Recently, Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) appeared in an interview with Church Militant, a fringey, right-wing Christian “news” organization that has featured interviews with the likes of Steve Bannon, and Milo Yiannopoulos. In the interview, Greene rehashed her usual complaints, describing herself as a victim of January 6, suggesting that Satan is controlling the Catholic Church, and purporting that the US is so sinful she doesn’t understand “why God hasn’t destroyed us.” Church Militant regularly broadcasts anti-LGBTQ+, anti-choice, anti-feminist, anti-muslim, and anti-climate change material on both its website and through social media outlets. The religious non-profit’s founder, Michael Voris, has compared Former President Trump with the Roman Emperor Constantine who ended the persecution of Christians and elevated Catholicism to the empire’s official religion in the first century AD.
Voris’ likening of Trump to Constantine as a champion of Christianity is obviously absurd but methinks it’s not about Christianity at all, it’s about something else.
The first Century emperor certainly had the power and authority to adopt Christianity as the official religion of the Roman Empire, however, some historians think that his strategy for promoting the young religion was purely a political power move. In reality, the emperor played both sides: He refrained from destroying pagan temples and persecuting worshippers of the old gods, while at the same time decriminalizing Christianity via the Edict of Milan.
Constantine probably realized that doing things to help Christians, by then a substantial minority within the empire, would help him politically. Scholars debate whether or not Constantine was a devout Christian, but we do know he was a canny politician.
I doubt very much that the Majorie Taylor Greene’s and the Michael Voris’s of the world are true Christians. After all, isn’t the primary message of Christianity the Gospel of Christ which in turn is a message of empathy and loving your neighbor as thyself?
The irony is obvious in the case of militant right-wing Christian groups who wish to seek the death penalty for women who have abortions. Last March, a Texas bill was proposed that would instill the death penalty for women who receive abortions. State Representative Bryan Slaton, is the author of the bill which would target women who receive an abortion to be charged with assault or homicide (which carries a death sentence in Texas). Slayton describes himself as a “bold and brave Christian Conservative.”
Doesn’t seem very “pro-life” to me. Sounds more like holy hate.
Then there is the homo-phobic and “satanic panic” over “groomers” and LGBTQ youth. The recent passage of the “Don’t Say Gay” law in Florida, and a wave of other transphobic and homophobic bills emerging throughout the nation are fueling conspiracy theories of satanic LBGTQ pedophiles turning children into homosexuals and sexually abusing them.
Many Christians point out that the Bible condemns homosexuality, but let’s be real people. The Bible treats cases of rape more like a traffic violation than a crime. For example, Deuteronomy 22:28–29: “If a man happens to meet a virgin who is not pledged to be married and rapes her and they are discovered, he shall pay her father fifty shekels of silver. He must marry the young woman, for he has violated her. He can never divorce her as long as he lives.”
There are many more examples of antiquated laws and rules in the Bible, so let’s not pretend that these rules are either just or humane.
The fact is that anti-abortion proponent, white supremacists, and Christian militia extremists use religious concepts and biblical scripture to justify violence, threats, and criminal activity against groups who do not adhere to their view of “humanity.” Marjorie Taylor Greene and Voris exploit Christianity to recruit, radicalize and mobilize their supporters toward violence and terrorism.
Michael Voris is wrong. Although Constantine was a canny politician and adeptly “played both sides” to strengthen his political position, Trump was neither a canny politician nor a beacon for Christianity. Unfortunately, his legacy has created a Pandora’s Box of hate and division.