We’ve all had the experience of sitting around a Thanksgiving table sharing what we’re grateful or thankful for. But why do some people seem to demand that we feel grateful? Why do they demand that we express gratitude? And what role to these demands play in high-control religious contexts? What is harbored within these demands that can make us so uncomfortable? Dan dives into these issues in this week’s episode. Subscribe for $5.99 a month to get bonus episodes, ad-free listening, access to the...
Nov 16, 2023•26 min
The massive bronze sculpture of Confederate General Robert E. Lee, in uniform, astride his horse Traveller, stood in a downtown Charlottesville park for nearly a century. It was at the center of a deadly white nationalist rally in 2017, when Neo-Nazis and white supremacists tried to stop the city's plans to remove the statue. It came down to cheers in July of 2021. Dr. Jalane Schmidt has been part of the group of activists, scholars, and historians fighting not only to have the statue removed, b...
Nov 14, 2023•44 min
Brad and Dan begin by discussing the porn-accountability app that Speaker Mike Johnson uses with his son. They explain how apps like these are a feature in evangelical circles and how they are a part of the purity culture landscape. Dan then zooms out to explain why he doesn't buy the idea that contemporary Christian nationalism, as it embodied in Johnson, is not a divergence from American history. Neither host agrees that this is just a matter of normal patriotic Americans being corrupted, but ...
Nov 11, 2023•1 hr 3 min
“Evangelicalism isn’t just Christian nationalism. There are also a lot of great individuals who are evangelicals but not Christian nationalists.” We hear that a lot. But is it as plausible a concern as it sounds? And why do people say this? Are they really just concerned about “great individuals” who are portrayed badly? What is there to decode in this sentiment? How might we respond to it? In this episode, Dan takes a closer look at this response and the issues it raises. Subscribe for $5.99 a ...
Nov 08, 2023•29 min
Has fascism arrived in America? In this pioneering book, Gavriel D. Rosenfeld and Janet Ward have gathered experts to survey the history of fascism in the United States. Although the US established a staunch anti-fascist reputation by defeating the Axis powers in World War II, the unsettling truth is that fascist ideas have long been present within American society. Since the election of Donald Trump as President in 2016, scholars have debated whether Trumpism should be seen as an outgrowth of A...
Nov 06, 2023•47 min
Dan and Brad begin by recounting the melting of the Robert E. Lee statue in Charlottesville - and the right-wing reactions to it. This leads to a lengthy discussion of the efforts to keep Trump off the ballot in CO and MN via the 14th amendment. In the conclusion, the hosts discuss how the Lost Cause and MAGA Myths have real-world effects on our public square - and the potential dangers ahead. Subscribe for $5.99 a month to get bonus episodes, ad-free listening, access to the entire 500-episode ...
Nov 04, 2023•58 min
Brad speaks to two survivors of IHOP-KC about the abuse they endured there, the dynamics of the community, and healing with others. This week allegations emerged about Mike Bickle, founder of IHOP-KC, a central hub in charismatic Christianity located in Kansas City. Bob Smietana at RNS describes Bickle this way: "Bickle is one of the most influential charismatic Christians in the United States and a leading figure in the so-called New Apostolic Reformation, which seeks to make prophecy and the l...
Nov 02, 2023•1 hr 1 min
“Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft.” So reads the King James Bible. What does this verse mean? And why does this translation of the verse still circulate within Christian culture, despite being an archaic translation? And most importantly, what are some of the social effects of this verse? Dan explores these topics in this week’s episode. Subscribe for $5.99 a month to get bonus episodes, ad-free listening, access to the entire 500-episode archive, Discord access, and more: https://axismundi...
Nov 02, 2023•27 min
Brad speak with Dr. Matt Taylor, a foremost scholar on the New Apostolic Reformation. Matt takes Brad through all of the connections new Speaker of the House Mike Johnson has to the New Apostolic Reformation - an independent charismatic movement that is growing rapidly in the United States. One of the key points Matt makes is that the NAR teachers/pastors that Mike Johnson is connected to advocate for a colonizer theology - they want to colonize the United States as Christians bent on dominating...
Oct 30, 2023•37 min
Brad and Dan use the bulk of this episode to introduce listeners to the Christian nationalism of new Speaker of the House Mike Johnson. They go over his right-wing record on abortion (near abolitionist), on LBGTQ rights (as homophobic as they come), on separation of church and state (doesn't believe in it), and his understanding of where your rights come from (his God). They also discuss updates on SCOTUS and Clarence Thomas, as well as Trump's week in court - and the lawyers and allies who have...
Oct 27, 2023•1 hr 7 min
Dan gives a brief history of halloween and the ways it has morphed through pre-Christian and Christian history. He then asks: What does it mean when religious people appeal to “God’s will”? What kind of work does this do? Does it always provide the guidance and comfort for life it seems to promise? And what are the dangers of understanding God in terms of “will” in the first place? Dan dives into these and other issues in this episode. Subscribe now to American Idols: https://www.axismundi.us/am...
Oct 25, 2023•28 min
Brad looks upstream from the talking heads to the intellectuals on the American Right who are normalizing fascist ideas. He points to the phenomenon of the Red Caesar as the framework for how these intellectuals call for a post-constitutional American wherein democracy is set aside for rule by one man. Subscribe now to American Idols: https://www.axismundi.us/american-idols/ Subscribe for $5.99 a month to get bonus episodes, ad-free listening, access to the entire 500-episode archive, Discord ac...
Oct 25, 2023•31 min
Fascism is Our New Normal III is coming tomorrow. In the meantime, enjoy the first episode of the new Axis Mundi Media series On God's Campus. Chloe, Paul, and Erin set the stage for On God’s Campus by giving in-depth background information from their personal lives, upbringings, and the ways that they are directly connected to LGBTQIA+ discrimination on religious college campuses. Subscribe for $5.99 a month to get bonus episodes, ad-free listening, access to the entire 500-episode archive, Dis...
Oct 24, 2023•23 min
Brad and Dan begin by discussing some of the terrible reactions to the situation in Israel on the part of American politicians and the deadly consequences we've already seen throughout the country. This leads to a discussion of the Biden administration's approach to aid in Israel and the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza. In the final segment, the hosts analyze the debacle in the House by way of a deep dive into the history of Jim Jordan's career in Congress. Subscribe for $5.99 a month to g...
Oct 21, 2023•1 hr 4 min
We’ve probably all heard the phrase “playing god,” and many of us might even have been accused of playing god. But what does it mean when someone says that? Is it different in a “secular” context than in a religious context? And why do people use this language when we’re discussing complex, contested issues? And most importantly, what does this language do? How does it work? Dan looks at these issues in this episode. Subscribe for $5.99 a month to get bonus episodes, ad-free listening, access to...
Oct 18, 2023•28 min
Brad draws on the work of Hannah Arendt to explain how fascism relies on ordinary people operating within a cruel system. He uses two clips - one from Fox News and the other from a right-wing show - to reveal how fascist thought has creeped into our political stream, cultivating ordinary people into a totalitarian mindset. Subscribe for $5.99 a month to get bonus episodes, ad-free listening, access to the entire 500-episode archive, Discord access, and more: https://axismundi.supercast.com/ Subs...
Oct 16, 2023•38 min
Dan and Brad provide thoughts on the news from Israel and reflect on what its implications here in the USA. Subscribe for $5.99 a month to get bonus episodes, ad-free listening, access to the entire 500-episode archive, Discord access, and more: https://axismundi.supercast.com/ Subscribe now to American Idols: https://www.axismundi.us/american-idols/ To Donate: venmo - @straightwhitejc Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/BradleyOnishi Linktree: https://linktr.ee/StraightWhiteJC SWAJ Book Rec...
Oct 13, 2023•49 min
During the height of the Covid pandemic, a certain kind of Christian community opposed to Covid mitigation practices like mask-wearing, social distancing, and (eventually) receiving vaccines advanced a position of “faith over fear.” This language has reappeared with the release of the newest Covid booster by a segment of those who are opposed to taking it. But what exactly do they mean by this? What do they mean by “faith” and “fear”? What social judgements and identities are lodged in this rhet...
Oct 12, 2023•29 min
On God's Campus, produced by REAP and Axis Mundi Media, is a podcast that uncovers a hidden educational ecosystem in which taxpayer-funded religious schools and colleges fuel racism, queerphobia, misogyny and Christian supremacy—until the ecosystem’s own youth fight back. It debuts October 17, 2023. In anticipation, Brad speaks with Paul Southwick and Erin Green from the Religious Exemption Accountability Project. They explain REAP's mission: to help queer students on religious campuses and to g...
Oct 10, 2023•29 min
In light of recent events we are re-releasing Dan's interview with Chrissy Stroop, who helps explain the Evangelical obsession with Israel. One of the main themes is how Evangelicals profess love for Israel based on their need for it theologically, but rarely attend to the actual lives or politics of Jewish people. They explain how this works through an examination of supersessionism and Christian Zionism. This episode provides a background for why conservative Christians are so unquestionably p...
Oct 09, 2023•37 min
Brad begin with an analytical discussion of political nihilism in order to provide a window into the chaos in congress created by the ouster of Speaker Kevin McCarthy. They then provide a historical timeline of government shutdowns and congressional chaos going back to the Tea Party. For Dan, this is a long time coming - a populist revolt with no goal except for destruction. For Brad, it is a matter of political fantasy and the refusal to live in a world of political complexity, negotiation, and...
Oct 06, 2023•1 hr 4 min
What does it mean when a Christian describes someone as “God-fearing”? Is this a good thing? And what does it imply about their view of God, or human relationships with God, or the consequences of NOT being “God-fearing”? Dan explores these topics in this week’s episode. Subscribe for $5.99 a month to get bonus episodes, ad-free listening, access to the entire 500-episode archive, Discord access, and more: https://axismundi.supercast.com/ Subscribe now to American Idols: https://www.axismundi.us...
Oct 04, 2023•29 min
Brad zooms in on Biden's trip to Arizona and Trump's rhetoric about killing General Milley to analyze the normalization of fascist politics in the United States. He draws on work from Dr. Gavriel Rosenfeld, a scholar of fascism and Nazi Germany, in order to draw together theoretical and historical threads. Dr. Rosenfeld on normalization: https://medium.com/@gavrielrosenfeld/the-new-normalization-aaf184d4cac2 Subscribe for $5.99 a month to get bonus episodes, ad-free listening, access to the enti...
Oct 02, 2023•52 min
Dan begins this episode with by discussing new polling that reveals how GOP voters see Trump as person of faith. This leads to an investigation into the endlessly growing web of new conspiracies that are now part of conservative religious identity on the American Right. This leads to a discussion of anti-vaxxing getting real funding in government programs, it's role in GOP primary. Dan then touches briefly on the AL and FL redistricting fights. Subscribe for $5.99 a month to get bonus episodes, ...
Sep 29, 2023•56 min
What’s going on when someone tells us they need to “speak the truth in love”? How is this similar to someone who assures us they’re being critical because “they’re our friend,” or “because they care for us”? How is the intention of these phrases changed when they take on a religious sense? Dan looks at these issues in this week’s episode. Subscribe for $5.99 a month to get bonus episodes, ad-free listening, access to the entire 500-episode archive, Discord access, and more: https://axismundi.sup...
Sep 27, 2023•25 min
Brad is attending to the birth of his second child. So, enjoy the first episode of the new Axis Mundi series by Andrew Whitehead. In the opening episode, Andrew defines Christian nationalism, and uses his personal journey as a Christian to understand how it works on the ground in the religious lives of Americans, church spaces, and the public square. Transcript here. Order American Idolatry here: https://bookshop.org/lists/swaj-recommends-october-2023 Subscribe to Andrew's substack. Subscribe no...
Sep 25, 2023•47 min
On the first segment Dan and Brad begrudgingly discuss Lauren Boebrert's Beetlejuice scandal - and what it reveals about the Christian nationalist persona she's cultivated. In the second segment, they discuss a myriad of issues - from the firing of a teacher for teaching the Diary of Anne Frank to supposed discrimination against Whites at West Point to the charge that Merrick Garland thinks all Catholics are religious extremists. In the final segment they discuss the Alabama redistricting case -...
Sep 23, 2023•1 hr 9 min
“There’s no morality without God.” That is a claim made by many Christians. But it’s also a claim with a cultural hold that extends beyond card-carrying Christians. What does it mean? Why do people make this claim? Should we believe it? And why do people make this claim? Is it just a philosophical or theological claim? Or are their bigger issues at work? Dan tackles these questions in this week’s episode. Subscribe for $5.99 a month to get bonus episodes, ad-free listening, access to the entire ...
Sep 20, 2023•26 min
A special presentation of Inform Your Resistance: Abortion abolitionists: who are they, what drives them, and how do their tactics overlap with those of other far-right movements? Join host, Koki Mendis, and PRA Senior Research Analyst, Cloee Cooper, as we reveal the chilling facts about this nationwide syndicate of militant anti-abortion Christians. We unravel the differences between the broader pro-life movement and the abortion abolitionist movement and observe how the latter attempts to impo...
Sep 18, 2023•44 min
Brad begins by tracing the extreme Christian nationalism of the 2020s to the years following 9/11. The thesis: the ways that Republican politicians and conservative pastors responded to 9/11 led to a new chapter of American Christian nationalism. Dan then picks up the thread to discuss how Black churches and other groups are teaching Black history in Florida given the fact that it is being left out of school curricula in the state. The episode finishes with an extended discussion of the lapsed c...
Sep 16, 2023•1 hr 3 min
