Thread by @r_diamond

So here's the thing. I've spent since 2015 talking to my MAGA friends and family, trying to initiate dialogue about how 45's whole ethos is the opposite of what they say they stand for as #Christian #evangelicals and #fundamentalists. (A thread.)

What they *say* they believe - love for humankind, protection of the most vulnerable, honouring marriage, intact family units - is so very clearly NOT what this administration stands for.

I've lost touch with many of these people because I won't shut up in the face of what they are endorsing. I've tried appealing to their better natures, discussing spiritual ramifications, trying to build bridges. Trying to understand them.

I've spent a long time saying things like "I grew up in your versions of Christianity. I know what you are supposed to believe. I don't understand HOW you can be ok with this." and "Explain to me again how this is what Jesus would do?"

When all is said and done, though, they really believe it is ok because they really believe in a god that is just waiting around for a chance to send people to eternal torment for not saying the right words or getting baptized the right way.

When you hold to a duality that says that Jesus loves everyone and died to save them all, and yet Jesus is coming back as an avenging warrior to throw all those "others" in hell forever and ever and ever because they did something wrong...how are kids in cages any different?

When you believe that Jesus will oversee tossing millions of God's children into the fire, as he says "You should have got in line the right way"...well, that's how you can look at kids dying in custody and blame them for their own deaths.

If you believe in hell as a place of eternal fire and unbearable pain, if you believe in scaring people into 'salvation' by describing the torments and passing around that tape from Siberia (all y'all know what I mean) then there's no reason to not be ok with 45.

If your god is all-loving and compassionate and also deliberately created a hell and will send people there even though it hurts him worse than it hurts you and that's ok because *they deserved it* then ripping families apart and threatening LGBTQIA folx is fine.

So when it comes to the masses of MAGAgelicals, the torture is a feature, not a bug. That's how they are alright with it.
And that's where I'm at a loss to help them. How can they deconstruct from it all when their theology is their politics is their theology?

As someone who left Christianity because of that theology (and reclaimed my Jewish heritage), I know they see me as one of those destined for the flames, and their hearts and minds are closed to my words even as they "pray for my soul".

The irony is, of course, that I've found so many people living out what was ascribed to Jesus - feeding, clothing, helping, healing - in liberal Judaism. Among my friends in atheism. In paganism. In earth religions and Native religions.

Right now my biggest challenge is figuring out how to remind these radicalized right-wing Christians that Grace is for them,too. It's hard when their entire theology revolves around their belief that the way is hard,narrow, and painful,and so they act out that pain on innocents.

I don't know how I grew up in that and yet didn't take the fear and hatred inside me. But I can tell you, as someone who spent the better part of 3 decades around them and with them-the fear and hatred is real, and is as much a sacrament as Communion. cc: @C_Stroop #exvangelical