On June 29, 2024, the last weekend of Gay Pride Month, the First Baptist Church of Fernandina Beach, Florida and Citizens Defending Freedom sponsored a parade and festival to “celebrate the Christian Heritage of America.”  In order to participate in the parade, float sponsors were required to sign a “Statement of Convictions.”  Tara Dunlop, a local business owner, raised in the Southern Baptist Church, objected to the reading of a City Council proclamation which described the event as “important and meaningful to peoples of all faiths.”  (Source: Fernandina Observer)

I felt saddened and concerned when I read the required Statement of Faith. The very narrow definition of Christianity excluded me and my business from sponsorship.  I, as a divorced person (according to the statement), am not the correct type of Christian to participate in this event.

Public pushback began when the local chapter of the American Legion Auxiliary, which had considered being a parade sponsor, withdrew its support. (Source: Fernandina Observer)

At the time it was being called the American Heritage parade that sounded like a faith and freedom theme, which would be a wonderful event for us to be involved with.  But then it morphed into what it is now and became the Christian Heritage parade. It was not an all-inclusive parade and did not include people from all walks of life.

Members of the community viewed the event as one more example of the Christian nationalist movement promoted by a growing number of elected officials and their constituents.  This concern led to a group of local citizens, led by former pastor Linda Hart Green, organizing a community discussion of “Church and State.”  I was honored to be a panelist and shared the three precepts on which I believe theocracy is inconsistent with the American experience.

• From a historical perspective on the establishment clause of the First Amendment, the story of the 17th century migration by Europeans to the “New World” is about escaping religious persecution.  These “religious refugees” included Mennonites, Jesuits, Catholics, Protestants and Jews.
• A recap of theocratic societies throughout history demonstrates, by their very nature, they always become repressive and exclusive.
• What if the shoe was on the other foot?  What if a Muslin candidate for president echoed the words of House Speaker Mike Johnson, saying, “If you want to know my world view, read the Quran.”

The forementioned Tara Dunlop was also on the panel.  And while I thought my somewhat academic presentation added context to the discussion, I found Tara’s comments to be more powerful, especially when she told the audience.  “I see the Bible and the Constitution as two beautiful documents.  And those who try to mix them together, corrupt both.”  It piqued my curiosity.  Were there other evangelical voices sharing this message?

It did not take long to find the answer.  On Tuesday, a group called “Evangelicals for Harris” released an ad which began with an excerpt of a Billy Graham television speech in which he says, “Have you gone to the cross?  Lord, I have sinned and I’m sorry for my sin.”  It then switches to Donald Trump being asked, “Have you ever asked God for forgiveness?”  His reply, “I’m not sure I have.”  Even I, an agnostic of Jewish heritage, know evangelicals view God’s grace, forgiving the sinner, as one of his greatest gifts.  The ad ends with a screen which reads, “Is there any greater denial of Christ…than to say ‘I do not need his forgiveness?'”

Nothing about his crimes, adultery, policies or, as reported this morning, making $300,000 from hawking Bibles.  Those are the things that make a non-evangelical wonder, “Why do so many Christians still support Trump when everything he does violates the Jesus’ teachings?”  This was different.  Not only does he defy Jesus’ words, he denies his divinity.  I wanted to hear more, and registered for Wednesday night’s “Evangelicals for Harris” Zoom call.

Which brings me to the title of today’s post.  Of the 20 speakers, three caught my attention.  First, the bad.  Pastor Dwight McKissic justified his decision to vote for Kamala Harris as follows.

I’m no longer naive enough to believe voting GOP will protect traditional marriage or life in the womb. For 40 years I’ve given my vote to Republicans behind this ruse.  Won’t be fooled this time.  I have concluded that the better person and best-qualified person in this election between the two major party nominees is by far Madame Vice President Kamala Harris.

He made this decision because the RNC had removed the planks calling for a national abortion ban and overturning Obergefell v. Hodges from the party’s 2024 platform.  In other words, he seemed to be saying, if the GOP/MAGA  written policy would deny women the right to control their reproductive health and oppose marriage equality, “I would vote for the lying, cheating, immoral guy who wants to be a dictator of Day One.”  Now, I’ve always preached we should never malign someone for doing the right thing for the wrong reason, so I welcome McKissic’s vote for Harris.  But he does not strike me as someone who, if he got everything HE wanted, would care about MY individual freedom.

The “good news” (pun intended) was anchored by Christian author Latasha Morrison.

I am a person who is pro-life. I am a person that believes in life from the cradle to the grave. But I’ve seen this weaponized. I’ve seen this criminalized. I’ve seen women who have died, and because of that, I can no longer be a one-issue voter.

She added that, if Harris wins the election, she would be in the new president’s face every day advocating for what I believe.  Isn’t that exactly how democracy is supposed to work?  Isn’t that the difference between persuasion and dictating?

And finally, the holy.  To no one’s surprise, Billy Graham’s son and Trump sycophant Franklin Graham claimed “Evangelicals for Harris” had misled people using his father’s image in the advertisement.  He blamed the organization of aligning with liberals who “are using anything and everything they can to promote candidate Harris.”  Fortunately, this was not a consensus in the Graham family.  Jerushah Duford, the daughter of Billy Graham’s oldest offspring Virginia Graham Tchividjian, told the 40,000+ participants on the Zoom call that the aversion to Christianity by many young people is a direct result of the faith’s support for Donald Trump.  She explained the evolution of the evangelical movement this way.

These things happen slowly over time. First, people professing the Lord made excuses for [Trump’s] lack of kindness, then for the name-calling. Soon it was making excuses for assault. Then it became making excuses for January 6, and now making excuses for convicted assault and 34 felonies.

She closed with the following reiterating it is not what Trump does, but how Christians respond to it.

Voting Kamala, for me, is so much greater than policies. It’s a vote against another four years of faith leaders justifying the actions of a man who destroys the message Jesus came to spread, and that is why I get involved in politics.

I have no idea how much, if any, difference it will make in November.  I am relatively sure Trump will still garner a sizable majority of the white evangelical vote.  But as I wrote last Sunday, it will make a difference on January 20th.  As you know, I do not share Latasha’s or Virginia’s belief in a divine source of grace, but grace is a universal concept and a path to reconciliation in what will hopefully be a new era in American politics.

For what it’s worth.
Dr. ESP