Often, reason prevails in places we’ve come not to expect. We saw it in Arizona’s election, when voters chose strong backers of church/state separation over religious extremists in races for school board and Governor. Now another striking example: an evangelical preacher in Phoenix is making waves for fighting Christian nationalism. Pastor Caleb Campbell describes Christian nationalism as “a mean-spirited, vulgar grab for power with violent rhetoric” and says he is “disgusted, by the amalgamation of nationalism and Christianity.” His church now backs separation of church and state and focuses on winning congregants back from MAGA. His formula for winning people back from the dark side: - Establishing personal trust, without which people tend to resist questioning their own beliefs.
- Encouraging people to fast from media for two weeks.
- Inviting them to sit at a table with others who hold different views to discuss hot-button issues
Whether you’re religious or not, it’s a winning strategy that mirrors principles practiced by experts that work with victims of cults and extremist groups like Q-Anon. With more holidays coming up, it’s easy to imagine how learning more about this psychology might help our family interactions. You won’t want to miss it! |
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