Since the dawn of civilization in 3000 B.C.E many cultures’ politics have been influenced by the Abrahamic religions, especially Christianity. While for some cultures this has been an overall positive contribution to their society, in America the way Christianity has bled into the country’s politics has caused millions of Americans to suffer. Christians who have been the cause of this mainly rely on Christian nationalism to justify their actions.
Christian Nationalism is the belief that Christian beliefs and traditions should define America’s core values. This ideology goes directly against the current core values of America, one of which is not to allow the government to establish any kind of religion.
With the upcoming 2024 election, Christian nationalism is becoming more and more prominent in American culture, Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green has been very vocal about her desire to assimilate America into Christian Nationalism, according to CNN News, her push for Christian nationalism follows her claim that this ideology will solve school shootings and “sexual immorality”. American assimilation to the ideals of Christian nationalism could be the downfall of the Nation as Christian nationalism will highly restrict people’s rights and freedoms like their right to free speech or their right to practice the religion they live by. If this ideology is to seep into American policies, what will those who don’t follow Christianity do?
Assimilation happens in every culture and society because no matter what happens people will always develop new ideas on how to live and survive. However, it is incredibly dangerous for America to assimilate to these Christian values.
Kristy Miller, an Anthropology Professor at Estrella Community College, says “Assimilation is essentially like-mindedness. In religion, the ideals or covenants of the religion are shared and then everyone is expected to follow the rules.”
Forcing Americans into a belief that they do not support is going to create problems, Kristi Kastenbaum, the AP psychology teacher at verrado high school, states “They are encouraged to dress the same, take the same religious training, and attend church services during the school day. Kastenbaum adds: “They are punished or ostracized if they question the logic behind it. Similarly, some religious parents tell their children from an early age to be good “so they go to Heaven/ don’t go to Hell.”
American assimilation to the ideals of Christian Nationalism could be the downfall of America as Christian nationalism will highly restrict people’s rights and freedoms. If this ideology is to seep into American policies, what will those who don’t follow Christianity do?
Pushing these harmful ideals will only divide America more as it will divide America and force people into following a strict belief system that will not support them, Christian Nationalism will not bring people together the way many Christian Republicans think it will. Kristy Miller also claims “Assimilation can bring a group together if they are following the same mythos or it can cause you to be outcast if you do not follow the rules or if you want to interpret the rules differently”
It’s not even just who will be harmed if America transitions into Christian Nationalism, it will also harm other Americans who follow different religions under Christianity, you have Christians, Catholics, Protestants, Baptists, etc. Despite worshiping the same god, they all do it in various ways.
The inclusion of Christian nationalism into American culture would be a direct insult to Americans’ freedom and right to individuality.