What do you think?
Rate this book
Preparing for War: The Extremist History of White Christian Nationalism—and What Comes Next
Watching the eerie footage of the January 6 insurrection, Bradley Onishi wondered: If I hadn't left evangelicalism, would I have been there?
The insurrection at the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, was not a blip or an aberration. It was the logical outcome of years of a White evangelical subculture's preparation for war. Religion scholar and former insider Bradley Onishi maps the origins of White Christian nationalism and traces its offshoots in Preparing for War.
Combining his own experiences in the youth groups and prayer meetings of the 1990s with an immersive look at the steady blending of White grievance politics with evangelicalism, Onishi crafts an engrossing account of the years-long campaign of White Christian nationalism that led to January 6. How did the rise of what Onishi calls the New Religious Right, between 1960 and 2015, give birth to violent White Christian nationalism during the Trump presidency and beyond? What propelled some of the most conservative religious communities in the country--communities of which Onishi was once a part--to ignite a cold civil war?
Through chapters on White supremacy and segregationist theologies, conspiracy theories, the Christian-school movement, purity culture, and the right-wing media ecosystem, Onishi pulls back the curtain on a subculture that birthed a movement and has taken a dangerous turn. In taut and unsparing prose, Onishi traces the migration of many White Christians to Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming in what is known as the American Redoubt. Learning the troubling history of the New Religious Right and the longings and logic of White Christian nationalism is deeply alarming. It is also critical for preserving the shape of our democracy for years to come.
The insurrection at the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, was not a blip or an aberration. It was the logical outcome of years of a White evangelical subculture's preparation for war. Religion scholar and former insider Bradley Onishi maps the origins of White Christian nationalism and traces its offshoots in Preparing for War.
Combining his own experiences in the youth groups and prayer meetings of the 1990s with an immersive look at the steady blending of White grievance politics with evangelicalism, Onishi crafts an engrossing account of the years-long campaign of White Christian nationalism that led to January 6. How did the rise of what Onishi calls the New Religious Right, between 1960 and 2015, give birth to violent White Christian nationalism during the Trump presidency and beyond? What propelled some of the most conservative religious communities in the country--communities of which Onishi was once a part--to ignite a cold civil war?
Through chapters on White supremacy and segregationist theologies, conspiracy theories, the Christian-school movement, purity culture, and the right-wing media ecosystem, Onishi pulls back the curtain on a subculture that birthed a movement and has taken a dangerous turn. In taut and unsparing prose, Onishi traces the migration of many White Christians to Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming in what is known as the American Redoubt. Learning the troubling history of the New Religious Right and the longings and logic of White Christian nationalism is deeply alarming. It is also critical for preserving the shape of our democracy for years to come.
237 pages, Hardcover
First published January 3, 2023
196 people are currently reading
4725 people want to read
About the author
Bradley Onishi
1 book52 followersBrad Onishi is a social commentator, scholar, writer, teacher, coach, and co-host of the Straight White American Jesus (SWAJ) podcast. In everything he does, Brad seeks to make the strange familiar and the familiar strange by providing insight into life’s most fundamental questions. He often speaks about topics related to the radical conservatism and extremist religions that shape our world, some of it right in our own neighborhoods. His show, SWAJ, ranks in the top 50 of Politics shows on Apple’s podcast charts – ahead of programs from NPR, the NYT, and other national outlets.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 181 reviews
February 9, 2024
The Case For Inevitability
It is author Bradley Onishi’s contention that the Capital Insurrection of January 6, 2021, was neither an aberration nor some peaceful protest gone tragically awry. Onishi maintains, with solid reasoning, that J6 was not only predicable but, given the trajectory of White Christian Nationalism in American history, it was logically inevitable.
Darker Days Ahead
Dr. Onishi is himself a former Christian Nationalist turned scholar with advanced degrees from both Oxford and UC Santa Barbara. With unique insight he effectively argues that what happened in Washington D.C. that brisk winter day was not the last gasp of a fading fringe fueled by the prodding of a desperate and narcissistic demagogue. On the contrary, Onishi believes the violence perpetrated that day was merely the first battle in MAGA Nation’s assault on American democracy; the first of many steps toward their ultimate goal of a theocratic state.
Dogma Over Democracy
“My elders in the church had always told me that if I read too many books, my brain would railroad my heart and lead me away from the church. Turns out they were right.”
Having once resided within the White Christian Nationalist sphere, Onishi is well versed in the rhetoric. He knows well the virtual inseparability of White evangelicalism and White supremacy, of patriotism and patriarchy, and of America First and xenophobia.
“The calls for a nation’s renewed loyalty and obedience to God are also calls for a return to a time when straight, White Christian men had exclusive control . . . It is a movement, in essence, to right-size America by taking it back from people of color, women, immigrants, and LGBTQ people as well as Muslims, secularists, and other religious or nonreligious groups.”
Those With Eyes To See
The arguments presented in Preparing for War are persuasive. Dr. Onishi shines an illuminating spotlight on the shameful history and dark underbelly of White Christian nationalism maintaining that—for them—adapting to racial, religious, and LGBTQ diversity is not an option.
“This was not the last stand of a dying faction. It was the first violent battle in what they foresee as the coming civil war.”
It is author Bradley Onishi’s contention that the Capital Insurrection of January 6, 2021, was neither an aberration nor some peaceful protest gone tragically awry. Onishi maintains, with solid reasoning, that J6 was not only predicable but, given the trajectory of White Christian Nationalism in American history, it was logically inevitable.
Darker Days Ahead
Dr. Onishi is himself a former Christian Nationalist turned scholar with advanced degrees from both Oxford and UC Santa Barbara. With unique insight he effectively argues that what happened in Washington D.C. that brisk winter day was not the last gasp of a fading fringe fueled by the prodding of a desperate and narcissistic demagogue. On the contrary, Onishi believes the violence perpetrated that day was merely the first battle in MAGA Nation’s assault on American democracy; the first of many steps toward their ultimate goal of a theocratic state.
Dogma Over Democracy
“My elders in the church had always told me that if I read too many books, my brain would railroad my heart and lead me away from the church. Turns out they were right.”
Having once resided within the White Christian Nationalist sphere, Onishi is well versed in the rhetoric. He knows well the virtual inseparability of White evangelicalism and White supremacy, of patriotism and patriarchy, and of America First and xenophobia.
“The calls for a nation’s renewed loyalty and obedience to God are also calls for a return to a time when straight, White Christian men had exclusive control . . . It is a movement, in essence, to right-size America by taking it back from people of color, women, immigrants, and LGBTQ people as well as Muslims, secularists, and other religious or nonreligious groups.”
Those With Eyes To See
The arguments presented in Preparing for War are persuasive. Dr. Onishi shines an illuminating spotlight on the shameful history and dark underbelly of White Christian nationalism maintaining that—for them—adapting to racial, religious, and LGBTQ diversity is not an option.
“This was not the last stand of a dying faction. It was the first violent battle in what they foresee as the coming civil war.”
January 2, 2023
This is a must read for anyone who grew up in fundamentalist Christianity and has tried to make sense of how that turned into the virulent White Christian cruelty of the Trumpists. This book clearly articulated so many thoughts I’ve had since (thankfully) breaking away from those roots and connected the dots on so many issues for me.
sampled
December 5, 2024I listened to an interview with the author on a local radio show last summer and thought the book sounded interesting. However, I didn't start reading it until after the election, by which point it felt rather superfluous. And full disclosure: I haven't read the entire book, just sampled it. It's very much written for the general reader who may not even know what christian fundamentalism is (although certainly if you're an American reader, you must be living under a rock to not have at least a basic understanding of it at this point in history). I noted a lot of repetition and reporting of information that most readers who have been tuned into the (relatively unbiased) news over the past 10 years or so should already know. The book also frequently veers into memoir territory, as Onishi was raised in an evangelical christian household, and later on after escaping that world, he wonders in retrospect if he'd been contributing to this white christian nationalism he speaks of (not to mention his hand-wringing over whether he'd have been at the Capitol on January 6th if he hadn't left the church, which I failed to see the relevance of). Admittedly, I don't read much popular nonfiction on contemporary topics anymore, so I can't claim to have sampled a statistically significant number of these books, but why do so many of them insist on delving into the author's life and experiences? It's one thing if a book is marketed in part as memoir or the title/jacket copy indicates as such, but in my (again limited) experience, it's more often a bait-and-switch situation. Who has decided that an author must insert themselves in these nonfiction books on contemporary topical issues? I guess it's just another manifestation of the reprehensible 'culture of the individual' in which we live. Personally, though, I don't care what stake you have in the topic—I just want to hear about the topic itself. If I wanted to read a memoir (and sometimes I do), I would read a memoir. And don't get me started on the glut of autofiction being churned out...
September 25, 2024
*I received a copy of this book through LibraryThing Early Reviewers.*
This book is part memoir and part scholarly argument and is hands-down one of the most compelling nonfiction books I've read from an academic. I stayed up late to finish it and was thoroughly scared by the last few chapters. Bradley Onishi converted to evangelicalism as a teenager and even worked in ministry as a young adult before leaving the church and becoming a scholar of religion. He uses his own experiences to make connections between White supremacy, Christian nationalism, and the warped patriotism displayed on January 6th. These insights are helpful for not just making sense of recent history, but also better understanding people in my own life. Highly, highly recommended for those interested in American politics.
This book is part memoir and part scholarly argument and is hands-down one of the most compelling nonfiction books I've read from an academic. I stayed up late to finish it and was thoroughly scared by the last few chapters. Bradley Onishi converted to evangelicalism as a teenager and even worked in ministry as a young adult before leaving the church and becoming a scholar of religion. He uses his own experiences to make connections between White supremacy, Christian nationalism, and the warped patriotism displayed on January 6th. These insights are helpful for not just making sense of recent history, but also better understanding people in my own life. Highly, highly recommended for those interested in American politics.
April 24, 2025
I grew up around a lot of religious extremists... in northern New Jersey... which is not usually where you hear of them existing and thriving. As just one example, a majority of Christians in the world and even in America accept the science and reality of evolution. It's undeniable given everything from farming practices to our pet dogs. Nonetheless, extremists live in a reality of their creation. As a result, I've been following American cults, purity culture, and their relationship to politics for a long time now. Onishi accurately spells out the recent history of these forces. There's nothing remarkable about this book except how many people are still unaware or deny that this is happening in our country and that it's increasingly dangerous to our democracy, peace, and prosperity.
November 19, 2022
Religion professor Brad Onishi investigates the current political reality of White Christian Nationalism by tracing the movements origins and roots through right-wing populism that has been active for decades in Southern California. Barry Goldwater, Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, the John Birch Society and even Dr. James Dobson all came from southern CA. Through a compelling historical presentation, Onishi reckons with his own personal history in conservative political and religious circles through the haunting question: would he have attended the January 6th, 2021 riot? A challenging read that paints a somber picture of our current American political climate.
July 2, 2023
Another great read as I dive into the white-nationalist-evangelical parts of religion I have been fed throughout my life. This book unlocked a childhood memory of 8 year old me at Bible summer camp standing in a large circle every morning, saying the pledge of allegiance around a giant flag, and then locking hands with other campers to pray for America’s return to Christ, soldiers in Iraq, and our nation’s leaders to carry out God’s will in office.
February 4, 2024
The author traces the evolution of the American right wing's onward march to more and more extreme positions, through his own experience as a Christian conservative who eventually turned his back on that community.
As Onishi details, Trump, MAGA, and the Jan. 6 riots didn't just materialize out of thin air. It is the result of decades of effort and generations of politicians to chip away at the gains of the civil rights, women's rights, and other social movements. Look back at the rhetoric of the John Birch Society, George Wallace, Barry Goldwater, and other extreme conservative voices of 50-60 years ago and you'll see some very familiar parallels.
As Onishi details, Trump, MAGA, and the Jan. 6 riots didn't just materialize out of thin air. It is the result of decades of effort and generations of politicians to chip away at the gains of the civil rights, women's rights, and other social movements. Look back at the rhetoric of the John Birch Society, George Wallace, Barry Goldwater, and other extreme conservative voices of 50-60 years ago and you'll see some very familiar parallels.
June 30, 2023
We're all doomed.
January 15, 2025
This book scratched a lot of itches for me. Extremely timely with the 4th year out from Jan 6, 2021 and with the recent passing of President Jimmy Carter, I devoured this audiobook in two days. I also read the article “Army of God” by Stephanie McCrummen in the Feb 2025 issue of the Atlantic right upon finishing this, which uncannily traces similar themes to this book.
Onishi traces the history of White Christian Nationalism that, he claims, made J6 possible, beginning with the Goldwater cowboy campaign of the 60s, which paved the way for Reagan to oust Jimmy Carter in 1980 as a strong man figure (Carter was not “nationalist” enough for the Christian Nationalists), which paved the way for the rise of MAGA, the election of Donald Trump (the first time), and ultimately, the events of J6.
Along with this historical overview, Onishi narrates his own personal history growing up with and perpetuating White evangelical nationalism while working as a youth pastor in Orange County. Readers will learn about this region of California and how the economy formed from well paying U.S. defense industrial jobs based there during the Cold War.
Onishi offers a scary prediction as a result of his analysis: that J6 was the first in what will be many battles on America’s democracy, fueled by the far right who fly the American flag next to the Christian flag, and the politicians who repeat, without criticism, the positions of Trump. The final chapter talks about the growing migration of White Christian Nationalists to the “readout” region of America, including Idaho, a phenomenon I’ve heard of, but not by this name.
I read uncritically because I wanted to agree with Onishi. I suspect that many of the conclusions he draws could be accused of being sweeping and broad. I want to investigate his citations for linking purity culture to the nationalist movement and the strategists in the 60s who realized they could tap White Evangelical voters for their own agendas. Imo, a stronger historical connection from Onishi’s broad outline of White Christian Nationalism and the events of J6 would have been tackling the histories and theologies of the many groups present, which were only named. But perhaps that is the work of investigative reporters and couldn’t be included here. 4/5
Onishi traces the history of White Christian Nationalism that, he claims, made J6 possible, beginning with the Goldwater cowboy campaign of the 60s, which paved the way for Reagan to oust Jimmy Carter in 1980 as a strong man figure (Carter was not “nationalist” enough for the Christian Nationalists), which paved the way for the rise of MAGA, the election of Donald Trump (the first time), and ultimately, the events of J6.
Along with this historical overview, Onishi narrates his own personal history growing up with and perpetuating White evangelical nationalism while working as a youth pastor in Orange County. Readers will learn about this region of California and how the economy formed from well paying U.S. defense industrial jobs based there during the Cold War.
Onishi offers a scary prediction as a result of his analysis: that J6 was the first in what will be many battles on America’s democracy, fueled by the far right who fly the American flag next to the Christian flag, and the politicians who repeat, without criticism, the positions of Trump. The final chapter talks about the growing migration of White Christian Nationalists to the “readout” region of America, including Idaho, a phenomenon I’ve heard of, but not by this name.
I read uncritically because I wanted to agree with Onishi. I suspect that many of the conclusions he draws could be accused of being sweeping and broad. I want to investigate his citations for linking purity culture to the nationalist movement and the strategists in the 60s who realized they could tap White Evangelical voters for their own agendas. Imo, a stronger historical connection from Onishi’s broad outline of White Christian Nationalism and the events of J6 would have been tackling the histories and theologies of the many groups present, which were only named. But perhaps that is the work of investigative reporters and couldn’t be included here. 4/5
December 22, 2022
Right on the money- a must read for anyone concerned about the growth of White Christian nationalism. Onishi eviscerates the Big Lie and other right-wing myths.
May 25, 2024
A deeply unserious and maddeningly shallow overview of various currents in US right wing and evangelical politics with a healthy dose of pearl-clutching. As with most liberal analyses, Onishi laments the increasing polarization of American politics without exploring any material explanation for why it might be happening. Instead, he posits that "MAGA nation" (a term that you could imagine as being plucked straight from an MSNBC bit that he never actually defines) is strictly the result of a growing wave of ideology that can only be countered by the favored tool of the liberal think tank dweller: scolding moral suasion! It's worked so well over the past 40 years. I bet if we just publish a few more books like this, we'll finally win back all those disaffected industrial workers that have been crushed under the glad-handing steamroller of neoliberal policy.
A particularly revealing exemplification of Onishi's political worldview is revealed in his recounting of Barry Goldwater's presidential campaign. By describing Goldwater's exhortation that "...moderation in the pursuit of justice is not virtue" as "jarring," he gives up the whole game of liberal politics.
For Onishi, the ultimate point of politics it is to be seen and respected as the adult in the room: to be the platonic ideal of decorum and compromise in the face of rabid opponents who have the delusional misfortune of actually believing in deeply held convictions.
He also spends a nauseating amount of time harping on Trump's propensity for lying while president, culminating in the "Big Lie" that the 2020 election was stolen from him. Look, I'm not here to defend Donald Trump or his presidency. I condemn him and everything he stands for in absolute terms. But what offends me so deeply about the liberal insistence that his brand of lying represents some profound break with the behavior US presidents of the past is that completely paves over this country's dark and deep history of crimes against humanity committed both at home and abroad. Where is the outrage over Obama's photo op in which he "drank the water" in Flint, Michigan while the children of that city continued to be poisoned by their failing infrastructure? Or for his direct culpability in instigating the Libyan Civil War? And that's to say nothing of the literal millions of dead innocent men, women, and children that George W Bush is responsible for through launching the War on Terror. These deaths and these crimes are completely invisible to wealthy, establishment liberals of Onishi's ilk.
I honestly think this book was just a marketing ploy for his podcast "Straight White American Jesus." Yes, there is a podcast that exists that actually has this name. I'm sure that, like this book, it's chock full of pseudo insight meant to make you feel better about yourself without asking deeper questions that might challenge you to ask if a figure like Donald Trump is really as much of an aberration as Onishi would like you to believe.
A particularly revealing exemplification of Onishi's political worldview is revealed in his recounting of Barry Goldwater's presidential campaign. By describing Goldwater's exhortation that "...moderation in the pursuit of justice is not virtue" as "jarring," he gives up the whole game of liberal politics.
For Onishi, the ultimate point of politics it is to be seen and respected as the adult in the room: to be the platonic ideal of decorum and compromise in the face of rabid opponents who have the delusional misfortune of actually believing in deeply held convictions.
He also spends a nauseating amount of time harping on Trump's propensity for lying while president, culminating in the "Big Lie" that the 2020 election was stolen from him. Look, I'm not here to defend Donald Trump or his presidency. I condemn him and everything he stands for in absolute terms. But what offends me so deeply about the liberal insistence that his brand of lying represents some profound break with the behavior US presidents of the past is that completely paves over this country's dark and deep history of crimes against humanity committed both at home and abroad. Where is the outrage over Obama's photo op in which he "drank the water" in Flint, Michigan while the children of that city continued to be poisoned by their failing infrastructure? Or for his direct culpability in instigating the Libyan Civil War? And that's to say nothing of the literal millions of dead innocent men, women, and children that George W Bush is responsible for through launching the War on Terror. These deaths and these crimes are completely invisible to wealthy, establishment liberals of Onishi's ilk.
I honestly think this book was just a marketing ploy for his podcast "Straight White American Jesus." Yes, there is a podcast that exists that actually has this name. I'm sure that, like this book, it's chock full of pseudo insight meant to make you feel better about yourself without asking deeper questions that might challenge you to ask if a figure like Donald Trump is really as much of an aberration as Onishi would like you to believe.
May 22, 2024
I purchased Bradley Onishi's excellent book Preparing for War: The Extremist History of White Christian Nationalism--and What Comes Next last year at the Freedom From Religion Foundation's convention in Madison, Wisconsin, partly because the title struck me as a Horror novel while at the same time acknowledging the real life monster of Monotheism.
IF Onishi's book was a novel, it would win Edgar AND Bram Stoker Awards and David Cronenberg would not greenlight it because to film.
This book traces White Christian Nationalism from the 1960's of Barry Goldwater's gawdlodytism to today's MAGA movement through the lens of Onishi's Coming Of Age story as a Christian in Southern California.
And while there is a sense of not being able to kill this religious beast at the end of this comprehensive read, I found hope in the Epilogue & Acknowledgement sections.
Side Note: I'll be bringing Bradley Onishi's book with me this year, to Denver, for the next FFrF convention, where I hope to get him to sign his book to me and my wife.
IF Onishi's book was a novel, it would win Edgar AND Bram Stoker Awards and David Cronenberg would not greenlight it because to film.
This book traces White Christian Nationalism from the 1960's of Barry Goldwater's gawdlodytism to today's MAGA movement through the lens of Onishi's Coming Of Age story as a Christian in Southern California.
And while there is a sense of not being able to kill this religious beast at the end of this comprehensive read, I found hope in the Epilogue & Acknowledgement sections.
Side Note: I'll be bringing Bradley Onishi's book with me this year, to Denver, for the next FFrF convention, where I hope to get him to sign his book to me and my wife.
January 11, 2023
Bradley presents a timeline of J6 and the insurrection that is succinct and poignant; sprinkled in with much of his own personal story and the questions that come along with once having been fiercely evangelical. The book was thoughtful, forcing the reader (if they have any connection to the evangelical world) to ask themselves if they too would have had boots on the ground for J6. Excellent read that should be required in future history classes.
January 3, 2025
4.5 stars. The authors personal experience as an adherent to a church supporting white Christian nationalist beliefs was fascinating to me. He made some very interesting comparisons such as the similarities of the Battle of Jericho with the attack on our national capitol on Jan 6th. I really enjoyed all the historical information on the rise of fundamental conservative beliefs over the past 60 years and how the movement has led up to our current national divisions.
December 3, 2025
“Jimmy Carter, in other words, was too Christian to be the kind of president that White Christian Nationalists wanted. Instead they prefer a self-styled barbarian, unhindered by the duty to be Christlike.”
“Nobody wants to believe that their beloved democracy is in decline or headed toward war… Yet if you were an analyst in a foreign country looking at events in America the same way you’d look at events in Ukraine or the Ivory Coast or Venezuela, you would go down a checklist assessing each of the conditions that makes civil war likely. And what you would find is that the United States, a democracy founded more than two centuries ago, has entered very dangerous territory.”
“Nobody wants to believe that their beloved democracy is in decline or headed toward war… Yet if you were an analyst in a foreign country looking at events in America the same way you’d look at events in Ukraine or the Ivory Coast or Venezuela, you would go down a checklist assessing each of the conditions that makes civil war likely. And what you would find is that the United States, a democracy founded more than two centuries ago, has entered very dangerous territory.”
July 14, 2024
2.5 stars - I started this because I'm often really upset and concerned by how Christianity is warped into Christian nationalism and used to encourage hatred, violence, and far-right politics. I found this book repetitive and at times boring, but that is likely my own fault because I'm not very interested in politics. I also noticed a lot of bias from the author given his ex-evangelical Christian background, and admittedly my own bias as a Christian and defensiveness made it difficult to stomach his broad-sweeping anti-Christian and anti-Bible statements.
I found the commentary on purity culture's ties to Christian nationalism insightful. Also, props to Jimmy Carter for being, in the authors own words, "too Christian" to be a Christian nationalist.
I found the commentary on purity culture's ties to Christian nationalism insightful. Also, props to Jimmy Carter for being, in the authors own words, "too Christian" to be a Christian nationalist.
March 15, 2024
2.75
The argument in this book is one that I agree is happening and has been happening for a long time. I tend to look at these types of books with a more critical eye knowing my own biases. What I want out of these types of books is an objective look at what’s going on backed up by lots of facts and sources cited. I felt the author’s bias throughout the narrative, and when he cited a source it was usually another book in the same vein. Following the citation, the author put his own spin on what the source meant. It just felt like a lot of hearsay. Lots of directing the reader to a conclusion rather than presenting the facts and letting the reader come to their own conclusions.
I’m very interested in this rising political movement and the implications to our political system. I’ll keep looking for books on the topic. If you know a better example please leave me a comment.
The argument in this book is one that I agree is happening and has been happening for a long time. I tend to look at these types of books with a more critical eye knowing my own biases. What I want out of these types of books is an objective look at what’s going on backed up by lots of facts and sources cited. I felt the author’s bias throughout the narrative, and when he cited a source it was usually another book in the same vein. Following the citation, the author put his own spin on what the source meant. It just felt like a lot of hearsay. Lots of directing the reader to a conclusion rather than presenting the facts and letting the reader come to their own conclusions.
I’m very interested in this rising political movement and the implications to our political system. I’ll keep looking for books on the topic. If you know a better example please leave me a comment.
February 4, 2023
a Must Read if you want to understand the current moment in US politics and religion. Outlines the history that led to the Jan 6 insurrection, going back decades. Also check out his podcast, "Straight White American Jesus"
May 2, 2023
A terrifyingly important read.
... Christian nationalism has 3 foundational components: the myth of the Christian Nation, nostalgia for past glory, and an apocalyptic view of the nation's future."
... Christian nationalism has 3 foundational components: the myth of the Christian Nation, nostalgia for past glory, and an apocalyptic view of the nation's future."
January 1, 2024
Lots of great insights into the contents of Bradley Onishi's navel.
March 17, 2024
This book was fascinating yet terrifying to me. The far right and Christian nationalism are on the rise. What i thought in 2016 was a freak accident by trump getting elected, was really the perfect man for the job and have been looking for someone like him since Reagan. Christian nationalists aren’t particularly religious, though they are often grown in churches, many are just looking for a way to “the good ole days.” Christian nationalists feel as if the soul of the nation isn’t lining up with the image of what they’ve created america to be in their minds, dismissing many minorities in the process. The author is a product of such, that eventually broke away and is now a religious studies professor questioning if he would be there on January 6th if he hadn’t gotten out. His view is unique and I enjoyed his perspective. A few points dragged on and that’s why I gave it four stars. The right is willing to trade democracy for autocracy if it lines up with their values. This is only the beginning
December 29, 2023
While I knew much of this already, the added perspective through the lens of White Christian Nationalism, and writing in the wake of January 6th, gave broader context and more specific details than similar books. It will be a useful book in creating a text set for this time in history, but for now, it probably will only be read by those already in-line with the author’s thinking.
If you’re at all familiar with Onishi’s podcast, you’ll recognize his voice in his writing. Even long time listeners would, I think, appreciate how this book places so many points into a cohesive narrative, including his own story, which I thought was both effective and relevant. He makes a complicated story clear and personal without skipping nuance or detail. This is worth reading.
If you’re at all familiar with Onishi’s podcast, you’ll recognize his voice in his writing. Even long time listeners would, I think, appreciate how this book places so many points into a cohesive narrative, including his own story, which I thought was both effective and relevant. He makes a complicated story clear and personal without skipping nuance or detail. This is worth reading.
August 2, 2024
Christian nationalism is the inability to separate the cross from the flag. For extremist, the cross isn’t enough — it must always come with the flag.
This novel explains a group of American’s attempt to save the nation through the Christian faith. I enjoyed the differentiation between Christian and American vs Christian Nationalist. This is the most insightful explanation of the religious right and direction the GOP is heading.
Onishi brilliantly explains the history that built MAGA culture. The novel does a great job at reflecting Orange County mega church environments, January 6th, and what Christian nationalism really means. I enjoyed the comparisons between the Carter and Reagan presidency. Overall, fascinating novel that I strongly recommend.
This novel explains a group of American’s attempt to save the nation through the Christian faith. I enjoyed the differentiation between Christian and American vs Christian Nationalist. This is the most insightful explanation of the religious right and direction the GOP is heading.
Onishi brilliantly explains the history that built MAGA culture. The novel does a great job at reflecting Orange County mega church environments, January 6th, and what Christian nationalism really means. I enjoyed the comparisons between the Carter and Reagan presidency. Overall, fascinating novel that I strongly recommend.
December 1, 2024
Instead of an organized, chronological and systematic report, Onishi's book is often repetitious, dotted as it is with phrases such as, "As previously mentioned in chapter 2" or "As you will see in the next chapter..." As an example and, perhaps in an attempt to make his account sound more authoritative, the author's experiences as a former member of a white Christian Nationalist church, kept cropping up from time to time via flashbacks to his youth. I quit reading about half way through the book.
December 18, 2024
I believe Onishi does a wonderful job of giving us a very recent timeline of how we have gotten to this current rise of white Christian national. One area of growth I think Onishi’s argument could use is the efforts of women and queer people that are important in the resistance to this rise of Christian nationalism.
July 10, 2024
Good intro/overview for folks like me who lived outside of Christian society. Not a whole lot on what has been done/what can be done to stave off rise of Christo-Fascist Nationalism but maybe that's another book?
December 21, 2024
Sometimes you cannot see changes because they happen slowly and unperceptively; but suddenly you see and say WTF how did that happen???!!!??? Brad Onishi tells us WTF happened and how in this book I wish was historical fiction but unfortunately is only historical.
March 18, 2024
I was not expecting this to be such a page turner. I knew a lot of the material already but this is really well written. Come to find out? J6 started before I was even born. Fascinating read.
Read
April 30, 2024A must-read
Displaying 1 - 30 of 181 reviews