During Thanksgiving week, I watched two movies: Wicked and Gladiator II. Both movies reminded me of evangelicals up to their television satellites and steeples in secular politics. I watched the citizens of Oz pour into the streets, singing, “The wicked…
Matt Gaetz: Another Southern Baptist impunity story
Lo and behold, Matt Gaetz is a Southern Baptist. So too is Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, who is trying to deep-six the House Ethics Committee report on Gaetz — a report that is said to include evidence about Gaetz’s sexual abuse of a 17-year-old…
Matt Gaetz is a Southern Baptist who appears to get a free pass
One of President-elect Donald Trump’s most controversial cabinet nominees is a Southern Baptist. Matt Gaetz, who abruptly resigned his seat in the U.S. House of Representatives last week just days before a House Ethics Committee was to release its investigation…
‘Pro-family’ groups like Trump’s controversial nominees to cabinet
In the week since Donald Trump’s election victory, he has announced a number of key appointments — some of them highly controversial — that will shape his administration in a way that pleases “pro-family” evangelical groups. In theory, that will…
Pro-family groups support Congressional “’Nay Sayers” caucus
Significant majorities in Congress voted for aid for Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan last month: 385 of 435 House members supported aid for allies in the Indo-Pacific, including Taiwan; 366 supported weapons for Israel and humanitarian aid for Gaza; 311 supported…
The Freedom Caucus, source of conflict in Congress, has evangelical support
Six months after Hamas attacked Israel, the GOP-led U.S. House of Representatives has so far failed to agree on a bill addressing aid for Israel. Ukraine aid also is blocked. But on Tuesday, the House sent articles of impeachment against…
‘Pro-family’ groups back 7 of 8 GOP representatives who ousted House speaker
“Pro-family” groups support seven of the eight far-right Republican members of the U.S. House of Representatives who made history Oct. 3 by voting to remove Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy in a 216-210 vote. Both Matt Gaetz of Florida,…
When Christianity becomes toxic ‘Christianism’
Many people appear baffled about the hard-right turn in U.S. conservative religion. It’s not just a turn to politics, or to hard-right politics, that is problematic. It is the apparent amorality, the cruelty, bigotry and snarling spirit that is so…