I am a former Evangelical. I left the church because, much like you, I could no longer abide the disgraceful way it treated those it closed its doors to.
But I grew up in the nineties, and I watched the church become an instrument of political power, and I was of the first generation they indoctrinated to try and sieze that power from the inside out. And they were going to use us to do it. They did everything they could to convince us of the danger the 'world' presented and the justice and righteousness of our cause.
They taught us to feel guilty about every natural impulse through purity culture so we always felt there was something we had to be in active atonement and sacrifice for, and that we were always striving to meet an unobtainable goal. They normalized fascism by telling us about backmasking and that Dungeons and Dragons was an instrument of Satan to lead us astray, encouraging us to burn our 'secular' CDs and books. I heard all the rhetoric of the Satanic Panic, sat through the curriculum on Spiritual Warfare, read the Peretti books about how there was supposedly a New Age Movement working in league with the Satanists to infiltrate government and the public schools. I wasn't surprised when I heard the gift that QAnon was pushing, because I'd heard it before. It was the same story they told us back then. We were told the books were fiction but the threat was real. They encouraged us to work toward careers in politics so we could be in these higher places, influencing policy and law. So we could stop this present darkness from taking over the world.
But they were the ones who wanted to take over the world. Thirty years later, the church managed to get one of the kids who heard all that same bullshit I did on the Supreme Court. And look where we are now.
Project 2025 is the culmination of work that began in the seventies with the Moral Majority and was solidified by the indoctrination of Generation X and Millennials. Anyone who thinks it's some theoretical fancy and not a real and present threat is gravely mistaken.
People thought I was bitter and an alarmist too. Some still do. But they'd best get concerned and get concerned fast because these people are not playing. They've had this power grab in process for a lifetime.
The last time I scoffed about Project 2025-type stuff I was 9. The year was 1976 and we were in a patriotic fervor for the bicentennial and I thought America as I knew it could never end. I have literally watched my entire life as we've crept closer and closer to where we are today. Admittedly, when I was in my late teens and 20s and even into my 30s, I assumed it would be those crazy Dems and radical liberals that would take us to fascism. After all, that is what the Republican echo chamber told me to believe. In my mid thirties and to this day I see that this was just deliberate misinformation, slight of hand. Make us watch what the right hand is doing so we don't see what the left hand is up to. But like you, I am riddled with hope, Father. I cling to my belief in the red-letter Jesus, not the right-wing "Jesus" and the hope that better days are coming. Biggest difference right now is that as an older man, I know that better days don't come by themselves but are ushered in when enough people stand firm and fight to create an environment in which better days are not only possible, but when they comes, we can all thrive. I have joined my light to yours, to theirs. My life has been a full one, my kids are well into theirs and their kids have a lifetime ahead of them. We have to hope, to stand, to fight. Darkness cannot prevail. Grace and peace to you and yours.
You are such a blessing and thank you for being a clear outspoken voice. We do what we can, and it is enough. And by golly you have done so much for so many, I cannot fathom anyone laying that burden at your feet. This comment is me kicking those burdens to the curb where the rest of us can pick through and adopt what we can. Sending hugs. I have your books on audio and love your writings. Always something new in them to consider.
I read your book shortly after it was released and I’ve been following you for a decent while, so I can safely say that I’ve seen ALL your warnings up until now. I fully agree, it’s finally knocking on the doors of white Americans and now they are (rightfully) scared. But no, they are wrong that your voice hasn’t been part of a (finally) growing chorus of warning. *hugs*
I bought it. I read it. I’m a literal person, but even I saw the message and related it to our current threat. I wrote about it on Facebook, and a friend said it would be a perfect birthday gift for her husband. Thank you for sacrificing so much and for devoting yourself to keeping us alert to the threat of autocracy. I say to those who demand more of you, “STFU. Be responsible for your own knowledge. The information is out there. You owe it to all of us to be better informed.”
Perfectly said, thank you! As a Texan and former evangelical, it’s felt like screaming into the void. No one wanted to hear it and now they can't avoid it.
It stinks when the voices of just a couple people get heard over the voices of the many, but when you've given up everything the few people missing it definitely cut the deepest. The majority of people see you and see your work. You have made a difference.
And hopefully, hope is not unwarranted. The majority of your readers are hopeful too. 💕
I am a former Evangelical. I left the church because, much like you, I could no longer abide the disgraceful way it treated those it closed its doors to.
But I grew up in the nineties, and I watched the church become an instrument of political power, and I was of the first generation they indoctrinated to try and sieze that power from the inside out. And they were going to use us to do it. They did everything they could to convince us of the danger the 'world' presented and the justice and righteousness of our cause.
They taught us to feel guilty about every natural impulse through purity culture so we always felt there was something we had to be in active atonement and sacrifice for, and that we were always striving to meet an unobtainable goal. They normalized fascism by telling us about backmasking and that Dungeons and Dragons was an instrument of Satan to lead us astray, encouraging us to burn our 'secular' CDs and books. I heard all the rhetoric of the Satanic Panic, sat through the curriculum on Spiritual Warfare, read the Peretti books about how there was supposedly a New Age Movement working in league with the Satanists to infiltrate government and the public schools. I wasn't surprised when I heard the gift that QAnon was pushing, because I'd heard it before. It was the same story they told us back then. We were told the books were fiction but the threat was real. They encouraged us to work toward careers in politics so we could be in these higher places, influencing policy and law. So we could stop this present darkness from taking over the world.
But they were the ones who wanted to take over the world. Thirty years later, the church managed to get one of the kids who heard all that same bullshit I did on the Supreme Court. And look where we are now.
Project 2025 is the culmination of work that began in the seventies with the Moral Majority and was solidified by the indoctrination of Generation X and Millennials. Anyone who thinks it's some theoretical fancy and not a real and present threat is gravely mistaken.
People thought I was bitter and an alarmist too. Some still do. But they'd best get concerned and get concerned fast because these people are not playing. They've had this power grab in process for a lifetime.
I've read my history and frankly, I'm frightened. If Biden wins, even in a blowout, I expect another January 6 or worse.
The last time I scoffed about Project 2025-type stuff I was 9. The year was 1976 and we were in a patriotic fervor for the bicentennial and I thought America as I knew it could never end. I have literally watched my entire life as we've crept closer and closer to where we are today. Admittedly, when I was in my late teens and 20s and even into my 30s, I assumed it would be those crazy Dems and radical liberals that would take us to fascism. After all, that is what the Republican echo chamber told me to believe. In my mid thirties and to this day I see that this was just deliberate misinformation, slight of hand. Make us watch what the right hand is doing so we don't see what the left hand is up to. But like you, I am riddled with hope, Father. I cling to my belief in the red-letter Jesus, not the right-wing "Jesus" and the hope that better days are coming. Biggest difference right now is that as an older man, I know that better days don't come by themselves but are ushered in when enough people stand firm and fight to create an environment in which better days are not only possible, but when they comes, we can all thrive. I have joined my light to yours, to theirs. My life has been a full one, my kids are well into theirs and their kids have a lifetime ahead of them. We have to hope, to stand, to fight. Darkness cannot prevail. Grace and peace to you and yours.
You are such a blessing and thank you for being a clear outspoken voice. We do what we can, and it is enough. And by golly you have done so much for so many, I cannot fathom anyone laying that burden at your feet. This comment is me kicking those burdens to the curb where the rest of us can pick through and adopt what we can. Sending hugs. I have your books on audio and love your writings. Always something new in them to consider.
I read your book shortly after it was released and I’ve been following you for a decent while, so I can safely say that I’ve seen ALL your warnings up until now. I fully agree, it’s finally knocking on the doors of white Americans and now they are (rightfully) scared. But no, they are wrong that your voice hasn’t been part of a (finally) growing chorus of warning. *hugs*
I bought it. I read it. I’m a literal person, but even I saw the message and related it to our current threat. I wrote about it on Facebook, and a friend said it would be a perfect birthday gift for her husband. Thank you for sacrificing so much and for devoting yourself to keeping us alert to the threat of autocracy. I say to those who demand more of you, “STFU. Be responsible for your own knowledge. The information is out there. You owe it to all of us to be better informed.”
Thanks for trying to show people who refuse to listen, keep doing the hard things.
Thank you for being that voice, and you aren't alone.
I think we should all go to Amazon and buy that book!
I loved Russian Sleeper Cell. I’ve seen these changes for a while, and hoped we would move beyond all this. Sadly not
Perfectly said, thank you! As a Texan and former evangelical, it’s felt like screaming into the void. No one wanted to hear it and now they can't avoid it.
It stinks when the voices of just a couple people get heard over the voices of the many, but when you've given up everything the few people missing it definitely cut the deepest. The majority of people see you and see your work. You have made a difference.
And hopefully, hope is not unwarranted. The majority of your readers are hopeful too. 💕
Are there still signed copies of the book for sale? I had them in my cart, got distracted and lost the link before checking out.
Have you considered changing your name to Cassandra…
Thank you for continuing to fight the fight
Keep it up!
The underserved and the ignored are counting on you-with the rest of us!