In Joe Paskvan’s recent commentary (Sept. 23), he attacked “Christian nationalism,” defining Christian nationalism as “a political ideology … (that) combines white nationalism, dependent upon racism, antisemitism and conspiratorial anti-government thinking … to bring in evangelical believers seeking theocratic control of government.”
Nowhere did Mr. Paskvan actually give an example of any professing Christian who also advocates for a theocracy in the United States. He made repeated, unsubstantiated, negative claims, apparently trying to paint anyone who is a Christian as a serious threat to democracy. He appeared to write as an authority on Christian nationalism, using disparaging and hyperbolic language to paint a false picture of Christians, despite a disclaimer that “Not all evangelicals and not all believers in Christianity follow Christian nationalism.” Nowhere in his diatribe did he indicate what percentage of Christians hold the beliefs of Christian nationalism, as he defined the term, subsequently — and conveniently — leading the reader to suspect he thinks most Christians hold a desire to impose their beliefs on others.
Mr Paskvan said: “Religious fundamentalists have a worldview that is intolerant of anyone who does not share their view.” It seems to me the intolerance I have seen in the U.S. recently has come from the left, non-religious side of the political spectrum, including firing a football coach for conducting an open but personal prayer after a football game, the state fining and the non-religious suing cake makers and decorators if they follow their religious beliefs and don’t use their talent to promote lifestyles with which they disagree, shooting a U.S. Congressman at a practice baseball game, shouting down conservative speakers at graduations, threatening to murder a U.S. Supreme Court justice and traveling across the country to the judge’s home before being intercepted by authorities, etc.
Regarding Mr. Paskvan’s reference to the U.S. Constitution, John Adams said: “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” I wonder if John Adams would have qualified as one of Mr. Paskvan’s religious fundamentalists or Christian nationalists?
— Marvin Dean Cox
Anchorage
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