Fundie Host: If You Oppose Displaying The Ten Commandments, You’re A ‘Traitor’ (VIDEO, TWEET)

When the cameras are on, the religious right would like you to believe that all it wants is to be a voice for Americans who hold traditional Judeo-Christian values. But as I’ve mentioned a number of times, whenever the likes of Pat Robertson, Ralph Reed, and Franklin Graham think they’re only preaching to the choir, they sound exactly like the mullahs in Iran. Well, add yet another exhibit to the list. One of the loudest and looniest religious right talk show host declared that anyone who opposes publicly displaying the Ten Commandments is committing treason.

American Family Radio afternoon drive-time host Bryan Fischer likes to bill himself as the voice of “muscular Christianity.” On Thursday’s edition of his show, “Focal Point,” he gave us another example of what he means by “muscular Christianity.” Apparently, in his world, being a Christian is all but essential to be truly considered a patriot and an American. People for the American Way’s Right Wing Watch got a clip.

Fischer referred us to Washington’s Farewell Address, in which he argued that “Religion and Morality are indispensable supports” for a nation to be strong. As far as Washington was concerned, no one could “claim the mantle of Patriotism” if he had any dreams of undercutting “these great Pillars of human happiness.”

It’s more or less an article of faith on the religious right that when Washington or any other Founding Father talks about “religion,” he actually means Christianity. So it comes as no surprise that Fischer took this paragraph and ran with it. He claimed that Washington was effectively saying that “the essence of what it means to be a patriot” was someone who “adheres to Christianity and the Ten Commandments.” By the same token, anyone who actively works “to undermine, to subvert” Christianity not only isn’t a patriot, but is “a traitor to his country.”

And just in case he wasn’t entirely clear, Fischer told his audience how they can easily spot traitors.

“Now I have no hesitation in saying that today. You want to find a traitor to your country? Find somebody who is actively working to oppose Christianity and oppose the public acknowledgement of the Ten Commandments. You are looking, my friend, right there at an American traitor.”

We’ve seen numerous examples of what Fischer’s idea of “muscular Christianity” really means. He would like nothing better than to see Christians as the only ones whose faith is protected by the First Amendment. To that end, if it were up to him, immigrants would have to become Christians if they wanted to stay in this country. And for that matter, you can’t really be a Christian unless you’re a conservative, and elected officials who don’t force the Bible on their constituents are doing the devil’s work for him.

But this statement from Fischer is one of the most ignorant and dangerous things I’ve ever heard him say. He is effectively saying that in-your-face Christianity is required to be a true patriot. This sort of talk is not just oppressive to non-Christians. It’s oppressive to Christians like yours truly who have the weird idea that we should peacefully coexist with other religions. In Fischer’s world, that’s an act of treason. But then again, we live in a world where Republicans who were repelled by Donald Trump’s debauchery were considered traitors to their party.

And that’s before we even discuss the fact that Fischer is blatantly misrepresenting historical evidence. There is considerable debate over whether Washington himself was a Christian. He also forgets that when Alexander Hamilton wrote the Farewell Address, he wanted to include a phrase that suggested morality required “generally received and divinely authoritative Religion.” That statement would have been right up Fischer’s alley. But Washington rejected it.

Then again, it’s more likely that Fischer doesn’t want his audience to know this. The great majority of AFR’s audience comprises people who live in a bubble where Christian radio and television are among the primary news sources. Much of this constituency either homeschools children or sends them to Christian school, where the vision of “America, the Christian nation” has been peddled for years even though there is no evidence to support it.

But then again, such little things as facts never stopped Fischer before. Indeed, he actually reveled in Right Wing Watch calling him out.

No, Bryan. They got the word out that the only difference between you and the mullahs in Iran is that you aren’t wearing a black turban.

(featured image courtesy Fischer’s Facebook)

Darrell is a 30-something graduate of the University of North Carolina who considers himself a journalist of the old school. An attempt to turn him into a member of the religious right in college only succeeded in turning him into the religious right's worst nightmare--a charismatic Christian who is an unapologetic liberal. His desire to stand up for those who have been scared into silence only increased when he survived an abusive three-year marriage. You may know him on Daily Kos as Christian Dem in NC. Follow him on Twitter @DarrellLucus or connect with him on Facebook. Click here to buy Darrell a Mello Yello.