Whenever there's a national tragedy, a natural disaster or something that affects a lot of white people, right-wing zealots always cite one particular bible
2 Chronicles 7:14
To them, it is a warning from God. But throughout history, it's become a weapon of hate.
A thread
If you are an evangelical Christian, a Republican or attend a church where the drummer doesn't use a sweatrag, you've DEFINITELY heard this 2 Chronicles 7:14
They literally believe its a biblical directive for us to Make America Great Again
christianindex.org/stories/2-chro…
To be fair, I've never been to a church whose shouting music doesn't have a bassline. So how do I know?
Well, the Southern Baptist Convention kicked out the president of their political arm because he was critical of pastors who supported Trump.
That wasn't his worst offense.
During Trump's original presidential run, right before the GOP primaries, Russell Moore wrote an op-ed in the Washington Post>
In the article he exposed the myth that 2 Chronicles 7:14 had nothing to do with "taking America back"
The article's title?
washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-f…
If you recall, news outlets made a big deal when Mike Pence took the oath of office on Ronald Reagan's old Bible during the Trump inauguration.
Pence insisted on putting his hand on the same PAGE and the SAME scripture as Reagan did when he was inaugurated.
Guess which one:
It's so important that one scholar called it "The John 3:16 of American civil religion"
To be fair, it's just white evangelicals' version of a similar scripture in Galatians that Black people love:
"He that shall fucketh around shalt also find out."*
*Real Negus Translation
And this is not a new thing. It's been used throughout history.
Dr. Samuel Cartwright used 2 Chronicle 7:14 when he coined the phrase "Drapetomania" to describe the mental illness that made Black people want to be free. It explained why Black people were "eternal knee benders"
It has been used to explain everything from pandemics was good to why God was a Confederate.
No, seriously:
In 1793, a yellow fever broke out in Philadelphia. Some blamed the pandemic on abolitionists & free Black people
In 1780, Pennsylvania passed a gradual emancipation act
Then in 1790, Philly became the US capitol.
Then in 1793, Black Haitians organized the largest slave revolt in the history of the world. Many of those French slave owners brought their slaves to Philly. Plus, the free African society, who joined with Quakers to build schools
When the pandemic broke out, white preachers blamed it on the heinous act of abolition.
One slave-owning Virginian refused to leave his slaves home when he moved to Philly to work for the government. He used 2 Chronicles 7:14 to explain why God visited his wrath on the city.
Some high-level government employee named George Washington
If you think that was bad, 2 Chronicles 7:14, is what happened toAbraham Lincoln and the evil Union army after the Civil War.
As soon as the Confederate Army surrendered on April 9, 1865, Confederate Jesus went OFF
A week later Abraham Lincoln was dead. Now, we know a white supremacist killed him. But to Southerners, it was 2 Chronicles payback.
To send Union prisoners of war home, Confederates loaded 1,800 POWs on a steamship on April 27.
It exploded.
sharetngov.tnsosfiles.com/tsla/exhibits/…
The Sultana disaster is STILL the deadliest maritime disaster in US history, worse than the Titanic. It is one of the deadliest FIRES in history.
Today, we know it was caused by faulty boilers. But back then, it was proof that the Confederates were right.
2 Chronicles.
2 Chronicles is STILL used to open civil war reenactments and explain disasters and mass shootings. It is literally what they mean by "thoughts and prayers"
Segregationists used it.
The pro-life movement cites it ALL the time
So do anti-Trans and anti-LGBTQ groups.
And most of all, Conservative Evangelical Republicans use it to explain why a civil war is coming.
My favorite use of 2 Chronicles is when a preacher who apparently never read a history book in his life explained by BLM is satanic
And of course, it explains why God cursed America with Joe Biden
It has been weaponized for centuries and will be weaponized more in the upcoming election.
And since it is a Bible verse and "America is a Christian nation," many people think there's nothing wrong with it.
But what if one state REALLY leaned in on 2 Chronicles 2:14?
How?
How could conservatives use a bible verse to swing an election?
Well, what if the entire election hinged on 1 swing state? And what if conservatives were in charge of that state? And what if they used local governments & a familiar Bible verse to create an army of MAGA voters?
Anyway, this Saturday, every county courthouse in the entire state of Georgia will be open to welcome Jesus-loving Christian citizens in to read the Bible
Why?
According to an article I came across in a local paper today...
2 Chronicles 7:14 explains it all
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