Overview:
This episode examines how Christian Nationalists have reimagined God in the image of authoritarian masculinity — jealous, vengeful, controlling — and how that reshaping justifies the use of violence, cruelty, and domination in God's name.
We explore how this version of God functions not to heal or uplift, but to reinforce power hierarchies and control people through fear. From war to child poverty to the treatment of the marginalized, we unpack how theology becomes a tool for moral justification of systemic harm.
In This Episode:
The shift from a God of justice and mercy to a God of retribution
How vengeance is spiritualized and weaponized
The theological roots of inequality, control, and punishment
The emotional manipulation embedded in fear-based faith
Why the God they serve looks more like them than the Christ they quote
Key Concepts Covered:
Projection of power: creating a God who blesses domination
Religious trauma and spiritual gaslighting
Emotional loyalty tests in authoritarian theology
The moral danger of aligning faith with vengeance and exclusion
Featured Frameworks:
THX Admiration Equation: Why awe without goodness leads to fear, not flourishing
Prospect Theory: Moral justification for the harm of others to protect perceived status
PERMAH: Flourishing denied in the name of obedience
12 Utilities: How fairness, freedom, and dignity are theologically withheld
Memorable Quote:
“They didn’t find God in the text — they built a god to look like themselves, and then demanded we worship him.”
Reflection Prompt:
Who shaped the earliest version of God you were taught to believe in?
How has your image of God changed as you’ve changed?
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