Chuck Darwin<p><a href="https://c.im/tags/Millstones" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Millstones</span></a> and <a href="https://c.im/tags/swords" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>swords</span></a></p><p>
In 2022, Kimber Glidden was fighting for her job as a library director in northern Idaho after refusing to cave to the book-banning demands of hard-right Christian parents who smeared her as a danger to children.</p><p>
At one public meeting, Glidden recalled in a recent interview, a woman looked her in the eye while quoting <br><a href="https://c.im/tags/Matthew" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Matthew</span></a> 18:6, which describes a lethal punishment for anyone harming the young:</p><p> “It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.”</p><p>
“It’s like, ‘I’m not actually threatening you <br>— I’m just quoting scripture at you,’” said Glidden, <br>who eventually resigned because of the attacks. </p><p>“You can threaten people and you can intimidate them, as long as you have a Bible tract in your hand.”</p><p>Religion scholars say Christian nationalists are skilled at plucking scripture out of context to justify intolerant or conspiratorial beliefs, <br>literalist readings that can be used to persuade worshipers that violence is a biblically sound response to perceived existential threats to their country and faith.</p><p>Such cherry-picking distorts the text to suggest that ordinary Christians should be carrying out punishments that traditionally are interpreted as being meted out by God, said Kaitlyn Schiess, a theologian at Duke University <br>and author of <br>“The Ballot and the Bible,” <br>which tracks how scripture is used in political speech.</p><p>
“It gives them a sense of belonging to some kind of exciting drama <br>— the fight between good and evil,” Schiess said. <br>“And that can have really disastrous effects.”<br>
To explain why it’s permissible to engage in fiery partisan fights<br> while simultaneously recounting the peaceful examples of Jesus, <br>some turn to <a href="https://c.im/tags/Mark" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Mark</span></a> 12:17: </p><p>“Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and to God what belongs to God.” </p><p>To legitimatize militancy against leftist opponents, Christian hard-liners quote a verse from <a href="https://c.im/tags/Matthew" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Matthew</span></a> that proclaims, </p><p>“I came not to send peace, but a sword.”<br>
<a href="https://c.im/tags/Millstone" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Millstone</span></a> references pop up regularly in calls for retribution against librarians, teachers, abortion providers, racial justice activists, LGBTQ advocates and anyone else some members of the religious far right deem a threat to the project of a White Christian nation.</p><p>At a Proud Boys protest outside a drag event in Maryland last year, <br>one man wearing the far-right group’s yellow-and-black insignia <br>held a sign that quoted <br><a href="https://c.im/tags/Matthew" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Matthew</span></a> 18:6 above the words, <br>“It’s millstone time!”<br>
In April, anti-fascist activists in Miami criticized the singer Jimmy Levy, <br>a MAGA favorite who has performed at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, <br>for warning President <a href="https://c.im/tags/Biden" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Biden</span></a> in lyrics that he was <br>“coming for your neck like a milly,” <br>a millstone reference. </p><p>Levy suggested the outrage was alarmist, writing on social media: <br>“I never threatened Biden. I referenced what God says about those who hurt little ones.”</p><p>
Republican lawmakers in states including Oklahoma, Texas and South Carolina have introduced versions of what they call a <br>“Millstone Act,” <br>legislation seeking to ban gender-affirming care for young adults. </p><p>Civil rights groups say the proposals are part of a bigger right-wing campaign that uses religion to vilify transgender people with unfounded accusations of grooming and pedophilia.</p><p>Speaking in a small-town church last month, Mark <a href="https://c.im/tags/Robinson" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Robinson</span></a>, the Trump-endorsed GOP nominee for governor in North Carolina, told the audience that<br>♦️ “some folks need killing.”♦️</p><p>“It’s time for somebody to say it. It’s not a matter of vengeance. It’s not a matter of being mean or spiteful. <br>It’s a matter of necessity!” Robinson, the lieutenant governor, said, according to a video of the speech surfaced by the New Republic.</p><p>
The recording shows Robinson shouting about <br>“wicked people,” including liberals, socialists and communists. </p><p>He was introduced at the event by a local pastor, the Rev. Cameron <a href="https://c.im/tags/McGill" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>McGill</span></a>, who told the audience: <br>“Who’s behind President Biden, and that administration? <br>Is it Obama. <br>Is it Clinton? <br>Read your Bible. <br>It is the Devil.”<br>
Mike <a href="https://c.im/tags/Lonergan" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Lonergan</span></a>, Robinson’s campaign spokesman, said on X that the candidate’s words referenced World War II enemies <br>and were taken out of context in a “gutless and dishonest smear.”<br>
In Arizona, Jeff <a href="https://c.im/tags/Durbin" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Durbin</span></a>, a far-right “abortion abolitionist” <br>and influential Christian nationalist, <br>has said that women deserve to be executed if they have an abortion <br>— a stance he recently reiterated is “the historical position of the Christian church.”</p><p>💥“You forfeit your right to live,” 💥Durbin said last month in a New York Times podcast.<br>
After receiving backlash for the remarks, Durbin doubled down in a post on X: </p><p>“We make no apologies for God’s Word and affirm that capital punishment is a just response from the state for the crime of murder</p>