The Naked McCarthyites on John Birch Radio (aka VCY's CrossTalk)

https://www.vcy.org/crosstalk/2023/12/05/what-meaneth-these-stones/

The linked episode represents another case of par for the course when it comes to CrossTalk, or more rightly John Birch Radio. Ironically in this episode they were unmasked by their own call-in audience who recognized the 'Communist Goals' being referred to by the host. Listeners picked up on the talking points and rhetoric associated with Cleon Skousen's The Naked Communist – a seminal JBS work.

And that about sums up the tone and tenor of the episode – a case of McCarthyism rearing its head as these red-baiting folks have not moved on from that period, are still obsessed with the communism and are convinced it has overtaken the whole of society.

Schmig also parrots the David Barton and Bill Federer lines about American history – in other words the same old tired and distorted hack arguments that have dominated Evangelical circles for decades.

And as I continually argue, this question of Christian America is two-fold – and you can be sure the full spectrum of pronoun confusion was on display in this episode. They make so many assumptions about American identity and Christianity that must be questioned and if found wanting – their arguments collapse.

There is a historical argument regarding the Christianity of the Founders and whether or not they were trying to create a Christian country. The Evangelical Barton-style argument falls short – even while granting nothing to modern secular-reductionist readings either.

But for Christians, the primary concern is doctrinal and regardless of motivation, the notion of a Christian nation is simply unbiblical and out of accord with New Testament teaching. If (and that's only an if) the Founders were trying to create a Christian nation, then it's very simple – they were wrong. At best they would only create a reiteration or permutation of the Christendom model which dominated the period from Late Antiquity to the Renaissance. This too was a deeply flawed model and must be rejected. The assumption itself is not supported by the New Testament.

Schmig repeatedly makes appeals to Common Grace not understanding that his covenant-view of the US, its documents, memorials and the like – is anything but 'common'. If these people were by their politicking, wars, and rebellions – and subsequent legislation entering (institutionally one might say) into a relationship with God that goes beyond the bounds of Common Grace. At that point the relationship would be covenantal and holy – anything but common or universal.

So he's simply confused on this point and yet if framed the other way – that these men were God's agents at work building a special (dare we say holy) nation – I think Schmig might balk at that. Others obviously wouldn't even hesitate. Supporters of the idea are wrong but in his restraint – Schmig defeats his own argument and position.

He also referred on more than one occasion to 1 Corinthians 10 and argues (on the basis of that passage) that God wants us to remember our history and learn from it. Once again, leaving aside the pronoun confusion I was struck by the fact that he seems to miss this was an appeal to the Church to learn from the example of Israel and to understand the unity in experience (rooted in Christ) and also the dangers of apostasy. Paul was not telling the Corinthians to go and do political and military exploits and to raise monuments so future generations of the Church might look back and remember and celebrate them. These arguments and assumptions fall apart after even the briefest of examinations. The lesson he's extrapolating from 1 Corinthians 10 is not a sound one but a case of eisegetical reasoning and philosophical assumptions looking for proof texts.

Contemporary activists who tear down monuments are fools, but Schmig is wrong when he keeps insisting the Founders and men like Columbus be judged by their context. The argument fails because there were Christian voices in their times, in their contexts that condemned them and their actions. They may have been minority voices but that's always going to be the case in this present evil age. I have no desire to tear down statues of Columbus but I'm not going to pretend he was anything other than a deceived individual given over to avarice and vainglory and in the process did a lot of evil.

As far as the Founders – they were wrong. They sinned. You cannot defend the American Revolution with the Scripture. The only justificatory arguments are philosophical speculations resting on extra-Biblical thinking that some (to their discredit) have sought to try and collate and synthesize with Biblical doctrine. They stand condemned regardless of whether or not Providence ordained the rise of America. God has raised up many empires. In no way does it mean He sanctions them or 'blesses' them in a moral or covenantal sense.

And Schmig's reasoning with regard to the American founding is to be rejected. His Common Grace argument fails – all the more when what he calls 'grace' was in fact sin – sin even as the sin of witchcraft.

The folks at CrossTalk are obsessed with communism and convinced it runs the land and as such they resurrect the false narratives of the JBS leader and Mormon Cleon Skousen and the many disproven absurdities he proffered. The fact that men like Ben Carson and Glenn Beck push this book is of no comfort to me – but merely adds to their condemnation.

How sad that while looking at Amazon reviews  of The Naked Communist (1958), I find titles like – You Need Two Books, the Bible and This (Skousen's The Naked Communist).

Leaving aside such blasphemies I was pleased to note a few people picked up on the extent of Skousen's absurdities such as:

The Civil Rights Movement is a communist plot to destroy America

The United Nations is a communist plot

Psychiatry is a communist plot

Art museums are a communist plot

Separation of Church and State is a communist plot

Free speech lawsuits targeting obscenity laws are communist plots

Opposition to HUAC is a communist plot

and allowing Co-existence with the USSR instead of aggressively promoting nuclear war is a communist plot

That basically sums up the JBS ethos that dominates the CrossTalk programme – at least a couple of times a week. They're still obsessed with the Red Scare. They are literally ridiculous people to be pitied.

One need not be a fan of the UN or even psychology to dismiss the 'communist plot' framing of these issues. The Separation of Church and State was a concept around long before Marx ever saw the light of day. In fact, it's a Biblical concept and I will happily argue this any time day or night Bible in hand.

Free speech lawsuits are problematic – as is the entire US constitutional-legal system. And while I would never say someone has the 'right' to be obscene it's not the task of the Church to police them.

McCarthy was a corrupt drunk and degenerate buffoon and it was right for him to be taken down and for HUAC to be dismantled. The Birchers on CrossTalk lament this suggesting the communists have (since the 1950's) been given free reign – only demonstrating their impoverished understanding of this society and what has led to its degeneration and collapse, let alone the significant part they themselves have played in its course. The US is a wicked empire but it's not communist – not by a long shot. These people are simply delusional and in terms of the Church, they're dangerous.

And as far as their war policies – God be praised their hands were stayed and the likes of Curtis LeMay and Barry Goldwater were sidelined. And what judgment that professed Christians fall into this rot! Interestingly a case could be made that a figure like Skousen paved the way for figures like Glenn Beck. The JBS has functioned in some capacity as a platform for the Right-wing ecumenical movement bringing together Fundamentalists, Evangelicals, Roman Catholics, and Mormons.

I also detected some reticence when the callers 'called out' The Naked Communist. CrossTalk regularly hosts JBS-affiliated people and more or less acts as an arm of the organisation but they don't like to call attention to that. I laughed when I heard the callers knowing that people were running to Google and would soon be on the trail of Skousen, his ridiculous book, and the JBS. I hope and pray that some listeners were put off by it and will turn off this unfortunate and dare I say wicked programme and refuse to listen to its lies and distortions regarding the Kingdom of Christ. They have their kingdom. I hope it proves sufficient for them in that day for only then will they understand their idolatry and their seething hatred for the Risen King who reigns over Zion – and I certainly am not speaking about the fascist state in the Middle East that they slavishly support even to the point of blessing its evils.