Andrew L. Seidel, FFRF’s Director of Strategic Response, has written an op-ed for Religion Dispatches about the inextricable links between white supremacy and Christianity. In the article, “Fundraising for Kyle Rittenhouse Reveals American Christianity’s White Supremacy Problem,” Seidel writes:
Christianity has long had a white supremacy problem. The Kenosha aftermath has just made it clear.
GiveSendGo, a “Christian crowdfunding” site has raised more than $360,000 for Kyle Rittenhouse, the white 17-year-old boy from Illinois who came to Kenosha with a semi-automatic rifle to oppose protesters demonstrating against systemic racism and the police shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man, seven times in the back. Rittenhouse shot three people, killing Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber, and has been charged with numerous crimes, including first degree murder. The founder of the Christian website hosting the campaign has defended raising funds for an accused murderer, saying “everything we do and what our platform delivers is Christ-centered.”
Fundraising in the name of Jesus is nothing new, but fundraising for an accused murderer and presumed racist has raised some eyebrows. What kind of Christians support people who murder others? is a popular question. Everywhere people are asking “why?” Why would Christians, who must be good, support someone accused of doing such a bad thing with such corrupt motives?
Inevitably in situations like this one people argue that these are “not real Christians” or that they’re “fake Christians,” nonsense that RD contributor Chrissy Stroop deftly disposed of. I want to look at why people are surprised and show that they shouldn’t be because American Christianity and white supremacy are inextricably intertwined.
Seidel’s conclusion makes the article worth a read: “Until we learn that ‘Christian’ is not synonymous with ‘good,’ that religion is not a proxy for moral virtue, we will never defeat racism.”
Read and share Seidel’s piece here.
Photo by Chris Line
