'Christian Taliban leader' Madison Cawthorn accused of calling for 'holy war' against Democrats
U.S. Rep. Madison Cawthorn (R-NC), facing growing and heated opposition from North Carolina Democrats and Republicans, is now being accused of calling for a "holy war" after posting a clip from a speech he delivered a week ago at the North Carolina Faith & Freedom Coalition's "Salt & Light Conference."
"It is time for us to stand up and say 'no' to your tyranny," Cawthorn says in the beginning of the clip he posted to social media, with a musical soundtrack and b-roll shots of the Bible and religious settings, along with Washington, D.C. added in to make it look like he was delivering a speech to Congress (selection of screenshots above.)
"Now is a time for our pastors and our congregations, like this one here, like many of you that you represent. It's time for us to stand up and declare boldly that as men and women have faith, we have a duty to stand against tyranny. We have a duty to be civically involved, we have a duty to save this country for the next generation."
"Look into the Old Testament, look at David, look at Daniel, look at Esther. Look at all these people who influence the governments of their day to uphold Christian principles," he says. The Old Testament is based on the Hebrew Bible, commonly referred to as the Torah. It's both co-opting and a stretch to claim the Jews practiced "Christian principles," when Christ was not yet born.
"It is time for the American Christian Church to come out of the shadows to say, 'no longer are we going to allow our culture to be determined by people who hate the things that we believe in,'" Cawthorn declares. "We are going to stand valiantly, for God's, God's incredible inherent truths that predate any version of government. Because my friends if we lose this country today, if we bend the knee to the Democrats today, our country will be lost forever, our children will never know what freedom is. It's our duty to stand up, Let us stand united as men and women of faith to fight for our country."
Where are you, men and women of faith?\n\nIf we lose this country, our children will never know freedom.\n\nStand united as men and women of faith to fight for America!pic.twitter.com/FQNKo8vfRs— Madison Cawthorn (@Madison Cawthorn) 1633291185
He was widely mocked:
Did he really say that Old Testament leaders such as Daniel, David, and Esther upheld Christian principles?— James \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 \ud83c\udf83\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08 \u01a7tiffler \ud83d\udd96\ud83c\udffc (@James \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 \ud83c\udf83\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08 \u01a7tiffler \ud83d\udd96\ud83c\udffc) 1633312938
Interesting that Old Testament figures were upholding Christian values. How exactly does that work? And Maddy, there's this pesky thing in a document you should know about: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting free exercise thereofhttps://twitter.com/CawthornforNC/status/1444754061903990790\u00a0\u2026— Marty Sunderland (@Marty Sunderland) 1633325230
The country was founded on the principle of freedom from religious tyranny, yet you expect people who don't share your beliefs to live under your religious law. The 1A guarantees we don't have to & the govt can't force us to. Have you even read the Constitution? You should. 2/— Cyberkrinn \u2604\ud83d\udee1\ud83d\udcbb\ud83d\udd0e\ud83d\udcda\ud83e\udd13 (@Cyberkrinn \u2604\ud83d\udee1\ud83d\udcbb\ud83d\udd0e\ud83d\udcda\ud83e\udd13) 1633317222
Christianity is not American, Canadian, French, Italian, Mexican, German, African, Japanese, or any country or nationality. It\u2019s the followers of Christ. You know love one another, the Beatitudes. Holy Wars don\u2019t fit that. Also, this country wasn\u2019t founded on Christianity.pic.twitter.com/tC5FDPQo1b— Doug (@Doug) 1633304749
Cawthorn now calls for holy war: \u201cIt\u2019s time for us to stand up and declare boldly that, as men & women of faith, we have a duty to stand against tyranny .. It is time for the Amer. Christian church to come out of the shadows .. (against) people who hate the things we believe in.\u201dpic.twitter.com/at7jXXm2gT— Ron Filipkowski (@Ron Filipkowski) 1633292952
pic.twitter.com/MHmD8Cd8Gd— Twilightmom 1901 (@Twilightmom 1901) 1633296491
Rep. Madison Cawthorn is a leader of the Christian wing of the Taliban.\n\nRemember this choice quote from earlier this year? "...but being a practicing Jew, like, people who are religious about it, they are very difficult. I\u2019ve had a hard time connecting with them in that way.\u201dpic.twitter.com/MmXpnDbbsx— Russell Drew (@Russell Drew) 1633310724
