Rev. Benjamin Cremer

Serbia took a stand against Christian nationalism. Brazil took a stand against Christian nationalism. Hungary took a stand against Christian nationalism. America, it's our turn.

They will say “vote biblically!” but when you vote for welcoming the immigrant, helping the poor, feeding the hungry, bringing healthcare to the sick, forgiving debts, caring for our planet, laying down our swords, and loving all our neighbors, they will call you a Marxist.

It is the height of arrogance to live in the United States with over 200 different sects of Christianity, all with their own unique theology, yet insist that only your sect gets the authority to speak, not only for all Christians, but for all people in our country as well.

When politicians say “thoughts and prayers” after every mass shooting. “If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?” -James 2:16

We don’t want flying cars or folding iPhones or data centers. We want an end to mass shootings, healthcare, free and fair elections, and our planet and people to be cared for.

Read full article here: benjaminrcremer.substack.com/p/they-shout...

The same people warning about “sharia law” are the ones demanding live streamed executions, book bans, baring journalists from the White House, eroding women’s rights, rounding up people in our streets, and legislating the Bible in schools, all in the name of “Christianity.”

The season of Advent begins on November 29th this year. If you are looking for a daily devotional, I recently wrote one, especially devoted to the context we find ourselves in today. You can read more about it here: benjamin-cremer.kit.com/products/sol...

Read my latest article here: benjamin-cremer.kit.com/posts/we-fol...

My newsletter tomorrow is called, “We Follow The Crucified, Not The Crucifier.” In it, I invite us to reflect on public capital punishment in both Jesus’ context and the early church in light of Hegseth’s desire to live stream an execution. Join here: benjamin-cremer.kit.com/profile

Imagine claiming to follow Jesus who was publicly executed and then glorifying public executions by wanting to live stream them.

In the same week, the “pro life” party jokes about American cities being bombed and says it wants to live stream executions.

The Theatre of Punishment: when authoritarian states rely on the expressive, visible power of "shock punishment" to project absolute dominance when their political legitimacy feels threatened.

If you are feeling hopeless and overwhelmed right now, please know that not only did the enormous political propaganda machine not work on you, but you are the exact kind of person we need to engage, raise your voice, vote, and speak truth to power. We need you. Do not give up.

It is a broken society that is suspicious of the poor and the immigrant possibly exploiting the system to have more than they need all while the rich and powerful are encouraged to exploit and hoard as much as they like. It is a broken Christianity that endorses such a society.

Using religion as a justification for killing people is religious terrorism, no matter if it’s ISIS, the Israeli government, or the U.S. government. It’s religious terrorism.

You can read my most recent article here: benjaminrcremer.substack.com/p/hegseth-an...

If our Christianity causes kids to go hungry, the sick to go without healthcare, the immigrant to be unwelcome, the needy to be called "parasites," all while billionaires get richer, we've completely disregarded the most basic elements of Jesus' teachings.

If you want other human beings to be treated in a way that you’d refuse to be treated, then I’m not interested in hearing about your religious beliefs. You’ve already told me what they are by wanting other human beings to be treated in a way that you’d refuse to be treated.

If you are overwhelmed by all the cruelty and tempted into hopelessness, you are a good person and on the right side of history. Those in power want nothing more than to steal your hope and drive you into apathy. Keeping your empathy and hope alive is an act of resistance.

Those who ban the press and start state run media are never the good guys in history.

Beware of any Christian movement that demands the government be an instrument of God's wrath but never a source of God's mercy, generosity, or compassion.

It is such a weak and fragile god who needs a political party, a president, a Supreme Court, and a nation to defend them and fight their battles for them. God does not need your defense. The poor, the hungry, the sick, the disabled, the children, the immigrant, and the powerless do.

This is Christian extremism. If a radical Muslim military leader was doing this in another country, using the Quran to stoke commitment to a holy war among young recruits, the condemnation from American Christians would be swift and severe. The hypocrisy is astounding.

My newsletter tomorrow is called “Getting Furious About Compassion.” In it, I invite us to look at Jonah 3:10—4:11 and how it is a satirical rebuke of nationalistic and religious bigotry, both for the ancient world and ours today. Join here: benjamin-cremer.kit.com/profile/posts

Nothing Hamas has done justifies a genocide. Nothing justifies a genocide.

If you are using God to justify supporting things that would make you cry out to God in agony for help if it was being done to you, you are not worshiping God. You are worshiping cruelty and calling it “God.”

One of the greatest deceptions of our time is the false narrative that tells us we should be more concerned about an immigrant being here illegally and misusing social services than we are about the ultra wealthy threatening our entire existence just to become wealthier.

Religious nationalism looks like seeing a person from another country with their nation's flag, holding their religion's scriptures, and a gun and calling them a terrorist, yet when you turn and see a person from your own religion and country doing the exact same thing, you call them a patriot.

Our greatest enemy is the belief that this world is filled with enemies to be conquered rather than filled with neighbors to be loved.

It is a broken Christianity that desperately looks for Jesus returning in the clouds but refuses to recognize him in the faces of the poor, the sick, the homeless, the immigrant, the bombed, the starving, the marginalized, and the oppressed.

My newsletter tomorrow is called “An Invitation to Grieve.” In it, we walk through processing our individual grief over the current religious and political realities today and seek encouragement and solidarity together. Join here: benjamin-cremer.kit.com/profile?

When you worship power, compassion and mercy will look like sins. When you worship power, harsh treatment towards those you see as "enemies" will look like righteous strength. When you worship power, the value and dignity of others is solely measured by their conformity to you.

Imagine claiming your god is behind powerful and wealthy people stripping food assistance, healthcare, USAID, environmental protections, food protections, terrorizing immigrants, and senseless wars, then getting so offended when people reject your god.

Read my latest article here: open.substack.com/pub/benjamin...

Please pray for my community here in Idaho, especially Twin Falls and the families of those who were killed and injured in the mass shooting. Please speak out for common sense gun reform so that we don’t have to keep living through perpetual gun violence like this. Lord, have mercy.

My next newsletter "Resenting Generosity" is coming tomorrow. In it, I reflect on the Jesus’ parable of the vineyard workers and how it challenges the grumbling we often hear from within Christianity when others, like immigrants, are shown generosity. Join here: benjamin-cremer.kit.com/profile

We are living in a time where many Christians are more offended by someone saying that the government should help feed and clothe children than they are about the government bombing and starving children all while claiming to be a “Christian nation.”

"I was hungry" and you cut SNAP. "I was thirsty" and you cut funding to ensure clean water. "I was sick" and you cut medicaid. "I was a stranger" and you deported me. "I was in prison" and you exploited me for cheap labor. "Whatever you do to the least of these, you do unto me."-Jesus

We are living in a time when advocating for children to not be starved and bombed is more controversial than starving and bombing children.

When you worship power, compassion will look like a sin.