regarding the values and principles of Christian Nationalists. President Harrison excommunicated Corey Mahler, who was a Christian Nationalist from Knoxville, Tennessee, and used to attend The Frist Lutheran Church in Knoxville. He was excommunicated. President Harrison should excommunicate Senator Cynthia Lummis if he wanted distance and not to be connected to Christian Nationalists.