A Sordid Tale of Ecumenism and Apostasy: American Christianity and Memorial Day

I happened to catch Paul Batura from Focus on the Family being interviewed in reference to Memorial Day and he insisted that the whole 'Christian Nationalism' charge and scandal was a farce. He knew of no serious Christians who would own that label - which is completely untrue. Russell Vought and many others immediately come to mind. They embrace it and are proud of it.

Further he argued that no Christian Patriot (sic) would confuse their allegiances or put anything other than God first.

This is also a lie - or at least misleading as most Christians of this ilk so confuse the two issues (idealism and identities) that it's not a matter of putting one above the other. They are effectively one and the same - at least in practice. From a Christian standpoint this divided loyalty is syncretism and idolatry and this is why people like Focus on the Family representative are false teachers and is himself in danger of losing his way - by which I mean not just some 'reward' (as Evangelicals reckon it) but his very salvation. The New Testament is replete with warnings against this very thing.

Batura encouraged Christians to stop and remember the sacrifices of those who died that we can be free - another lie. I won't dwell on all the pronoun confusion as it's something I often touch on.

But you can't even make a case that anyone who died in these modern wars did so for the freedom of Americans. I would push that further and argue the same with regard to World War II and beyond. I condemn all condoning of war or supposed Christian justifications for war. It's all rooted in bad hermeneutics and heresy.

Batura wants parents to teach their children about these sacrifices and this history. I can assure him I did so. I taught my children about the lies that justify these wars and paper over the Wall Street schemes and political motives that undergirded them. I taught them about how American soldiers died for nothing or more often than not died as criminals - receiving the just penalty for being part of invasion forces that were slaughtering civilians. They learned the meaning of New Testament ethics and teachings - such as what happens to those who take up the sword and the false teachers who promote myths, lies, and distort the faith.

When visiting the monuments (in places like Washington DC), we reflected on the thousands who died and how the memorials cover up the nature of the wars and ignore the millions who have died at American hands - the genocides committed by the United States in places like Iraq, Korea, and Indochina.

To the Focus on the Family mouthpiece I would say this - I could swear allegiance to the Pope, pray to Mary, or kiss icons, and while you may not condone it, my Christianity would be affirmed if I were a good nationalist American. I can scream out babblish sounds and roll around the floor during a Pentecostal service and receive the same verdict. I can work in the finance sector and exploit and rip off millions of people, but still be a good Christian. I can be a rapist, adulterer, criminal, and murderer, and yet as president I can receive praise from such Christians and they will speak of how I am a blessing to them and the Church.

But if I say, I reject American ideals and values and I will not celebrate its soldiers who are baby-killing murderers and genocides and if I say such views are informed by my strict and fervent adherence to New Testament Christianity - then most certainly my profession would be rejected and I would be labeled a false Christian. Does anyone doubt what I say?

Their ecumenical Christianity is based on a common allegiance to America and its mammon-empire. It is not rooted in Christ but bestial allegiance.

This is the state of American Christianity. It is functionally apostate and no day testifies more to that reality than Memorial Day or the increasingly compromised and syncretist testimony of para-church outlets such as Focus on the Family.