Latest / Growing Closer to God with Guided Meditation / How the Ideologies of Manifest Destiny & Christian Nationalism Distorted the Essence of Christianity!
Transcript
- 0:00Pastor Robert Young: Ever wonder how and if the Bible has relevance for today.
- 0:03Pastor Robert Young: On this podcast, we provide biblical answers to today's tough questions.
- 0:08Pastor Robert Young: Hi friends, I'm Pastor Robert Young.
- 0:10Pastor Robert Young: We have 30 plus years of church planting and mentoring other pastors, 30 plus years of training leaders in evangelism and discipleship.
- 0:18Pastor Robert Young: Our team of missionaries go into jails, rehabs, parks, street corners, coffee houses and any place unchurched people gather.
- 0:27Pastor Robert Young: We present the true, untainted gospel.
- 0:29Pastor Robert Young: We ask questions and give answers as we conduct surveys.
- 0:33Pastor Robert Young: We do this so that you can make a true, informed decision about Jesus Christ.
- 0:38Pastor Robert Young: And today our question is, what is manifest destiny and Christian nationalism?
- 0:46Pastor Robert Young: We will attempt to answer this question next on the podcast.
- 0:51Pastor Robert Young: Hi friends, and welcome to part 3 of our series on the Eurocentric depiction of Jesus Christ and all that this encompasses.
- 0:59Pastor Robert Young: We are encountering this statement from time to time in the various communities we visit.
- 1:04Pastor Robert Young: The statement is, I don't believe in Christianity because it's a white man's religion.
- 1:10Pastor Robert Young: This is not a true statement.
- 1:13Pastor Robert Young: However, I do understand where it comes from.
- 1:15Pastor Robert Young: We've talked about this from part 1 of this series until now.
- 1:18Pastor Robert Young: Now we address two of the foundations of the white Jesus ideology.
- 1:24Pastor Robert Young: Manifest destiny and its intersection with Christian nationalism.
- 1:31Pastor Robert Young: Throughout the century, certain ideologies have emerged with fervor, capturing the hearts and minds of believers and distorting the true essence of Christ's teachings.
- 1:40Pastor Robert Young: Two such ideologies manifest destiny and Christian nationalism have had a profound impact on the way Christianity has been understood and lived out.
- 1:52Pastor Robert Young: Manifest destiny was a belief system that arose in the 19th century, proclaiming America's divine destiny to expand Westford, claiming land, resources and power.
- 2:05Pastor Robert Young: This ideology became intertwined with the fabric of American society and its values, inspiring a sense of pride and entitlement and shaping the nation's destiny.
- 2:16Pastor Robert Young: However, in the pursuit of manifest destiny, we must confess the undeniable truth that atrocities were committed against an indigenous peoples whose lands and rights were trampled upon in the name of progress.
- 2:31Pastor Robert Young: Also, christian nationalism emerged as an ideology asserting that our nation should be founded and governed by Christian principles.
- 2:41Pastor Robert Young: This ideology, when used responsibly, can serve as a moral compass, guiding us toward justice, compassion and even righteousness.
- 2:52Pastor Robert Young: However, when fused with political power and human zeal, it has, throughout history, led to the exclusion and marginalization of those whose beliefs and values differed from the prevailing norm, thus distorting the true message of love and grace that Christ embodied.
- 3:12Pastor Robert Young: These ideologies have hijacked true Christianity, replacing it with a distorted version that justified oppression, conquest and exclusion.
- 3:23Pastor Robert Young: They have prompted us to prioritize power and national interest over the foundational truth Christ taught us.
- 3:32Pastor Robert Young: The result has been a far cry from the transformative message of the Gospel.
- 3:39Pastor Robert Young: We must acknowledge the painful truth that, throughout history, those who have professed to be followers of Christ have been complicit in perpetuating slavery, genocide and inequality.
- 3:51Pastor Robert Young: As we reflect on the noble ideas of manifest destiny and Christian nationalism, we cannot ignore the immense danger and damage caused to individuals, cultures and nations due to the dehumanization and marginalization that follow in their wake.
- 4:12Pastor Robert Young: True Christianity is not a tool for identifying the chosen nation or justifying dominance, but rather an invitation to embrace the radical love God has for humanity.
- 4:25Pastor Robert Young: The Gospel of Christ calls us to humility, to live as servants, to love our neighbors as ourselves and to seek justice.
- 4:33Pastor Robert Young: Let us remember the words of Jesus, who declared, the Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.
- 4:42Pastor Robert Young: He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind, to set the oppress free, and that's found in Luke, chapter 4, verse 18.
- 4:53Pastor Robert Young: Our Lord's mission was not one of conquest or privilege, but of liberation and redemption.
- 5:02Pastor Robert Young: As we examine the teachings of Christ, we must confront the ways in which these ideologies, or rather the application of these ideologies, have distorted His message and used His name to justify oppression.
- 5:16Pastor Robert Young: We must acknowledge the pain and suffering caused by actions taken in the name of manifest destiny and Christian nationalism, and we must work to undo the damage.
- 5:29Pastor Robert Young: Let us, as true followers of Christ, reject the seductive allure of worldly power and dominance.
- 5:37Pastor Robert Young: Let us dismantle the structures of injustice and strive for equality, reconciliation.
- 5:44Pastor Robert Young: Let us embrace a Christianity that sees the face of Christ in every human being, that extends love and compassion to all, regardless of race, ethnicity or belief.
- 5:56Pastor Robert Young: May the Holy Spirit guide us as we navigate the complexities of history and faith.
- 6:02Pastor Robert Young: May we humbly seek God's forgiveness for the ways in which we have allowed these ideologies to corrupt our understanding of the true gospel, and may we, through prayer and action, strive to reclaim the true essence of Christianity, a faith rooted in love of God and His Son.
- 6:22Pastor Robert Young: Now, friends, if you've been listening to this podcast for any length of time and you've come to the realization that now you know the essence of the true gospel, true Christianity and what it means, and you realize that Christ said in His Word that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of pleasing God, and that you must confess your sins and your wrongdoings before Christ, because he is the one that loved us so much.
- 6:47Pastor Robert Young: God is the one that loved us so much that he sent His only begotten Son to die for us so that we could be free from this penalty of our sins.
- 6:58Pastor Robert Young: And you are ready to receive Him now?
- 7:01Pastor Robert Young: Then repeat this simple prayer with me Father, I realize that I am a sinner.
- 7:09Pastor Robert Young: However, I repent of my sins.
- 7:13Pastor Robert Young: I want to do the things that are pleasing to you.
- 7:16Pastor Robert Young: I realize that I can't do those things without you.
- 7:20Pastor Robert Young: I believe in your son, Jesus Christ, and that he died on the cross and rose again so that I could have a relationship with you.
- 7:29Pastor Robert Young: I receive him now in the name of Jesus and, father, I pray that you would fill me with the precious gift of the Holy Ghost that will empower me to live the righteous life that you're calling for.
- 7:45Pastor Robert Young: And I receive Him now, in Jesus name.
- 7:48Pastor Robert Young: Amen.
- 7:49Pastor Robert Young: Now, friends, the Bible lets us know that, if you've said that with a sincere heart, that your name has been written in a book up in heaven called the Lamb's Book of Life, and that, when you leave this plane of existence.
- 8:01Pastor Robert Young: You're going to go and be with Him forever and ever and love Him forever.
- 8:06Pastor Robert Young: Now there's one more thing I need you to do.
- 8:09Pastor Robert Young: I need you to do some research, do your due diligence and search for a Bible, believing, God honoring, God worshiping church in your community.
- 8:21Pastor Robert Young: Go to that church, be a blessing with your presence, participate, just grow in your relationship with Christ.
- 8:28Pastor Robert Young: And now, friends, if you need further information and or clarification about the topic that we're talking about during the month of August, then do not hesitate to get in contact with us in the description box below.
- 8:44Pastor Robert Young: So until next time when we talk about revival or revolution, I am your host, pastor Robert Young, and may God bless you.