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Kingdom of Rage: The Rise of Christian Extremism and the Path Back to Peace
A former counterterrorism official explores how modern evangelicalism and right-wing conservatism intermingled to form the combustible ideology that resulted in the January 6 attacks on the Capitol—and which threatens to destroy the American Church from within.
How did a Church that purports to follow the teachings of Jesus - the Prince of Peace - become a breeding ground for violent extremism?
When Elizabeth Neumann began her anti-terrorism career as part of President George W. Bush’s Homeland Security Counsel in the wake of the September 11 attacks, she expected to spend her life protecting her country from the threat of global terrorism.
But as her career evolved, she began to perceive that the greatest threat to American security came not from religious fundamentalists in Afghanistan or Iraq but from white nationalists and radicalized religious fundamentalists within the very institution that was closest to her heart – the American evangelical church. And she began to sound the alarm, raising her concerns to anyone in government who would listen, including testifying before Congress in February of 2020. At that time, Neumann warned that anti-Semitic and white supremacist terrorism was a transnational threat that was building to the doorstep of another major attack. Shortly after her testimony, she resigned from her role as Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary for Counterterrorism and Threat Prevention in protest of what she believed was then-President Trump’s failure of leadership and his stoking of the hatred, anger, and division from which she had dedicated her life to protecting her country.
Her worst fears came true when she witnessed the attack on the capital on January 6, 2021.
In Kingdom of Rage, Neumann explores the forces within American society that have encouraged the radicalization of white supremacist, anti-government and other far-right terrorists by co-opting Christian symbols and culture and perverting the faith’s teachings. While Neumann offers decades of insights into the role government policies can play to prevent further bloodshed, she believes real change must come from the within the Christian church. She shines a bright light on the responsibility of ordinary Americans – and particularly American Christians – to work within their families and their communities to counteract the narrative of victimization and marginalization within American evangelicalism. Her goal for this book is not only to sound a warning about one of the greatest threats to our security but to rescue the Church from the forces that will, if left unchecked, destroy it – culturally, morally, and ultimately quite literally. This is a book for anyone who wants to understand the unholy marriage of right-wing politics and Christian exceptionalism in America and who wants to be a part of reversing the current path towards division, hatred, violence and the ultimate undermining of both evangelical Christianity and American democracy.
How did a Church that purports to follow the teachings of Jesus - the Prince of Peace - become a breeding ground for violent extremism?
When Elizabeth Neumann began her anti-terrorism career as part of President George W. Bush’s Homeland Security Counsel in the wake of the September 11 attacks, she expected to spend her life protecting her country from the threat of global terrorism.
But as her career evolved, she began to perceive that the greatest threat to American security came not from religious fundamentalists in Afghanistan or Iraq but from white nationalists and radicalized religious fundamentalists within the very institution that was closest to her heart – the American evangelical church. And she began to sound the alarm, raising her concerns to anyone in government who would listen, including testifying before Congress in February of 2020. At that time, Neumann warned that anti-Semitic and white supremacist terrorism was a transnational threat that was building to the doorstep of another major attack. Shortly after her testimony, she resigned from her role as Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary for Counterterrorism and Threat Prevention in protest of what she believed was then-President Trump’s failure of leadership and his stoking of the hatred, anger, and division from which she had dedicated her life to protecting her country.
Her worst fears came true when she witnessed the attack on the capital on January 6, 2021.
In Kingdom of Rage, Neumann explores the forces within American society that have encouraged the radicalization of white supremacist, anti-government and other far-right terrorists by co-opting Christian symbols and culture and perverting the faith’s teachings. While Neumann offers decades of insights into the role government policies can play to prevent further bloodshed, she believes real change must come from the within the Christian church. She shines a bright light on the responsibility of ordinary Americans – and particularly American Christians – to work within their families and their communities to counteract the narrative of victimization and marginalization within American evangelicalism. Her goal for this book is not only to sound a warning about one of the greatest threats to our security but to rescue the Church from the forces that will, if left unchecked, destroy it – culturally, morally, and ultimately quite literally. This is a book for anyone who wants to understand the unholy marriage of right-wing politics and Christian exceptionalism in America and who wants to be a part of reversing the current path towards division, hatred, violence and the ultimate undermining of both evangelical Christianity and American democracy.
316 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 23, 2024
149 people are currently reading
2815 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Neumann
1 book26 followersElizabeth Neumann served as the Assistant Secretary for Counterterrorism and Threat Prevention at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Neumann is an ABC News contributor and the chief strategy officer at Moonshot. She is based in the Denver, CO area.
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May 8, 2024
American democracy won’t survive if Trump is re-elected. He is an existential threat to all values that I hold dear. There is no middle ground, there is no ‘both sides,’ the country’s democratic values are dependent on that truth. Trump is a monster and white evangelical Christian nationalist are enabling his anti-democratic (fascist) beliefs.
White evangelical Christianity is not the answer; it is the problem. The author uses a no true Scotsman fallacy against Christians who don’t believe in her special version of Jesus since to her they aren’t ‘true’ Christians. She says probably over 50 times ‘Jesus said’. How does she know what Jesus said? The way to fight Trump and his MAGA morons is not to quote a different version of Christ and claim you have the truth while claiming the MAGA brigades must not be right, because after all it was the evangelicals in the first place that gave us this existential threat to American democracy.
The author is ignorant on history. I want to give one example that irritated me. Two paragraphs before she said that Americans fail at history, she gave a quote from Thucydides who she claimed was the ‘father of history.’ He is not. She meant Herodotus. No wonder Americans fail at history since they rely on superficial books such as this one for their sources.
Since she mentioned Thucydides, I want to use him for why this book just doesn’t understand how real the threat is to American democracy by MAGA and Trump. Thucydides portrayed Pericles as a defender of Athenian democracy and the crowd cheered him on, later Thucydides had a Tyrant manipulating the crowd to support tyranny. The point is Trump is our tyrant and the crowd is cheering him on, Thucydides gets today’s threat and he wrote over 2000 years ago. The threat is an existential threat to American democracy (and probably the world). I’m not being hyperbolic. All one need to do is read Trump’s own words. He is the Mussolini of our time. America will become like Putin’s Russia and no imaginary friend is going to save us. The author’s nuanced belief in Jesus is not going to save us against the madness of white Christian evangelicals and dividing them into six separate sub-groups as she does is only an exercise in obscurity accomplishing nothing.
The author fears CRT (critical race theory), wokeism, and mentioned Marxist taking over as real threats generated by Fox News (sic), though I’ll comment the author is no longer fearful of the Marxists as she once was. She thinks without her narrative concerning Jesus that nihilism is close at hand. The author recommends love going forward and her special flavor of Jesus to save us. Trump routinely tells his followers how much he loves them, and they shout it right back at him. Love without knowledge, compassion or kindness is foolhardy. The author recommends that the church members get themselves a gay friend named Bob and that will make them less hateful. I recommend they enter the 21st century and just learn to stop hating.
Trump is the problem. His enablers are the problem. White evangelical Christians and nationalist are the problem. Democracy is threatened and there is no coming back from another Trump presidency. The author is on my side, but her milquetoast Christian approach is dangerous and more evangelical Christianity is the problem not the solution, and one should just re-read Thucydides or Herodotus in lieu of Christ centric books like this one. Trump doesn’t care about Christians but manipulates his followers through fear, uncertainty, and doubt. Trump has told us what he plans to do, just take him as his word.
White evangelical Christianity is not the answer; it is the problem. The author uses a no true Scotsman fallacy against Christians who don’t believe in her special version of Jesus since to her they aren’t ‘true’ Christians. She says probably over 50 times ‘Jesus said’. How does she know what Jesus said? The way to fight Trump and his MAGA morons is not to quote a different version of Christ and claim you have the truth while claiming the MAGA brigades must not be right, because after all it was the evangelicals in the first place that gave us this existential threat to American democracy.
The author is ignorant on history. I want to give one example that irritated me. Two paragraphs before she said that Americans fail at history, she gave a quote from Thucydides who she claimed was the ‘father of history.’ He is not. She meant Herodotus. No wonder Americans fail at history since they rely on superficial books such as this one for their sources.
Since she mentioned Thucydides, I want to use him for why this book just doesn’t understand how real the threat is to American democracy by MAGA and Trump. Thucydides portrayed Pericles as a defender of Athenian democracy and the crowd cheered him on, later Thucydides had a Tyrant manipulating the crowd to support tyranny. The point is Trump is our tyrant and the crowd is cheering him on, Thucydides gets today’s threat and he wrote over 2000 years ago. The threat is an existential threat to American democracy (and probably the world). I’m not being hyperbolic. All one need to do is read Trump’s own words. He is the Mussolini of our time. America will become like Putin’s Russia and no imaginary friend is going to save us. The author’s nuanced belief in Jesus is not going to save us against the madness of white Christian evangelicals and dividing them into six separate sub-groups as she does is only an exercise in obscurity accomplishing nothing.
The author fears CRT (critical race theory), wokeism, and mentioned Marxist taking over as real threats generated by Fox News (sic), though I’ll comment the author is no longer fearful of the Marxists as she once was. She thinks without her narrative concerning Jesus that nihilism is close at hand. The author recommends love going forward and her special flavor of Jesus to save us. Trump routinely tells his followers how much he loves them, and they shout it right back at him. Love without knowledge, compassion or kindness is foolhardy. The author recommends that the church members get themselves a gay friend named Bob and that will make them less hateful. I recommend they enter the 21st century and just learn to stop hating.
Trump is the problem. His enablers are the problem. White evangelical Christians and nationalist are the problem. Democracy is threatened and there is no coming back from another Trump presidency. The author is on my side, but her milquetoast Christian approach is dangerous and more evangelical Christianity is the problem not the solution, and one should just re-read Thucydides or Herodotus in lieu of Christ centric books like this one. Trump doesn’t care about Christians but manipulates his followers through fear, uncertainty, and doubt. Trump has told us what he plans to do, just take him as his word.
March 16, 2024
In Elizabeth Neumann’s new book, Kingdom of Rage, Neumann explores the radicalization of certain groups controlling the narrative in today’s politics. She discusses how we got here as a society (specifically leading up to the attack on the capital in January of 2021), how this involves Christians and Christianity, and where we need to go from here.
It is very obvious from the beginning of this book that Neumann has done extensive research. Although I would have appreciated more of her own wording than so many quotes, especially in the first part, she was able to piece everything together from multiple sources into something very cohesive and educational. I thoroughly enjoyed the first half. I learned a lot and found the information fascinating.
Yet, after Neumann explains the why of everything, she switches gears and the book becomes almost like an editorial column. Yes, Neumann gets “preachy”, but I expected that from the title so I wasn’t bothered by it. In fact, she gave some great information from her experience and from her knowledge of the Bible and her faith. What I didn’t appreciate is how she started to say “I think” so much instead of just stating the point she wanted to make and giving examples. She also started writing “you” statements: “you should”, “you can”, “you are”. I don’t know if this is marketed as a self-help book, but it very much should be at least so the reader knows what to expect. If it isn’t, Neumann should have refrained from directly telling the reader what they should and should not do. I would have had much more respect for her an an author if she could have made her points without literally telling me what I should or should not do. It irked me so much, I felt like it was taking away from any credibility she had built up from the first half. Especially since she had an appendix! That is where I would expect to find all of her “I highly suggest” statements. In addition, she referenced PathtoPeace.com so much it became redundant. Again, something that should have been left for the appendix.
Overall, I appreciate what she was trying to do with this book. Our society would greatly benefit if more people were aware of a lot of this information. But, unfortunately, I believe the best parts of this book are lost because she was unable to express her ideas and thoughts in the second half assertively and with examples, and she felt the need to tell her readers what to do instead of show them. However, if this it’s considered a self-help book, that should be made very clear (which it’s not), and then I would argue that the first part of the book doesn’t work as well, as it is mostly an info dump. Finally, I would also point out that she makes a lot of statements about how to handle certain people and how to address these situations with children and teens as if she has a background in psychology of some sort, which as far as I have read, is not the case.
***Thank you NetGalley, Elizabeth Neumann, and Worthy Publishing for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.***
It is very obvious from the beginning of this book that Neumann has done extensive research. Although I would have appreciated more of her own wording than so many quotes, especially in the first part, she was able to piece everything together from multiple sources into something very cohesive and educational. I thoroughly enjoyed the first half. I learned a lot and found the information fascinating.
Yet, after Neumann explains the why of everything, she switches gears and the book becomes almost like an editorial column. Yes, Neumann gets “preachy”, but I expected that from the title so I wasn’t bothered by it. In fact, she gave some great information from her experience and from her knowledge of the Bible and her faith. What I didn’t appreciate is how she started to say “I think” so much instead of just stating the point she wanted to make and giving examples. She also started writing “you” statements: “you should”, “you can”, “you are”. I don’t know if this is marketed as a self-help book, but it very much should be at least so the reader knows what to expect. If it isn’t, Neumann should have refrained from directly telling the reader what they should and should not do. I would have had much more respect for her an an author if she could have made her points without literally telling me what I should or should not do. It irked me so much, I felt like it was taking away from any credibility she had built up from the first half. Especially since she had an appendix! That is where I would expect to find all of her “I highly suggest” statements. In addition, she referenced PathtoPeace.com so much it became redundant. Again, something that should have been left for the appendix.
Overall, I appreciate what she was trying to do with this book. Our society would greatly benefit if more people were aware of a lot of this information. But, unfortunately, I believe the best parts of this book are lost because she was unable to express her ideas and thoughts in the second half assertively and with examples, and she felt the need to tell her readers what to do instead of show them. However, if this it’s considered a self-help book, that should be made very clear (which it’s not), and then I would argue that the first part of the book doesn’t work as well, as it is mostly an info dump. Finally, I would also point out that she makes a lot of statements about how to handle certain people and how to address these situations with children and teens as if she has a background in psychology of some sort, which as far as I have read, is not the case.
***Thank you NetGalley, Elizabeth Neumann, and Worthy Publishing for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.***
August 10, 2024
Gonna give this one two stars because I’m deeply torn on how to rate it. If it were purely my thoughts on the book qua book for an audience of me, it would be one star. The author is a conservative evangelical and I am… not that. I am actually quite anti-that on several different levels. Additionally the author is not hugely historically literate, praises a number of authors and figures whose politics I find repugnant and whose work I find simplistic and uninspiring when it’s not just plain incorrect, and is pretty no true Scotsman-y about Christianity. But on the other hand, and for the second star, I think this is actually a pretty useful book to have around. This is the book that you give to your conservative aunt who’s worried that your weird uncle is getting a little too into Alex Jones and co and starting to hoard guns, or that might help your parents who are really concerned about how much their evangelical church is getting hung up on Trump’s cult of personality but don’t have the vocabulary within their conservative bubble to talk about it. It’s a helpful thing to have for people who are conservative but aren’t gung-ho about Christian nationalism, the kinds of people who’d never pick up something like Jesus and John Wayne or anything else that smacks of progressive evangelicalism, but that will get similar points across in their own American evangelical language, meeting them where they are. And I think that’s an important thing to have in the current day. I may not be on board with the author’s ideology, but I’m even less on board with radicalised gun nuts trying to start a theocracy, and I’d take more people like this over more people like the J6 rioters.
April 22, 2024
This is not a quick, easy read by any measure. It is heavy, academic, and takes time to get through in a meaningful way. However- this is such a necessary book in such a turbulent time in politics, and I genuinely believe that this author can help change the minds of people who may have otherwise been radicalized. The author has a long resume of relevant experience in anti-terrorism work and has heavily researched the WHY behind the radicalized nature of many white evangelicals today. The author presents counter-measures in a non-biased, straightforward way that can be implemented into both individual and corporate life, and I would strongly recommend this read to anyone who is curious about anti-radicalist work, who has radicalized individuals in their life who they struggle to communicate with, or who may work with individuals/companies that deal with radicalized groups. I received an ARC copy of this book through NetGalley, and my opinions are uninfluenced and thoroughly my own. I look forward to seeing what the author does next.
February 13, 2024
"Kingdom of Rage" by Elizabeth Neumann is a well-intended exploration of the American Church and its descent into extremism. Well-researched and thoughtfully written, the book ultimately falls a bit flat. The author's deeply personal faith is in the periphery and she does not hide it but it feels like a great deal of that was left out as she documents the descent of the church. There are powerful suggestions on how to deal with those that have succumbed to the extremism and that's valuable. I appreciate that #netgalley and #worthypublishing allowed me the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book.
August 22, 2025
TLDF: An interesting review of the radicalization of the far right over the last 30 years of American political life from someone embedded within the Republican party and Trumpian politics.
Full review:
This book sits at an interesting crossection of Radicalization and Terrorism scholarship. Most books into this area are written either by longstanding practitioners in the field (cops, military, politicians, etc) or embedded academics. This tends to make most terrorism books overly analytical and (at least appearing to be) apolitical. Elizabeth Neumann is very open about her political and social affiliations- she's a dyed in the wool Republican, a Texan, and an evangelical. This book then provides fascinating perspective on the problem that most don't address: the perspective of the danger coming from inside your own proverbial camp. This is the passionate work by someone who characterizes herself as trying to save the people, church, and country she has dedicated her life to and sees slipping away into extremism and violence.
However, that lack of scholarship and political affiliation has a downside. That second order of connection that I look for in scholarship- either self reflection or a deeper level of understanding- is missing . An example of this is that there is a fantastic section early in the book that lays out the Genesis of the far right in this country- tracing it's origins from the second KKK through Ruby Ridge- but fails to connect those events to current Far/Alt right movements. It doesn’t delve further into online radicalization tactics pioneered by the far right; the influence of international movements on American white supremacy; or the co-opting of media outlets. Neumann has some very touching moments- particularly in her inditement of how Evangelicals and Republicans have tolerated extremism in their ranks- but does not delve into where that extremism originates, or why it was tolerated by these communities. Neumann’s reflections on her failings in public office are always couched in the larger "we the American People have failed."
There are also some elements of the book that just rub me the wrong way due to the nature of my politics and my academic background in her field. I can forgive the former- instances of equating ANTIFA with white supremacy for example - as the cost of doing business, but bad research is something else. One of the lines that got me was early on when the author stated that "there were few scholars of terrorism on 9/11." Not only is this blatantly not true- the study of terrorism goes back to at least the 1970s- Bruce Hoffman who reviewed this book is one of those Terrorism scholars and has been since 1998!
On the whole, I found the book valuable as a unique perspective as well as a source for language on how to discuss these issues with people of the conservative and religious persuasion. But if you're looking for insight into our current political Radicalization, this should be middle to bottom of your reading list.
Full review:
This book sits at an interesting crossection of Radicalization and Terrorism scholarship. Most books into this area are written either by longstanding practitioners in the field (cops, military, politicians, etc) or embedded academics. This tends to make most terrorism books overly analytical and (at least appearing to be) apolitical. Elizabeth Neumann is very open about her political and social affiliations- she's a dyed in the wool Republican, a Texan, and an evangelical. This book then provides fascinating perspective on the problem that most don't address: the perspective of the danger coming from inside your own proverbial camp. This is the passionate work by someone who characterizes herself as trying to save the people, church, and country she has dedicated her life to and sees slipping away into extremism and violence.
However, that lack of scholarship and political affiliation has a downside. That second order of connection that I look for in scholarship- either self reflection or a deeper level of understanding- is missing . An example of this is that there is a fantastic section early in the book that lays out the Genesis of the far right in this country- tracing it's origins from the second KKK through Ruby Ridge- but fails to connect those events to current Far/Alt right movements. It doesn’t delve further into online radicalization tactics pioneered by the far right; the influence of international movements on American white supremacy; or the co-opting of media outlets. Neumann has some very touching moments- particularly in her inditement of how Evangelicals and Republicans have tolerated extremism in their ranks- but does not delve into where that extremism originates, or why it was tolerated by these communities. Neumann’s reflections on her failings in public office are always couched in the larger "we the American People have failed."
There are also some elements of the book that just rub me the wrong way due to the nature of my politics and my academic background in her field. I can forgive the former- instances of equating ANTIFA with white supremacy for example - as the cost of doing business, but bad research is something else. One of the lines that got me was early on when the author stated that "there were few scholars of terrorism on 9/11." Not only is this blatantly not true- the study of terrorism goes back to at least the 1970s- Bruce Hoffman who reviewed this book is one of those Terrorism scholars and has been since 1998!
On the whole, I found the book valuable as a unique perspective as well as a source for language on how to discuss these issues with people of the conservative and religious persuasion. But if you're looking for insight into our current political Radicalization, this should be middle to bottom of your reading list.
January 10, 2025
This book is well worth your time. Elizabeth’s work here and elsewhere is so helpful, grounded in evidence and her experience in DC. It is very clear and insightful. I love the breadth and depth of this book, including the ways citizens in general and Christians in particular can counter extremism in all of its forms.
February 17, 2025
Would recommend this for reading on our culture. There are a lot of reasons why we're angry (social media, etc.) ...it just so happens evangelical Christianity makes up a lot of our culture, so it should be a focus. Good perspective from a (former) member of the US Govt.
May 20, 2025
Elizabeth Neumann is a Christian. Elizabeth Neumann worked in counter-terrorism under the first Trump administration.
I picked this book up because I'm seeing a rise in far-right politics across the world, and sadly, those who seem most susceptible to this are conservative Christians. Christians spend much of our energy guarding against the far left. We do not as naturally think to guard against the far right. I look at Poland, or Hungary, or the AFD in Germany. This seems to be a growing phenomenon everywhere I turn at the moment. This far-right is authoritarian. It is radical. It is often nationalistic (in an unhealthy way).
Elizabeth Neumann shares in this book the tragic state of domestic terrorism in the US. The radicalized, far-right, often identifying as Christian, are the largest demographic for domestic violence right now. There are still threats from other radicalized groups (such as Islamic terrorists or far-left radicals). But the most dangerous demographic is this radicalized far-right.
I think it's necessary for Christians to understand what is happening, and to learn how to help our children think through all of these things. We need to protect our own children from being radicalized by those calling themselves Christians. We need to identify the dangers of the far-right (as well as the far-left), and seek to learn how to think well through all of these complex topics.
I am seeing more and more young people struggling, and I fear that they are vulnerable to radicalization. Thankfully, Elizabeth Neumann offers a lot of help for us in this book. She helps us to know what kinds of conversations to have with our children. She gives us an inside look into the world of counter-terrorism (a broad look...considering all the variety of threats that came across her desk). She thinks through these matters from a Biblical worldview. She seeks to be faithful with the knowledge and expertise that she has to offer. I am thankful for her work. This book took a lot of courage for her to write. May God bless her and keep her. May God help us.
I picked this book up because I'm seeing a rise in far-right politics across the world, and sadly, those who seem most susceptible to this are conservative Christians. Christians spend much of our energy guarding against the far left. We do not as naturally think to guard against the far right. I look at Poland, or Hungary, or the AFD in Germany. This seems to be a growing phenomenon everywhere I turn at the moment. This far-right is authoritarian. It is radical. It is often nationalistic (in an unhealthy way).
Elizabeth Neumann shares in this book the tragic state of domestic terrorism in the US. The radicalized, far-right, often identifying as Christian, are the largest demographic for domestic violence right now. There are still threats from other radicalized groups (such as Islamic terrorists or far-left radicals). But the most dangerous demographic is this radicalized far-right.
I think it's necessary for Christians to understand what is happening, and to learn how to help our children think through all of these things. We need to protect our own children from being radicalized by those calling themselves Christians. We need to identify the dangers of the far-right (as well as the far-left), and seek to learn how to think well through all of these complex topics.
I am seeing more and more young people struggling, and I fear that they are vulnerable to radicalization. Thankfully, Elizabeth Neumann offers a lot of help for us in this book. She helps us to know what kinds of conversations to have with our children. She gives us an inside look into the world of counter-terrorism (a broad look...considering all the variety of threats that came across her desk). She thinks through these matters from a Biblical worldview. She seeks to be faithful with the knowledge and expertise that she has to offer. I am thankful for her work. This book took a lot of courage for her to write. May God bless her and keep her. May God help us.
August 10, 2024
Anyone who is like me and doesn't like what the Republican Party and Conservatives (and their constituents) have become will appreciate this work. Much can be said about this book, but I am thankful for it for voicing my concerns over how the political Right has become more extreme in its views and actions.
October 22, 2025
Fantastic look at radicalization and Christian nationalism specifically, by a former Homeland Security official. The book looks at why people radicalize and what steps need to be taken to address the root causes.
The second half of the book is directed to Christians and talks about our responsibility in this whole scenario. Then it wraps up with recommendations for how individuals, communities, and government can take steps to prevent radicalization.
This is an urgently needed book in our culture, even more so since its publication and 2024, and the author’s credentials give it credibility it wouldn’t otherwise have.
The second half of the book is directed to Christians and talks about our responsibility in this whole scenario. Then it wraps up with recommendations for how individuals, communities, and government can take steps to prevent radicalization.
This is an urgently needed book in our culture, even more so since its publication and 2024, and the author’s credentials give it credibility it wouldn’t otherwise have.
October 23, 2025
10/10 Excellent read, highly recommend
November 3, 2025
I think the first half of the book is quite informative, if not too technical with all the labeling of factors and types of domestic extremism. I appreciate the effort because if we cannot even recognize the problem (i.e., give them labels), there is no hope to even address it. The part that strikes me the most, however, is not the labels, but a brief description of God's purpose for the churches. As a non-religious person married to a Christian in a grand Catholic wedding, I treasure every moment to learn more about the whys behind God, the Bible, and the churches. And the following paragraph reaffirms my understanding that Christianity, likewise many other religions, if followed as intended, is one of the best ways a person can leave the world a better place than the one they found.
--p125
Unfortunately, the church leaders are not immune to the corruption that they are supposed to ward off their congregants. Fame, power, wealth, and faith in politics instead of God corrupted the hearts of many church leaders. When the success of a church is measured by how many people go through the door each month, sounds like a corporate KPI doesn’t it, it is only natural that the teachings of Christ are abandoned for idolatries. One simply cannot preach suffering and hardship as a necessary path towards God's Kingdom and expect a large following, even if that's the right way. No, one has to sensationalize things (you are being prosecuted and only I can save you), sweeten things (if you follow me, you will never suffer and be rewarded with wealth and comfort immediately), and taps into the very vulnerable nature of humanity (instead of looking forward and face the fear of unknown together, let’s should look backward and dwell in the routine of the past, even if that past is known to be deeply flawed). A large portion of evangelical churches have so Americanized Christianity that we can no longer in good faith even claim that they are Christianity any more. They are more akin to a cultish entity practicing earthly idolatries that happen to use the same symbol of Christianity. Instead of spreading love, these churches become the ripe soil for hatred. I do not know how they can miss the irony when they hold the Holy Cross on one hand and bathe in bigotry on the other.
Unfortunately, I find the second half of the book a bit weak. It focuses on how individuals can help detect early signs of radicalization of loved ones and provides ways to help de-radicalize them. While this is definitely necessary, I think without major change to combat the source of radicalization, i.e., social media trolls, corrupted church leaders, and sensational infotainment hosts, it is impossible to reverse the tide of radicalization through individual effort of love and prayer. The author already admits that once a person is radicalized, there is basically nothing we can do except for continuing to love and keep our doors open. Then essentially what we can do is just hope and pray, while the radicalization machine marches on to get more and more people rioted up. I feel that the author pulled her punches. She rightfully criticized the system, but did not offer much to change the system. Her thesis seems to be that if everyone keeps an eye on their loved ones, we can stop them from being radicalized. True, but the number of people reading her book and practicing the prevention is much smaller than those being force-fed by the radicalization machine. At the end of the day, I feel her suggestions, while useful, will not be effective in snapping 70+ million Americans out of the Trump frenzy.
Interesting Quotes
--p6
--p18. Anyone who claims that if you don't vote for this candidate, oppose that proposition, or fight for their cause then we will lose our country/culture is NOT a true follower of Christ, because he never puts his faith in God. Instead, he puts his faith in earthly existences; he is a practitioner of idolatry.
--p21. The faith should be in God and God alone. Since God never fails, you will never lose your identity, no matter which political party is in power or which country you live in. A Christian tying themselves to an earthly existence, pretending to serve God but ignoring His teachings is one of the most heresy things possible. Yet many are doing it everyday without even a shred of shame.
--p62. Power, control, comfort, or significance. The Devil works in mysterious ways as well, and it is tempting us all the time. It is very difficult to be a true Christian, hence why people need to have faith in God, guidance from pastors, and support from communities. The heart of man is easily corrupted.
--p94. Sounds far-fetched, but I can imagine this to happen when the ideology pivots too left. In fact, I might have personally experienced such "progressive separatism" in an area near Seattle. Maybe it's worth writing about it in a separate post.
--p96. The author missed a big opportunity here to dig into the why. Why do the conservatives feel the need to self-censor? What exactly are their opinions that they fear to express? I believe once we learn the why, we will feel less sympathetic about their grievings of being "silenced".
--p101. "Patriot Churches" is an oxymoron. If you are a church, your faith should only be with God. Only an earthly country needs you to be a patriot. God does not. God only requires you to have faith. If you find the urge to be "patriot" in a church, that church is worshipping a false idol.
--p113. So it all started from Eisenhower, the mingling of church and state, the loss of churches to false idols.
--p124. The Bible is not a reference manual, but something to experience, learn, and grow upon. If you always need to check what the Bible says before deciding to do something, you are using it the wrong way (this is where fundamentalism fails; instead of understanding the Scripture through hardwork, they choose the lazy route of treating it as a cheap reference manual). If you understand the Bible, you will just do the thing because you know it is the right thing to do, the thing that Christ would've done himself. Most of the time, the thing to do is simply to be a nice person.
--p126. Suffering is a common experience of humanity. Suffering is a necessary path towards Christianity. There is no way to God without going through some shit. If someone tells you that you can reach God without suffering, that is a snake-oil salesman hiding their true intention behind the pretense of God.
--p141. The lack of exposure to moderate suffering when we are young ill-prepares us for the real suffering when we get older. This primes some of us to escape to the snake-oil salesmen who claim that they can help us remove the suffering, while ignoring the true teachings of God.
--p149
--p153-154. You can put your identity in a party or country, but then you are no longer a Christian. If you charge with a Holy Cross on your banner while doing MAGA chants, that's just blasphemy.
--p168-169
--p171.
--p175. Well said. Those "Christian ministry leaders" cease to be Christians the moment they put their faith in an earthly individual or political party.
--p185
--p209. While we have recognized that domestic extremism is a big problem and even produced more than enough labels for it, if one of the top political parties does not want to recognize the problem and refuses to fund measures to deal with it, it will remain an issue troubling the American society. The refusal of the Republican party to see domestic extremism as a legitimate issue is self-explanatory, as evidenced by the "we are all domestic terrorists" panel discussion at CPAC in August 2022.
God's purpose for the church is to shine the light of Christ into the world and to light a path to our transformation into the image of Christ or, as Jesus put it, to make disciples. It is not to get more people through the church door. A healthy church points congregants to God, so that He can transform hearts and minds to move from natural selfish tendencies to a life of service to God and to others. There, the Bible tells us, we find truth and joy.
--p125
Unfortunately, the church leaders are not immune to the corruption that they are supposed to ward off their congregants. Fame, power, wealth, and faith in politics instead of God corrupted the hearts of many church leaders. When the success of a church is measured by how many people go through the door each month, sounds like a corporate KPI doesn’t it, it is only natural that the teachings of Christ are abandoned for idolatries. One simply cannot preach suffering and hardship as a necessary path towards God's Kingdom and expect a large following, even if that's the right way. No, one has to sensationalize things (you are being prosecuted and only I can save you), sweeten things (if you follow me, you will never suffer and be rewarded with wealth and comfort immediately), and taps into the very vulnerable nature of humanity (instead of looking forward and face the fear of unknown together, let’s should look backward and dwell in the routine of the past, even if that past is known to be deeply flawed). A large portion of evangelical churches have so Americanized Christianity that we can no longer in good faith even claim that they are Christianity any more. They are more akin to a cultish entity practicing earthly idolatries that happen to use the same symbol of Christianity. Instead of spreading love, these churches become the ripe soil for hatred. I do not know how they can miss the irony when they hold the Holy Cross on one hand and bathe in bigotry on the other.
Unfortunately, I find the second half of the book a bit weak. It focuses on how individuals can help detect early signs of radicalization of loved ones and provides ways to help de-radicalize them. While this is definitely necessary, I think without major change to combat the source of radicalization, i.e., social media trolls, corrupted church leaders, and sensational infotainment hosts, it is impossible to reverse the tide of radicalization through individual effort of love and prayer. The author already admits that once a person is radicalized, there is basically nothing we can do except for continuing to love and keep our doors open. Then essentially what we can do is just hope and pray, while the radicalization machine marches on to get more and more people rioted up. I feel that the author pulled her punches. She rightfully criticized the system, but did not offer much to change the system. Her thesis seems to be that if everyone keeps an eye on their loved ones, we can stop them from being radicalized. True, but the number of people reading her book and practicing the prevention is much smaller than those being force-fed by the radicalization machine. At the end of the day, I feel her suggestions, while useful, will not be effective in snapping 70+ million Americans out of the Trump frenzy.
Interesting Quotes
Shaming or attempting to argue someone out of their ideology does not work. In fact, it is likely to push someone deeper into extremism.
--p6
Thee teachings of orthodox Christianity believe that the Kingdom of God cannot be thwarted by men.
--p18. Anyone who claims that if you don't vote for this candidate, oppose that proposition, or fight for their cause then we will lose our country/culture is NOT a true follower of Christ, because he never puts his faith in God. Instead, he puts his faith in earthly existences; he is a practitioner of idolatry.
Embracing this truth does not prohibit us from belonging or siding with a political party or movement. But the party shouldn't be core to our identity or our faith.
--p21. The faith should be in God and God alone. Since God never fails, you will never lose your identity, no matter which political party is in power or which country you live in. A Christian tying themselves to an earthly existence, pretending to serve God but ignoring His teachings is one of the most heresy things possible. Yet many are doing it everyday without even a shred of shame.
We tolerated extremism because what we really worshipped was power, control, comfort, or significance.
--p62. Power, control, comfort, or significance. The Devil works in mysterious ways as well, and it is tempting us all the time. It is very difficult to be a true Christian, hence why people need to have faith in God, guidance from pastors, and support from communities. The heart of man is easily corrupted.
It claims that you cannot appreciate someone else's cultural food or celebrations, for that is cultural appropriation. And there is even a movement to reinstitute forms of segregation, which Mounk calls "progressive separatism." There were schools that have "introduced race-segregated affinity groups, some as early as kindergarten."
--p94. Sounds far-fetched, but I can imagine this to happen when the ideology pivots too left. In fact, I might have personally experienced such "progressive separatism" in an area near Seattle. Maybe it's worth writing about it in a separate post.
But more critically, what we see in the Cato survey is that those with moderate, conservative, or strong conservative views self-censor at much greater rates than liberals and strong liberals: 77 percent of conservatives and strong conservatives (the rate was the same for both) believe others will find them offensive, so they self-censor.
--p96. The author missed a big opportunity here to dig into the why. Why do the conservatives feel the need to self-censor? What exactly are their opinions that they fear to express? I believe once we learn the why, we will feel less sympathetic about their grievings of being "silenced".
There is even a network of Patriot Churches now.
--p101. "Patriot Churches" is an oxymoron. If you are a church, your faith should only be with God. Only an earthly country needs you to be a patriot. God does not. God only requires you to have faith. If you find the urge to be "patriot" in a church, that church is worshipping a false idol.
Eisenhower initiated the National Prayer Breakfast and worked with Congress to add "one nation under God" to the Pledge of Allegiance and "In God We Trust" to US currency.
--p113. So it all started from Eisenhower, the mingling of church and state, the loss of churches to false idols.
Nienhuis noted: "They have the capacity to recall a relevant biblical text in support of a particular doctrinal point, or in opposition to a hot spot in the cultural wars, or in hope of emotional support when times get tough. They approach the Bible as a sort of reference book, a collection of useful God-quotes that can be looked up as one would locate words in a dictionary or an entry in an encyclopedia."
--p124. The Bible is not a reference manual, but something to experience, learn, and grow upon. If you always need to check what the Bible says before deciding to do something, you are using it the wrong way (this is where fundamentalism fails; instead of understanding the Scripture through hardwork, they choose the lazy route of treating it as a cheap reference manual). If you understand the Bible, you will just do the thing because you know it is the right thing to do, the thing that Christ would've done himself. Most of the time, the thing to do is simply to be a nice person.
A healthy church should come alongside those who are suffering and bear their burdens in both spiritual and practical ways. If a church is not routinely teaching on the role of suffering and trials in the life of a Christian, it may subtly convey to the one suffering that they must be doing something wrong.
--p126. Suffering is a common experience of humanity. Suffering is a necessary path towards Christianity. There is no way to God without going through some shit. If someone tells you that you can reach God without suffering, that is a snake-oil salesman hiding their true intention behind the pretense of God.
When pain and despair enter our lives, our stunned emotional muscles panic and we stay stuck in alternating realities of denial and seeking distractions to anesthetize the despair....The blessings of progress have also robbed us of the communal experience of lament in suffering, pain, and death.
--p141. The lack of exposure to moderate suffering when we are young ill-prepares us for the real suffering when we get older. This primes some of us to escape to the snake-oil salesmen who claim that they can help us remove the suffering, while ignoring the true teachings of God.
Our command to seek unity in Christ is clearly more important than doctrinal unity on secondary and tertiary matters, especially if the latter results in casting judgements and joining in "heresy" hunting.
--p149
If we seek hope, belonging, significance, and security in our in-group, our party, or our country, we are staking our identity on it. When those things are threatened or fail, our identity is threatened. We become open to narratives of existential threats to our existence and a need to do something to "save" our future or our children's future.
--p153-154. You can put your identity in a party or country, but then you are no longer a Christian. If you charge with a Holy Cross on your banner while doing MAGA chants, that's just blasphemy.
Overprotecting our children -- particularly, saving them from having to solve problems on their own or from experiencing failure -- is contributing to their anxiety and depression and stunting their ability to mature into functioning adults.
--p168-169
The Bible tells us that suffering should be expected of followers of Christ. We are told that to be Jesus' disciples we "must deny [ourselves] and take up [our] cross" to follow Jesus (Luke 9:23).
--p171.
We have too many Christians and ministry leaders who live and teach in full-scale opposition to the fundamental principles of the Christian faith and in outright rejection of Jesus' way into His Kingdom. We've elevated ourselves to the role of God in declaring how one cannot vote for this or that political party and be a saved Christian. We've elevated our politician, our party, or our infotainment host as a prophet and savior.
--p175. Well said. Those "Christian ministry leaders" cease to be Christians the moment they put their faith in an earthly individual or political party.
If our quest is for a frictionless life, we will be doomed to immaturity in Christ.
--p185
If we use these new numbers as our scale, then based on the United States population, we should be spending 1.1 billion a year on domestic prevention programming. More recently, the Atlantic Council in the summer of 2023 recommended that the US federal government should provide 20 billion to states and communities to build up successful prevention capabilities... A total of 30 million dollars is spent in the United States on domestic prevention programming...an amount that has been relatively flat since 2020. And recently House Republicans have been trying to cut this small amount of funding.
--p209. While we have recognized that domestic extremism is a big problem and even produced more than enough labels for it, if one of the top political parties does not want to recognize the problem and refuses to fund measures to deal with it, it will remain an issue troubling the American society. The refusal of the Republican party to see domestic extremism as a legitimate issue is self-explanatory, as evidenced by the "we are all domestic terrorists" panel discussion at CPAC in August 2022.
March 9, 2024
After reading the advance copy, this book is a must read. Kingdom of Rage is a deeply personal dive into the importance of untangling faith from politics.
Elizabeth is a Counterterrorism expert, who like many, jumped in to protect the Homeland after the 9/11 attacks. Her acumen spans serving in several Presidential administrations in the national security arena, which is purposefully politically neutral.
Beginning with a focus on preventing international terrorism, she recognized early that there was a rising threat of domestic extremism emerging from within the United States--sounding the alarm in Congressional hearings a year before January 6th.
Like many believers, she was especially alarmed by the volume of extremist and hateful rhetoric coming from within the evangelical church.
Refreshingly, this book is not a screed that levels hatred or diatribes against Christians or conservatives or liberals or those from other faiths. In fact, she takes on personal responsibility in reflecting and lamenting how she and others in the evangelical community have contributed to detracting from the major tenants of true faith in the Gospel.
Unlike many who have simply diagnosed problems, such as vulnerability to conspiracies, radicalization, and political defensiveness within the Christian community, she more closely examines not only the why and how to recognize these tendencies, but also offers a series of practical solutions to return to unity by embracing the core message of the Gospel and living it out in the local community.
If you are seeking to find the way back to peace, even in an increasingly polarized society and in the wake of relationships devastated by political beliefs, this book points the way, step-by-step, to the love of Jesus as the solution.
Elizabeth is a Counterterrorism expert, who like many, jumped in to protect the Homeland after the 9/11 attacks. Her acumen spans serving in several Presidential administrations in the national security arena, which is purposefully politically neutral.
Beginning with a focus on preventing international terrorism, she recognized early that there was a rising threat of domestic extremism emerging from within the United States--sounding the alarm in Congressional hearings a year before January 6th.
Like many believers, she was especially alarmed by the volume of extremist and hateful rhetoric coming from within the evangelical church.
Refreshingly, this book is not a screed that levels hatred or diatribes against Christians or conservatives or liberals or those from other faiths. In fact, she takes on personal responsibility in reflecting and lamenting how she and others in the evangelical community have contributed to detracting from the major tenants of true faith in the Gospel.
Unlike many who have simply diagnosed problems, such as vulnerability to conspiracies, radicalization, and political defensiveness within the Christian community, she more closely examines not only the why and how to recognize these tendencies, but also offers a series of practical solutions to return to unity by embracing the core message of the Gospel and living it out in the local community.
If you are seeking to find the way back to peace, even in an increasingly polarized society and in the wake of relationships devastated by political beliefs, this book points the way, step-by-step, to the love of Jesus as the solution.
March 16, 2025
The writing in this book is flawed, but the content is great. The message that Neumann is communicating throughout the book resonates with how my own morality has reacted to the American zeitgeist in 2025. I've never been a fan of organized religion, especially Christianity, but I've softened my stance as I've aged, and this book is another nudge toward my goal of trying to live up to having an actual liberal and open mind, one that's more sophisticated in its assessment of reality, which is often nuanced and lives in a gray area. Before I finished this book, I had already started reading the Bible and Buddhist texts, largely out of a conscious attempt at fidelity toward my stated moral stance of going to primary sources and forming one's own opinion, through critical thinking (as best as one can manage; I'm certainly not the most advanced or adept in mind nor spirit) and, more importantly, that aforementioned open mind, and partially out of curiosity to learn, firsthand, how religion seems to just have a grip on the majority of people. (I consider this true even in our more secular times, at least in America; traditional organized religion has seemed to, instead, have been replaced by a mix of ideology and/or celebrity worship.) All in all, this book's message is one I whole-heartedly support. The author has the credentials to speak on the issue of domestic terrorism, embodied by extreme Christian nationalists, since she's a long-time Department of Homeland Security employee, a devout Christian, and a lifelong conservative in the George W. Bush vein. The book stimulated me to consider points that I'd been really mulling over in recent times - how to prioritize what I really care about. I still owe myself a typewritten essay that outlines this moral code but, for now, I think this book is another great data point that abuts up against whatever that hitherto inchoate and ill-defined code's outlines are. I value human decency and working together above whatever silly superficial differences we can collectively concoct up to divide us. Humanity's superpower is working together. This book underscores that. On the religious front, the book also gave me a good framework for understanding what's bothered me so much about the Christian nationalists' stances, and why the current political landscape, at least on the extreme ends of both left and right, has been so maddening to me. I've already gone on too long and I don't think this is a great venue for airing out my political leanings. In short, this is a nice easy book to read, at least prose-wise. I think any decent human with an open mind will at least know that the author has good intentions in trying to help us come together to solve some real problems. There's some light marketing in the book I didn't love, but I still think it's well-intentioned - she's trying to affect positive change in her community and her country. I support that.
June 17, 2025
Review of Kingdom of Rage by Elizabeth Neumann – A Frustrating, One-Sided Take
Elizabeth Neumann’s Kingdom of Rage presents itself as a bold exposé of Christian extremism in America, but in truth, it reads more like a politically charged manifesto than a balanced or meaningful exploration of a complex subject. Neumann, who once served in the Department of Homeland Security, approaches the topic of Christian nationalism with an air of authority, but ultimately delivers a book that is disappointingly narrow, ideologically slanted, and alienating to anyone outside of her worldview.
From the outset, Neumann positions herself as a whistleblower, supposedly shining a light on a growing danger within American Christianity. However, her arguments often fall into generalizations, painting millions of believers with the same broad brush of "radicalism" simply because of their political affiliations or cultural values. She leans heavily into the idea that right-wing Christians are on the verge of violent uprising—an assumption that feels more fear-mongering than fact-based.
Rather than offer a thoughtful critique or engage in genuine introspection about the diversity within the faith, Neumann collapses political conservatism, evangelical Christianity, and extremism into a single narrative. It's intellectually dishonest and, frankly, lazy. Her tendency to overuse anecdotes while downplaying or ignoring data that might complicate her narrative weakens the book’s credibility. For instance, when she discusses the January 6 Capitol riot, she makes the leap from a fringe group’s actions to implicating an entire religious movement, with little effort made to distinguish between violent actors and peaceful believers.
The most frustrating part of this book is how clearly indoctrinated the author appears to be by her new ideological alignment. Having left what she now deems the “radical right,” Neumann has seemingly embraced a kind of progressive moral superiority that feels condescending and shallow. Her prescription for peace amounts to urging conservative Christians to dismantle their own beliefs and accept her preferred political orthodoxy. There's little humility in her tone—only condemnation for anyone who doesn’t agree.
Kingdom of Rage is unlikely to win over anyone who isn’t already in ideological agreement with Neumann. It’s more of a sermon for her converted readers than a genuine attempt at dialogue. If you’re looking for a nuanced, fact-driven account of the intersection between faith and politics, look elsewhere. This book adds more fuel to the division it claims to lament.
Elizabeth Neumann’s Kingdom of Rage presents itself as a bold exposé of Christian extremism in America, but in truth, it reads more like a politically charged manifesto than a balanced or meaningful exploration of a complex subject. Neumann, who once served in the Department of Homeland Security, approaches the topic of Christian nationalism with an air of authority, but ultimately delivers a book that is disappointingly narrow, ideologically slanted, and alienating to anyone outside of her worldview.
From the outset, Neumann positions herself as a whistleblower, supposedly shining a light on a growing danger within American Christianity. However, her arguments often fall into generalizations, painting millions of believers with the same broad brush of "radicalism" simply because of their political affiliations or cultural values. She leans heavily into the idea that right-wing Christians are on the verge of violent uprising—an assumption that feels more fear-mongering than fact-based.
Rather than offer a thoughtful critique or engage in genuine introspection about the diversity within the faith, Neumann collapses political conservatism, evangelical Christianity, and extremism into a single narrative. It's intellectually dishonest and, frankly, lazy. Her tendency to overuse anecdotes while downplaying or ignoring data that might complicate her narrative weakens the book’s credibility. For instance, when she discusses the January 6 Capitol riot, she makes the leap from a fringe group’s actions to implicating an entire religious movement, with little effort made to distinguish between violent actors and peaceful believers.
The most frustrating part of this book is how clearly indoctrinated the author appears to be by her new ideological alignment. Having left what she now deems the “radical right,” Neumann has seemingly embraced a kind of progressive moral superiority that feels condescending and shallow. Her prescription for peace amounts to urging conservative Christians to dismantle their own beliefs and accept her preferred political orthodoxy. There's little humility in her tone—only condemnation for anyone who doesn’t agree.
Kingdom of Rage is unlikely to win over anyone who isn’t already in ideological agreement with Neumann. It’s more of a sermon for her converted readers than a genuine attempt at dialogue. If you’re looking for a nuanced, fact-driven account of the intersection between faith and politics, look elsewhere. This book adds more fuel to the division it claims to lament.
August 21, 2025
Elizabeth Neumann's "Kingdom of Rage" offers a powerful and deeply personal analysis of how extremism has infiltrated American evangelical Christianity. What makes this book particularly compelling is Neumann's unique credibility—as a former Assistant Secretary for Counterterrorism and Threat Prevention who served in both the Bush and Trump administrations, she writes from firsthand experience about the very threats she was tasked with combating.
The book is exceptionally well-researched and informative, particularly in its early chapters. Neumann provides a fantastic historical overview tracing the genesis of the far right from the second KKK through Ruby Ridge, and her writing flows well, making complex topics about extremism and radicalization accessible to general readers. Her indictment of how Evangelicals and Republicans have tolerated extremism in their ranks contains genuinely touching moments of moral clarity.
However, the book's analytical strengths in the first half give way to a more prescriptive approach in the second half that feels less substantive. While Neumann excels at documenting what happened, she misses opportunities for deeper scholarly connection—the excellent historical foundation doesn't quite bridge to modern movements, leaving gaps in our understanding of online radicalization tactics, international far-right influences, or media co-opting strategies. Most notably, while she identifies that extremism was tolerated within evangelical and Republican communities, she doesn't delve deeply enough into why this tolerance developed. - Zenophobia, fear, and Racism....
The book also suffers from a tendency toward collective responsibility that occasionally obscures individual accountability. Neumann's reflections on her own failings in public office are consistently framed within broader American failures, when more personal introspection might have provided valuable insights.
The book also suffers from a tendency toward collective responsibility that occasionally obscures individual accountability. Neumann's reflections on her own failings in public office are consistently framed within broader American failures, when more personal introspection might have provided valuable insights.
Despite these limitations, this ECPA Christian Book Award winner remains valuble reading for anyone seeking to understand faith and politics in contemporary America. Neumann explains that the majority of Americans aren't extremists but shows how tolerating misinformation and contempt can inadvertently enable extremism's growth—a crucial insight that makes this book valuable even where its analysis falls short of its potential.
The book is exceptionally well-researched and informative, particularly in its early chapters. Neumann provides a fantastic historical overview tracing the genesis of the far right from the second KKK through Ruby Ridge, and her writing flows well, making complex topics about extremism and radicalization accessible to general readers. Her indictment of how Evangelicals and Republicans have tolerated extremism in their ranks contains genuinely touching moments of moral clarity.
However, the book's analytical strengths in the first half give way to a more prescriptive approach in the second half that feels less substantive. While Neumann excels at documenting what happened, she misses opportunities for deeper scholarly connection—the excellent historical foundation doesn't quite bridge to modern movements, leaving gaps in our understanding of online radicalization tactics, international far-right influences, or media co-opting strategies. Most notably, while she identifies that extremism was tolerated within evangelical and Republican communities, she doesn't delve deeply enough into why this tolerance developed. - Zenophobia, fear, and Racism....
The book also suffers from a tendency toward collective responsibility that occasionally obscures individual accountability. Neumann's reflections on her own failings in public office are consistently framed within broader American failures, when more personal introspection might have provided valuable insights.
The book also suffers from a tendency toward collective responsibility that occasionally obscures individual accountability. Neumann's reflections on her own failings in public office are consistently framed within broader American failures, when more personal introspection might have provided valuable insights.
Despite these limitations, this ECPA Christian Book Award winner remains valuble reading for anyone seeking to understand faith and politics in contemporary America. Neumann explains that the majority of Americans aren't extremists but shows how tolerating misinformation and contempt can inadvertently enable extremism's growth—a crucial insight that makes this book valuable even where its analysis falls short of its potential.
July 8, 2024
A Review of the Audiobook
Published by Worthy Books in 2024.
Read by Erin Bennett.
Duration: 8 hours, 38 minutes.
Unabridged.
Elizabeth Neumann worked for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in the George W. Bush and Trump administrations.
During the Bush Administration, the work of the DHS centered around preventing attempts by foreign groups, usually Muslim-based, to commit acts of terrorism on the United States or on Americans abroad. She became an expert on why some Muslims were radicalizing (or self-radicalizing), the signs of what to look for, and things that can be done to prevent radicalization.
During the Trump Administration, she started seeing more and more reports about domestic terrorism, usually coming from self-radicalized ultra-conservatives who are encouraged by media. Two prime examples are the Pittsburgh synagogue shooter and the El Paso shooter. Both issued manifestos that quoted liberally from fringe MAGA Conservative theories, like the Great Replacement theory pushed by politicians like Donald Trump and media figures like Tucker Carlson. Carlson mentioned the theory more than 400 times on his show.
At first, Neumann thought this was a ridiculous notion. But, as she noticed changes in rhetoric at her own church and with old friends from a former church that she reconnected with, she decided to take a serious look.
What she saw were the exact same trends in some parts of the American Christian community that she had found in the radicalized Muslim community 10-12 years earlier and it mortified her. This was not the faith she knew. She recognized that thought as well - she had heard it so many times when Muslim terrorists were her main worry during the Bush Administration.
Neumann does a thorough job of explaining the process of radicalization and the dangers of flirting with radicalizing comments for political gain. She also demonstrates that "self-radicalization" is much easier with the rise of social media. People prone to radicalization can easily find an online community. They can also watch videos and read texts without interacting with another human being. While this section is thorough, it is often dry and clinical as well. It felt more like a textbook reading or a briefing rather than an engaging text.
Her recommendations section have a similar feel, making the book as a whole highly informative but not particularly engaging.
I rate this audiobook 3 stars out of 5.
Published by Worthy Books in 2024.
Read by Erin Bennett.
Duration: 8 hours, 38 minutes.
Unabridged.
Elizabeth Neumann worked for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in the George W. Bush and Trump administrations.
During the Bush Administration, the work of the DHS centered around preventing attempts by foreign groups, usually Muslim-based, to commit acts of terrorism on the United States or on Americans abroad. She became an expert on why some Muslims were radicalizing (or self-radicalizing), the signs of what to look for, and things that can be done to prevent radicalization.
During the Trump Administration, she started seeing more and more reports about domestic terrorism, usually coming from self-radicalized ultra-conservatives who are encouraged by media. Two prime examples are the Pittsburgh synagogue shooter and the El Paso shooter. Both issued manifestos that quoted liberally from fringe MAGA Conservative theories, like the Great Replacement theory pushed by politicians like Donald Trump and media figures like Tucker Carlson. Carlson mentioned the theory more than 400 times on his show.
At first, Neumann thought this was a ridiculous notion. But, as she noticed changes in rhetoric at her own church and with old friends from a former church that she reconnected with, she decided to take a serious look.
What she saw were the exact same trends in some parts of the American Christian community that she had found in the radicalized Muslim community 10-12 years earlier and it mortified her. This was not the faith she knew. She recognized that thought as well - she had heard it so many times when Muslim terrorists were her main worry during the Bush Administration.
Neumann does a thorough job of explaining the process of radicalization and the dangers of flirting with radicalizing comments for political gain. She also demonstrates that "self-radicalization" is much easier with the rise of social media. People prone to radicalization can easily find an online community. They can also watch videos and read texts without interacting with another human being. While this section is thorough, it is often dry and clinical as well. It felt more like a textbook reading or a briefing rather than an engaging text.
Her recommendations section have a similar feel, making the book as a whole highly informative but not particularly engaging.
I rate this audiobook 3 stars out of 5.
May 3, 2024
Once again I have chosen to purchase a book a bit beyond my retirement budget after having seen the author discussing it on my favorite cable television channel. It turns out this deeply-reasoned, thoroughly annotated, and incisive investigation of the merging of evangelical religion with white power with the rise of religious extremism and far-right fanaticism and violence, makes this study truly priceless.
Neumann briefly describes her career with NHS and the investigation of terrorism up until the beginning of the COVID-19 shut-down in March of 2020. She and her husband, who also worked in the government, had already begun to realize that they could no longer continue to function in Trump’s version of the GOP. Although a change in her career path was already underway, of course the pandemic accelerated it. She explains that her first few months in the shutdown were devoted to deep prayer, reflection, caring for her family and seeking for hope and wisdom. However, for the author, as for so many of us, the ongoing stress of the disruption of their ordinary pattern of life, followed so quickly by the even greater trauma of the post-election events, was a genuine crisis point, and she quickly realized that the expected resilience and support offered by her faith was equally being short-circuited by the extremism of Christian Nationalism. Given her years of working with DHS on counterterrorism, she realized the extreme threat this level of immersion of churches in the MAGA movement and the ensuing radicalization of their congregations posed not only to our Republic, but also to the mission and purpose of Christianity itself.
Neumann remains firmly committed to her faith in Jesus, and her evangelical calling to share that faith with her world as Christ commanded. However, she insists on honoring the reality that God expects humans to continue to work to enhance the Kingdom of God as He commanded, not to revert to the idolatry of “patriotism and politics” with a narrow and fanatical commitment to “our country (or party) is always right” asserted to be God ordained regardless of how far it strays from basic Gospel principles of compassion and care for all, but most especially for the oppressed, marginalized, and castoffs. This book is deeply wise, completely authentic, and extremely heartfelt.
Neumann briefly describes her career with NHS and the investigation of terrorism up until the beginning of the COVID-19 shut-down in March of 2020. She and her husband, who also worked in the government, had already begun to realize that they could no longer continue to function in Trump’s version of the GOP. Although a change in her career path was already underway, of course the pandemic accelerated it. She explains that her first few months in the shutdown were devoted to deep prayer, reflection, caring for her family and seeking for hope and wisdom. However, for the author, as for so many of us, the ongoing stress of the disruption of their ordinary pattern of life, followed so quickly by the even greater trauma of the post-election events, was a genuine crisis point, and she quickly realized that the expected resilience and support offered by her faith was equally being short-circuited by the extremism of Christian Nationalism. Given her years of working with DHS on counterterrorism, she realized the extreme threat this level of immersion of churches in the MAGA movement and the ensuing radicalization of their congregations posed not only to our Republic, but also to the mission and purpose of Christianity itself.
Neumann remains firmly committed to her faith in Jesus, and her evangelical calling to share that faith with her world as Christ commanded. However, she insists on honoring the reality that God expects humans to continue to work to enhance the Kingdom of God as He commanded, not to revert to the idolatry of “patriotism and politics” with a narrow and fanatical commitment to “our country (or party) is always right” asserted to be God ordained regardless of how far it strays from basic Gospel principles of compassion and care for all, but most especially for the oppressed, marginalized, and castoffs. This book is deeply wise, completely authentic, and extremely heartfelt.
November 6, 2025
Powerful and important book.
With more than two decades of experience in U.S. national-security and counterterrorism—serving on the inaugural staff of the Homeland Security Council under Bush, advising the Director of National Intelligence, and later as Assistant Secretary for Counterterrorism and Threat Prevention at the Department of Homeland Security under DJT — Elizabeth Neumann brings rare credibility to the urgent issue of domestic Christian-extremism.
In Kingdom of Rage she unpacks how Christian symbols, rhetoric and church culture can be co-opted into extremist narratives; how grievance, fear and identity become the fuel of hostile action; and why this matters now more than ever for both faith communities and our democracy. 
Some of my favorite quotes:
“Our angry words are causing the other side to dig in and not hear us … one study showed that ‘If people change their views at all, the odds are more than three-to-one that they will become more extreme in their original position.’” 
“Proximity to those different from ourselves cultivates gratitude and humility and protects us from ‘othering’. It rehumanizes individuals who are otherwise labeled, painted with a broad brush, or, worse, made the enemy by your community of origin.” 
“… was an evolution aided and abetted by a church that has lost its soul: living in fear, glorifying false notions of our country’s past, idolizing earthly tools of power as the source of their salvation, and actively contributing to dehumanizing and apocalyptic narratives inciting violence.” 
In my mind, what sets Neumann apart is her non-partisan posture: she writes not as a partisan activist but as a national-security professional, a Christian and citizen who recognizes the threats to faith and society alike—and calls all sides to account, and to action. She insists our time for vigilance is short, that funding and structural support for prevention and intervention cannot wait, and that ordinary churches, communities and believers have a critical role to play if we hope to identify and stop the perpetrators of extremist violence before the damage is irreversible.
For anyone concerned about how faith, politics and violence intersect—and what we must do about it—this is a must-read.
With more than two decades of experience in U.S. national-security and counterterrorism—serving on the inaugural staff of the Homeland Security Council under Bush, advising the Director of National Intelligence, and later as Assistant Secretary for Counterterrorism and Threat Prevention at the Department of Homeland Security under DJT — Elizabeth Neumann brings rare credibility to the urgent issue of domestic Christian-extremism.
In Kingdom of Rage she unpacks how Christian symbols, rhetoric and church culture can be co-opted into extremist narratives; how grievance, fear and identity become the fuel of hostile action; and why this matters now more than ever for both faith communities and our democracy. 
Some of my favorite quotes:
“Our angry words are causing the other side to dig in and not hear us … one study showed that ‘If people change their views at all, the odds are more than three-to-one that they will become more extreme in their original position.’” 
“Proximity to those different from ourselves cultivates gratitude and humility and protects us from ‘othering’. It rehumanizes individuals who are otherwise labeled, painted with a broad brush, or, worse, made the enemy by your community of origin.” 
“… was an evolution aided and abetted by a church that has lost its soul: living in fear, glorifying false notions of our country’s past, idolizing earthly tools of power as the source of their salvation, and actively contributing to dehumanizing and apocalyptic narratives inciting violence.” 
In my mind, what sets Neumann apart is her non-partisan posture: she writes not as a partisan activist but as a national-security professional, a Christian and citizen who recognizes the threats to faith and society alike—and calls all sides to account, and to action. She insists our time for vigilance is short, that funding and structural support for prevention and intervention cannot wait, and that ordinary churches, communities and believers have a critical role to play if we hope to identify and stop the perpetrators of extremist violence before the damage is irreversible.
For anyone concerned about how faith, politics and violence intersect—and what we must do about it—this is a must-read.
May 11, 2024
The greater enemy was never outside; it was always within.
Thus Elizabeth Neumann, a former Department of Homeland Security staff member at the White House in the Bush II and Trump administrations, concluded based on all the evidence DHS had obtained regarding the prospects of radicalism and terrorism.
In Kingdom of Rage: The Rise of Christian Extremism and the Path Back to Peace (galley received as part of book review program), Neumann describes her own experiences and what she has come to learn and understand about the significance of the reactionary turn among many white Evangelicals in America, and considers some of why that has taken place, and what she believes must be done to return to some kind of moderation.
Much of the honesty in the book is refreshing: it is good for participants in American conservatism writ large to recognize, confess, and lament how the movement allowed all kinds of incredibly right-wing reactionaries to cultivate influence and power, how much fearmongering has become part and parcel of discourse, and how conservative Christendom has gone along with said movements more than they have resisted it. The author grapples with how it was “her people” who became more reactionary, considers why she did not, and what it all means.
The way forward is not easy. The author hopes for opportunities for de-escalation, but confesses how difficult it can be to bring people back from the conspiracy theory laden ways of the reactionaries.
While I am sure said reactionaries would portray the author as liberal or as a RINO, she is anything but. As she herself noted, hope for those deep into the reactionary world is slim; but perhaps many of those more moderate who have not yet wished to grapple with the seriousness of the right-wing reactionary problem might be persuaded by what she has to say.
I can only hope there will be a moderating way forward which does not involve a lot of violence and conflict. Time shall tell.
Thus Elizabeth Neumann, a former Department of Homeland Security staff member at the White House in the Bush II and Trump administrations, concluded based on all the evidence DHS had obtained regarding the prospects of radicalism and terrorism.
In Kingdom of Rage: The Rise of Christian Extremism and the Path Back to Peace (galley received as part of book review program), Neumann describes her own experiences and what she has come to learn and understand about the significance of the reactionary turn among many white Evangelicals in America, and considers some of why that has taken place, and what she believes must be done to return to some kind of moderation.
Much of the honesty in the book is refreshing: it is good for participants in American conservatism writ large to recognize, confess, and lament how the movement allowed all kinds of incredibly right-wing reactionaries to cultivate influence and power, how much fearmongering has become part and parcel of discourse, and how conservative Christendom has gone along with said movements more than they have resisted it. The author grapples with how it was “her people” who became more reactionary, considers why she did not, and what it all means.
The way forward is not easy. The author hopes for opportunities for de-escalation, but confesses how difficult it can be to bring people back from the conspiracy theory laden ways of the reactionaries.
While I am sure said reactionaries would portray the author as liberal or as a RINO, she is anything but. As she herself noted, hope for those deep into the reactionary world is slim; but perhaps many of those more moderate who have not yet wished to grapple with the seriousness of the right-wing reactionary problem might be persuaded by what she has to say.
I can only hope there will be a moderating way forward which does not involve a lot of violence and conflict. Time shall tell.
July 24, 2024
This book, written by a former Trump administration counter-terrorism official, looks at Christian nationalism as a domestic security threat. The first half of the book looks at the threat, and contains long passages quoting from other books that look at the rise of extremism among segments of American Christians. This is OK, but I wish the author would focus more on explaining and defending her own views, as opposed to quoting others. It is also written in a breezy style that I didn't particularly care for. The author does describe her own experience and position working in the federal government countering threats. I found this part to be the most interesting. In the second half of the book, she describes some basic frameworks for terrorism and radicalization, and looks at how some Christians have gone down that path in recent years. I found this part much more interesting, although most of the discussion about radicalization was at a very simple, introductory level. She then follows up by discussing how her readers can intervene if their own loved ones are thought to be radicalizing. The book fills a niche, as the author introduces herself as a conservative evangelical Christian, who is nevertheless concerned about trends within her own religious tradition. I hope that she can have a positive impact on that tradition. I do wish she had included more detail, particularly in terms of looking at people as members of an in group and out group, as a major step in promoting extremism. Who does she see as the in group and who is the out group? I thought she could have included more clarity based on her own background. Still, the book is helpful in that it provides insight into domestic religious and political trends via the prism of counter-terrorism, and the story is told with sympathy for believers.
October 9, 2024
The information in the appendices about spotting signs of extremism in loved ones and talking to our kids about extremism are valuable.
However, the fact that she quotes Rod Dreher as a reliable source on cancel culture is hypocritical. She talks at length about not demonizing the “other side” and then, on page 93, quotes Dreher blaming the “left-wing political cult” for “dividing humanity between the Good and the Evil.” Then on page 96, she shares statistics regarding how people of different political identities feel they need to self-censor, stating “77 percent of conservatives and strong conservatives (the rate was the same for both) believe others will find them offensive, so they self-censor.” She does nothing to consider why that may be. Perhaps it’s because some of their views are considered by society to be offensive? Then, on page 198, she blames ALL of us for school gun violence. “A democratic republic puts the power in the hands of the people. That means we all have blood on our hands. We are all complicit in allowing our children to be mercilessly targeted. This is the result of society’s criminal negligence.” Seriously?? We, the American people, have been begging outcry lawmakers to take action on this issue to no avail, but the citizens are responsible for our kids dying? This is the most egregious, disingenuous argument I think I’ve ever heard about mass shootings in schools!
Finally, I recoil at the evangelical argument of “just put your trust in Jesus.” To her credit, as I referenced above she does give some actual concrete advice, which is why I gave this book two stars.
However, the fact that she quotes Rod Dreher as a reliable source on cancel culture is hypocritical. She talks at length about not demonizing the “other side” and then, on page 93, quotes Dreher blaming the “left-wing political cult” for “dividing humanity between the Good and the Evil.” Then on page 96, she shares statistics regarding how people of different political identities feel they need to self-censor, stating “77 percent of conservatives and strong conservatives (the rate was the same for both) believe others will find them offensive, so they self-censor.” She does nothing to consider why that may be. Perhaps it’s because some of their views are considered by society to be offensive? Then, on page 198, she blames ALL of us for school gun violence. “A democratic republic puts the power in the hands of the people. That means we all have blood on our hands. We are all complicit in allowing our children to be mercilessly targeted. This is the result of society’s criminal negligence.” Seriously?? We, the American people, have been begging outcry lawmakers to take action on this issue to no avail, but the citizens are responsible for our kids dying? This is the most egregious, disingenuous argument I think I’ve ever heard about mass shootings in schools!
Finally, I recoil at the evangelical argument of “just put your trust in Jesus.” To her credit, as I referenced above she does give some actual concrete advice, which is why I gave this book two stars.
August 25, 2024
You can also see this review, along with others I have written, at my blog, Mr. Book's Book Reviews.
Mr. Book just finished Kingdom Of Rage: The Rise Of Christian Extremism And The Path Back To Peace, by Elizabeth Neumann.
This is an infuriating book to read. The author, who had worked in the Department of Homeland Security under Trump, thinks she has the solution to the Christian nationalist that we have in the country. But, that is just replace it with a different version of Christian nationalism—one that conveniently lines up with her own personal religious views.
I lost track of how many times I knew I could just skip through paragraphs because all she was doing was given her version of what the Bible meant. OK, technically, I never started keeping track, but if I did, I would have lost track.
There was some good material, from time to time, in the book about Christian nationalist terrorism. But, she didn’t say anything in that material that wasn’t already said by others, with nearly all of them doing a better job than she did.
And the author isn’t advocating for her own version of religion, she’s just another right-wing nut who just wants her version of nuttiness.
I give this book an F. Goodreads requires grades on a 1-5 star system. In my personal conversion system, an F equates to 1 star. (A or A+: 5 stars, B+: 4 stars, B: 3 stars, C: 2 stars, D or F: 1 star).
This review has been posted at my blog, Mr. Book’s Book Reviews, and Goodreads.
Mr. Book finished reading this on August 25, 2024.
Mr. Book just finished Kingdom Of Rage: The Rise Of Christian Extremism And The Path Back To Peace, by Elizabeth Neumann.
This is an infuriating book to read. The author, who had worked in the Department of Homeland Security under Trump, thinks she has the solution to the Christian nationalist that we have in the country. But, that is just replace it with a different version of Christian nationalism—one that conveniently lines up with her own personal religious views.
I lost track of how many times I knew I could just skip through paragraphs because all she was doing was given her version of what the Bible meant. OK, technically, I never started keeping track, but if I did, I would have lost track.
There was some good material, from time to time, in the book about Christian nationalist terrorism. But, she didn’t say anything in that material that wasn’t already said by others, with nearly all of them doing a better job than she did.
And the author isn’t advocating for her own version of religion, she’s just another right-wing nut who just wants her version of nuttiness.
I give this book an F. Goodreads requires grades on a 1-5 star system. In my personal conversion system, an F equates to 1 star. (A or A+: 5 stars, B+: 4 stars, B: 3 stars, C: 2 stars, D or F: 1 star).
This review has been posted at my blog, Mr. Book’s Book Reviews, and Goodreads.
Mr. Book finished reading this on August 25, 2024.
April 5, 2024
To me this is a seminal book on one of the most tragic series of events in our current age. Ms. Neumann uses her extensive knowledge of terrorism and her unbending Christian faith to compose a complete picture of the issue of domestic terrorism and its causes and suggests a number of avenues that can be used to address the issue. She backs up the information she provides with study after study across the spectrum of politics and religion.
And she points directly at Christian churches for the attitudes and practices which have harbored the resentments that have led to the disinformation and radicalization of segments of the Republican party and individuals within their congregations. She admits that at times she was part of that problem within her church and had to take a look at her own beliefs to find the truth of her faith.
But she balances that with the knowledge that radicalism and terrorism come from both sides of the political spectrum and from all forms of faith.
To me, this book should be a part of the curriculum in every seminary, divinity study and police force. Pastors, parents, educators and social workers should read this as well. It not only has practical information for the general public to recognize and help defuse individual's radicalization but offers hope based in faith to aid in getting through the hardest moments.
I highly recommend this book.
And she points directly at Christian churches for the attitudes and practices which have harbored the resentments that have led to the disinformation and radicalization of segments of the Republican party and individuals within their congregations. She admits that at times she was part of that problem within her church and had to take a look at her own beliefs to find the truth of her faith.
But she balances that with the knowledge that radicalism and terrorism come from both sides of the political spectrum and from all forms of faith.
To me, this book should be a part of the curriculum in every seminary, divinity study and police force. Pastors, parents, educators and social workers should read this as well. It not only has practical information for the general public to recognize and help defuse individual's radicalization but offers hope based in faith to aid in getting through the hardest moments.
I highly recommend this book.
March 3, 2025
I’m not sure I’ve ever read a political book written by an Evangelical Conservative before…. But, I wish everyone identifying as such had this author’s take on Christianity and politics….
She’s a former US government employee who worked under the first Trump administration, and specialized in counter-terrorism. This book looks at how “far-right extremists” are made, how they become “radicalized,” and what we can do to help PREVENT that from happening. It’s heavily focused on her Christian faith and how that plays in, but she is firmly opposed to Donald Trump and his politics.
I think all conservative Christians should read this book. Newsflash: you don’t have to vote the party you support when an insane extremist is running for office… 😵💫 I want to check in and see if these people are “proud” of their choices at the polls… but I don’t really want to know. You can’t UN-know things..
I am NOT an evangelical or a conservative, so I didn’t relate to her fully…. But, as a Christian who LOVES people who feel/think/vote differently than I do, I appreciated this book and hearing someone with her perspective. Especially in our current political situation, when any mention of Trump (or Republicans in general) makes me want to vomit and/or scream.
She’s a former US government employee who worked under the first Trump administration, and specialized in counter-terrorism. This book looks at how “far-right extremists” are made, how they become “radicalized,” and what we can do to help PREVENT that from happening. It’s heavily focused on her Christian faith and how that plays in, but she is firmly opposed to Donald Trump and his politics.
I think all conservative Christians should read this book. Newsflash: you don’t have to vote the party you support when an insane extremist is running for office… 😵💫 I want to check in and see if these people are “proud” of their choices at the polls… but I don’t really want to know. You can’t UN-know things..
I am NOT an evangelical or a conservative, so I didn’t relate to her fully…. But, as a Christian who LOVES people who feel/think/vote differently than I do, I appreciated this book and hearing someone with her perspective. Especially in our current political situation, when any mention of Trump (or Republicans in general) makes me want to vomit and/or scream.
September 21, 2025
Neumann explores the rise of extremism among Christians, particularly conservative Christians. There are the usual attributes of feeling disrespected, experiencing a traumatic event, being exposed to increasingly extremist materials and viewpoints. Neumann also discusses how Christians, whether they are practicing Christians or "cultural Christians," use specific Bible verses out of context to support racism, sexism, bigotry, etc.; and they conflate Christianity with nationalism and patriotism. This idea that the US is Christian nation and that this way of life must be protected leads to behavior that is decidedly not Christian. There is much truth to her observations about how people (Christian or not) see the world as us and them, and how anyone who isn't us becomes the enemy and the threat.
Her book is well-researched but at times it feels like she cobbled together everyone else's research and quoted it rather than saying something new. She offers solutions grounded in public policy and also implores us all to be reasonable adults by stopping the culture of hating the "other side" and letting anger dominate the conversation.
Her book is well-researched but at times it feels like she cobbled together everyone else's research and quoted it rather than saying something new. She offers solutions grounded in public policy and also implores us all to be reasonable adults by stopping the culture of hating the "other side" and letting anger dominate the conversation.
August 1, 2024
My main takeaway is that in this day and age, the path from ideological radicalization to physical violent extremism can happen so much more quickly now than in past decades due to our increased media intake.
Neumann suggests that journalism started to degrade in the 60s, giving airtime to unvetted gossip and conspiracies, leading to waves of distrust in government and increased distrust and hatred of groups seen as "other".
Neumann states that many Christians have jumped head over heels into the hatred train and are either unaware or careless of the disaster lying ahead. When we allow ourselves as Christians to be swept into idolizing hatred, we hold the Gospel, the ultimate message of peace, in contempt. This idolization doesn't necessarily frame itself explicitly, but instead, it leaks into our lives when we prioritize the consumption of rage-inducing media and ignorant infotainment stars.
I deeply appreciate the work that Neumann has done to use her expertise working in the DHS to bring us this book.
Neumann suggests that journalism started to degrade in the 60s, giving airtime to unvetted gossip and conspiracies, leading to waves of distrust in government and increased distrust and hatred of groups seen as "other".
Neumann states that many Christians have jumped head over heels into the hatred train and are either unaware or careless of the disaster lying ahead. When we allow ourselves as Christians to be swept into idolizing hatred, we hold the Gospel, the ultimate message of peace, in contempt. This idolization doesn't necessarily frame itself explicitly, but instead, it leaks into our lives when we prioritize the consumption of rage-inducing media and ignorant infotainment stars.
I deeply appreciate the work that Neumann has done to use her expertise working in the DHS to bring us this book.
May 31, 2024
While this is not a genre of book that I normally would read, after receiving this book I decided to give it a try. And I am glad I did. I truly learned a lot from this read concerning the radicalization of this country that I have been watching and decrying over the past 20 plus years. I, too am a Christian who is disgusted with the hijacking of my faith and my church with extremist and right wing political views. I am still a believer, yet I no longer attend church because organized religion is nothing more than a political pawn in the game that is being played for the future of our country. At times, I did get a little bogged down in the background/explanation of some issues, but this book details how our country has been radicalized slowly but efficiently since 9-11. The author explains how the ongoing polarization of Americans continues today, yet also offers a hope of a way to ensure a better future for America.
March 9, 2025
The first part of this book is really illuminative about how people are vulnerable to extreme ideologies and can become extremist actors of violence. Neumann enumerates the various factors that leads one to extremist ideologies and action. Also, she discusses how the alt right and religious right gradually joined forces to gain political power after the failed election of Goldwater in the 1960s (mostly by co-opting and reinforcing messages of "othering" and "threats to one's survival" from this 'other'). She also calls out a form of Christianity that runs counter to the Gospel and message of Jesus. The second half of the book is how to take back a message of love and peace from this toxic religious (and psued0 religious) that has become mainstream. She provides concrete methods and resources to help people do just that. Given her experience as a counterintelligence expert, I found her advice to be practical and welcome.
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