Opinion: Reflect on religion this election season

A U.S. flag is seen outside a polling place as voters take to the polls in Charleston, W.Va., 2005.

A U.S. flag is seen outside a polling place as voters take to the polls in Charleston, W.Va., 2005. BOB BIRD/ AP

By TERRY DONOVAN ODELL

Published: 10-26-2024 7:00 AM

Rev. Terry Donovan Odell, MA, Ordained Interfaith Minister, lives in Penacook.

As a religious educator within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Manchester for over 30 years, I taught many and varied courses, but by far the one I most treasured teaching was Christology.

The message of a 1st-century itinerant Jew who loved those he encountered beyond measure, elevated women above and beyond the practice of the day, and was drawn to the outcast spoke to my heart. I felt connected to that message and knew at the core of my being that it was a transformative way of life.

I invited my students to look seriously at Jesus’s message and to realize its power. A challenging message for sure, but one I believed would be the means to a lasting peace and a deep sense of joy.

The Jesus I know and the Jesus I invited my students to follow all those many years ago would weep at his message being hijacked and used for political gain. His message was one of forgiveness, not judgment; of inclusion and liberation, not exclusion and control; a message of diversity and peace, not uniformity and violence; of humility, not greed and superiority; a way in touch with the power of love and not motivated by the love of power.

The Christian Nationalist movement supporting the Republican candidate in the November presidential election seeks to create a legal fusion of their version of Christianity with the overall character of America. From that vantage point, a concerted effort will be made to use the government to promote and even enforce Christian Nationalist positions in the form of government policies.

So what might that look like? Perhaps we would see:

■Public displays of Christian symbols on public property

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■A Christian Nationalist interpretation of history devoid of certain historical events

■A mandatory time for prayer (deemed appropriate) in public schools

■Government financial support for religious institutions

■The outlawing of abortion

■The policing of what some Christians consider immoral behavior and lifestyles

■The suppression of LGBTQ+ individuals

For those who hear the call to a Christian nation and feel safe and secure, I say, “Caveat Emptor” and ask the question, would you buy a home without due diligence?

Don’t buy into a political agenda that masquerades as something it is not, and for those who follow a Christian way of life and try to live the authentic message of Jesus, remember his words, “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.” Matthew 7:15

Prior to voting this November, do the research and be ready to make a truly informed choice. It will have consequences for sure.