Marianne Williamson's Substack

Sometimes you realize things matter to you that you hadn’t ever given much thought. As Americans, we rarely think of something like freedom of religion as relevant to our daily lives. But we’re living at a time when freedom in all its aspects is taking up mental bandwidth in ways we might not have previously thought possible.Have you ever thought much about Christian Nationalism? Probably not, but you might want to now. Christian Nationalism is essentially the belief that all major institutions in the United States should be led by Christians - an idea that runs counter to the religious pluralism made possible by the First Amendment. Its adherents see the United States as a specifically Christian as opposed to a religiously pluralistic society.

And their philosophical tentacles go way beyond that.

This situation is one of many ways in which current events are turning us into sober, mature adults in ways we might not have been before. Freedom of religion and religious pluralism are not just abstract words; they’re deeply relevant to a society whose freedom is at risk.

But it isn’t simply religious diversity that upsets the Christian Nationalist. To them, the “real” America is white, straight and Christian - and they have every intention to use the law to enforce that view. They are a major force behind Project 2025 and the America First agenda. They are strongly against LGBTQ and transgender rights (as of today, transgender Americans will be removed from the military - even those who have achieved stellar feats in defense of our country) and there’s an almost eerie The Handmaids’ Tale feel to their attitude towards women. The Trump administration, for instance, has declared that no scientific grants will now be given to proposals containing the words “woman” or “female.” It’s a strange interpretation of the New Testament in which men subjugating women is deemed a teaching of Jesus, but here we are. There’s a proposed Senate Resolution 7 that says the following: “Whereas health care for women should also address the needs of men, families, and communities as they relate to women’s healthcare.” The SAVE ACT would make it harder for most married women to vote, and Christian Nationalist ministers claim that women should no longer be allowed to vote at all.

I don’t mean to be a downer, and I’m sorry to put depressing news into your inbox. But Americans have an unfortunate tendency to ignore a problem until it’s right up in our face, at which point people yell “Why didn’t anyone tell me about this?!!? when in fact the problem had been only six inches from their nose for a very long time. The time to be aware of all this is now, and awareness is everything. Just knowing about these things gives you power. They become part of your conversation when something needs to be said, whether at a dinner table or on a social media post or with the power of your ballot.

Today, a lot of things need to be said.

As long as we’re a passionately alert citizenry that isn’t having any of this stuff imposed on us and enforced by law, we’ll be okay. But we’re already behind the 8 ball, obviously. At this point each and every one of us has to be awake to what’s happening, ready to push back on any efforts to narrow the definition of what it means to be a “real” American. Christian Nationalists seem to have Trump in their pocket, but they don’t have to have you or me.