Pseudo-Religious Power Grabs And The Death of Our Collective Soul
Pseudo-Religious Power Grabs and the Slow Death of Our Collective Soul
America has entered a perilous new era. Executive orders unfurl in a dizzying display of political firepower, dismantling decades of progress on civil rights, environmental protections, and the once-treasured promise to welcome the “tired and poor.” In their place grows a singular vision of national and religious identity — one that crushes plurality under the guise of so-called “Christian values.” Yet at the heart of this frenzy, something far more sinister than simple policy change is taking shape: an assault on our cultural and spiritual home, wrapped in the banner of pseudo-religious nationalism.
Cultural and Spiritual Domicide is Eroding Our Shared Home
“Domicide” usually refers to the physical destruction of one’s house or habitat, often during wars or forced evacuations. But the brand of domicide unfolding today targets identity itself. Policies that end birthright citizenship threaten to uproot entire generations, telling families that their presence in the only country they’ve ever known is no longer legitimate. “Gender ideology” bans and attacks on LGBTQ+ people invalidate whole communities’ sense of self, transforming the public square into a space of constant fear. Blocking so-called “woke” or “diversity” initiatives is designed to snuff out the cultural lifeblood that minorities, immigrants, and marginalized groups bring to this country.
At its core, cultural domicide isn’t just about banishing certain voices; it’s about burning down the intangible home where diverse communities can exist in safety and dignity. The result is a deeper wound than bricks and mortar in ruins. It’s the dismantling of the social bonds that tie us together, leaving entire populations unmoored — wondering if they truly have a place in America’s future.
Pseudo-Religious Nationalism is a Distortion of Faith
Enter the zealots who clothe themselves in Christian rhetoric yet deploy it as a weapon of power, not a force for compassion. They invoke the name of Jesus while pardoning extremist vigilantes and insisting that one particular interpretation of “Judeo-Christian values” be enshrined in law. They cry persecution to justify public acts of bigotry, self-righteously quoting Scripture to sanction anti-immigrant crackdowns or bans on gender-affirming care. They speak of “Christian nationalism” as if it were the purest essence of patriotism — when, in fact, it’s a hollow shell devoid of the actual teachings of Jesus that emphasize mercy and fellowship.
Why call it pseudo-religious nationalism? Because genuine religious conviction needs no violence or coercion to spread its message. True faith transforms hearts through grace, not executive orders that single out “the other.” Historically, we’ve seen how faith manipulated by political leaders leads to tragedy — from the Crusades to 20th-century fascism. Whenever a government anoints one brand of religion as the only legitimate worldview, the margin for human rights shrinks, and injustice flourishes.
The Hypocrisy And The Danger
Those promoting these agendas claim to champion “freedom” yet muzzle whole communities with their policies. They tout “law and order” yet pardon their allies who break the law. They talk of “moral values,” yet their policies produce rampant cruelty — betraying every biblical principle of love or generosity they profess to uphold.
The danger goes beyond hypocrisy. When a nation systematically undermines cultural expressions, erases minority identities, and baptizes nationalism in a veneer of religion, it sets the stage for deeper violence. History warns us repeatedly that cultural domicide primes entire groups for further persecution. When you chip away at shared humanity, you make it easier for your supporters to see certain neighbors as less than human.
Furthermore, pseudo-religious nationalism sows discord within religious communities themselves. There are countless Christians — and people of other faiths — who reject the bigotry that’s paraded around as “God’s will.” But under these oppressive policies, their voices are drowned out or labeled as threats to national integrity. The question is: Will they mount a meaningful resistance before more damage is done?
What Jesus Actually Taught
It’s telling that proponents of this pseudo-religious nationalism seldom mention Jesus’ core message: mercy, humility, and solidarity with the oppressed. Throughout the Gospels, Jesus embraced outcasts and confronted religious leaders who used faith to gain power or wealth. Time and again, he placed compassion above ritual correctness, even dining with those cast aside by society.
He condemned leaders who exploited the vulnerable. Adapting his stark warning:
“Woe to you who heap heavy burdens on the shoulders of the vulnerable
yet refuse to lift a finger to help.
And if anyone leads these little ones astray,
it would be better to have a millstone hung around their neck
and be cast into the sea.”
(Paraphrasing Matthew 23:4, 18:6)
In other words, faith — if it is to mean anything — demands conscience and care, not cruelty cloaked in religious language.
A Crisis of Meaning is Feuled by Untransformed Pain
Why are so many drawn to a distorted faith in this moment? One reason is the world’s growing instability. Inequality, environmental catastrophes, and a constant news cycle of conflict leave people feeling disoriented. Without healthy avenues to grieve, lament, or find authentic community, fear and frustration often mutate into scapegoating. Pseudo-religious nationalism swoops in to offer simple (though vicious) certainties: “We are chosen; they are the threat.”
When pain isn’t transformed inwardly — through genuine empathy, accountability, or spiritual practices — it is transmitted outwardly as resentment, racism, or xenophobia. The toll of this untransformed pain is a society on edge, primed to castigate “the other” rather than reckon with our interconnected plight.
Rising to the Challenge — and a Final Word
We can’t dismiss these developments as “the new normal.” Every executive order that strips away existing rights or encourages extremist violence sends shockwaves through our classrooms, workplaces, churches, and homes. Cultural and spiritual domicide thrives only when we remain silent; pseudo-religious nationalism persists only when genuine faith communities, diverse allies, and conscientious citizens fail to speak up.
No matter our creed, we must insist on our neighbors’ humanity and the sacredness of their identities. We must unmask hypocrisy wherever it appears — “pro-life” agendas that slash services for those in need, “religious freedom” arguments that undercut others’ liberties, and “family values” rhetoric that tears families apart. We stand at a crossroads: allowing this distorted vision of faith and nationalism to harden would mean losing the soul of a country once meant to embrace plurality, not suffocate it.
Yet, there is a pathway to renewal. Traditions like Tikkun olam remind us that we are all called to repair what has been broken, while Indigenous prophecies like the Eagle and Condor envision a future where the global North and South fly in harmony. Let this promise of balance and restoration guide us. When we stand together against injustice, we honor the truest values of any noble faith — love, mercy, and an unshakable solidarity with the most vulnerable. By resisting the slow suffocation of our cultural and spiritual home, we can breathe life into a shared future shaped by compassion instead of fear.
