it's no secret that America has become a divided nation. In this nation of us versus them, the war is being fought with words. We know how we got here and it has been happening throughout history. But the rhetoric and language of the former president stoked the fires of division with name calling and lies designed to whip his base of followers into an almost religious frenzy. This was the cause of January sixth, a date that will go down in infamy. The insurrectionists, their co-conspirators, and sympathizers have highjacked and claimed much for themselves. But I take issue when they bastardize the meanings of the words patriot and Christian.
As a Black woman who came of age just after the time of the Civil Rights movement in the United States of America, I have never really considered myself as very patriotic. I'll admit that for years I only grudgingly recited the Pledge of Allegiance. Pledging allegiance to the flag of a nation that did not live up to its promise of liberty and justice for all seemed wrong. And I'll admit that I am still conflicted about it.
Even with my doubts, I am a patriot. I know that patriot is a person who vigorously supports their country and is prepared to defend it against enemies and detractors. I realized that my father and one of my uncles were patriots as they served in the military during WWII. I remembered that many of my cousins and friends are either currently serving or have formerly served in every branch of the military ever since. The insurrectionists were attempting to tear down our system of government and destroy our democracy. They call themselves patriots but they are actually thugs and common criminals.
When it comes to the word Christian, there is no equivocation here. I am a Christian not because I believe in Jesus Christ, but because I am a follower of Jesus Christ. A simple test of faith is to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ; and the Gospels are a great place to start. One of my favorite passages of scripture is the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats found in Matthew 25:31-46. In this passage Jesus reminds all of us that the way we treat others, especially those with the least amount of resources, is how we treat him. That simple story is so clear and yet so many so called evangelical Christians would rather place their faith and allegiance to political party and policies then in Jesus Christ. These hypocrites are teaching a false faith of conservatism and trumpism, rather than Christianity.
So why discuss this now? The insurrection was two months ago. This is important now, because I have recently heard two different people relinquish these words to the forces of darkness. The first person was a Black capitol police officer who tried to fight back against the lawless hoards who stormed the U. S. Capitol. He painfully recounted the events of the day in a television interview and concluded by saying that he would never consider himself a patriot if the roaming pack of thugs considered themselves patriots. The second person was a young white woman on TikTok. She said that even though she was a follower of Jesus Christ, she could no longer call herself a Christian. She was basing this on the behavior of others who called themselves Christians, but behaved in ways that are totally contrary to the teachings of Jesus.
I'm pretty sure that these are not the only two that have been so disgusted by the words and behavior of others. But we cannot allow them to steal what we hold dear. We know the real meanings of patriot and Christian. It's time for us to stand up and take it back from those who misuse them. I refuse to allow anyone to redefine or define who I am and what I believe. When we allow this to happen we give them too much power over something so precious as the way we define ourselves. Let's reclaim our voices by reclaiming our words! I do not support the the beliefs, actions, and rhetoric of the insurrectionists and those who support them. Yet, I am a patriot and I am a Christian.