Evangelical Christians in America have for decades been crying “Persecution!” whenever they don’t get their way in the political sphere or in waging their perpetual culture wars against anything and anyone they don’t like. For these Christians anything that doesn’t amount Christian supremacy in all spheres is persecution. It’s a cry that has long rang hollow for anyone actually paying attention. (1) No one is telling them that they cannot attend church services where hatred, xenophobia, racism, and anti-LGBTQIA bigotry are preached from the pulpit. Doug Wilson’s church has not been raided by the FBI or DHS for promoting marital rape. Greg Locke’s church has not been shut down for preaching hate from the pulpit. Joel Webbon’s church has not been targeted for preaching white supremacy. Their religious freedom has no way been infringed upon. They all, and others like them, continue to spread false teachings without government overreach.

Meanwhile, the Trance Regime has recently put out an Orwellian memo from the Predator in Chief entitled “Countering Domestic Terrorism and Organized Political Violence.” In this heinous document, the regime states that those engaging in this ostensible violence often have antifascist, anti-capitalist, or anti-Christian views. This is a brazen attempt to label anyone who disagrees with this fascist regime as a domestic terrorist so they can target the majority of Americans and silence dissent. Thus far, it has not worked as Americans continue to take to the streets in opposition of the authoritarianism driven by Stephen Miller, Kristi Noem, Tom Homan, Russel Vought, and the Predator in Chief.

With these fascist clowns many of the accusations are actually confessions. DHS goon squads have been targeting immigrants without regard to their legal status simply for being immigrants. Many of those immigrants are Christians who are being persecuted by the white supremacists in the regime. Trump and his administration claimed that they were going to target the worst criminals who they claim are here illegally, but they are traumatizing children, their families, and communities while covering up for a career criminal who admitted on tape to being a sexual predator. The bullies who cover their faces are also targeting ministers who are protesting their illegal and immoral actions. A judge has deemed that shooting these religious dissenters with pepper spray is unlawful, but I doubt they will heed the judge’s order.

All of these raids and kidnappings are by definition violent domestic terrorism. All of them are wildly unchristian. ICE is targeting people who Jesus called “the least of these” while Noem and Leavitt profane the name of God with their performative public prayers. Far too many self-proclaimed Christians in Congress are either silent or support what the regime is doing. Mike Johnson claims to believe what the Bible says, but ignores the teachings of Jesus repeatedly, while doing everything in his power to cover up the Epstein files. Far from being the “new Moses,” Johnson is precisely the type of religious hypocrite Jesus preached against.

Christians who still support this fascist, white supremacist regime, are being willfully obtuse while ignoring biblical teachings about how to treat our fellow human beings. There is nothing Christlike about the MAGA movement or those who are behind it. It’s all about gaining power through violence, amassing wealth, propping up systems of oppression, retribution, maliciously lying to the public, and self aggrandizement. What part of Trump’s regime looks like Matthew 7:12 being enacted? What part looks like Luke 4:16-22 or Romans 13:8-10? None of it does, and if y’all can’t get the very basics of Christian teachings correct, then perhaps you should stop calling yourselves Christians altogether.

My prayer is that those leading the Trance Regime and those who are carrying out its orders and causing great harm will be held fully accountable. They are violating the Constitution, engaging in human rights abuses, and creating trauma for untold numbers of people. They are engaging in massive financial corruption and continue to cover up the horrific actions of Epstein and his accomplices. They continue to blaspheme in Jesus’ name by forcing Christian nationalism onto the nation in blatant disregard of both the First Amendment and Jesus’ teachings about the kingdom of God. May all people of faith reject and repudiate the regime. May justice come swiftly to Trump and his minions and may healing come for all of those they have harmed.

(1) See my essay “Christian Persecution in America?” in Theological Musings Volume 1.