GOP Lawmaker: Israel and the U.S. Were “Created for God’s Glory”

Republican lawmaker and conspiracy theorist Lauren Boebert is a Christian. I know this because she won’t stop talking about it. Since her election, she’s used her government position to spread the gospel while doing nothing useful for her constituents, and it became especially disturbing this week.

In an interview with Christian hate-group leader Tony Perkins, Boebert explained how her election was a “sign” from God:

“The wisdom of the world is foolishness in God’s sight,” she said of predictions that she wouldn’t win her race for the House, reciting a Bible verse: “Just like God promised, he said, ‘Here I am,’ Isaiah 8:18 says, ‘Here I am, and the children whom the Lord has given me. We are made for signs and wonder,’ and this victory was a sign and a wonder to so many people who think that they have it figured it out.“

She didn’t mention how she represents a district that leans Republican and hasn’t elected a Democrat since 2008. That, not God, made the difference.

But it’s not unusual for a politician to attribute success to God. Boebert is a special kind of awful because she doesn’t hide the fact that she wants to live in a Christian theocracy — and that God wants this to be a Christian Nation, whatever that’s supposed to mean.

It’s wild that her God glorified Himself by creating a nation where slavery was legal, women couldn’t vote, and gun violence continues to run rampant. It’s crazy that a nation founded on religious pluralism can be declared a Christian country like this without any pushback. It’s weird to think God was lazily sitting around glorifying no countries whatsoever until roughly 1776. It’s also incredible for a Christian politician to imply that God doesn’t give a damn about any other country. Hell, Brazil is one of the most Christian nations in the world, by population, but God’s apparently not impressed. Vatican City? Didn’t make the cut.

Again, it’s not weird for a Republican to say things like this. We’re used to it. Other members of her party do this all the time.

But just imagine if any other politician even hinted at the things Boebert says explicitly. If Muslim congresswoman Rep. Ilhan Omar suggested that a Muslim-majority nation (or even the U.S.) was created for the glory of Allah, it would get nonstop coverage in right-wing media.

This is what Christian privilege looks like. Ignorant politicians spout jingoism and Christian Nationalism and barely get any attention because it’s just what we’ve come to expect from the Right.

All that said, we could also argue that Boebert just minimized her God by saying He created only two nations for His “glory.” (Just two? Weak.)

It’s too bad most white evangelical pastors don’t have the courage to call out her nonsense. They either agree with her or don’t care enough about her lies enough to counter them from the pulpit (which would be legal). Boebert, as a member of Congress, gets plenty of attention, but she’s able to spread lies and Christian propaganda only because fellow Christians with a voice are willing to let her get away with it.