The South is overwhelmingly Christian. In fact, I would argue that the South is the last remaining Christian Nation in the West. While nearly every other formerly Western Christian Nation has turned its back on Jesus – be they Britons, Irish, Germans, French, Spanish, or Yankees – the Southerner has a unique relationship with Jesus Christ.
From the time he is born until the day he dies, the average Southerner will be inundated with the Word of God and the Gospel truth that one may only attain entry to Heaven through an acceptance of Jesus Christ as his Savior. Such a relationship is blessed and will eventually be rewarded. But it also offers an opportunity to erode Southern society through a Trojan Horse: Jesus Himself.
The use of Jesus’ words to assault Southern society and the Christian morality that underlies it is a tactic that is not new, but it takes a unique form in the Age of the Google Biblical Scholar. It is time to address the Jesus Problem.
We on the Dissident Right are well aware of the tactic. Attack homosexuality and invariably, the political leftist and even the misguided Christian will point out that Jesus provides a new covenant predicated on Grace and He never addresses homosexuality. The argument goes something like this: “It is not by the works of men that one attains Heaven, but through Jesus only. Therefore, our actions cannot be judged by other men since the old laws are no longer valid. Homosexuality is O.K.” Assuredly, the trap is laid for the well-intentioned Southerner to attempt to use Biblical scripture to uphold moral principles. He enters with Leviticus 20:13 and Romans 1:26-27. Our upstanding Southern traditionalist follows with a litany of other Biblical verses that point back to a condemnation of the sin. This, in turn, leads to a litigious dissection of Leviticus by the leftist regarding our consumption of pork, the wearing of mixed thread clothing, and even the stoning of our adulterous wives (or lack thereof). Finally, the argument comes back full circle.
If one expresses a racial sentiment, whether it is in preference toward his own race or to denounce another race, the political leftist and the misguided Christian will point out that Jesus was the antithesis of racism, He was a Jew, and His salvation is available to “everyone.” The argument goes something like this: “Jesus was a Jew, so you cannot denounce Jews. His salvation is afforded to all believers. We are equal in the eyes of God and whether we are brown, black, red, yellow, or white, we will all enjoy Heaven if we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior.” Again, the traditional Southron who seeks to preserve the cultural fabric of the South – which is invariably race and religiously based – will point out Jesus’ condemnation of the Jews (John 8:44), the Revelations warning that the majority of modern Jews are fake Jews (Revelations 3:9), and/or the distinction of Nations clearly expressed in Genesis and throughout the Bible. Again, we get the usual litigious dissection of these varied verses as to which Christ was referring, the unifying distinction of Christian salvation expressed by St. Paul, and of course, the fact that God transcends all human nations and states. Like the LGBT argument, it comes back full circle.
If our Southern hero expresses his disapproval of socialist economics, again our leftist champion and his misguided Christian ally will state that Jesus was a socialist. The argument goes something like this: “Jesus said it is harder for a wealthy man to enter Heaven than it is for a camel to go through the eye of a needle. He gave everything away. Jesus lived like a poor man. He was a socialist.” As before, our Christian Southerner will flip through endless verses that counter the socialist argument. He will point toward the myriad of Biblical verses that not only directly contrast the proposition that Jesus’ was a poor hippy (He was actually quite wealthy), but that Jesus was an endless proponent of self-sufficiency and personal responsibility. Inevitably, the Beatitudes from Matthew 5 are recited – completely out of context – by the leftist Christian. Repeat the cycle.
The fact that Jesus has been co-opted by the Left is neither new nor surprising. The first large scale infiltration of Christianity by leftists began in the 19th Century, leading ultimately to the women’s suffrage movement and the immoral decadence of the post-World War I era. Catholicism has been internally at war between communist liberation theologists, found primarily among Jesuits, especially in Latin America, and traditionalists. It is a smart move by the Left. By weaponizing Jesus to promote a Marxist agenda, it helps disarm the traditional Southerner and ultimately pulls lazier Christians toward the leftwing orbit.
In fact, you can hear the condemnation of Donald Trump through the tired denunciations of his Evangelical base by leftist pundits and their hapless Christian allies. Joe Scarborough, the former Republican congressman from Florida, who claims to be both a conservative and a Southern Baptist, lashed out at Evangelical Christians for their support of Trump. Quoting the television pundit, it reads like a Marxist script: “There is no doubt, and I know this as someone who grew up in the Southern Baptist Church. There is no doubt that the single motivating factor overriding almost every other factor is the appointment of federal judges. So, the appointment of federal judges now trump actually what Jesus writes about in Matthew 25, talks about in the Gospels about taking care of the poor, the disadvantages, the hungry, the thirsty.”
Notice that Scarborough does not say he remains a Southern Baptist – but I digress.
Such nonsense is typical of the invasion of Christianity by Marxist rhetoric. Ignoring his obvious loss on reality, the former Republican congressman makes my point. In order for the South to uphold its traditions and culture… in order for the South to preserve the racial and religious purity of her people – the Southerner will need a stronger grasp of his Bible and his Church. The Southerner will need to get involved in his local church in real life. Like a guardian high on a wall, the Southerner must be able to stand on his Biblical knowledge to counter such corrosive drivel, lest his South becomes undermined from within.
Furthermore, just because the mass of Southerners are Evangelical does not make the South immune from Christian subversion.
The dispensationalist dismissal of sin, because “Jesus Christ Saves” regardless of sin, is frequently weaponized against the Southerner’s sense of law, order, and moral virtue. The Left has learned how to weaponize Christ in order to combat Christians. In their informed view as Google Biblical Scholars, the leftist takes the Southerner to task with a view of an ever-loving God, personified by Jesus Christ, who is likely a socialist and “does not judge.” The leftist is frequently aided by the well intentioned, but often misguided Christian ally.
Of course, such an interpretation of Jesus Christ does not bear scrutiny. I can tear it apart through scripture, but there are two problems with my approach. First, the average leftist is really not interested in a Biblical debate. Rather, the Left is using a tried and true Alinsky tactic to force the Southerner to comply with a fabricated moral condition predicated on some truth. Second, the average Southerner, despite a connection to Christ, is not well versed enough in his Bible to adequately fend off such an attack – especially when that tactic is used by a dispensationalist. As the Battle of Google Biblical Scholars ensues, I often see the same verses used to combat each other in a never-ending circle of Christian confusion.
It is important for the Southerner to know this when confronted with someone who is using Jesus to attack his way of life and sense of morality: Jesus does not celebrate sin, He saves you from it and its consequences. Period. Full stop.
When Jesus saves an adulterous woman from a stoning (John 8), He does not say, “I forgive you, now go out and have a good time. See you in heaven, whore.” Rather, Jesus saves her from a stoning (as He saves you from eternal damnation) and says, “Go and sin no more.” (John 8:11).
When Paul speaks of the unifying ability of Christ to save all regardless of their nationality in Romans 10:12, he does not follow-up in his letter stating, “There is no distinction between Greek and Jew. Go forth and race mix!” In fact, in the same epistle Paul makes distinctions, not only between Israel and others, but even tribal distinctions within Israel itself.
There is nowhere in the Bible whereby Christians are encouraged to throw away the traditions of their people and the laws of morality just because Jesus Christ died on a cross for our sins. Jesus never says, “I’m here. No more Nations. Feel free to engage in gay sex.” Even the myth that Jesus was some pathetic wimp who would never want his adherents to own guns ignores His warning that there will come a time when one will need to buy a sword (Luke 22:35). The cumulative depiction of Jesus by the political Left is one compiled by a piecemeal selection of verses obtained through Google searches and regurgitated by many modern Christians.
Regardless, the Southerner needs to walk away from the Leftist Jesus trap. The Left will always distort a message for its own gain, just as “the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.” (2 Corinthians 11:3). The Southerner needs to walk away from doing battle with the Left over the Jesus Problem – which I define as a misinterpretation of Jesus and Christianity for the sake of using it to erode support for traditions and morality. Rather, he needs to focus on his own people. He needs to wage the battle of Christian understanding among his own people. His family, friends, and Church need to have an understanding of both the Bible and the significance of traditional Southern values as crucial for the continuation of a unique Christian Nation.
My recommendation to counter the Jesus Problem: join a church, take up the mantle of male headship by getting involved, and be the Christian man God intended you to be.
The only way to tackle the Jesus Problem – the Left’s co-option of Christ – is to do so from within the church. Your people depend on it. The South depends on it. Make it happen.
The son of a recent Irish immigrant and another with roots to Virginia since 1670. I love both my Irish and Southern Nations with a passion. Florida will always be my country. Dissident support here: Padraig Martin is Dixie on the Rocks (buymeacoffee.com)
Amen, Brother!
Thank you, Sir!
Well said!
Thank you, C.T.!