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Brian Recker on Cruz, Carlson & 'Hell Bent' American Evangelicals [1]

['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.']

Date: 2025-06-19

⁠Brian Recker⁠, a former Marine, former evangelical pastor, current theologian, speaker and writer, has developed a ⁠healthy social media following⁠ and solid presence ⁠on Substack⁠. His focus? Deconstructing his faith to find a more inclusive spirituality - which often runs afoul of today's right-wing aligned American evangelical movement.

He's just the kind of guest to discuss the ⁠'Ted Cruz v. Tucker Carlson' ⁠dust-up over Cruz' limp grasp on scripture he believes commands him (and the U.S. apparently) to support Israel unequivocally.

Recker and I discuss this at length, along with the use of religion as a tool of manipulation by pols like Cruz, and also religion's manipulation of politicians like Cruz, too. I also asked, is Trump using religion to manipulate Republicans or is he the one being manipulated by religion?

PS - you an pre-order his book ⁠"Hell Bent: How The Fear of Hell Holds Christians Back from a Spirituality of Love" HERE.⁠

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Trump-era D.E.I. rollbacks aside, 'Juneteenth' is today, but corporate backing has - as with the case with June Pride month - retreated a bit. Georgia Recorder's ⁠Amber Rolden spoke with an Atlanta couple ⁠who go all-out decorating their home for the holiday. For many, it just means more than July 4th does, and that's understandable.

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⁠The U.S. Supreme Court upheld Tennessee's ban on gender-affirming care⁠ for minors, assuredly keeping intact Georgia's similar ban.

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The chilling treatment of Spanish-speaking journalist Mario Guevara by local law enforcement, essentially ginning up charges that led to his being ⁠detained for (and taken away by) I.C.E.⁠ is troubling - f⁠or all foreign correspondents⁠, you'd think. Of course, now ⁠Gwinnett County authorities today chose to pile on with some equally questionable charges⁠.

Suddenly we're on our way to becoming North Korea with foreign journalists.

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