Christian Identity Movement and Mainstream

¶ … Christian Identity Movement and Mainstream Christianity:

An Example of the Problem of Fundamentalism

By now, the word fundamentalist has become of the household variety, as the attacks against the United States by Muslim extremists on September 11, 2001 evoked shock and awe around the world. Still, fundamentalists come in many varieties. Indeed, Ruthven argues that "fundamentalism, as it is broadly understood, has been the principal source of conflict since the late 1980s and early 1990s, when the Berlin Wall came down and the Soviet Union collapsed, bringing the Cold War to an end with its attendant spin-offs in Asia, Africa, and Latin America" (4). In fact, members of the Christian religion -- who are among the most furious opponents of Muslim fundamentalism -- have fundamentalists groups of their own.

One of those groups is the Christian Identity movement. Although Fairley calls the group poorly organized, Tuft and Holleman list its numbers in the 50,000s and claims that the group is on the top of the FBI's list of most dangerous hate groups. But even Tuft and Holleman's arguably negatively biased article shows that the group has two sides -- that which blatantly engages in racism and anti-Semitism and that which displays a more moderate leaning toward basic Christian beliefs. Indeed, this dichotomy is indicative of this group's past. The Christian Identity movement has its roots in the theology of British-Israelism, which claims that the Anglo-Saxon race is composed of the direct descendants of the 12 tribes of Israel. While controversial, this philosophy contained "no real element of violence or racism" (Fairley para. 12). Today, however, the Christian Identity movement contains members of white supremacist groups. Although the Christian Identity movement explains its beliefs as attempts to rid the world of the devil incarnate, I believe they are not true Christians because they ignore the fundamental Christian doctrine that Christianity is for everyone and engage in violence, which is generally unacceptable in mainstream Christianity.

The Christian Identity groups have their roots in the teachings of John Wilson, who advocated the teachings of British-Israelism. Fairley says that even this movement was not necessarily a unique one in 1840, in which Wilson published his teachings. Instead, even the Puritans believed that the Anglo Saxons had direct blood ties to the ten tribes of Israel and were, therefore, God's chosen ones (para. 12). What Wilson advocated, however, was that there were two groups in the Biblical world -- the Jews and a "lost" people. Christian Identity theorists believe that the "lost" people are God's rue chosen ones (Fairley para. 12-13). When the movement came to the United States, racism began to become embedded in its teachings (Fairley para. 15). Today, members of the Christian Identity not only believe that the Anglo-Saxons are the chosen people of God and the most privileged race, but they are also closely associated with the Ku Klux Klan, as well as the Confederacy and a traditional Southern view of African-Americans, as well as an appreciation for slavery (Tuft and Holleman). Indeed, in Tuft and Holleman's description of a Christian Identity conference, the authors describe the ways in which the group's beliefs are displayed. They have pamphlets in which they discuss their beliefs that the Jews are actually "descendants of Satan," and "that blacks and other nonwhite races -- whom they call 'mud people' -- [are] on the same spiritual level as animals. In a further description of the conference, Tuft and Holleman note that a prominent Christian Identity speaker, Ted R. Weiland, gives away more of the group's views during his sermon. Weiland espouses that "there is a Jewish agenda against Christianity" (Tuft and Holleman). In addition, another speaker, Charles A. Jennings, called himself a "strong racist," when considering races other than Anglo-Saxons (Tuft and Holleman). Further, Jennings goes on argue that the movement is closely tied with the confederacy in the South. He says, "The South was right, my friends, there is no doubt about it" (Taft and Holleman). Thus, the Christian Identity movement is strongly connected with one's personal feelings towards Jews and those of non-Anglo-Saxon origin, seeing them as obstacles. Robin succinctly defines these problems when he lists the basic beliefs of the Christian Identity movement. Robin states that the Christian Identity members believe in a "very conservative interpretation of the Christian Bible" in addition to their beliefs about race and descendants" (Fairley para. 21).

Although their beliefs are certainly rooted in ancient history, the Christian Identity movement does not act in a way that truly supports Christian beliefs for two reasons. First, they both ignore the doctrine that Christianity is for everyone and use violence. The fact that Christianity is for everyone is seen not only through the way that many mainstream churches act today, but also through Biblical stories and allusions. An important one consists of Paul of the road to Damascus. Paul meets God in that instant, who tells him that what he has been doing -- persecuting those who do not live by the letter of the law -- is wrong. Instead, God shows Paul that Christianity is for all -- sinners, Jews, Gentiles, and the like. Further, Jesus' actions in the Bible can be interpreted this way. Jesus shows that his teachings are for women, children, and poorer ethnic and social groups. Phillip baptizes and Ethiopian, and disciples are called upon to share their gospel throughout the earth -- showing that Christianity is for all.

But the Christian Identity group does not believe this way. By believing that Jews are Satan incarnate and that other races are simply animals, Christian Identity members deny the fact that Christianity is for everyone. Instead or accepting other groups, like those in their holy book do, the members of the Christian Identity movement shut them away, mocking them and even wishing them dead. Thus, they deny Christianity's fundamental teaching that its doctrine is for all and that all are equal in the sight of God.