The Dolchstoss Myth and the Democratic Party in 2025: Parallels in Political .

 The Dolchstoss Myth and the Democratic Party in 2025: Parallels in Political Betrayal, Historical Lessons, and Contemporary Reflections on Internal Party Divisions. By Ralph L Myers. Introduction:  The “Dolchstoss" or "stab-in-the-back" myth stands as one of the most potent examples of how narratives of betrayal can reshape political landscapes. Propagated by German nationalists after World War I, this myth fueled resentment and radicalization, ultimately contributing to the rise of Nazism and fascism in Germany. In 2025, a similar dynamic is observable within the Democratic Party, where leftist extremists accuse moderates of betraying core values by capitulating to Donald Trump and the Republican right wing. This article offers a comparative analysis of these phenomena, exploring their origins, impacts, and implications, particularly those driven by perceived betrayal. The Dolchstoss Myth: Origins and Impact. The Dolchstoss myth emerged in the aftermath of Germany's defeat in World War I. Faced with national humiliation and economic hardship, many Germans found it difficult to accept that the military, once the pride of the nation, had been bested on the battlefield. Seeking a scapegoat, right-wing politicians and nationalist groups promoted the narrative that Germany had been “stabbed in the back" by internal enemies—socialists, communists, and Jews—who allegedly undermined the war effort from within. This myth spread rapidly, fueled by propaganda and the frustrations of a populace grappling with the Treaty of Versailles and economic collapse. The Dolchstoss narrative was not merely a reflection of disappointment; it was a deliberate political tool. By shifting blame away from military leaders and the realities of war, it fostered a sense of victimhood and justified calls for radical change. The myth delegitimized the Weimar Republic and its leaders, painting them as traitors to the nation. In doing so, it set the stage for extremist movements to gain traction among those disillusioned with moderate governance. Rise of Nazism and Fascism: The Power of Betrayal Narratives.  The Dolchstoss myth's impact on Germany's political trajectory was profound. By sowing distrust in democratic institutions and painting moderates as complicit in national decline, it created fertile ground for the rise of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party. The Nazis capitalized on widespread resentment, promising to restore Germany's honor and punish the alleged traitors. This narrative, coupled with economic instability and fear of communism, propelled fascism to dominance. The myth's power lay in its simplicity and emotional resonance. It provided a clear explanation for complex problems and mobilized support for radical solutions. It marginalized moderate voices and stoked polarization, ultimately leading to the collapse of democratic norms and the ascent of authoritarianism. Contemporary Democratic Party Dynamics: Divisions and Extremism in 2025. Fast forward to 2025, and the Democratic Party in the United States faces its own internal divisions. While the stakes differ, the parallels are worth examining. The party is split between moderates—who often advocate pragmatic compromise—and leftist extremists, who demand an uncompromising progressive agenda. In recent years, some on the left have accused Democratic moderates of betraying foundational principles by engaging with or capitulating to Donald Trump and the Republican right. This perception of betrayal is driven by frustration over stalled reforms, perceived concessions on issues like climate policy, healthcare, and voting rights, and a broader sense that the party's leadership is too willing to prioritize electability over progressive change. Leftist factions argue that moderates, by seeking common ground with the right, undermine the party's moral authority and weaken its ability to confront what they see as existential threats to democracy. Parallels and Contrasts: Comparing the Dolchstoss Myth and Modern Party Divisions The comparison between the Dolchstoss myth and current Democratic Party dynamics reveals both striking similarities and essential differences. In both cases, narratives of betrayal have served as rallying points for radicalization. Just as German nationalists used the myth to delegitimize moderates and fuel the rise of extremism, some leftist extremists today accuse Democratic moderates of abandoning the party's values for short-term political gain. However, key contrasts must be acknowledged. The historical context of post-WWI Germany was defined by catastrophic defeat, economic devastation, and societal upheaval—conditions far more dire than those facing contemporary American politics. The Dolchstoss myth was weaponized to justify authoritarianism and violence, whereas current leftist critiques, while polarizing, remain largely within the bounds of democratic discourse. Still, the underlying pattern is clear: when a political movement fractures over questions of loyalty and principle, it risks empowering extremists and weakening its collective ability to address broader challenges. Narratives of betrayal, whether founded or not, can erode trust and undermine unity. Implications for Political Movements: The Consequences of Internal Division. The lessons of history suggest that internal divisions and narratives of betrayal can have far-reaching consequences. For the Democratic Party, the challenge is to balance the demands of its progressive base with the pragmatic realities of governance. If the perception of betrayal deepens, moderates may find themselves marginalized, while extremists gain influence. This could lead to further polarization, reduced effectiveness, and diminished public trust. On the other hand, healthy debate and dissent are essential components of democratic politics. The key is to prevent legitimate disagreements from devolving into destructive accusations and zero-sum thinking. Political movements must strive to maintain cohesion and shared purpose—even in the face of internal conflict—to avoid the fate of movements undone by their own divisions. Conclusion:  The Dolchstoss myth stands as a cautionary tale about the dangers of internal betrayal narratives and their ability to reshape political destinies. While the context and consequences differ, the Democratic Party's current divisions echo the same dynamics: frustration, radicalization, and the risk of seeing moderates as traitors to the cause. By reflecting on history, contemporary political actors can better understand the risks and responsibilities inherent in managing internal discord. Ultimately, the challenge lies in fostering unity without suppressing dissent—a lesson as relevant today as it was a century ago.

Dangerous Parallels-Election Year 2024, Pick Your Poison!

 Dangerous Parallels-Election Year 2024, Pick Your Poison.

By Ralph L Myers

With the 2024 Presidential election looming, America is facing serious consequences. The fate of the Republic and Democracy is on the line, depending on the outcome of the election, as many from both the left and right political spectrum are fearing, based upon their opinions. Being a conservative, I support the viewpoint of the right, most times. Trying to decide how or for whom I should vote is probably the most difficult this year than in all the other presidential elections I have voted in since 1964. Sadly, this election also presents a scenario where either person elected may be unfit to serve as the president of the greatest nation on earth. Although the constitution does not permit it, I say sarcastically, maybe it is time for America to consider adopting the policies of other countries where a vote of no confidence leads to a new election and the formation of a new government. While this idea may further divide America, it is imperative to control a federal government that is currently prioritizing its own agenda over the principles of the founding fathers, “For the People, and by the People, and of the People.”

This essay will be a comparison of Nazi Germany 1933-1945, and the outcome of what many consider the reshaping or destroying of the American Republic, or Democracy depending on who wins the 2024 Presidential Election Biden, Trump, or another, in a fair election?

Let’s start with Nazi Germany, 1930s as Hitler comes to power.

January 1933, German President Paul von Hindenburg appoints Hitler as Reich Chancellor. 

 

In February 1933, the German Reichstag burned to the ground and now Chancellor Hitler persuaded Hindenburg to convince the German parliament to grant him an emergency powers decree, suspending civil liberties and the governments of the German federal states. The granting of these emergency powers could happen because of the continued decline of the economy, and the inability of the German democratic parties to form a united front, allowing Hitler to be recognized as the de facto leader of the opposition.

 

In March 1933, an enabling act, (a four-year presidential decree-law power that circumvented the Reichstag) Hitler was conferred by the Reichstag with dictatorial powers, he then managed political emergencies of the German state by decree. Given this new power, Hitler and the Nazi Party established totalitarian control; they abolished labor unions, political parties and imprisoned their political opponents, sending them to impoverished camps.

 

In April 1933, the persecution of Jews became an active policy. On April 1, 1933, Jewish doctors, shops, lawyers, and stores were boycotted, and six years later the Law for the Restoration of the Professional Civil Service was passed. This law banned Jews from being employed in government.

 

In August 1934, President Paul von Hindenburg died, and no new president was appointed. Instead, the powers of the president and chancellor were combined into the office of the Fuher Hitler. Because of this, and now a tame government with no opposition parties, allowed Hitler’s total control of law-making. Also, the Army swore an oath of loyalty to Hitler, which gave him power over the military.

 

In May 1935, Jews were forbidden from joining the armed forces. * Also, anti-Jewish propaganda started appearing in German shops and restaurants and the Nuremberg Racial Purity Laws were passed besides the law for the Protection of German Blood and Honor which prevented marriage between any Jew and non-Jew. The Reich Citizenship Law was passed and reinforced by a decree that all Jews, even a quarter of half Jewish, were no longer citizens of their own country. Their official status was reduced to that of “subject of the state” which meant they had no basic civil rights, including the right to vote.

 

When Hitler came to power in 1933, the Nazis set out to reconstruct German society. To do that, the totalitarian government attempted to exert complete control over the populace. Every institution was infused with National Socialist ideology and infiltrated by Nazi personnel in chief positions. Schools were no exception. Hitler had hinted at this even before coming to power in Mein Kampf (My Struggle 1925-27.) He had his plans for broad educational exploitation. The Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda exercised control over every form of expression, radio, theater, cinema, the fine arts, the press, churches, and schools. The control of the schools began in March 1933 with the issuing of the first educational decree, which held that German culture must be treated thoroughly.

 

In 1933 Hitler set up the Hitler Youth organization. Its purpose was to educate and train male youth in Nazi principles. By 1935, almost 60% of all German boys belonged to the organization. On July 1, 1936, it became a state agency that all young Aryan Germans were expected to join. Also, two youth leagues existed for girls, The League of German Girls for girls ages 14 to 18, (Bund Deutscher Madel) and Jungmadel, (Young Girls, 10-14 years of age.)  

 

Throughout the 1930s, Hitler and the Nazis passed more laws and decrees that prohibited Jews from holding professional jobs. Laws were passed that forbid government contracts from being awarded to Jewish businesses and that only Aryan doctors could treat Aryan patients, and since Jewish doctors were banned from practicing medicine medical care for Jews was seriously hampered. These anti-Jewish laws and decrees led to male Jews having to add Israel to their names and female Jews had to add Sarah to their names and a larger letter J was imprinted on their passports. Soon after, all Jewish children were banned by the Nazis from attending regular schools.

 

November 9-10, 1938, the hatred, persecution, and violence towards Jews reached a violent breaking point throughout all of Germany as Jewish homes, hospitals, and schools were ransacked as attackers demolished buildings with sledgehammers. Rioters destroyed 267 synagogues throughout Germany, Austria, and the Sudetenland. Over 7,000 Jewish businesses were damaged or destroyed, and 30,000 Jewish men were arrested and incarcerated in concentration camps.^] British historian Martin Gilbert wrote that no event in the history of German Jews between 1933 and 1945 was so widely reported as it was happening, and the accounts from foreign journalists working in Germany drew worldwide attention The Times of London observed on 11 November 1938: “No foreign propagandist bent upon blackening Germany before the world could outdo the tale of burnings and beatings, of blackguardly assaults on defenseless and innocent people, which disgraced that country yesterday.”

Estimates of fatalities caused by the attacks have varied. Early reports estimated that 91 Jews had been murdered. Modern analysis of German scholarly sources puts the figure much higher; when deaths from post-arrest maltreatment and subsequent suicides are included, the death toll reaches the hundreds, with Richard J. Evans estimating 638 deaths by suicide.

 

Historians view Kristallnacht as a prelude to the Final Solution and the murder of six million Jews during the Holocaust.

 

·       I believe it is worthwhile to note, in World War I, that 100,000 German Jews fought for Germany. Twelve thousand of them were killed, and 18000 were awarded the Iron Cross. Adolph Hitler was awarded an Iron Cross by his Jewish Lieutenant Hugo Guttman. Even during WWI, the Jews were looked upon with suspicion, and in 1916, at the peak of the war, the military issued a census of Jews, (Judenzahlung). The purpose was to show the Jews were responsible for Germany losing the war. However, this could not be proven, and the census was never published.

 

I have gone to extreme lengths in describing Nazi Germany and the policies of Adolph Hitler in the 1930s. My reason for this is to draw a parallel between the platforms of the Democratic Party under the leadership of President Biden, and his Republican opponent, Donald Trump. Especially because Trump is often labeled as being like the Nazis were in the 1930s, when to me, in reality, the Democratic Party of today wants many things to happen under their watch, much as Hitler did, and as they accuse Trump of advocating. For the rest of this essay, I will attempt to explain why I feel this way, and choosing who to elect as our next president is indeed a conundrum.

 

It only seems natural to start the comparison of 1930s Germany with the current candidate, and former president, Donald Trump, as he is the one most accused of or charged with being Adolph Hitler reincarnated.

 

Mr. Trump has made many claims in his campaign to date about what he will do if elected in November 2024. CNN’s Abby Turner authored an in-depth article about fourteen promises he has made. While I will not address every one of those promises in this article, I will talk about some of them. I will compare what has happened in America under the Biden administration, and how they have affected American culture like Hitler did in the 1930s. Hitler also established the Hitler Youth organization, first for boys, and then later for girls. Its purpose was to educate and train all German boys in Nazi principles.

 

In education, Mr. Trump has promised he will put parents back in charge and give them the final say.

 

During Hitler's 1930s, he infused every institution with Nazi ideology, placing members of the party in chief positions with the goal of exploitation of education. All forms of expression, radio, theater, cinema, the fine arts, the press, churches, and schools are under the control of the Ministry of Public Enlightenment.

 

However, in the Biden administration, “Woke culture, parental authority over their children taken away, attacks on religious values, the creation of gender identity,” to name but a few, and an overall attack on America’s sovereignty. Instead of an organization like the Hitler Youth, the Biden administration has set up its own Ministry of Public Enlightenment, which here in America is the Democrat-controlled media, the teacher’s union, and the radical left’s politically correct wokeness.

 

The rise in crime in America seems to be out of control. A major reason for this is the progressive left, and the Democrats are too lenient on criminals, including recidivists. They want to coddle the criminal elements in society today, blaming their criminal acts on sociological inequities, many of them manufactured by radical left prosecutors, the war on the police. That, and the weaponizing of the American Criminal Justice System, and the DOJ. I speak of this from experience as a survivor of a murdered son whose murderer was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison and is now paroled, out walking the streets as a free man, given a second chance at life. Something my son will never have the opportunity of. The Biden administration has pursued Donald Trump primarily for its entire three years in power, and the four years of Mr. Trump’s time in office as president. President Biden, and his administration’s actions, mirror that of Hitler during the 1930s as he has marshaled the forces of the media, DOJ, and FBI like to destroy Mr. Trump as a political dissident and opponent. It was in February 1933 that Hitler used similar tactics to Biden has when he persuaded Hindenburg to convince the German parliament to grant him an emergency powers decree that allowed him to establish totalitarian control over Germany. Mr. Biden, as president, certainly has executive powers granted to him by the constitution, but this same document places limits on his actions, and he like Hitler did not like the freedoms granted in it to the Volk, (people.)

 

What Mr. Trump promises, if elected, is to instruct the Department of Justice to open civil rights investigations into the “radical left” prosecutors’ offices that engaged in racial enforcement of the law, and to encourage Congress to use their authority over Washington, DC, to restore “law and order” and overhaul federal standards of disciplining minors to address rising crimes like carjackings. He will not hesitate to send in federal law enforcement to restore peace and public safety. This promise by Mr. Trump is far less onerous, or a threat to democracy than what has been happening since 2021.

 

From 2008 until 2016, then Vice President Biden, along with President Obama, waged a non-stop attack on American’s right to bear arms as guaranteed by the 2^nd Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Once Mr. Biden became president, his utter disregard for his oath of office, wherein he swore to uphold the Constitution, became more emboldened. Through executive order, weaponizing of the ATF, and DOJ, an all-out war broke out between the administration, and advocates of gun ownership, and the right to bear arms. Our founding fathers warned citizens should and even must maintain the right of firearm ownership as a means of protection from a tyrannical government. If firearms are confiscated, that means only criminals will have them, plus the same government officials will be protected by guns vis-à-vis armed bodyguards.

 

We often hear that Hitler banned guns in Germany when he came to power. Records show that he actually lessened gun control. However, he advocated that only members of the Nazi party should be allowed to have guns. It is paradoxical in a sense if Biden is successful, this would be the effect of firearm ownership becoming illegal in America. Only government officials, and of course always the criminal element in society since they do not obey laws anyhow, would have guns. Mr. Trump has promised to tear up Biden’s executive order targeting the firearm industry. He also has promised his administration will not infringe upon our Second Amendment Rights, and push Congress to pass a concealed carry reciprocity.

 

Anti-Semitism and hate are probably at the highest level since the Second World War. Even our own government, while supporting Israel’s right to exist and defend itself, at the same time favors the creation of a Palestinian state. I subscribe to the Israeli belief that a Palestinian State would irrevocably harm Israel’s right to exist and would bring about its demise much sooner. The Biden Administration wants to place limitations on how Israel can fight those that are avowed to destroy it. Most recently, the U.S. did not support Israel in a vote at the UN General Assembly, as it voted in favor of a cease-fire. Adding that to Senator Charles Schumer advocating for a new election in Israel to replace Netanyahu, which to me is a blatant attempt to influence an overthrow of a duly elected government of a sovereign nation, has caused Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu to cancel a visit to the United States and the Whitehouse. This certainly fits Webster’s definition of irony in these events. They are incongruous, not consistent with, or suitable to the surroundings between the expected results of a sequence of events. The Democrats in the 2016, and 2020 elections railed against the so-called Russian influence on America’s presidential elections.

I think no matter who I vote for in 2024, the winner of the election may well be leading us on a course to fascism. Biden’s policies during the past four years and leftist views are fascist, and Trump's statements of what he will do if elected again I can see are easily interpreted as being fascist. However, I believe Mr. Trump’s MAGA Movement is the correct way.

 

While President Biden is criticizing Mr. Netanyahu’s desire to defend the borders of Israel, he is at the same time allowing millions of undocumented immigrants to flow across our borders. Prime Minister Netanyahu wants to protect the citizens of Israel, while President Biden wants to weaken our security and sovereignty by allowing an unlimited number of illegal aliens to invade our country. To me, I see this as a not-so-thinly veiled attempt at assuring an unfair 20234 election as these undocumented aliens will vote.

 

I look at our choice in 2024 not so much as the end of democracy and the beginning of fascism as I do rebalancing the power of control by the federal government, and transferring it back to the people, as our founding fathers intended it to be. I remember the late Senator Edward Kennedy saying in the 1980s when the government was more conservative under the leadership of President Ronald Reagan, “We will be back,” meaning as I understood it to mean, a return of a more liberal approach of governance. My only worry is that the election will be fair, and not decided by millions of votes of illegal immigrants or those that are not entitled to vote. This being said, election year 2024, pick your poison!       

Write thoughts on historical rebellions.

 Write Thoughts on Historical Rebellions

By Ralph L Myers

Recently, President Biden said, during a press conference announcing his new gun crime prevention efforts, “The Second Amendment has always had limitations, and those who think they need weapons to overthrow a tyrannical government would need F-15 fighter jets and nuclear weapons.” But what he really means is, just in case, and to be on the safe side, we better disarm those who would attempt to overthrow a tyrannical government.

I don’t argue with Mr. Biden’s logic that American gun owners would not stand a chance against the U. S military’s might and power. But I disagree with him if he thinks, even for one moment, the oppressed citizens of America would not fight back in the face of overwhelming odds against them. Let’s look back on some historical precedents, starting with our American Revolution.

On the night of April 18, 1775, hundreds of British troops set off from Boston toward Concord, Massachusetts, to seize weapons and ammunition stockpiled there by American colonists. Early the next morning, the British reached Lexington, where approximately 70 minutemen had gathered on the village green. Someone suddenly fired a shot—uncertain which side—and a melee ensued. When the brief clash ended, Americans had killed eight people and injured at least an equal number, while one redcoat had sustained a wound. The British continued on to nearby Concord, where that same day they encountered armed resistance from a group of patriots at the town’s North Bridge. The colonists and redcoats exchanged gunfire, resulting in the death of two colonists and three redcoats. Afterward, the British retreated to Boston, skirmishing with colonial militiamen along the way and suffering several casualties; the Revolutionary War had begun. Ralph Waldo Emerson later memorialized the incident at the North Bridge in his 1837 poem “Concord Hymn,” which opens with the stanza: “By the rude bridge that arched the flood/They unfurled their flag to April’s breeze/Here, the embattled farmers once stood/And fired the shot heard round the world.”

Nathan Hale, a heroic American patriot, uttered these powerful words during the American Revolutionary War. “Give me liberty or give me death.” His unwavering commitment to freedom and independence resonates throughout history. Historians believe that an American Colonist, soldier, and patriot named Patrick Henry uttered these powerful words during the American Revolutionary War. After being led to the gallows, legend holds that the 21-year-old Hale said, “I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.”    

 

“The people cannot be all, and always, well informed. The wrong part will be discontented, in proportion to the importance of the facts they misconceive. If they remain quiet under such misconceptions, it is lethargy, the forerunner of death, to public liberty. ... What country before ever existed a century and a half without a rebellion? And what country can preserve its liberties if its rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as facts and pardon and pacify them. What signifies a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is its natural manure.”
Thomas Jefferson, Letters of Thomas Jefferson

 “When governments fear the people, there is liberty. When the people fear the government, there is tyranny. The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.” Thomas Jefferson.

 “Liberty has never come from the government. Liberty has always come from the subject of it. The history of liberty is a history of resistance.” — Woodrow Wilson

“I am an American, free born and free bred, where I acknowledge no man as my superior, except for his own worth, or as my inferior, except for his own demerit.”–Theodore Roosevelt.

 

Fighting against an overwhelming military, the Colonists faced a massive British Navy and Army. Just like President Biden has threatened. Throughout all phases of the American Revolution, they employed guerrilla warfare. First used at the Battles of Lexington and Concord, this style of unconventional fighting proved invaluable to the Continental Army. Revolutionary war tactics varied depending on the phase of the war and location. For instance, during the winter of 1777, Washington encouraged the military to raid British supply lines and ambush larger detachments of British soldiers to catch them by surprise in the Forage War. It ultimately resulted in about 900 casualties for the British. Similarly, George Washington used a spy network called the ‘Culper Ring’ to gain intelligence on British troops and troop movements, as well as spread disinformation to deceive the British into thinking that the Continental Army was much larger than it actually was. In the West, frontiersmen, such as Daniel Morgan, also took part in fighting and harried British forces for portions of the war.

However, the greatest use of guerrilla warfare during the American Revolution occurred during the Southern Campaign. During the later years of the war, the American general, Nathanael Greene, and Baron Friedrich von Steuben actively employed guerrilla warfare. In the forests of the South, Greene could draw British forces away from their supplies and then engage them with small fighting units to inflict damage. By dividing his forces, Greene could spread his soldiers across a wider area. As a result, British General Charles Cornwallis and the Southern detachment of the British Army often found extreme difficulty finding the Americans and successfully contending with them in skirmishes.

 

Our third president, James Madison, stated, “Oppressors can tyrannize only when they achieve a standing army, an enslaved press, and a disarmed populace.” To me, this is what President Biden has in mind with his F-15, nuclear weapons comment. I believe David, with far less inferior weapons to what Goliath had, prevailed in his battle with the help of God. The odds of patriots succeeding in a battle against the government are impossible. The administration should not take them for granted.

President Madison also observed, “The freemen of America did not wait till usurped power had strengthened itself by exercise and entangled the question in precedents. They saw all the consequences of the principle, and they avoided the consequences by denying the principle.   

The anti-gun, anti-second amendment proponents often resort to an argument that the firearms available during the founding of America and the establishment of the 2^nd Amendment, the technology of firearms in America’s founding is entirely different from that of today. James Madison made this observation clear about this when he said, “The Second Amendment isn’t about technology, and it isn’t even about guns. “It’s about a principle, the right and ability to overthrow a tyrannical government. That principle is as legitimate today as it was in 1791.”

The right and advice to overthrow a tyrannical government probably doesn't exist in other countries, unlike what America's founding fathers advocated when drafting the Bill of Rights. Military and civil coups are as old as civilization itself. To say that America has reached the boiling point of another civil war, and civil insurrection, is not far-fetched. She has far too many problems that are being ignored, or advocated by an administration that too many are tyrannical.

The purpose of my essay is to express my opinion and observation of what I sincerely and fearfully feel is the path America is on. Unless we alter the direction she is heading, it may well be the death rattle of the Republic and democracy.

Ralph L Myers  

Christianity and Christians, adversaries against the Evil One

 An online publication, "The Daily Digest," has published an article about research showing that those they have labeled as Christian Nationalists and Christians who believe the Holy Bible is to be taken literally are more likely to believe in conspiracy theories.

As in every argument, I think it is necessary to put all arguments in a proper context. The article used Christians' religious beliefs as a basis to assume that all of them believe in conspiracy theories. The article has, in a sense, profiled Christianity. Profiling is a practice that the secular world decries. Yet, it appears to be a major tool used by secularists to discredit those whom they don't agree with.

The argument that Christians are more susceptible to believing in "conspiracy theories" falls right into a definition known as "the fallacy of composition," which states that the fallacy of composition is an informal fallacy that arises when one infers that something is true of the whole from the fact that it is true of some part of the whole.

Scripturally, in 2 Timothy 3:13-16 Christians receive a warning about evil men and seducers who continuously worsen, deceiving and being deceived. 10 But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, long-suffering, charity, patience, 11Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me. 12Yea and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. 13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. But you, continue in the things which you have learned and have been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them. 16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.

This article exemplifies the battle that is raging in the U. S, and the secular world today. A battle between evil, yes Satan, and the scripture's teachings. 

Ralph L Myers 

What is a Christian? Conflicting views, scriptural and secular.

 What is a Christian? Conflicting views, scriptural and secular.

A Rebuttal Written by Ralph L Myers

 

The following is an opinion article written by Chauncey De Vega of Salon, a progressive, independent journalist.

“Christian fascist” caucus: Mike Johnson brings MAGA fully into the House of Representatives.

 

Chauncy De Vega comments in black and rebuttal comments in red.

Christian nationalists are key, if not indispensable, members of Donald Trump’s MAGA movement and the larger neofascist coalition. In Trump, they see a type of martyr and prophet who is a weapon for them and their God to create a Christofascist theocracy and Apartheid state. Christian Nationalists sincerely and deeply believe that they are fighting to preserve “their way of life” and “traditional American values” in a titanic battle between “good and evil”–where, of course, like other religious zealots, they are God’s elect as opposed to villains and evildoers.

Rebuttal: Christians are not and do not believe, they are fighting to preserve their way of life. As the Apostle Paul wrote in his letter to Timothy, 2 Timothy 4:7-8 ⁷ I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race; I have kept the faith. ⁸ Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me but also to all who have longed for his appearing. Rather, they are living a life as commanded in the Bible; they have fought to live a life that is by God’s will, so that they may receive the heavenly reward of a home in heaven on the day of judgment.

 

As public opinion and other research have repeatedly shown, Christian nationalists (White Christian supremacists) and those allied with them believe in and support the use of political violence as a way of achieving their revolutionary plans for American society. Their belief also legitimated the support for political violence and other cruelty by Christian nationalists and other members of the Christian right that the world is in a mythological End Times battle. Donald Trump, a masterful propagandist, has repeatedly signaled to this through his repeated use of language such as a “final battle” and the need to get collective “revenge” on the Democrats and other “enemies” of so-called real America. It was predictable and by design that Christian nationalists would play a prominent role in Trump’s Jan. 6 coup attempt and the lethal terrorist attack on the Capitol.

Rebuttal: Jesus said in John 18:36, “³⁶ Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.” As Christians, the so-called “final battle” this article refers to is to resist the world’s sinful ways, not seeking an act of collective revenge. New Testament scripture teaches Christians to be prepared, not for revenge, but as a warning against false teachers. (Acts 20:28-30),

Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God, which He purchased with His own blood. I know that after my departure, savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves, men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. (Rebuttal continued.)

 Rebuttal: The Apostle Paul in his final charge to Timothy, after telling him to preach the word, explained (2 Tim. 4:3-4), ^“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.” These scriptures are a warning to faithful Christians, not a credible argument saying Christians advocate violence, as outlined in the article in reference. “It was predictable and by design that Christian nationalists would play a prominent role in Trump’s Jan. 6 coup attempt and the lethal terrorist attack on the Capitol.”

 To better understand the role of militant White Christianity in America’s democracy crisis and the Age of Trump, I recently spoke with Bradley B. Onishi, president of the Institute for Religion, Media, and Civic Engagement and the Founder of Axis Mundi Media. In 2023 he published, “Preparing for War: The Extremist History of White Christian Nationalism.” He is also a faculty member in Religion and Philosophy at the University of San Francisco. In this conversation, Onishi explains how violence is central and not peripheral or somehow coincidental to Christian nationalism and how the events of Jan. 6 highlighted the dangers of such a movement to the country. Onishi also warns about the type of antidemocratic and (even more) cruel America that the likes of Speaker Mike Johnson and the other Christian nationalists are trying to impose on the American people — and how Dictator Trump would be the vessel for that dystopia.

Rebuttal: While not excusing, or advocating violence, the scriptures continually warn us about people that hold the beliefs the author of this article apparently has. Romans 16:17-18 New International Version ¹⁷ I urge you, brothers, and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. ¹⁸ For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery, they deceive the minds of naïve people.

 

What is the role of violence in the Christian Nationalist movement? “Militant” Christianity is far from being peaceful or benign as its leaders and followers would (dishonestly) like to suggest.

Rebuttal: This argument raised in this article is a prime example of a secular viewpoint of what Christians are. If their beliefs go against the popular confines of a secularist world, ergo, they must be a part of this perceived vast Christofascist movement. We could express this same argument that those who want to end Christianity, and see religion abolished, like Lenin for example, who stated that religion was the opium of the masses. Using the writer’s coined term, Christofascist is indeed reverse fascism. Referring again to Romans 16:17-18, the Apostle Paul, summed it up succinctly. ¹⁷ I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. ¹⁸ For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery, they deceive the minds of naïve people.

 

There is a wonderful framework in Gorski and Perry’s book “The Flag and the Cross.” They talk about how White Christian nationalists focus on a trinity consisting of freedom, order, and violence. White Christian nationalists only believe they can experience freedom if the social order is in its proper form. That means that all the various constituents of American communities must know their place in the social order and live out that role culturally, politically, and so on. If all the constituents don’t live out and/or accept their roles, then the social order is out of place - and thus White Christians can’t experience the freedom they believe to have been promised. As Gorski and Perry argue, White Christian nationalists reserve the right to use violence in order to put the social order back in place. When they act violently, it is as patriots, godly warriors, and real Americans. When others, including Black folks and people of color, and immigrants, and queer people, use protest or uprising to change the social order, they are deemed terrorists, extremists, and threats to the American way of life. 

 We’ve seen how Christians used violence in the past to put the social order back in the place they think it should be in. Scholars have shown us the iteration of the KKK in the 1910s and 1920s was a thoroughly Christian movement to reify the American social order in the wake of Reconstruction.  I can see Jim Crow as an extension of this movement. And of course, there were many in the thirties and forties who joined organizations and movements like the Christian Front and the America First movements inspired by people such as Charles Lindbergh or Father Coughlin, who did so in the name of faith.

All of that, when the social order feels out of place to the white Christian nationalists, they feel as if they are not experiencing American freedom.  And then they feel as if they may use violence to rectify that situation. January 6 is no different. And since then, we’ve only seen the calls coming from many sources in Christian America for further violence, for civil war, for a national divorce in order to make things, in their minds, how they should be.

Rebuttal: In today’s society, particularly a woke one, whenever they can’t come up with a valid argument, they always have the “Race Card,” to play. That and blaming all the ills in society on white supremacy, or religion. God has allowed me to be on this earth for over 80 years, and in that time, they have attacked family and Christian values, many times destroying them. It did not matter what color, race, or creed you were a part of. 2 Tim. 4:3-4), ^“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance with their own desires and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.” Ephesians 6:12 ¹² For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Many of the identifications of various groups or organizations referenced in this article are not true Christians in a scriptural sense, but a part of those that seek to disenfranchise whomever, or whatever they are against. To borrow a secularist argument, Christians, like persons of color or race, are being profiled. Romans 13:1-2 says: “Obey the government, for God, is the One who has put it there. There is no government anywhere that God has not placed in power. So those who refuse to obey the law of the land are refusing to obey God, and punishment will follow.” We need to digest and obey this verse. The only time we are to disobey a law is if it is morally wrong, not in our opinion but in God’s sight. Otherwise, we are to be good citizens and make the church and state work together for good. Throughout history, lawmakers have enacted many laws that contradict the laws of God. It is these laws that Christians, as instructed by the scriptures, are not supposed to obey.

 

 

What role did White nationalists and other “Christian” militants play on Jan. 6 with Trump’s coup attempt and the attack on the Capitol?

January 6 was a religious crusade. If you look closely at the symbols present on January 6, you will see of course American flags, but you’ll also see Confederate flags. You’ll see Christian flags. You’ll see the Appeal to Heaven flag. You’ll see people who are carrying icons of Mary and statues of Christ. You will see people who are praying at almost every stage of the insurrection, whether that is outside the building or inside the Senate chamber. 

January 6 was for many of the rioters a chance to take back the country for God. And for the people whom God had rightly given the country to.

Rebuttal: This could also be a rhetorical question. During any protest, there will be flags, signs, posters, etc. expressing one’s viewpoint. That there were American flags, Christian flags, religious icons, etc. I don’t believe those displays, and the protestors carrying them contributed to acts of violence any more than left-wing agitators like Antifa do. So-called White Nationalists, or Christian Militants, have the same First Amendment right to protest as do those opposed to them. I always think back to America’s founding fathers who advocated overthrowing a tyrannical government if necessary.  The Capitol building, and the Halls of Congress, to me, are the people’s house, and they had every right to enter them.

Mike Johnson is elevated to Speaker of the House and there is all this discussion about Christian Nationalism/White Christian supremacy. That lasts for a few days or perhaps a week or so, then it disappears. Mike Johnson is still Speaker of the House; he has not disappeared just because the media has stopped focusing on him. How does that feel given your years of sounding the alarm about the danger(s) such forces represent to the country?

I understand that we live in a situation where there’s a 24-hour news cycle. For quite some time, there have been more crises to pay attention to than most of us have the bandwidth for. I think for me, the critical thing in my work is to continue to point out the threats that Christian extremists pose to our democracy.  

I think at the moment we are in the eye of the storm. We’re about a year from the election. And there’s been a sense that the threat of Trump’s reign is in the past. However, I think more folks are now coming to realize that the 2024 election is approaching.  And the elevation of Johnson to speaker is a kind of foreshadowing of the kinds of retrograde social order that MAGA nation and Christian nationalists want to put in place in this country. So, for me, the task is to continue to point out how dangerous these ideologies and approaches to government are for our society. One of the biggest challenges in this media landscape is for people to realize that it is possible for White Christians to be dangerous.

Rebuttal: The scriptures continually warn us of sin, sinners, and sinful acts. In the book of Genesis, God expresses He is sorry for creating man, and decides that He will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth. He was also going to destroy the beast, creeping things, and birds of the air. And, as I have already written about, the Apostle Paul in his letter to Timothy warns against those in a secular society who will not endure sound doctrine. In 2 Timothy 4:3-4, ^“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance with their own desires and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.” We are certainly in “that time.”

Whenever a portion of society expresses a viewpoint that goes against the secularist views, they become a threat to American Democracy. Yet those progressive views are a much greater threat to democracy, e.g., altering the freedom of speech through “wokeism,” or other such attempts to cancel history or values.

What type of America and world do Mike Johnson and the other Christian nationalists want to create?

White Christian nationalists want an American society in which their particular interpretation of faith is privileged over all others. This means that, as Johnson says, the church has a profound influence on the government by way of policy, education, and law. If they had their way abortion would be banned, no-fault divorce would be illegal, and gay marriage outlawed. What does that equate to? It equates to a social order in which heterosexual Christians who adhered to a patriarchal family structure are the real Americans - and everyone else is seen as either deviant or second-class (unwilling or unable to attain the status of the real American). This social vision is retrograde. It prioritizes White Christian men, heterosexual families, native-born Americans, and treats the rest of us as “other.” 

Mike Johnson’s political vision is representative of many white Christian nationalists in the country.  And what it represents is a demand that their particular interpretation of faith and values be implemented in our laws and policies. For them, if that vision is not implemented, then America is off course and they, as people of faith and as American citizens, are being persecuted.  I’ve said it many times, but for those who are accustomed to privilege, equality in the public square feels like persecution.  And so for Johnson and his cohorts the representation of other faiths, the legal protection of family structures that they see as deviant, the inclusion of trans people, of immigrants, of those who are not like them, in our society is not taken as an expansion of our Union, but as a kind of backsliding from the way America should be.

Unfortunately, for many Christian nationalists, there is a sense that democracy is not the answer, but the problem. They want power at any cost, and so if you don’t have the majority; if you are not those who hold over 51% of the vote; if your opinion is increasingly in the minority; you will turn increasingly to non-democratic approaches to getting what you want.

We see this in the way that many on the American Christian Right totemize Vladimir Putin and Viktor Orban. They see these men as leaders of countries who do so in God’s name - who do so without apology and in a way that honors what they take to be the nuclear family values, traditional religious ethics, and so on and so forth. In their minds, the fact that Orban and Putin are at best illiberal leaders and at worst autocrats doesn’t matter. And in fact, that’s a benefit because they don’t have to rely on Congress, the State Department the Department of Justice or anyone else to implement their vision for society. They don’t have to go through the very slow and complex churnings of a democratic republic that relies on norms and processes to make sure things are fair.

The end result is an increasing recognition that if democracy doesn’t get what you want then perhaps you should put it aside. And that’s one of the scariest aspects of this movement.

Rebuttal: Wow, where do I start? True Christians, not those that the writer of this article has classified as White Christian Nationalists if they are following the word of God and Jesus Christ, are interpreting their faith that this is what God commands, is not privileged, it is scriptural. People of all races, and colors that are true Christians only consider their faith as privileged, because it comes from Him, not secularists or their viewpoints. Here’s what the scriptures tell us about what God and Christ think about man’s teachings. Matthew 16:23 But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.” Matthew 15:9 ‘But in vain do they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the precepts of men. Galatians 1:11-12 For I would have you know, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians 2:13 For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe. Acts 5:38 So in the present case, I say to you, stay away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or action is of men, it will be overthrown. 1 Thessalonians 4:8 So, he who rejects this is not rejecting man but the God who gives His Holy Spirit to you. Acts 5:29 But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.

Speaker Johnson is on par with the scriptures many times, not just political. Nor is it White Christian Nationalists. I view it as scripturally aligned or influenced. As a Christian, I do not agree with everything the congressional representative says, regarding Christianity, as I feel that even his remarks are sometimes in conflict with scriptural teachings. What we, as Christians, do is believe, and trust in the Word of God, and Jesus Christ, not the teachings or the creeds of men. Acts 5:29 But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.

Faithful Christians do not believe that homosexuals, adulterers, fornicators, etc. are second-class citizens. No, they are, as the scriptures classify them, sinners. 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.  

What is the “Christian ethic” that guides the likes of Mike Johnson and the other Christofascists? What of the harm they are doing and will do even more to entire groups of people here in the United States and around the world? How do they reconcile that with their “Christian faith”?

From an outside perspective, it’s often jarring to see people like Mike Johnson advocating for policies that are hurtful to other human beings and doing so in the name of Jesus Christ or in the name of Christianity.  People like Mike Johnson will say that abortion should be banned in almost every case, despite the fact that it might lead to health complications for the mother, or even death. Or simply a loss of bodily autonomy and choice. 

People like Mike Johnson might argue that if you’re a gay person, you should have no right to be married. And in fact, you should be compared to someone who engages in bestiality, you should be seen as deviant from God’s plan for your life. I could go on with many examples, but these are, of course, really hurtful to those affected by these statements by these kinds of policies. However, someone like Johnson feels as if they’re doing something good for those human beings.  By trying to correct them, by trying to reshape them in the image of God, they believe they’re doing them a favor. And in doing so they believe they’re creating a better society.  

For Johnson, America suffers, America is punished, when we disobey God. By calling for the repeal of gay marriage, by trying to ban abortion, by trying to create a situation where the church has influence on the government, even if we live in a country where there are many non-believers atheists and so on, in Johnson’s mind that’s doing good for individuals and for society.

This is of course an incredibly paternalistic view. It’s a view that says, I know better for you than you know for yourself - and what’s better for you is the vision God has given me for society and for your life. To the outsider, it appears as if he’s being cruel, hurtful, lacking empathy. To the insider, it is the hard work of somebody willing to take on the difficult task of restoring America for God’s purpose.

Rebuttal: The Christian Ethic, to use the writer of this article’s term, is really, simple. It is obeying the Gospel of Jesus Christ, confessing that He is the Son of God, being baptized, (through immersion,) and then being raised and walking in the newness of life as a Christian. Free from sin. After being baptized, Christ instructs a Christian to “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved, but he who does not believe shall be condemned.” Mark 16: 15-16. The “paternalistic view,” stated by the writer of this article, can also apply to the views of a world of secularists. Is it, not their view that not being a Christian or religious person is the only way society should operate, a case in point is “wokeism?”

 In the world they are trying to create, what will happen to those of us who believe in real democracy and a pluralistic, secular, multiracial and cosmopolitan society and set of values?

I think we already have a clear picture of what will happen to those who don’t fit into the Christian nationalist vision for America and the MAGA vision for America. Donald Trump has already laid out what his second term would look like. He has signaled that Project 2025, a Heritage Foundation. Project supported by many Christian nationalist organizations like the Family Research Council and Hillsdale College, is something that he would seek to implement. Project 2025 would demand that all State Department employees and other federal employees signal their loyalty to Trump as at-will employees, otherwise they will be removed. 

This is of course an attempt to make sure that there are no roadblocks, that there is nothing standing in the way of Trump’s vision. He has also talked about camps for migrants, widespread large camps. This is a scary idea for me as a Japanese American and all the memories in our community of the camps that were set up in the wake of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. He’s also talked about the Insurrection Act and the use of the military as a way to keep control of the American social order. Mike Johnson is not going to stand in the way of any of those initiatives because they serve his understanding of how things should be in America. They represent the putting into place of the American social order as it should be. 

If we put those two together, Trump, as the authoritarian leader, and Johnson as the representative of a white Christian nationalist vision for the country, we see how the two go hand in hand dating back to 2016 and now in 2023 and into 2024. 

We are at a place in our country where there are Christian fascists. There are intellectuals, there are theologians, there are historians, there are pastors who are openly calling for a post-constitutional America; people who long for a Red Caesar that will save the country from itself. These are people who are openly saying that it would be better if we had a Christian Prince or another form of an autocratic leader, because that would mean a Christian nation operating according to their Christian values. Thus, democracy would be done away with, in the name of a godly country.

Rebuttal Footnote: This article categorically states that Christians hate homosexuals, gay marriage, divorce, etc. instead of the sin, which God has condemned those that do those acts for their sins, through the scriptures. Christians who express their belief and opposition to biblical sins are now labeled as “Christian Nationalists” or “Christofascists,” a term coined by the article’s writer. Rlm.  

Ralph L Myers

I have made no grammatical changes in the article written by the Salon writer. Only those written by me in the rebuttals I have made regarding it.