MWUTT 4: Exploring Christian Nationalism

Uh, welcome to Men Who Understood the Times. I am Pastor Michael Zarling, and we have Pastor Andy Miller and Josh Nelson. And, uh, today we're gonna be talking about the topic of Christian nationalism, and we're just gonna be doing a surface level discussion on this. Uh, I'm gonna encourage anyone, if you have questions or comments, to direct them to me, 'cause we're hoping then to do, uh, another episode or episodes on this topic. And again, you know, we are, uh, looking at men who understood the times. That's, uh, a biblical Bible verse of, uh, for us, saying, well, we don't really understand the times. That's what the whole topic of this is all about, is the three of us getting together with our Bibles and with each other, and with our drinks, to just discuss these things. So what are you drinking, Josh?

I have a, uh, a local IPA from, uh, Lakefront Brewery here.

All right. Andy, what do you got?

So I, I have a little bit of a gluten allergy thing going, so I always do things that are safe for me. I'm just going highball again, which is ginger ale and brandy.

So we got back, uh, we just went and did some hiking out in Wyoming. I, I teased these guys. Uh, I don't know if you guys understood the tease. I said, "Oh, I'm r- I'm running a l- little late because of Wyoming traffic." There is no such thing as Wyoming traffic, unless the freeways are shut down because of wind or snow. But, uh, the, my wife lovingly made me a margarita, uh, before we eat dinner tonight, so. Uh, and again, a disclaimer, we're not talking for our churches or our school or a church by... We're just three guys that care about what's going on in our culture and society, government, laws, uh, everything having to do with Christianity and trying to apply God's word to these things. So we're gonna be talking about Christian nationalism, and I think it's important for us to define this. So do you guys know who Dana White is?

Mm-hmm.

Yeah, yeah. So he, he has the head of UFC, Ultimate Fighting. I saw an interview with him this week where someone was talking to him and said, uh, about masculinity, and then the reporter asked Dana, "Well, what do you think about toxic masculinity?" And Dana just laughed, and he said, "What's, what's your definition of toxic masculinity?" And the reporter said, "I don't know. What's your definition?" And Dana said, "No, you- ... asked me the question. You define it."

Wow.

And then just blew it off. And he went on to say, "I don't think there is anything toxic about masculinity. How can you be too masculine?" But I bring that up at... so that it's important that when people are calling other people Christian nationalists, it's just a term. It, it's just usually trying to shut down a conversation, like calling someone a racist, homophobic, misogynist, so forth.

A fascist.