Infiltrating a Far-Right, Christian Nationalist, Megachurch Conference (3 posts long)

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Background

This week I attended two days of the Dream/TPUSA Conference in Phoenix, Arizona. Part study, part magic, part knowing your enemy, I wanted to get inside and see this type of event for myself. I removed my necklace, covered my tattoos, and assimilated the best I could, trying not to betray my biases while also trying to give the most charitable representation possible. This latter objective will be… difficult, to say the least.

I just had to get this typed and out of my system. Will make it a podcast episode as well.

The Community - Day 1

On the first day, I arrived about when the doors opened, many hours before the first session, and spent most of the day looking around the campus and speaking to the exhibitors. The property is beautiful to be sure, clearly a pricey place of real estate and construction. It is tucked away into the side of a small mountain, which the church directly connects to, uses, and calls the “prayer mountain,” despite it being clearly labeled as owned by the city (and taxpayers) of Phoenix. Indeed at the end of day three they are all going up there to do some massive prayer over the city. There were uniformed officers at the event, who stated that they were there helping off-duty, but I was honestly expecting more security and some sort of counter-protest. I am now not even sure if the state at large knows this is going on this week.

As I expected, there was a contradictory interplay between the church and pop-culture. Evangelism is clearly enmeshed with and embracing Consumer Culture. Game characters, superheroes, and some other popular sights could be seen, despite a heavy preaching focus on not assimilating to a sinful culture. What I would call an “influencer” culture was heavily at play, there was a surprising (to me) focus on vanity, again despite a call to reject modern culture. Really interesting to see was Marvel's Thor, a Disney owned, polytheistic deity based character who I cannot imagine fits the values of the general audience. The whole vibe was like a rock concert, with unique event merchandise and all. This materialistic and consumerist angle ran rampant through the entire event, as we will see.

Most of the exhibitors were focused on education in one form or another. First, getting into the school and getting children reintroduced to Biblical Christianity. They are 100% “coming for your kids.” Then keeping them of course, and preparing them to enter a higher education program (with groups such as TPUSA). At that point it switches to adult education, training new pastors who can then go out, create their own churches, and bring more sheep (and money) into the flock. Some of the tables have truly good goals on the face of it, like stopping human trafficking, which will come up more below. There was a lot of cringe among the tables though: “woke tears,” mottos rejecting communism, asking for prayer back in school, a Gadsden flag where the snake is replaced with a fetus, just so much of this kind of consumable content to give out to thousands for free. To be sure there were also books for sale from most of the main speakers or related ministries, and the merch of course.

All in all though, I did not see or hear anything that truly surprised me or shocked me, I knew what I was getting into, at least to some degree. Really the vibe was chill as people showed up and registered, and I just hung out and people watched for a few hours. I was, in a way, disappointed almost, only because I had expected culture shock and just found some conservative Christians. Don't get discouraged though, read on.

Opening Ceremonies - Day 1

Once stuff got underway for the first evening ceremony though, things changed pretty damn fast. They opened with blaring music, strobing lights, fog machines, and a 20 minute long parade of all the branches of the Megachurch that were present. There was a lot of pop-culture symbolism mixed in, lot’s of pro-life signs and everything you would expect, it was intense but still nothing I had not expected. Larger and louder, but pretty on par.

Then came Charlie Kirk of TPUSA himself, and that was when the entire atmosphere changed. I immediately saw the distance between conservative Christianity and Christian Nationalism growing. Kirk started by bragging about getting Trump to AZ during Covid, and how they have started hosting Freedom Nights in the state, hoping to essentially turn the state Christian. He condemned Christians who obeyed secular protocols as weak, and called upon the audience to actively revolt in the name of Christianity.

“Liberty” was his focus, “liberty is god’s idea, not man’s.” He claims to stand for “liberty and righteousness.” Keep this in particular in mind for later, this love for “liberty” in the name of an omnipotent tyrant… Kirk ended by calling on the church to fix the declining civilization that is modern America. The explicit goal of the conference is to make AZ a Christian state, then take the nation. “Biblical, not political.”

It was strange to me how these speakers could actually have some decent ideas, such as fighting for liberty or improving society, but then it goes straight to **** when they fall back on Christian Nationalism.

Then, well, I cannot really describe what happened. I don’t want to over-dramatize as someone who has worked with abused children and studied dehumanization, but if not one of the worst things I have ever seen, it was one of the most cringe-inducing, eye-bleaching things I have ever seen live and in person. A group of (I think entirely white) students did a sort of… interpretive dance of American history. They acted out things like pretending to be slaves rowing a slave ship, planting a girl as the Iwo Jima flag, reenacting the Kennedy assassination, portraying the fall of the Twin Towers with people jumping out, acting out a violent and careless abortion, and in the end blaming all this on a lack of Jesus. Ladies and Gentlemen, this does not even get close to describing the insanity. Luckily I don’t need to, the whole session was recorded. In fact, take time to stop here and go to 57:30 of this video:

(thanks to them proudly recording this stuff I will focus on what I took from the sermons at large)

I wanted culture shock, and then I was not happy when it actually happened.

"I was in the darkness; I could not see my words Nor the wishes of my heart. Then suddenly there was a great light -"Let me into the darkness again."" - Stephen Crane

I am not an easily offended guy, and I have to say that my jaw was on the floor. My wife had joined for the free night session, having an interest as her family was a hard-core racist baptist cult, and HER jaw was on the floor. Thank gods the lights were down and all that because I would have given myself away. It was honestly surreal, full blown twilight zone ****. And by the end of it as the audience went wild, I realized just what an insane situation I had really found myself in.

Jentezen Franklin - Day 1

Jentezen encouraged the audience towards “openness,” saying that if a Christian opens their mind and opens themselves to new experiences, this is when god will come to them. I feel safe assuming that this only includes experiences in line with what is already permitted, as per the Right Hand Path. I doubt that opening yourself to social progress and such things would lead to the god they are speaking of, that would kind of defeat the entire purpose. The contradiction seems completely lost on them though, just no awareness of the irony.

Jentezen called for a new revival movement, he wants people to get out there and proselytize and be evangelical again. A common theme was to frown upon “weak Christians” who obeyed the rules of “Secularism.” He told the audience that they are never closer to the devil than when they have a sense of pride, though shortly afterwards said each one of them is just a little “openness” away from being a vehicle of god himself, then bragged about his wealth. Homosexuality, transgenderism, the breakup of the nuclear family, declining church numbers, less procreation… all this and more are seen as symptoms of “demonic influence,” which in a way I guess is a compliment? The whole thing is in the link above, this is just what really stood out to me the most.

I also have to mention his sermon’s focus on his first experience playing golf. His entire illustration of having faith in oneself was getting a hole in one and not believing the ball is yours. I mention it because the same church is hosting a golfing event after the conference with a costly sign up, surely just a coincidence. This gets back to the consumerism and materialism of it all. Then, thank the gods, it was the end of day one and I got the hell out of there. Simply watching this stuff on YouTube doesn't capture the pure energy though, you actually have to be there to realize just how crazy and malicious it really is, not even just the speakers but the audience.

 

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Opening Ceremonies - Day 2

I did not want to go back, but this was where the real meat of the event was, including the main speakers and the ability to choose one (out of fifty) forty-five minute workshops. 9am is way too goddamned early for the overstimulation of a modern Christian rock concert, and the only possible intent can be disorientation and disassociation before the preaching begins. What was truly bizarre to me was their use of “Jesus” as a magical word or invocation, the “most powerful word of all.”

Luke Barnett - Day 2

Without skipping a beat, Luke started by encouraging the audience to buy his new book, as well as the merchandise being sold for the conference. Central to his sermon was how god has blessed them with so much land, money, staff members, spouses, descendants, and so on, again this very materialistic, consumerist mindset. I think almost every single speaker touched on these things, especially how much money god had brought them and their churches. They don’t seem even slightly aware that this is an assimilation into modern culture, rather than any kind of revolt against it.

Barnett preached against paganism, witchcraft, magic, and all related things, quoting Revelations 2:2 that “you cannot tolerate evil men.” This tied into a theme that TPUSA had at the event: “tolerance is not a commandment.” I actually agree with both statements, it is why I cannot tolerate people like the Barnetts, TPUSA, and the sheep they prey upon. You do not have to tolerate the closed minded, nationalistic hate promoted by groups like this, simple as that. Funny enough, later speakers in the day would spend a great deal of energy complaining that Christian Nationalism is not being tolerated by culture at large (along with claims of outright persecution, of course).

To put Jesus before everything else, that is what Luke held as the most important take away, though he only got to this after promoting his own consumer content.

Matt Barnett - Day 2

“Be a blessing, not a success.” This was the big quote Matt put out to the audience before preaching about his success with the church in California. Indeed it was so successful people like Kanye West donated money, and while Matt never thought he would be a great pastor, now he has accomplished all this amazing stuff. Good thing we focus on being a blessing, not a success! I am not kidding, I assume a video will go up sometime soon, this was the majority of his sermon.

Second in importance was the need to target the marginalized and needy who have nothing else, that way you can bring them to Christ through helping them. Eventually you may just be able to convert them and give them a purpose in life, the life that they owe to Jesus: preaching. Joining evangelical colleges. Selling merchandise. It was this method that led to Matt’s success… erm, I mean blessing.
This was hard for me. Helping the marginalized and needy can be an objectively good thing to do, but a broken clock is right twice a day. Behind this illusion of altruism is a selfishness that just so happens to increase the wealth of the pastor(s), while also spreading the word of the church. It is a double-edged sword here, how do we condemn malicious religious intent without condemning the actual good these groups sometimes do? Surely there is a way an all-powerful, all-loving god could help the marginalized and the needy without demanding worship, submission, and proselytization of them?

Trafficking Panel

This leads well into the panel on stopping human trafficking. I am not going to get much into this, again this is a good idea that ends up having malicious intent behind it. Locking up traffickers and helping their victims is absolutely a noble cause, the broken clock is right for the second time today. But the more the panel went on, the more it became clear that the goal was to push Christianity on those who are at the lowest, most vulnerable place in their lives. They actually mentioned that god funds those who basically target those marginalized by society. It is the same false altruism as seen in Matt Barnett. In the end there is not much to say, if you are reading this you probably already get the dilemma. Again, surely this omni-deity that just wants what is best for everybody could help end human trafficking without requiring worship, submission, and proselytization?

They also referred to “the serpent” (so the devil) as “the first defiler.” I cannot even imagine the mindset required to compare gifting someone with moral knowledge and life to the abuse of children, it is absolutely beyond absurd.

…knowledge is good, And Life is good; and how can both be evil? - Lucifer, “Cain: A Mystery”

“All Conflict is Theological” with Seth Gruber

This was the big one, the breakout session that could only fit so many people, one of fifty to choose from. I did not realize who Gruber was at all (he’s the “unaborted” guy), I just saw the name of the class and knew it was the one I had to check out. I hated this guy. Just a cocky, locker room, bro-type, who often fell back on literal trolling tactics to mock his opponents who were not there to even respond. I’ve long said I am a moral realist, and if I ever met a man radiating just vile evil (outside of social work), it was this guy.

What I found myself in was a modern sermon against Gnostic heresy, I had chosen wisely. You see, apparently all “leftism” (aka anything not Christian Nationalism) is a manifestation of Gnostic Dualism, a preference for the conscious will to define one’s identity rather than the body. You see, to him the truth is biological and material essentialism. He really doubled down on Yahweh being this controlling demiurgic god of matter, and it's hard to disagree with that. To him, the body is as, if not more important than, the mind, something that actually shocked me. To him, the body is central to identity rather than the will. He blames this preference for the will for things like abortion, transgenderism, homosexuality, euthanasia, transhumanism, and several more examples (it was only 45 minutes). For instance, he says that modern society says abortion is okay because a fetus is “not a person,” as it lacks personhood because it does not have a conscious self. He says that transgenderism is rooted in the idea that what you feel like overrides what you are “biologically,” same with homosexuality overriding a supposedly biological drive to reproduce. He sees the root of all this in Gnostic Dualism.

Well, I was confused as **** to be honest. Gruber might be onto something. He is honestly right in a way, it is his view that this is somehow bad that disgusts me. The will DOES override the body, it IS more important than nature and biology and matter. I have never been more pro-choice/LGBTQ+/generally “left” than when Gruber was saying this stuff, like “hell yeah, **** this material world!” It ties to how I've called Transition one of the most intense of black magical acts materially speaking.

What I found was that Gruber is preaching Yahweh literally as the Gnostic Demiurge, as the god who creates and enslaves us to matter, who we must be subservient to or suffer, and he rejects body/spirit dualism. Gruber’s biggest fear is that “if nature does not define personhood, the state will.” No, man. The INDIVIDUAL can, should, and hopefully will. Yes it MAY BE the state to define it, but he’s creating a false dichotomy because the whole conference relies on self-rejection and self-hatred, to become a tool for Yahweh and to see yourself as a disgusting sinner in need of saving. It is just as bad for the church to define personhood as the state, instead it is the choice of every individual who is able to make that choice. Indeed in many cases it may be worse for the church to define it than the state.

Gruber is also convinced of a “slippery slope of tolerance,” again tying into the whole theme that we do not have to tolerate “evil.” As always, he fails to recognize that it is RHP tyranny which best aligns with moral evil. He says that tolerance for sin leads to acceptance of sin, then celebration of sin, and finally participation in sin, which will eventually become forced. If you are connecting the dots already, yes, the guy is afraid that he is going to be forced to “participate in” something like homosexuality, though does not explain exactly how the state plans to make people homosexual…

In the end his conclusion is that everything goes back to Gnostic Dualism, that this great heresy is the center of all that the Christian Nationalists see wrong in the world. In some ways, I agree, I just see it in the complete inverse of Gruber. Yes, what he calls Gnostic Dualism is critical to the idea that mind > matter, but to him this is horrifying, and to me it is great progress. At the same time we both agree society is in a state of decline, but I certainly do not agree it is because of individuation. Quite the opposite, individuation is how we get out of this nightmare we find ourselves in, not further centuries of submission to a tyrannical god and demonizing religion.

It was funny to me, he claimed that no argument or evidence has been given for this dualism, which is hilariously false. If you didn't know who he was, you may even have confused him for a militant physicalist. If I thought it would matter at all I'd follow up with him about it, but no thanks.

Jack Hibbs - Day 2

Never heard of this guy, but his whole thing was that he is banned or something from DC for preaching the gospel. Jack really got the persecution complex bubbling up to the surface, claiming that these ultra-wealthy people in the most popular religion in America are being targeted if they so much as preach about Jesus and repentance. To Jack, it is clear to anyone who looks at history that America was intended to be a Christian nation, and that we cannot and should not separate church and state. In a way he embraced the term “Christian Nationalist,” accusing the term of being meaningless and made up as anti-Christian propaganda.

He also believes that the current decline of society is caused by “demonic influence,” this just comes up over and over again. It is far less surprising to me now that a new Satanic Panic is brewing, there is a very intense and ever present belief in spiritual warfare going on here. To be frank we were well over 24 hours in, and my patience and tolerance were wearing quite thin (the Gruber class was insane to be in tbh). In fact during this sermon I began the first draft of this article, I just had to start venting it from my system.

 

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Political Panel - Day 2

Talk of election fraud is still going strong, with the first order of business being to call upon the audience to become official pollers for the upcoming elections. They preached that the church getting involved with every level of the state is exactly what the founding fathers wanted when they founded the country, making it a duty of some sort. They told us to simply look at history to confirm this, so I looked and found all the familiar quotes from the founders about how they hated Christianity and organized religion, as expected. How they literally embraced the serpent and demanded “don't tread on me” in a rejection of Genesis 3. The panel said that nationalism is nothing more than a love for one’s country, and that the negative connotations are essentially propaganda.

Ironically they started talking about wolves in sheep’s clothing, and how the church could never be infiltrated. That outsiders were too afraid to come inside and that demons quake with fear when they pass by. To not burst out laughing was a personally historic show of self-restraint, even more funny for reasons I will cover more below. It is because their church makes hell tremble that the church is “being persecuted.”

The most esteemed member of the panel was former politician/lobbyist Bob McEwan, who “explained” that basically every imaginable consumable, product, advancement, etc. is rooted in the United States, that if the U.S. failed the whole world would fail. Indeed, Satan targets America in specific (because surely there is nowhere Christians are more persecuted…) because if he gets America, the world will follow. I honestly don’t think I understood the Christian Nationalist view of the country fully until this guy spoke. Perhaps the most insane single idea in my two days in this nightmare world, McEwan stated that the only day which would be on par with independence day would be that day of the conference, 2024.

Charlie Kirk - Day 2

The last thing I stayed for was Charlie Kirk’s official bull**** and some of the Q&A. Again he focused on “liberty” against the tyrants of the “left” who are “persecuting” the church. He condemned Christianity at large for being subservient to “secular” society, falling in line. He again calls for revival and revolution, saying that they must “draw a line in the sand” and “demand the welfare of the nation” (in accordance with Christian Nationalism, of course). Again, everything at odds with his views are simply the result of demonic influence. I would say more but this guy is way more famous than he deserves, and is basically the program that most other Nationalist NPCs run on. He’s shocking and hateful and all that, and the audience’s love for him is perhaps even more frightening. But at this point I was done.

I stayed for the first two questions, one where Kirk tore apart a woman for worrying about how to be political without losing tax exemption, and the other where he concluded that the “alphabet mafia” (dog whistle for LGBTQ+) is seeking to “groom” and “recruit” children because they “cannot reproduce.” I literally don’t even know what the **** to say to that. It was just such a perfect culmination and compilation of all the endless bull**** I had heard over the past two days, and I was ready to leave the place behind and never look back.

Magic

Besides knowledge, my “adventure” was a test of magic in several ways. One of the things I was actually surprised by was it being a test of my ability to blend, to be a chameleon, to hide my inner thoughts and smile/nod along to ideas that disgust me. Even a few years back I’d have gotten myself kicked out of that place in the first few hours, probably wouldn’t even have removed my necklace or covered my tattoos. It was a test of growth and resilience, essentially, and might be something I’d recommend, but in a less crazy setting. I also just believe one needs to expose themselves to the evil in this world, as I have written about before.

I have a new motto, courtesy of Byron: “His evil is not good!” I was repeating this constantly inside, and each time it only increased in power. That moment when they were praising god for being so strong that no outsider would dare sit among them, that was obscenely empowering. Demons “tremble as they pass” they preached, and yet a long time devotee of the Left Hand Path not only sat among you, but climbed to the top of your prayer mountain and spoke much more powerful words than “Jesus” up there. Even left a long-empowered pentagram upon the peak. (I have to say the climb made me think of Gnostic Dualism, as my academic body struggled but my LHP soul persisted. Today I feel great, but RIP legs!) I rarely use Thoughtforms but can tell you my Sha animal was perfectly happy to roam free. It was interesting though, I've theorized that successful black magic separates the individual from the RHP so much that people just subconsciously avoid you. I had said and done nothing to be outcasted, had no tattoos or pendants showing, and was not seen by any upon the mountain (which only had about 5 people on it anyways). But both day 2 sessions found me with 5 or more empty seats next to me in the otherwise packed megachurch.

The last thing I'll touch on is forcing myself to shake the hand of evil. I don't know why, I just knew I had to shake hands with whichever of these speakers I could. On one hand I just needed to know what it felt like, if I'm to study religion it won't be the last time I speak to a person like that. On the other hand, I wanted them to shake mine, to know they've interacted with a person like me even if they don't.

Satanism

Finally, I want to tie this all into Satanism. On one hand, the irony in the “liberty against tyranny” rhetoric is astronomical. You'd think you were reading the likes of the Romantic Satanists! It recalls the French Revolution, or the Satan of Blake, Byron, and Shelley, who rebels against the “omnipotent tyrant” and curses him with eternal misery. Liberty is antithetical to Christian Nationalism, which seeks to force their way upon the world at large. It is antithetical to all true RHP ideology because the individual must always remain subservient. The quest for liberty is why the literary Satan of Christianity rebels and falls, why he is damned, why he encouraged us to take the free will given by eternal life and knowledge in the garden of Eden. This goes back to my writing about how ridiculous it is that these people utilize the Gadsden flag, their entire, explicit goal is to tread upon others, to “come with a sword” as Christ did. They are conquerors, I'm not speaking only historically, but presently. Charlie Kirk and everyone else do not give the slightest **** about true liberty, they simply want the liberty to dominate for themselves.

On the other hand, some of the general ideas are so similar to the Nationalistic pseudo-Satanism of groups like the ONA that it sort of tripped me out. Which really helps explain why the liberation LHP stuff seems to contradict, as they don't mesh with far right ideology in the slightest. The use of music to create a different state, the call to infiltrate and overtake institutions, the goal to become a dwelling for the divine/acausal to cause long term/aeonic change, the belief that they need to save the declining society, the alt-right rhetoric, and of course Nationalism itself. Obviously this can apply to plenty of RHP groups but I just kept thinking back to ONA.

In the end, I expected the whole thing to be rather banal and expected, but it had a significant impact on me. These people are everywhere, they are of malicious intent, they are the reality behind the Satanic Panic bull**** they spread as a form of projection. Everything they accuse “Satanism” of is what they are doing themselves. Worshiping human sacrifice, infiltrating the government to force society into their religion, sneaking into schools, targeting children… There is indeed a somewhat underground, evil, world dominating cult to panic about: Christian Nationalism.

The Dream Conference succeeded in its goal: I feel spiritually moved, and moved towards activism. I just doubt it's the way they intended. These people need to be countered, I actually somewhat understand the importance of “lesser evils” now. I've even been considering trying to contact TST or the news to see if we can get protests at freedom night and stuff, news coverage, anything. But more than that, I feel the call of Satanism again. Have you ever heard someone say the term, “I will give you something to cry about?” These groups are already taking the action they would if they were being “persecuted,” and they themselves state that tolerance is not a commandment, that we cannot tolerate evil men. So let’s not tolerate it. We don’t need this childish, dress up, trolling Satanism most think of now, but a very serious and mature form that can counter this bull**** without falling to their level, without becoming who they've become. A true rebirth of Romantic Satanism, not some dark, Christianized polytheism, nor some edgy, childish trolling. A Romantic, intellectual, literary, and active Satanism intent on actually countering this instead of just making headlines/money or hiding in the shadows.

Do not misunderstand, I do NOT retract my condemnation of Theistic Satanism nor of certain Atheistic Groups. The Devil is a Christian invention and fiction, he and demons are not our gods, nor can they ever be free of Christianity. Thus Satanism should be embraced as a direct response to Christianity, and nothing more. I am not encouraging people to believe in some objectively existent, esoteric entity, but rather the literary Satan in response to the literary fiction that drives things like Christian Nationalism. At the same time, it is long past time we drop all the childish, edgy, vile imagery that almost all Satanic groups and individuals seem to promote, and replace it with the centuries of rehabilitation into a shining beacon of actual liberty and individualism.

His evil is not good!
Ave Satanas!

 

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[Clizby Wampuscat]

Background

This week I attended two days of the Dream/TPUSA Conference in Phoenix, Arizona. Part study, part magic, part knowing your enemy, I wanted to get inside and see this type of event for myself. I removed my necklace, covered my tattoos, and assimilated the best I could, trying not to betray my biases while also trying to give the most charitable representation possible. This latter objective will be… difficult, to say the least.

I just had to get this typed and out of my system. Will make it a podcast episode as well.

The Community - Day 1

On the first day, I arrived about when the doors opened, many hours before the first session, and spent most of the day looking around the campus and speaking to the exhibitors. The property is beautiful to be sure, clearly a pricey place of real estate and construction. It is tucked away into the side of a small mountain, which the church directly connects to, uses, and calls the “prayer mountain,” despite it being clearly labeled as owned by the city (and taxpayers) of Phoenix. Indeed at the end of day three they are all going up there to do some massive prayer over the city. There were uniformed officers at the event, who stated that they were there helping off-duty, but I was honestly expecting more security and some sort of counter-protest. I am now not even sure if the state at large knows this is going on this week.

As I expected, there was a contradictory interplay between the church and pop-culture. Evangelism is clearly enmeshed with and embracing Consumer Culture. Game characters, superheroes, and some other popular sights could be seen, despite a heavy preaching focus on not assimilating to a sinful culture. What I would call an “influencer” culture was heavily at play, there was a surprising (to me) focus on vanity, again despite a call to reject modern culture. Really interesting to see was Marvel's Thor, a Disney owned, polytheistic deity based character who I cannot imagine fits the values of the general audience. The whole vibe was like a rock concert, with unique event merchandise and all. This materialistic and consumerist angle ran rampant through the entire event, as we will see.

Most of the exhibitors were focused on education in one form or another. First, getting into the school and getting children reintroduced to Biblical Christianity. They are 100% “coming for your kids.” Then keeping them of course, and preparing them to enter a higher education program (with groups such as TPUSA). At that point it switches to adult education, training new pastors who can then go out, create their own churches, and bring more sheep (and money) into the flock. Some of the tables have truly good goals on the face of it, like stopping human trafficking, which will come up more below. There was a lot of cringe among the tables though: “woke tears,” mottos rejecting communism, asking for prayer back in school, a Gadsden flag where the snake is replaced with a fetus, just so much of this kind of consumable content to give out to thousands for free. To be sure there were also books for sale from most of the main speakers or related ministries, and the merch of course.

All in all though, I did not see or hear anything that truly surprised me or shocked me, I knew what I was getting into, at least to some degree. Really the vibe was chill as people showed up and registered, and I just hung out and people watched for a few hours. I was, in a way, disappointed almost, only because I had expected culture shock and just found some conservative Christians. Don't get discouraged though, read on.

Opening Ceremonies - Day 1

Once stuff got underway for the first evening ceremony though, things changed pretty damn fast. They opened with blaring music, strobing lights, fog machines, and a 20 minute long parade of all the branches of the Megachurch that were present. There was a lot of pop-culture symbolism mixed in, lot’s of pro-life signs and everything you would expect, it was intense but still nothing I had not expected. Larger and louder, but pretty on par.

Then came Charlie Kirk of TPUSA himself, and that was when the entire atmosphere changed. I immediately saw the distance between conservative Christianity and Christian Nationalism growing. Kirk started by bragging about getting Trump to AZ during Covid, and how they have started hosting Freedom Nights in the state, hoping to essentially turn the state Christian. He condemned Christians who obeyed secular protocols as weak, and called upon the audience to actively revolt in the name of Christianity.

“Liberty” was his focus, “liberty is god’s idea, not man’s.” He claims to stand for “liberty and righteousness.” Keep this in particular in mind for later, this love for “liberty” in the name of an omnipotent tyrant… Kirk ended by calling on the church to fix the declining civilization that is modern America. The explicit goal of the conference is to make AZ a Christian state, then take the nation. “Biblical, not political.”

It was strange to me how these speakers could actually have some decent ideas, such as fighting for liberty or improving society, but then it goes straight to **** when they fall back on Christian Nationalism.

Then, well, I cannot really describe what happened. I don’t want to over-dramatize as someone who has worked with abused children and studied dehumanization, but if not one of the worst things I have ever seen, it was one of the most cringe-inducing, eye-bleaching things I have ever seen live and in person. A group of (I think entirely white) students did a sort of… interpretive dance of American history. They acted out things like pretending to be slaves rowing a slave ship, planting a girl as the Iwo Jima flag, reenacting the Kennedy assassination, portraying the fall of the Twin Towers with people jumping out, acting out a violent and careless abortion, and in the end blaming all this on a lack of Jesus. Ladies and Gentlemen, this does not even get close to describing the insanity. Luckily I don’t need to, the whole session was recorded. In fact, take time to stop here and go to 57:30 of this video:

(thanks to them proudly recording this stuff I will focus on what I took from the sermons at large)

I wanted culture shock, and then I was not happy when it actually happened.

"I was in the darkness; I could not see my words Nor the wishes of my heart. Then suddenly there was a great light -"Let me into the darkness again."" - Stephen Crane

I am not an easily offended guy, and I have to say that my jaw was on the floor. My wife had joined for the free night session, having an interest as her family was a hard-core racist baptist cult, and HER jaw was on the floor. Thank gods the lights were down and all that because I would have given myself away. It was honestly surreal, full blown twilight zone ****. And by the end of it as the audience went wild, I realized just what an insane situation I had really found myself in.

Jentezen Franklin - Day 1

Jentezen encouraged the audience towards “openness,” saying that if a Christian opens their mind and opens themselves to new experiences, this is when god will come to them. I feel safe assuming that this only includes experiences in line with what is already permitted, as per the Right Hand Path. I doubt that opening yourself to social progress and such things would lead to the god they are speaking of, that would kind of defeat the entire purpose. The contradiction seems completely lost on them though, just no awareness of the irony.

Jentezen called for a new revival movement, he wants people to get out there and proselytize and be evangelical again. A common theme was to frown upon “weak Christians” who obeyed the rules of “Secularism.” He told the audience that they are never closer to the devil than when they have a sense of pride, though shortly afterwards said each one of them is just a little “openness” away from being a vehicle of god himself, then bragged about his wealth. Homosexuality, transgenderism, the breakup of the nuclear family, declining church numbers, less procreation… all this and more are seen as symptoms of “demonic influence,” which in a way I guess is a compliment? The whole thing is in the link above, this is just what really stood out to me the most.

I also have to mention his sermon’s focus on his first experience playing golf. His entire illustration of having faith in oneself was getting a hole in one and not believing the ball is yours. I mention it because the same church is hosting a golfing event after the conference with a costly sign up, surely just a coincidence. This gets back to the consumerism and materialism of it all. Then, thank the gods, it was the end of day one and I got the hell out of there. Simply watching this stuff on YouTube doesn't capture the pure energy though, you actually have to be there to realize just how crazy and malicious it really is, not even just the speakers but the audience.

Even when I was a Christian I stayed away from any church that mixed faith with politics. It seems in opposition to what Jesus was about in my opinion. I will listen to the videos you just posted when I get a chance. It's interesting to me.

 

[Twilight Hue]

You covered a far right church, what does a far left church look like?

 

[Revoltingest]

Hey, @1137....
Which atheist groups do you condemn?
Why?

 

[Viker]

You covered a far right church, what does a far left church look like?

Find something and make a post about it.

I'll even give you a bone. The People's Temple (Rev. Jim Jones)

 

[Viker]

Even when I was a Christian I stayed away from any church that mixed faith with politics. It seems in opposition to what Jesus was about in my opinion. I will listen to the videos you just posted when I get a chance. It's interesting to me.

This is something I noticed as a kid and didn't care much for it. Seemed so hung up on the things of this world, as if materialism were equally important in a worship service.

 

[Clizby Wampuscat]

This is something I noticed as a kid and didn't care much for it. Seemed so hung up on the things of this world, as if materialism were equally important in a worship service.

The churches I went to were against materialism but were very much about an experience with god so if you did not have an experience then there was something wrong with you.

 

[Unfettered]

Even when I was a Christian I stayed away from any church that mixed faith with politics. It seems in opposition to what Jesus was about in my opinion. I will listen to the videos you just posted when I get a chance. It's interesting to me.

Sadly, it works both ways. Meaning government superimposes extralegal religion onto politics as well.

 

[sun rise]

I immediately saw the distance between conservative Christianity and Christian Nationalism growing.

Yup

He condemned Christians who obeyed secular protocols as weak, and called upon the audience to actively revolt in the name of Christianity.

SIeg Heil.

It was strange to me how these speakers could actually have some decent ideas, such as fighting for liberty or improving society, but then it goes straight to **** when they fall back on Christian Nationalism.

Life is not utterly black and totally white all the time.

disorientation and disassociation before the preaching begins.

I'm sure that's the well-known way to indoctrinate people.

“tolerance is not a commandment.”

Carefully ignoring the Sermon on the Mount

Second in importance was the need to target the marginalized and needy who have nothing else, that way you can bring them to Christ

"Rice Christians" - it's an old technique

church could never be infiltrated.

And there you were

 

[Clizby Wampuscat]

Sadly, it works both ways. Meaning government superimposes extralegal religion onto politics as well.

What do you mean?

 

[Laniakea]

Attending an event open to the public is not "infiltrating".

 

[libre]

You covered a far right church, what does a far left church look like?

Honest question, can the words 'right wing' associated with anything bad solicit anything but deflection from you?

 

[Laniakea]

Honest question, can the words 'right wing' associated with anything bad solicit anything but deflection from you?

He just wants to know how this person would phrase his coverage of a far Leftist church. If we could see that, it would show whether or not his analysis of either one is biased toward finding fault one way or the other.

 

[1137]

You covered a far right church, what does a far left church look like?

That's a good question worth investigating.

Hey, @1137....
Which atheist groups do you condemn?
Why?

For me it always comes down to things like the view of the individual, a quest for truth, etc. For instance I'm not a fan of the Church of Satan for promoting collectivist ideology, or claiming to be the only form of Satanism, or ideas like the Yazidi being Devil Worshipers.

Attending an event open to the public is not "infiltrating".

It was not a public event, though the public was welcome to attend the evening sessions.

 

[Unfettered]

What do you mean?

What I mean to say is that any time government superimposes any belief, belief system, belief-based rituals or belief-based mandates not included in that society's agreed-upon belief system (as defined in the law established by consent of the people), government imposes extra-legal religion onto the people. (I use the term extra-legal "religion" because every law (ie, what is legal) is based on some kind of religious understanding (moral understanding, understanding of right and wrong—ie, religion)).

Does that help?

 

[1137]

He just wants to know how this person would phrase his coverage of a far Leftist church. If we could see that, it would show whether or not his analysis of either one is biased toward finding fault one way or the other.

Considering I am a wanderer of the Left Hand Path and angry centerist, likely most would be the same. I'd definitely attend such a church and report back though, I just don't know of any.

 

[Laniakea]

Considering I am a wanderer of the Left Hand Path and angry centerist, likely most would be the same. I'd definitely attend such a church and report back though, I just don't know of any.

Find one that has a drag queen for a pastor: Drag Queen | Ms. Penny Cost
That would be a good start.