Christian Nationalism in Russia and in the U.S.

If I were more of an optimist I might think this period of history is a "teaching moment." It would teach Christian nationalists in the U. S. their mixture of politics and religion is a lethal soup. Most likely they will see their religious nationalism and healthy and good even if the same thing in Russia bad. 

We've discussed here before the cross and the flag marching together into the Capital on Jan. 6th. To those marching in the two fit together like a hand in glove. To Putin and his circle of clerics bombing Ukraine into submission, maximizes deaths and destruction are equally righteous. 

I recall a dufus Cabinet member during the Reagan Administration who spoke in Fargo. I think he was Secretary of Interior, can't remember his name. During the speech he left his prepared material and got all teary eyed about his visit home in one of the Western states. There in his church next to the Christian flag stood the U.S. flag he said. It was such an inspirational site, he said, he want to gaze at them even after the church service was over.  

Both Putin and his counterparts in the U.S. share the same self righteousness. Both know without a shred of doubt their religion is the only true one and must prevail. We all know the two religious views are quite different. The one political thing they have in common is hatred of homosexual people. As the Russian Pope noted, gay demonstrating in the streets must end. I've read gay rights and gay organizations are quite open and popular in Ukraine. Putin's armies and his Pope are charged with stopping this.

One of the curious things is that Putin's Christianity does not work to eliminate abortions. There are lots of them in Russia. 

Neither the religion involved on Jan. 6th nor the religion involved in 9/11 taught a thing to Christian nationalists. They are, in a word, unteachable.