Talkin‘ Politics & Religion Without Killin‘ Each Other

Have Christians Forgotten the First Commandment?

2025-02-15

In this edition, Corey Nathan challenges listeners—especially his fellow Christians—to consider whether they have forgotten the first commandment: "Thou shalt have no other gods before Me." He explores how idolatry has evolved beyond worshiping wooden idols and now manifests in politics, ideology, and the way Christians engage with their faith in a modern democracy. This is meant to be an open conversation for people of all beliefs. Corey discusses the intersection of faith and civic engagement, posing challenging questions about whether political pre...

In this edition, Corey Nathan challenges listeners—especially his fellow Christians—to consider whether they have forgotten the first commandment: "Thou shalt have no other gods before Me." He explores how idolatry has evolved beyond worshiping wooden idols and now manifests in politics, ideology, and the way Christians engage with their faith in a modern democracy.

This is meant to be an open conversation for people of all beliefs. Corey discusses the intersection of faith and civic engagement, posing challenging questions about whether political preferences are shaping morality rather than the other way around.

📌 What We Discuss

✔️ How idolatry in modern times is often just a few degrees off from traditional religious practices.
✔️ Why many Christians reject the Jesus of the Gospel in favor of political leaders and ideologies.
✔️ The dangers of replacing the God of Scripture with a God of personal or political making.
✔️ How politics has become a form of religion for many.
✔️ A deep dive into reactions to Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde’s sermon and what it reveals about faith in America today.

⏳ Episode Highlights

[00:00:00] – Introduction: Corey welcomes listeners and introduces the big question: Have Christians forgotten the first commandment?

[00:02:30] – The Meaning of Idolatry Today: It’s not about golden statues but about how religious practices can be slightly distorted—just a few degrees off—leading to misplaced worship.

[00:05:45] – Rejecting the Jesus of the Gospel: Corey recounts the backlash against Bishop Budde for quoting Jesus and discusses how some Christians react negatively to Christ’s actual teachings when they challenge political views.

[00:14:30] – Creating a God in Our Own Image: Are Christians shaping their beliefs to fit their politics, rather than aligning their politics with their faith?

[00:18:10] – Trump, Religion, and the Fruit of the Spirit: Corey examines whether Trump’s actions and character align with Christian virtues, calling out the contradictions in how some Christians perceive him as a godly leader.

[00:21:40] – Religious Symbols and Political Extremism: Corey discusses alarming juxtapositions, like crosses displayed next to gallows on January 6th, and the disturbing fusion of faith and nationalism.

[00:26:45] – The Politics of Cruelty: Highlighting Pete Wehner’s critique of USAID cuts and how many self-proclaimed Christians align with leaders who embrace cruelty.

[00:30:00] – Final Reflection: How do we participate in healing a broken world rather than contributing to its fractures?

💬 Featured Quotes

🗣️ “Idolatry isn’t necessarily about worshiping something completely different—it’s about replacing God with something that looks like God but is just a few degrees off.”

🗣️ “If you start with political affiliation and back everything else into that—including morality, truth, and even basic decency—you’ve made politics your god.”

🗣️ “The world is supposed to look at Christians and see Jesus. But too often, it sees something monstrous.” – John Pavlovitz

🔗 Resources Mentioned

📖 The Beautiful Mess by John Pavlovitz – Substack
📰 The Cruel Attack on USAID by Pete Wehner – The Atlantic
🎥 Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde’s Sermon – YouTube

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