Thread by @sullivanamy

A word, please. I'm getting into activism after two decades in journalism in large part because of the kind of NONSENSE being preached right now by those who think radical measures to save lives aren't worth the impact of shutting down the economy for a few more weeks. /1

Now, I grew up Baptist--like sword drill champion, Pioneer-Girl-Because-Girl-Scouts-Are-Too-Secular, JESUS PUPPET CAMP Baptist. I'm still Baptist. And one thing I have heard my entire life is that we need to be "in the world but not of the world." Don't be secular. /2

For all of my adult life, I have also heard that many of the things I care about--simply because they are shared by progressives outside the church--are secular.

Racial justice? Secular. Women's rights? Secular. Concern for refugees and immigrants? Secular. /3

Meanwhile, conservative Christians get to define their beliefs and priorities as holy and righteous. In fact, a position can be righteous simply because progressives oppose it.

Tree huggers yelling about climate change? Climate change denial becomes holy. /4

Because I know how it feels to have my faith judged as inauthentic and insufficient because of my views, I've taken the agree-to-disagree route for a long time.

That's over. /5

You know what's a worldly value? Idolizing individualism at the expense of the common good. Valuing oil and gas companies more than God's creation. Putting price tags on the worth of God's children. Supporting unfettered access to guns in the name of freedom. /6

Those aren’t biblical values, they’re not gospel values—they are secular, worldly values. Conservative Christians who make up the president’s court but dare not protest when he bears false witness day after month after year—they are secular, they are worldly. /7

Not today, Satan.

You can dismiss cries of concern in the midst of this pandemic as “irresponsible sentimentalism,” but you do not get to claim that as a righteous position.

You can deride protective measures as mere virtue signaling, but that does not make you holy. /8

I am done with this perversion of the gospel I follow. It has taken lives & it has destroyed Christian witness for too long. Time’s up.

There are lots of ways to reclaim the faith. I’ll be working with @VoteCommon this year & building a women-centered movement. Join me? /9x