Episodes

The Business of Bible Benevolence

Brad and Dan begin by gauging the right-wing reactions to the death of Henry Kissinger. They then compare these, and the hallmarks of Kissinger's life, to those of Rosalynn Carter, who was buried this week in Plains, Ga. In the second segment, Dan unpacks a knot of issues related to no-fault divorce, abortion, and the ways that the GOP continues to try to control women's bodies. In the final segment, the hosts look to Ga, where local election officials refused to certify results for spurious rea...

“Why be so hard on conservative Christianity, to the point of dismissing it entirely? Why not fix it?” This is a real question we receive, and it’s a fair question. Can conservative Christianity be “fixed”? Or are the problems with it too deep for that? In this episode, Dan answers these questions, arguing that because the problematic elements of conservative American Christianity are “in its code,” the code needs to be rewritten entirely. Subscribe now to American Idols: https://www.axismundi.u...

From the 1960s to Moms for Liberty

This week Dan talks about the popular praise and worship song, “Give Thanks With a Grateful Heart.” What is the message of this song? Written as a song of solace and hope, how does it also express an attitude that denies the reality of the things about this world and our places in it that should change? And what is the significance of expressing this attitude in the form of a song? Take a listen and find out. Subscribe now to American Idols: https://www.axismundi.us/american-idols/ To Donate : ...

How Reagan's Evangelical Vision Saved His Presidency - And Destroyed So Much Else

Brad begins by discussing the history of Murfreesboro, TN, where a city ordinance banned homosexuality in public. As Brad recounts, this isn't the first time the city has been in the news. A decade ago, citizens tried to prevent the construction of a mosque on the grounds that Islam isn't a religion. Brad draws on scholarship to outline how Christian nationalists employ a framework wherein the USA should be a place of limitless freedom for them, and limited life for everyone else. In the second ...

We’ve all had the experience of sitting around a Thanksgiving table sharing what we’re grateful or thankful for. But why do some people seem to demand that we feel grateful? Why do they demand that we express gratitude? And what role to these demands play in high-control religious contexts? What is harbored within these demands that can make us so uncomfortable? Dan dives into these issues in this week’s episode. Subscribe now to American Idols: https://www.axismundi.us/american-idols/ To Donat...

The massive bronze sculpture of Confederate General Robert E. Lee , in uniform, astride his horse Traveller, stood in a downtown Charlottesville park for nearly a century. It was at the center of a deadly white nationalist rally in 2017, when Neo-Nazis and white supremacists tried to stop the city's plans to remove the statue. It came down to cheers in July of 2021. Dr. Jalane Schmidt has been part of the group of activists, scholars, and historians fighting not only to have the statue removed, ...

Brad and Dan begin by discussing the porn-accountability app that Speaker Mike Johnson uses with his son. They explain how apps like these are a feature in evangelical circles and how they are a part of the purity culture landscape. Dan then zooms out to explain why he doesn't buy the idea that contemporary Christian nationalism, as it embodied in Johnson, is not a divergence from American history. Neither host agrees that this is just a matter of normal patriotic Americans being corrupted, but ...

“Evangelicalism isn’t just Christian nationalism. There are also a lot of great individuals who are evangelicals but not Christian nationalists.” We hear that a lot. But is it as plausible a concern as it sounds? And why do people say this? Are they really just concerned about “great individuals” who are portrayed badly? What is there to decode in this sentiment? How might we respond to it? In this episode, Dan takes a closer look at this response and the issues it raises. Subscribe now to Ameri...

Has fascism arrived in America? In this pioneering book, Gavriel D. Rosenfeld and Janet Ward have gathered experts to survey the history of fascism in the United States. Although the US established a staunch anti-fascist reputation by defeating the Axis powers in World War II, the unsettling truth is that fascist ideas have long been present within American society. Since the election of Donald Trump as President in 2016, scholars have debated whether Trumpism should be seen as an outgrowth of A...

Dan and Brad begin by recounting the melting of the Robert E. Lee statue in Charlottesville - and the right-wing reactions to it. This leads to a lengthy discussion of the efforts to keep Trump off the ballot in CO and MN via the 14th amendment. In the conclusion, the hosts discuss how the Lost Cause and MAGA Myths have real-world effects on our public square - and the potential dangers ahead. Subscribe now to American Idols: https://www.axismundi.us/american-idols/ To Donate : venmo - @straigh...

Brad speaks to two survivors of IHOP-KC about the abuse they endured there, the dynamics of the community, and healing with others. This week allegations emerged about Mike Bickle, founder of IHOP-KC, a central hub in charismatic Christianity located in Kansas City. Bob Smietana at RNS describes Bickle this way: "Bickle is one of the most influential charismatic Christians in the United States and a leading figure in the so-called New Apostolic Reformation, which seeks to make prophecy and the l...

“Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft.” So reads the King James Bible. What does this verse mean? And why does this translation of the verse still circulate within Christian culture, despite being an archaic translation? And most importantly, what are some of the social effects of this verse? Dan explores these topics in this week’s episode. Subscribe now to American Idols: https://www.axismundi.us/american-idols/ To Donate : venmo - @straightwhitejc Paypal : https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/B...

Colonizer Theology in the House of Representatives

Brad and Dan use the bulk of this episode to introduce listeners to the Christian nationalism of new Speaker of the House Mike Johnson. They go over his right-wing record on abortion (near abolitionist), on LBGTQ rights (as homophobic as they come), on separation of church and state (doesn't believe in it), and his understanding of where your rights come from (his God). They also discuss updates on SCOTUS and Clarence Thomas, as well as Trump's week in court - and the lawyers and allies who have...

Dan gives a brief history of halloween and the ways it has morphed through pre-Christian and Christian history. He then asks: What does it mean when religious people appeal to “God’s will”? What kind of work does this do? Does it always provide the guidance and comfort for life it seems to promise? And what are the dangers of understanding God in terms of “will” in the first place? Dan dives into these and other issues in this episode. Subscribe now to American Idols: https://www.axismundi.us/am...

Brad looks upstream from the talking heads to the intellectuals on the American Right who are normalizing fascist ideas. He points to the phenomenon of the Red Caesar as the framework for how these intellectuals call for a post-constitutional American wherein democracy is set aside for rule by one man. Subscribe now to American Idols: https://www.axismundi.us/american-idols/ To Donate : venmo - @straightwhitejc Paypal : https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/BradleyOnishi Patreon: https://www.patreon....

Fascism is Our New Normal III is coming tomorrow. In the meantime, enjoy the first episode of the new Axis Mundi Media series On God's Campus. Chloe, Paul, and Erin set the stage for On God’s Campus by giving in-depth background information from their personal lives, upbringings, and the ways that they are directly connected to LGBTQIA+ discrimination on religious college campuses. REAP website: https://www.thereap.org/ REAP Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reap_lgbtq Support On God’s Campus...

Brad and Dan begin by discussing some of the terrible reactions to the situation in Israel on the part of American politicians and the deadly consequences we've already seen throughout the country. This leads to a discussion of the Biden administration's approach to aid in Israel and the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza. In the final segment, the hosts analyze the debacle in the House by way of a deep dive into the history of Jim Jordan's career in Congress. Subscribe now to American Idols:...

We’ve probably all heard the phrase “playing god,” and many of us might even have been accused of playing god. But what does it mean when someone says that? Is it different in a “secular” context than in a religious context? And why do people use this language when we’re discussing complex, contested issues? And most importantly, what does this language do? How does it work? Dan looks at these issues in this episode. Subscribe now to American Idols: https://www.axismundi.us/american-idols/ To D...

Brad draws on the work of Hannah Arendt to explain how fascism relies on ordinary people operating within a cruel system. He uses two clips - one from Fox News and the other from a right-wing show - to reveal how fascist thought has creeped into our political stream, cultivating ordinary people into a totalitarian mindset. Subscribe now to American Idols: https://www.axismundi.us/american-idols/ To Donate : venmo - @straightwhitejc Paypal : https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/BradleyOnishi Patreon:...

Dan and Brad provide thoughts on the news from Israel and reflect on what its implications here in the USA. Subscribe now to American Idols: https://www.axismundi.us/american-idols/ To Donate : venmo - @straightwhitejc Paypal : https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/BradleyOnishi Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/straightwhiteamericanjesus Linktree: https://linktr.ee/StraightWhiteJC SWAJ Book Recommendations - September 2023: https://bookshop.org/lists/swaj-recommends-september-2023/edit Order Brad's n...