CONFESSIONS SERIES

Confessions of a Recovering Christian Nationalist (Part 1 )

The USA is not God’s favorite country (and other truths I’ve learned as an adult).

I grew up in a White, middle-class, conservative, Christian home in the Mountains of Western North Carolina. After high school, I attended an ultra-conservative Bible College. After graduation, I worked for 18 years as the full-time youth minister at two conservative Middle TN churches.

My life changed in 2007 when I began attending a small community church where one of my good friends from college was the pastor. It was there I started my journey to recover from racism. During this recovery stage, I recognized that I no longer wanted to be a Christian nationalist.

Before I air my dirty nationalist laundry, I want to disclose a few personal details right out of the gate.

1. I LOVE the United States of America. 2. The USA is MY country. 3. I am grateful to have been born, raised, and reside in the USA. 4. I am grateful to all the individuals who have served, and many have given their lives for us to have the freedoms we have here.

My father thought this country was the greatest in the world. He served four years in the Air Force before coming home, meeting my mom, and starting our family. His influence on me was massive, especially in how he viewed the United States.

I can honestly say that I am not proud of some events that took place on North American soil.

1. The genocide, slavery, and rape committed by my European ancestors against the inhabitants of our already occupied country. 2. The kidnapping, raping, killing, and enslaving of those same ancestors toward Africans. 3. The systemic racist policy’s instituted by (you guessed it) those same ancestors that continue to cater toward White Europeans.

You may disagree with my third item, but you wouldn’t have to do much research (with an open mind) to acknowledge at least this is a possibility.

I used two words in the title I want to define — Christian and Nationalist.

Christian — one who professes belief in the teachings of Jesus Christ.

Nationalism — loyalty and devotion to a nation especially: a sense of national consciousness exalting one nation above all others and placing primary emphasis on promotion of its culture and interests as opposed to those of other nations.

Since I consider myself a Christian, let’s get the big one out of the way first.

1. The USA is not God’s favorite country.

One of the most famous verses in the world is John 3:16. In the ’70s and ’80s, there was a clown-wigged man at all the sporting events. He either had a John 3:16 sign or wore a John 3:16 t-shirt!

For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 NLT

If He loves the world, why would He choose the US over other countries like Israel? The Bible calls Jews His chosen people. If He did have a favorite country, wouldn’t it be His chosen peoples’ country?

In the hyper-fundamental Christian bubble I lived in for my first 42 years, I never heard anyone say that the “U.S. was God’s favorite country.” I caught this from how those around me acted.

We sing songs like “God Bless America" in the church.” We treat it like it is part of the Bible. Irving Berlin wrote “God Bless America” in 1918 and said it wasn’t a patriotic song.

Mr. Berlin said it was an expression of gratitude for what this country has done for its citizens. He came to America with his family from Russia when he was about five!

The United States indeed has many resources and opportunities that many countries do not have. Many people from all over the world want to get into America to make better lives for themselves.

Some Americans take that as a badge of honor that the US is better than any other country. We have more opportunities here than in many other countries, but does that mean we are the best? I do not think so.

2. Patriotism is not the same thing as spiritual maturity.

In the churches I’ve attended, there seemed to be an unwritten rule that the more you loved the United States, the more spiritually mature you were. A veteran in one church I attended ensured the rest of the veterans had a tie that promoted their branch of the military.

He also encouraged them to wear said ties. I think I know the answer to this question, but I wonder how many of these veterans he encouraged to read their Bibles and grow in their relationship with God?

Many non-believers (even atheists and agnostics) have fought for our country’s freedom, and I’m grateful for them. Would they be revered in some of the churches I’ve attended?

Loyalty and devotion are desirable virtues.

When our loyalties and devotion infringe on the well-being of others, they become vices (moral fault or failing)! True believers' decisions and actions should not oppress others.

Looking down on others that do not speak our “native” language is nationalism. Making the statement that I have made before, “If people from other countries are going to live here, they should learn and use English!”

Why do we say that? English is the only language we know. Our entitlement should not force us to learn another language. We are more than happy to demand that foreigners learn English.

I have shared two reasons why I realized I was a Christian nationalist and why I wanted to change my mindset and behaviors. I’ll give you a few more reasons in my next “confessional” installment.