The narrative of cultural despair

Tyndale Press's Manga Messiah prompted some ruminations--on John Hagee, Christian Zionism, and even Henry Ford--by Bruce Wilson and cited sources over on The Huffington Post. Some see anti-Semitism at work in Manga Messiah; others aren't convinced. Of course, some would argue that any anti-Semitism in Manga Messiah simply reflects an anti-Semitism inherent in parts of the New Testament, particularly the Gospel of St. John. Other would point out that it's more complicated than that. Etc.

However, within the post, Wilson cites an anonymous source who offers an insight that, while not directly related to Manga Messiah, is an apt summary of the Christian right's "cultural despair" narrative.

Normally the story begins with the rise of secularism in the 1960s, the abandonment of prayer in schools, and the Roe decision, all leading to an apocalyptic decline of American culture that must be arrested soon, before it is too late and "God withdraws his blessing" from America. While very few conservative evangelicals come into the vicinity of Hitler in hatefulness, elements similar to that kind of conservative-reactionary-nationalist narrative can be found in some Christian right-rhetoric: anger at those who are causing American moral decline, fear about the future, hatred of the "secularists" now preeminent in American life, and the search for scapegoats.

The "solution on offer" from the Christian right is a "return" to a "Christian America through determined political action...."

(Regarding the Manga Messiah.... In April 2007, Wired noted a serialization project called The Manga Bible, published by British publishers Hodder and Stoughton. No idea if there are stereotyping depictions in it of "the Jews," etc.)

Comments

[IludiumPhosdex]

Particularly interested in the "Manga Messiah" volume is the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), which takes a rather dim view of anti-Semitism regardless of the means used to spread the message.

I did share the original article with ADL, and have since been informed that they are actively looking into same.

[Steve Brohan]

This article makes some very good points about the cultural narrative of the far right religious and even not far right religious. The despairing narrative seems to end with them looking for any convenient scapegoat to intimidate. For example, if you take a typical evangelical campus, if someone is labeled a "homosexual" (whatever that really means) they are asked to leave, ok not asked told to get the hell out. However, now the same religious folks have attempted to kind of hijack ALL of society so they will have so much power that if someone is labelled again a "homosexual" they are told to get the hell off the planet ie which is really genocide and also ie means that the full circle has been made and the religious right are actually Nazis using religious as a cloaking device. Genocide is where it leads to folks, so dont fall for the I am just a follower of God crapola.