Mixing religion and politics
can be a dangerous business, especially if done from the pulpit and backed up
by fully-weaponized police poised in a worship space at the laity in the pews,
and from the front so the congregants know they are being intensely watched
even as the words, “Peace on earth” are shown on the big screen directly above one
of the uniformed police employees. To my utter astonishment, I encountered just
this scenario when I visited a large Presbyterian church in the U.S. early in
2026. A Christian who has read the Gospels might look askance at the weaponized,
uniformed police in the sanctuary who were facing the people from near the
front, and the television cameramen who were standing on the stage even very
close to the altar, and think of Jesus castigating the money-changers and sacrifice-animal
sellers operating inside the temple. The modern equivalent to the greedy
businessmen in the temple is the power-tripping, weaponized police officer staring
down congregants in a sanctuary even while the people are worshipping God.
To see people worshipping the prince of peace while a fully-weaponized policewoman
looks directly at the worshippers from just left of the stage in front—staring
at the people—is surreal. True Christianity cannot thrive in such a hostile
environment. Lest any members of that Presbyterian church might consider complaining
about the obvious hypocrisy, the pastor’s sermon could easily be interpreted as
a warning against complaining, not just about the church, but also, and even
more troubling, the government.
The full essay is at "An American Proto-Fascist Presbyterian Church."
