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An airplane full of singing Christians, a viral critique – and a very revealing backlash

In theory, the United States has a separation of church and state. In reality, public display of Christianity often considered the healthy, quintessential Americana. In contrast, non-Christian religions in the public domain, are often seen as curiosity and threat at worst. Minority religions are mentioned – implicitly or explicitly – that they are not all Americans and that America is not for them.

In contrast, non-Christian religions in the public domain, are often seen as curiosity and threat at worst.

Americans received a small reminder of that fact over the weekend after a video by a group Christians sing for other passengers on a plane flight went viral. The video appears to have been filmed by a pastor named Jack Jensz Jr. – he uploaded the same video to his Instagram account. As you can see in the video, some of the passengers seem amused; some are recording the performance with their phones. Some appear lethargic or bored.

Not much background with clip. Jensz appears to have been doing charity work and evangelism recently near the Ukrainian border, but it is unclear if this flight was part of that. We don’t know if the singers asked permission from the other passengers or if it was a charter flight.

However, as a Jewish atheist who hates flying, I know how successful the impromptu concert will be I feel. When I’m in the air, I just want to get where I’m going. I don’t want to hear a trivial chorus repeat that my neighbors think I’m going to hell.

Representative Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., a Muslim, had a similarly skeptical response. Reply on Twitter, she wrote: “I think my family and I should have a prayer meeting next time I’m on a plane. How do you think it will end? ”

Christian worship is often seen as harmless, joyful, uplifting – even good for you. In contrast, Muslims in America frequently demonized and targeted with hate crimes. After 9/11, airports and airplanes are particularly anti-Muslim spaces.

Christians take up space, attention, and power — it’s a fun, casual American tradition. As Omar rightly points out, Muslims ‘doing the same would be seen by many as a threat.

Christians take up space, attention, and power — it’s a fun, casual American tradition.

Sure enough, Omar’s lighthearted comment sparked a backlash. She was accused of being a bigot against Christianity. Radio host “Joe Pags” Pagliarulo asks to know “why don’t the compassionate and free-living people of our country appreciate that we are a Judeo-Christian society founded solely to protect people of all beliefs?” Many have criticized Omar for daring to question Christian behavior over Easter weekend – as if the holiday brought Christians the barbecue in all public spaces. and although, according to Jensz’s Instagram post, the video could have been taken days or even weeks before the holidays).

Jews are not generally viewed as an active threat in the way that Muslims in the contemporary United States As Pagliarulo’s comment points out, we are often seen as junior partners in the “Judeo-Christian” society of the United States – we are welcome as long as we let the Christians do whatever they want on a plane or elsewhere and as long as we don’t express our skepticism.

In contemporary discourse, Jews and Muslims are often framed (especially by Christians) as antagonistic groups. In the past, Omar has been accused of frame her criticisms about Israeli policies in adversarial ways. Personally, I admire Omar’s staunch opposition to Israel’s colonial policies, although I think some of her remarks have been misjudged. But when I watched that video, I was reminded that Jews, Muslims, atheists, and all other non-Christians share certain experiences when they live in a country with a religious culture. growing Christian nationalist movement.

Sometimes Christian nationalism is silly and trivial, as in annual moral panic about whether greeting each other with “Happy Holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas” is an attack on America’s foundations.

Sometimes it’s even more ominous – as in the Christian’s open-minded attempt to ban abortion in states across the country. And right now, anti-abortion activism has become central to the identity of many Christians in the United States – especially white Protestants and Catholics. As a result, people of all faiths in conservative countries have to obey theocracy dictates the rights of Christians.

As the backlash against Omar shows, Christian politicians and activists love to complain about abuse. They claim that Omar or anyone else who suspects them is biased. But in reality, Christians have great social and political power in America. They can attract politicians into office. They can force pregnant women to give birth. They can even force you to listen to them sing in the air 30,000 feet high.

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at Blogtuan.info – Source: nbcnews.com – Read the original article here

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