When religion lies down with politics, it rises up as Christian Nationalism
Ottawa County has been ordered to pay health officer Adeline Hambley’s $188k legal fees. Yet another very bad decision, just one in a string of many bad decisions made during Ottawa Impact commissioners’ reign the last two years.
Ottawa County is not unique. Christian Nationalists have attacked local government all across the country and left chaos in their wake. Let me remind you, the attempt to fire Hambley and replace her with unqualified loyalist Nathaniel Kelly was not because she did anything wrong. It was simply a war against the health department based solely on religious ideology and a grudge for doing their job during the pandemic.
While the recent primary has taken away the possibility of Ottawa Impact’s majority on the Board of Commissioners, it is not time to let down our guard. There are still four members, the most radical being Joe Moss and Sylvia Rhodea. They represent ultra conservative areas of the county but their brand of Christian Nationalism is not necessarily wide spread if good conservatives understand what it really is.
Christian Nationalism is not constitutional and it is not Christian. Christian Nationalists are famous for smugly saying: “It doesn’t say separation of church and state in the constitution”. No, but it clearly describes it. Government is to be neutral when it comes to religion. It cannot promote or denigrate one religion over another. This understanding is a long established precedent. Thomas Jefferson wrote of the wall of separation. A wall that Christian Nationalists now intend to breach. Certainly Ottawa Impact is not and has not acted neutrally on issues of religion. Nor have they attempted to transparently represent the best interests of all citizens in Ottawa County.
At a time when the number of NONES (no particular religious affiliation) is rising (as much as 30% of the country depending on who is counting), Christian Nationalism is hurting the traditional view that Christians are good people and at the very least do no harm. By aligning themselves with Republicans, Christian Nationalism has already rejected half the country. A quote from a recent local election in Saugatuck: “I don’t see how you can be a Democrat and a Christian”. There are worse things than Democrats!
As extremists, Christian Nationalists have shaken the core of evangelicals and not in a good way. While shrouding themselves in victimhood, they attack anyone who does not share their worldview. A worldview that is more and more troubling:
Teachers who do not have children “brainwash” and “destroy” the minds of children. – J.D. Vance
We shouldn’t be electing anyone in government … who isn’t Christian. – Kandiss Taylor Republican chair of Georgia’s 1st congressional district
The War on Children – A response to a gay pride event that parents chose to take their children to see at the Grand Haven Waterfront Stadium. – Roger Belknap
When the higher-ranking civil authority makes unjust or immoral law, policy or court opinion, the law or lesser-ranking civil authority has both a God-given right and duty not to obey – and if necessary to actively resist. – Rev Matt Trewhella (Wisconsin pastor who called the murder of an abortion provider as “justifiable homicide” invited to speak to an Ottawa County Republican fundraising event May 2023)
Whereas the vision statement of ‘Where You Belong’ has been used to promote the divisive Marxist ideology of the race, equity movement… – Sylvia Rhodea
Not being racist is Marxist? Really? From the information available it seems the DEI department that Ottawa Impact disbanded was most guilty of delivering food. Sounds Marxist to me … right?
Singles or anyone without children do not have a “direct stake” in the country. A bunch of childless cat ladies who are miserable at their own lives and the choices that they’ve made, and so they wanna make the rest of the country miserable, too. – J.D. Vance
What Ottawa County needs may seem like sacrilege and too great a sacrifice to ask. We need common sense fiscal conservatives in districts 5, 6, 8, and 11 to vote for Democrat commissioners this fall. I know! I know! But, the primary has left no other option. At the very least don’t vote for extremism and if you can find some fortitude within yourself – vote against it. If you need a reminder of the wasted time and money, the needless chaos created by Ottawa Impact, please review the previous posts.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it is to purge Ottawa County of the ring leaders of Ottawa Impact and Christian Nationalism.
- District 5 – Joe Moss
- Blendon Township
- City of Hudsonville
- Jamestown Charter Township
- Zeeland Charter Township Precinct 4
- District 6 – Kendra Wenzel
- Georgetown Charter Township Precincts 9-17
- District 8 – Sylvia Rhodea
- Allendale Charter Township
- District 11 – Allison Miedema
- Chester Township
- City of Coopersville
- Crockery Township
- Polkton Charter Township
- Tallmadge Charter Township
- Wright Township
Leave a Reply