Oh Holly! What a gift you have with words. I couldn’t even begin to express my rage, confusion, hurt… but you did. Thank you. You’re the best. I feel better knowing I’m in the trench with you! God be with us all.
Holly, thank you for brilliantly naming what the Christian nationalists have willfully and gleefully achieved in dismantling freedom and justice and in the demonization of everyone who does not fit the demography of their unholy alliance. I share your rage and am grateful that you had the courage to share it with us.
Thank you Holly for helping me get a little closer to being able to connect with the proper anger.
I intentionally avoided all the election outcomes before bed last night, thinking maybe I would get one last night of "normal" and hopefully wake up to good news and cause to celebrate. I didn't. It was like my subconscious was already attuned to the collective malaise going on with everyone else of good heart.
After seeing the result, I felt such a weight on my chest. Deep despair. Grief at the loss of any hope for a future that is any better than today, at least for a very long time.
I am deeply sad and disappointed to live in a country filled with this much apathy, stupidity, ignorance, racism, misogyny. To live under systems so intentionally meant to make progress the hardest thing in the world, & to know Trump is now in a position to dismantle what little progress we've managed to eke out despite those systems.
I know in the end, anger will be the most useful emotion. The thing that powers us through to survive and protect others and persevere in the face of the chaos and stupidity and hatred to come.
But today I am going to grieve for the lost ideals of the nation we never truly managed to have, & for the future that might have been... if we could have been collectively wiser as a people & had the courage to even believe such a thing was possible through positive action, rather than zero sum reductionist bullshit reasoning.
I'm here to say that this morning I am reflecting on it all, and remembering that God was born from the belly of a fearless woman who ran for her life more than once. God was born out of the belly of a woman who likely would have been stoned to death unless she had somewhere to hide in the hills. And God was born vulnerable within the shadow of a death loving empire. And that the first people who were given this news were a group of otherwise unemployable people who had no political or economic agency at all. I wonder in all of this if those of us who have left evangelicalism but who love Jesus are being asked to consider what the cost of discipleship is right now, in a deeply focused and intentional pilgrimage of honoring God in the poor, the refugee, the prisoner, the women who stand firm and proud in their sexuality, and all of the people in the Gospels who recognized Jesus when those who claimed to know him capitulated to power.
Although the white evangelicals deserve much of the blame, so are a large swath of the electorate, be it Hispanic males, young male voters of color, and many others. The mask came down and they beg for more. Just shameful.
100% agree. I've only really internalized how damaging purity culture was to me over the last year or so, and once I did I realized how indistinguishable it was from the porn culture it abhorred.
But thanks for posting this morning. I'm perturbed by the comparative quiet from the Bulwark. I need my internet community. Like STAT. My first patient of the day arrived in tears and two more canceled before 10 AM.
I'm typing this comment at a little before 8PM on a Wednesday night. As you know, I SHOULD be in church right now. I SHOULD be at choir practice. But I just couldn't bring myself to go. I know my deacon is going to be there in his red MAGA hat and he is going to be absolutely jubilant and I just CAN'T. I wonder how many of these "vote the bible, can't support Democrats because they kill babies" pro life Christians noticed that the same states that put Trump in the White House also voted to repeal their abortion laws. It got 57% of the vote in Florida! There's a 60% threshold, but I'm sure that Republicans are seeing this and thinking "Cool. We don't have to pretend to care about that anymore. Because clearly THEY don't. Trump told them he would protect abortion rights and they voted for him anyway. In overwhelming numbers. More than they ever did for Bush, McCain or Romney. So, I guess we're done with this now." I'm taking some time to decide if I need to go find a church that's more aligned with my values. Or just quit going altogether. I could sleep in on Sundays and have several more hours in my week. And I wouldn't have to spend any more time around people that I'm afraid to talk to because if politics come up, I won't be welcome there again.
Take a break. Then try some mainline churches. I love my Methodist church. But I would urge you to leave. vote against this brand of Christianity with your feet.
It's like you're reading my mind. I'm a Canadian and I'm thoroughly horrified, disgusted and grief-stricken. Thanks for reminding me that I have some neighbors with the integrity and courage to tell it like it is.
I AM HEARTBROKEN-- I DON'T RECOGNIZE THIS AMERICA-- BUT THAT IS MY NAIVETE. I DON'T RECOGNIZE THIS "CHRISTIANITY" BECAUSE IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH JESUS OR THE GOSPELS. I FEEL WE ARE LIVING IN A DYSTOPIAN NOVEL, THE KIND WE ALL READ IN HIGH SCHOOL. BUT THIS IS REAL. WHAT'S NEXT?
Thank you for so generously and vividly sharing your thoughts and feelings. So beautifully written it echoes so much of what I’m feeling. I’m a survivor of all types of abuse and an ex-Mormon~ I feel so much of what you describe, both the positive and the negative. Thank you so very much for posting this. Love and positive affirmations to you, for me, for all of us. (Not thoughts & prayers) 💗 ☀️
So much this: "Rage born of the humiliation and self-negating agony that you have once again chosen a rapist over a good-faith woman. It feels like another rape, in my soul, it does. I am violated and eviscerated, shaking and bleeding." Thanks, Holly! How I look forward to a time when politics is boring again and the president doesn't affect every aspect of our day-to-day lives.
Oh Holly! What a gift you have with words. I couldn’t even begin to express my rage, confusion, hurt… but you did. Thank you. You’re the best. I feel better knowing I’m in the trench with you! God be with us all.
Holly, thank you for brilliantly naming what the Christian nationalists have willfully and gleefully achieved in dismantling freedom and justice and in the demonization of everyone who does not fit the demography of their unholy alliance. I share your rage and am grateful that you had the courage to share it with us.
Thank you Holly for helping me get a little closer to being able to connect with the proper anger.
I intentionally avoided all the election outcomes before bed last night, thinking maybe I would get one last night of "normal" and hopefully wake up to good news and cause to celebrate. I didn't. It was like my subconscious was already attuned to the collective malaise going on with everyone else of good heart.
After seeing the result, I felt such a weight on my chest. Deep despair. Grief at the loss of any hope for a future that is any better than today, at least for a very long time.
I am deeply sad and disappointed to live in a country filled with this much apathy, stupidity, ignorance, racism, misogyny. To live under systems so intentionally meant to make progress the hardest thing in the world, & to know Trump is now in a position to dismantle what little progress we've managed to eke out despite those systems.
I know in the end, anger will be the most useful emotion. The thing that powers us through to survive and protect others and persevere in the face of the chaos and stupidity and hatred to come.
But today I am going to grieve for the lost ideals of the nation we never truly managed to have, & for the future that might have been... if we could have been collectively wiser as a people & had the courage to even believe such a thing was possible through positive action, rather than zero sum reductionist bullshit reasoning.
America is very sick. It will be a long time until it gets well.
All of this
I'm here to say that this morning I am reflecting on it all, and remembering that God was born from the belly of a fearless woman who ran for her life more than once. God was born out of the belly of a woman who likely would have been stoned to death unless she had somewhere to hide in the hills. And God was born vulnerable within the shadow of a death loving empire. And that the first people who were given this news were a group of otherwise unemployable people who had no political or economic agency at all. I wonder in all of this if those of us who have left evangelicalism but who love Jesus are being asked to consider what the cost of discipleship is right now, in a deeply focused and intentional pilgrimage of honoring God in the poor, the refugee, the prisoner, the women who stand firm and proud in their sexuality, and all of the people in the Gospels who recognized Jesus when those who claimed to know him capitulated to power.
Although the white evangelicals deserve much of the blame, so are a large swath of the electorate, be it Hispanic males, young male voters of color, and many others. The mask came down and they beg for more. Just shameful.
Hispanics are increasingly evangelical. This theology has infected things well beyond it.
Good point- there is certainly an unholy alliance between evangelicals and secular Trumpers. God helps us!
The glue is misogyny. Purity culture and porn culture are two sides same coin. women exist for men.
100% agree. I've only really internalized how damaging purity culture was to me over the last year or so, and once I did I realized how indistinguishable it was from the porn culture it abhorred.
But thanks for posting this morning. I'm perturbed by the comparative quiet from the Bulwark. I need my internet community. Like STAT. My first patient of the day arrived in tears and two more canceled before 10 AM.
They are taking a moment to breathe. Don't worry, they will be back and ready to fight.
You wrote everything that is in my heart, far better than I ever could.
Here in Australia we are stunned too, wondering what the hell happened?
Kamala isn't the looser in this though - America is. Big time!
Feeling and grieving with you 💔❤️🩹💕
I'm typing this comment at a little before 8PM on a Wednesday night. As you know, I SHOULD be in church right now. I SHOULD be at choir practice. But I just couldn't bring myself to go. I know my deacon is going to be there in his red MAGA hat and he is going to be absolutely jubilant and I just CAN'T. I wonder how many of these "vote the bible, can't support Democrats because they kill babies" pro life Christians noticed that the same states that put Trump in the White House also voted to repeal their abortion laws. It got 57% of the vote in Florida! There's a 60% threshold, but I'm sure that Republicans are seeing this and thinking "Cool. We don't have to pretend to care about that anymore. Because clearly THEY don't. Trump told them he would protect abortion rights and they voted for him anyway. In overwhelming numbers. More than they ever did for Bush, McCain or Romney. So, I guess we're done with this now." I'm taking some time to decide if I need to go find a church that's more aligned with my values. Or just quit going altogether. I could sleep in on Sundays and have several more hours in my week. And I wouldn't have to spend any more time around people that I'm afraid to talk to because if politics come up, I won't be welcome there again.
Take a break. Then try some mainline churches. I love my Methodist church. But I would urge you to leave. vote against this brand of Christianity with your feet.
It's like you're reading my mind. I'm a Canadian and I'm thoroughly horrified, disgusted and grief-stricken. Thanks for reminding me that I have some neighbors with the integrity and courage to tell it like it is.
I AM HEARTBROKEN-- I DON'T RECOGNIZE THIS AMERICA-- BUT THAT IS MY NAIVETE. I DON'T RECOGNIZE THIS "CHRISTIANITY" BECAUSE IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH JESUS OR THE GOSPELS. I FEEL WE ARE LIVING IN A DYSTOPIAN NOVEL, THE KIND WE ALL READ IN HIGH SCHOOL. BUT THIS IS REAL. WHAT'S NEXT?
Thank you for so generously and vividly sharing your thoughts and feelings. So beautifully written it echoes so much of what I’m feeling. I’m a survivor of all types of abuse and an ex-Mormon~ I feel so much of what you describe, both the positive and the negative. Thank you so very much for posting this. Love and positive affirmations to you, for me, for all of us. (Not thoughts & prayers) 💗 ☀️
So much this: "Rage born of the humiliation and self-negating agony that you have once again chosen a rapist over a good-faith woman. It feels like another rape, in my soul, it does. I am violated and eviscerated, shaking and bleeding." Thanks, Holly! How I look forward to a time when politics is boring again and the president doesn't affect every aspect of our day-to-day lives.
Damn
Thank you!
You rock!