“Better act now and not later” seems to be the warning given by Isaiah. If not, then the LORD may not be found for the LORD may not be near. That’s a bit foreboding and a stark warning for the wicked and scoundrels who need mercy and forgiveness. Unfortunately, too many wicked scoundrels are too preoccupied with their thoughts and actions to give any care to the LORD’s thoughts. Hence, our nation’s dilemma shared by many nations throughout the world.
Fascist thinking is far from the Lord’s thoughts. Fascists can be identified by: (1) their hate of the “other;” (2) vengeful nationalism; and (3) repression of dissent. Fascism involves rejection of democracy in favor of a strongman or leader as the embodiment of society and the voice of the people. It involves stoking rage – resentment and anger – against presumed cultural elites for supposedly displacing regular people. Fascist leaders rile up their followers to seek revenge on the elites.
Fascists create mass political parties and demand participation. They encourage violence. They promote nationalism based on “superior” race, religion, and historic bloodlines. Fascists believe the state is a means of establishing that superiority. Fascists worry about disloyalty and replacement by groups that don’t share the same race or bloodlines. They encourage their followers to scapegoat, expel, and sometimes even kill such “others.”
Fascists extol brute strength and heroic warriors. Strength comes in the form of large standing armies that can enforce their rule. They seek power to wield power. They seek state power to achieve their ostensible goal, achieving their vision of society. Fascism accomplishes this by rewarding those who win economically and physically and denigrating or even exterminating those who lose. Fascism depends on organized bullying – a form of Social Darwinism. War and violence are a means of strengthening society by culling the weak and glorifying heroic warriors.
Fascist distain women and LGBTQ+ people. Fascism’s idea of order is organized around a particular hierarchy of male dominance. The fascist “heroic warrior” is male. Women are relegated to subservient roles. Anything that challenges traditional heroic male roles of protector, provider, and controller of the family is considered a threat to the social order. Fascists seek to eliminate homosexuals, nonbinary, transgender, and queer people because they are thought to challenge or weaken the heroic male warrior.
Rejection of democracy in favor of a strongman depends on galvanizing popular rage. Popular rage draws on nationalism based on a supposed superior race or ethnicity justified by a Social Darwinist idea of strength and violence as exemplified by heroic warriors. Strength, violence, and the heroic warrior are centered on male power. [preceding is Robert Reich’s definition of fascism].
Does any of the aforementioned ring a bell for us Christians in need of soul-searching about white Christian nationalism so prominent in our nation and Christian churches? The alarm is blaring.
Do we give up? For us to “exit stage right” seems to be the message of our second reading, unless we decide to conduct ourselves in a way worthy of the gospel of Christ.
Brothers and sisters: Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me life is Christ, and death is gain. If I go on living in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. And I do not know which I shall choose. I am caught between the two. I long to depart this life and be with Christ, for that is far better. Yet that I remain in the flesh is more necessary for your benefit. Only, conduct yourselves in a way worthy of the gospel of Christ. (Philemon 1:20-24, 27)
Do we “long to depart this life and be with Christ?” Let’s hope not. We must “remain in the flesh” and conduct ourselves in a way worthy of the gospel of Christ. To make ourselves worthy, we must reject fascism promoted by the wicked and scoundrels. The LORD’s thoughts must be our thoughts.
Deacon David Pierce
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