Thom Nickels: The Gospel According to Kamala
When I watch videos of Kamala Harris dancing—sometimes at outdoor rallies with children and so called faith leaders—I study her moves including the way her hair swings low over her forehead. I admit her near-perfect coordination makes me want to like her though I know that what I’m feeling is a transitory, cheap emotion: watching the nation’s VP—a totally empty suit when it comes to policy making— letting her body “talk” is like watching Rome burn.
It’s then that a newspaper headline appears in my mind’s eye: “America, taken down by a slick dancer.” The headline is dependent on whether Harris wins the 2024 election, of course, even though it is more than conceivable that a Harris presidency will allow the country to go down in a blaze of hip-hop and woke “joy.”
“We never knew what hit us after voting for her,” I can hear regretful voters saying. “The United States has become a Yankee Doodle Dan version Venezuela.”
The so-called faith leaders who often appear with Kamala in photo ops call themselves ministers of God. Most of these are really neo-Christians or the “new” progressives who have more in common with the secular social justice gospel than the original Gospels as written by Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
Imagine, for a moment, groups like “Evangelicals for Bernie Sanders,” “Evangelicals for Late Term Abortion,” “Evangelicals for Gender Equality,” “Evangelicals for Transgender Visibility” or “Evangelicals for the Rights of Minor Children to Pick Their Own Gender?”
Imagine “Evangelicals for the Koran” or “Evangelicals for Open Borders.”
All of the above evangelical categories can be boiled down to just one group: “Evangelicals for Harris,” which used to be “Evangelicals for Biden” but was quickly rebooted when the Democrat coup relegated Biden to the dustbin of history.
The group was recently highlighted in a story in Premier Christian News where it was reported that the organization was formed “in an effort to mobilize Christian voters for the presidential candidate.”
“Evangelicals for Harris” maintains that Harris’ faith “shines through in her clear Christian values displayed in her unwavering support for American families.”
Talk about a banal advertising slogan that essentially says—nothing.
Harris is praised for her commitment “to policies that uplift and empower,” and the fact that she “keeps her trusting relationship with God at the centre.” The group cites Harris’ record on infrastructure, healthcare, and climate change as the reasons for their support.
There are no canonical or Gnostic gospels related to Infrastructure, healthcare and climate change—at least not yet. The Desert Fathers, in their ancient writings, never mentioned the bridges of Rome or Judea as having any stake in the salvation of one’s soul. Rendering to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s would include the politics of climate change, but ultra-liberal Christianity—which is essentially heretical when it goes this far out on a limb—wants to codify this psychobabble into Godspeak.
These progressive Christians think they are improving Christianity when they incorporate novelties from the secular culture.
“Evangelicals for Harris” is an oxymoron much like “Homosexuals for Sharia Law” or “Jumbo Shrimp.”
What true Christian, after all, believes that there are more than two genders? What true Christian believes sacramental marriage can be other than between a man and a woman? What true Christian believes abortion is fine even up to the moment of birth—as Harris’ VP nominee Tim Walz apparently does because he signed a late term abortion proposal into law as governor of Minnesota?
What true Christian would ever take seriously the use of pronouns when addressing someone or the binary/non-binary reinvention of biology?
Plainly put, these Harris-Walz Christians are not Christians at all but a breed of another type. They are Trojan Horse social activists who claim to preach love but who are actually bent on destroying centuries old doctrines in Christianity that—like the Confederate statues in the Old South—must be destroyed.
Consider author and former youth minister John Pavlovitz, a member of ‘White Dudes for Harris’ and a fall away Catholic who decided—with a friend—to form “Christians for Kamala.” Pavlovitz’s group was featured in an article in Religion News Service (RNS), a mostly left-leaning publication that quoted Pavlovitz extensively, especially when he came down hard on Donald Trump.
On X recently, Pavlovitz tweeted:
“The exodus from the Church or the avoidance of it altogether, is happening in large part due to good people recognizing and experiencing the damage conditional community in the name of God can do—and they are rightly rejecting it.”
Certainly “Christians for Kamala” is guilty of inflicting “conditional community damage in the name of God” when the group purports to support an agenda, which would include, by default, the placement of tampons in boys’ grade school bathrooms in the name of gender equality—which has become—in the woke evangelical world– the new term for ‘in the name of God.’
Many of Pavlovitz’s tweets, however, are more related to Trump Derangement Syndrome than the dynamics of Christian pastorship.
In a 2021 conversation in Smashing Interviews Magazine, Pavlovitz explained why he hates Trump:
“He appeared at Liberty University, and they all announced the fact that he was a confessed Christian. That was all millions of white evangelicals needed to support him. So they were just, I think, waiting for a reason to get behind him even though two weeks before the election, they heard the horrible things he said about women in the Access Hollywood video.”
Something I’ve found to be true is what Trump said about women in the Access Hollywood interview is seen by many of the new woke evangelicals as an excuse to hate him far into the future. In the same interview, Pavlovitz also talks about abortion and how silly it is for Christians to protest the removal of a fetus—his term– in the womb and then act uncharitably to their fellow human beings in their daily life. Pavlovitz seems to be suffering from the notion all traditional Christians are mean spirited when it comes to everyday relations with people.
Jerushah Duford, the granddaughter of the late Rev. Billy Graham, is another queer case of “I hate Trump because of what he said about women,” rather than someone who has genuine policy disagreements with the man.
In a podcast with two other woke evangelical women, Duford—who looks very torn and agonized by the way as if she still struggles to align her Christian heritage with the new retooled version of Christianity– surprises her hosts when she talks about her pro life activities as something she’s proud of. She even attempts to rationalize how one can be Democrat and pro life at the same time while never mentioning how the Republican Party has consistently supported pro life positions.
Duford’s two video co-hosts let her get away with this one conservative view but anyone who’s adept at reading people can see flashes of displeasure on their faces as Duford attempts to rationalize this absurdity.
“Evangelicals for Harris”— are you kidding?
Thom Nickels is a Philadelphia-based journalist/columnist and the 2005 recipient of the AIA Lewis Mumford Award for Architectural Journalism. He writes for City Journal, New York, and Frontpage Magazine. Thom Nickels is the author of fifteen books, including “Literary Philadelphia” and ”From Mother Divine to the Corner Swami: Religious Cults in Philadelphia.” He is currently at work on “The Last Romanian Princess and Her World Legacy,” about the life of Princess Ileana of Romania.
I didn’t know that an architectural writer had uber-Papal authority to decide who is a true Christian, but I’ll suggest that this year, the alternative is a convicted criminal, a convicted sex abuser, an adjudicated liar, a grifter/thief (bankruptcies) — and “true Christians” should vote for him?
Denny Bonavita, you are correct. So perhaps ask yourself why is that? Why is it that the alternative is a convicted criminal, a convicted sex abuser, an adjudicated liar, and a grifter/ thief via bankruptcies? And how can rational people vote for that alternative? (I do find it extremely interesting you align with the righteousness of courts for certain things but call someone a grifter thief because they took advantage of bankruptcy court, but I digress.) Partly people are going to vote for the convicted criminal who says rude and nasty things – myself included – because Covid exposed the press as liars and we’ve stopped looking at things in terms of “Red” or “Blue” and look at Trump’s actions vs the establishment and elite leaders actions: so whether it is forever wars and mission creep, the suppression of free speech, medical and experimental interventions that are mandatory, poison being sold as food to our children, crazy ideology being pushed onto our children about sex and gender, etc. We love Trump because the tyrants hate him. It is really that simple.
Well said.
“There are no canonical or Gnostic gospels related to Infrastructure, healthcare and climate change”
Climate Change – “You shall not pollute the land in which you live, for blood pollutes the land, and no atonement can be made for the land for the blood that is shed in it, except by the blood of the one who shed it. You shall not defile the land in which you live, in the midst of which I dwell, for I the Lord dwell in the midst of the people of Israel.” Numbers 35:33-34
Health Care
Matthew 10:8 – Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay.
Luke 10:34 – He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him.
Numbers 35 has nothing to do with climate change, and climate change has nothing to do with pollution. The reason for this was that “blood pollutes the land” (Numbers 35:33). That is, these crimes brought uncleanness on the land because they involved killing people without divine authorization.
Matthew and Luke are speaking about charity and compassion, not government run healthcare.
That’s not how I interpret them.
Because your interpretation is literal, as how a child would read. Do you believe the Israelites studied hydrocarbons and benzene rings?
Do you believe the Constitution should be taken literally, I believe the same applies to the Bible. Did the Israelites know about hydrocarbons and benzine rings are, no. They did know what pollution and climate change was when it affected their crops. As well as why the laws of Kosher were to protect ones health.
Did you know that depending on how the Bible is interpreted there are either 10 or 11 commandments? Or that the Jewish interpretation of the 10 commandments is a different list and that are 613 commandments in total?
Evangelicals for Trump, your kidding?
A man who has a multiple affairs while married, including one while Melania was pregnant, married three times, steals money from people for personal use, refuses to pay contracts in full, sues people to avoid paying his contracts, multiple sexual assaults, belittling people with petty name calling, a constant stream of lies culminating in the 2020 “stolen election”, and his constant disrespect for those who serve in the military.
Its not about saying you believe in Christ and God, you have to demonstrate that you espouse those beliefs through acts not deeds.
I see you left out Kamala’s love story with Willie Brown and her husband’s affair / pregnancy with his maid.
Throwing stones?
Trump has never stopped behaving the way he has.
Only in your infected mind is that true about all of them. Literally.
So he didn’t have an affair while Melania was pregnant and did not lie about losing the election in 2020?
Judah, how was your vacation?
“… you have to demonstrate that you espouse those beliefs through acts not deeds.”
Acts: (verb) take action; do something; behave in a specific way
Deeds: (plural noun) an action that is performed intentionally or consciously.
Is the difference that an act can be unintentional or unconscious? Can I be saved by taking action without consciousness? Judah, do tell.
And yet somehow you understood what I meant.
There are also some biblical statements that Mr. Nickels should keep in mind.
Pride goeth before a fall, a lesson he has not learned since 2001
People in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.
He who is without sin may cast the first stone.
I did have a great vacation, did you get the postcard I sent you?
Where did you go on vacation – re-education camp? I ask because your responses to my statements have gotten even more non-sensical and desperate. You equate the Old Testament style to that of the US Constitution? Congrats – you just broke the internet. Crops were rated on the amount of sun and rain it received and the smell and color of the soil. Trump’s indiscretion was 20 years ago. That’s your proof that he’s still at it? Frankly I don’t care if he’s a cad. Did you care about Jack Kennedy or Bubba Clinton? Sorry – maybe you weren’t born yet. Look ’em up. I care about the safety, security, prosperity and the Constitution of this country. The Democrats, especially the fraud in a pants suit are clearly not up to the task.
I also care about the safety, security, prosperity and the Constitution of this country. Trump, his political allies, and supporters made multiple attempts to overturn the 2020 election. Project 2025 is a clear threat to America and Trump has stated that he will use the FBI and DOJ to arrest and imprison anyone who speaks out against him. Including his statement that he will send in the military to break up any protests against him if he wins in 2024. Which violates the right to free speech and freedom of assembly as protected by the Constitution.
Trump was right to question the results of the election, just as Al Gore and Hillary did. The illegal efforts of the left, especially Biden bucks (now) and Zuck bucks (2020) are slowly coming to light. State voter rolls are being purged of dead and illegal voters under protest by democrats. Drop box mail-ins are being given more scrutiny (and again protested by democrats). Trump has stated CLEARLY many times that he is not aligned with Project 2025 and libs like you parrot a lie to inject fear into the election. Weaponizing the Justice Department against political enemies is clearly the Democrats motus operandi as demonstrated with Trump charges, Pro-life advocates being jailed, peaceful J6 protesters given outrageous sentences, Capitol police getting away with manslaughter, FBI threatening parents attending school board public meetings, and more. The Biden admin allowed destructive protesters to burn and trash cities for the death of a dead drug addicted, counterfeiting thief and assault threatening felon who would not follow police orders, and the aftermath efforts of Harris heading up efforts to bail them out of jail. Your shameless righteous indignation is hogwash.
“Trump was right to question the results of the election, just as Al Gore and Hillary did.” Only one of them incited an insurrection and still lies to this day that they won.
“Trump has stated CLEARLY many times that he is not aligned with Project 2025” – Trump has stated many times that he does not know what Project 2025 is. Even though over 100 former Trump White House staff worked on it, including 6 former Cabinet officers.
“Capitol police getting away with manslaughter,” Ashli Babbit was shot while trying to break into a secure area, in the Capitol Building, aided by the mob, and was warned repeatedly by the police not do so. She would not follow police orders.
Your shameless, righteous, indignation, is hogwash.
So one simple minded DEI hire cop shot her, a cop who previously had left his loaded gun in a Capitol bathroom. Even the rest of the guards at the location were shocked by this and rendered immediate assistance to her. The DEI cop’s questioning was a sham. She could have easily been taken into custody. Regarding the ‘Insurrection’, new HBO footage shows Pelosi let it all happen. Trump told his rally to peacefully protest the results. The voting inconsistencies are now coming to light and you’re carrying the party line and ignoring the truth.
You copying my statement shows your juvenile limited ability to form your own rebuttal.
She was shot for forcibly entering a secure area, where a large mob was calling for the hanging of Mike Pence, a mob that had forced its way past two lines of police and broke down the doors of the Capital Building. She should have complied, just like people have stated that Michael Brown and George Floyd should have done when they were killed by the police.
“The voting inconsistencies are now coming to light” – What consistencies would those be? After 62 lawsuits and multiple recounts, many of them mandatory. Nothing has come to light and Nancy Pelosi has no control over the Capitol Police or the National Guard.
Copying your statement shows your juvenile limited ability to understand actual facts.
Again you copy my closing statement.
Floyd and Brown both had physical conflicts with the police. Not Babbit. She was shot while pushing through a broken window with police standing in front and behind her. The courts rejected the lawsuits because they would extend certification of results. In other words, they were cowards and did not want to rock the boat. Other courts threatened the filing parties with prosecution if they did not drop their lawsuit. The outcome of this is what you are seeing now in many states that have been forces to make changes to their election laws based on the failures of security with mail in votes, outdated voter rolls, illegal voters, illegal financing (Biden and Zuck bucks), and less than total transparency of vote counting and certification (missing signatures and dates being corrected by election workers). Details count and critical thinking is not your forte. Regarding Jan.6th: Nancy Pelosi admitted “We have totally failed. We have to take some responsibility for not holding the security accountable for what could have happened,” the California Democrat raged at one point. “Oh my god, I cannot believe the stupidity of this. And I take the full responsibility.” Put your short pants on Judah.