Baptist News Global: Christian Crowdfunder Brings Proud Boys, Antisemites and Evangelicals Together
Crowdfunding Without "Controlling the Narrative"
Raising money on the internet for a variety of causes has become big business. But the problem with GoFundMe, aside from a very random reach of an audience, is that they have standards in place which prevent false information from being promoted, restrict raising funds for organizations or individuals known to cause and participate in violence, or in illegal activity. Where could you go, for example, to give money to help with the expenses of Derek Chauvin, the Minneapolis police officer who murdered George Floyd? Or to help Kyle Rittenhouse, the vigilante murderer during the Kenosha riots who got let off by an incompetent jury?
Why, you'll find those opportunities on the same website as church capital campaigns for building construction, overseas mission projects, and fundraisers for other kinds of Christian ministries. Of course, the contribution site doesn't formally connect all of these different causes to a similar thread. It's just a means by which funds can be raised for causes without the restrictions placed on the groups raising the funds that GoFundMe and other similar fundraisers place on those who use their services. The owner of this one claims he doesn't want to "control the narrative."
But, controlled or not, even Gofundme has standards. The owner of this site, who claims to be a Christian and has training for the ministry in his educational background, says he's just operating a fundraising website, one that generates several million dollars a year in income for himself. Look at the business that this particular site generates. The site bills itself as "The #1 free Christian Fundraising Site," and "The Leader in Freedom Fundraising." So it isn't just mere coincidence that some Christian ministries are found using the same crowdfunding site as subversive, anarchic, far right wing militants, subversives and anti-democratic hate groups.
I'd be curious to see if a progressive, liberal Christian ministry or political group would be allowed to use this site, or if that lack of "controlling the narrative" as the owner of the site claims is the reason for its existence, or if they would get shut down on political, ideological or religious grounds. Of course, the prospect of getting very many contributions from the kind of crowdfunding this site appears to draw would be difficult, and probably precludes their participation.
It's Hard Not to Conclude Guilt by Association
Most conservative, Evangelical Christians are quite sensitive about the company they keep, and are willing to use exclusion as a means of avoiding association with any other church group or faith perspective that is doctrinally and theologically different from their own. Even within some conservative denominations, guilt by association is a real thing to be avoided. But at this particular crowdfunding site, which is identified in the link from Baptist News Global and which I'm not going to mention because I don't want to promote it, the boundaries of common cause are very blurred, if they are present at all. Those Christian ministries who use the site are making a statement about their perspective and politics, whether they deny their presence as an endorsement or not. And that legitimately calls their sincerity as Christians into question.
"What agreement does Christ have with Belial?" asks the Apostle Paul, writing to the Christian church at Corinth. "Or what does a believer share with an unbeliever?"
A Dangerous Intersection for Both American Democracy and the Christian Gospel
These kinds of intersections, which have been popping up quite a bit since the former failed President 45 was inaugurated in 2016, have brought this particular verse in the book of 2 Corinthians to mind on more than one occasion. The term "Belial," has Hebrew origins, and personifies the devil. It is a literal term that characterizes worthlessness. It is quite appropriately applied, in a modern context, to Q-Anon conspiracy theories and their pushers, to bigots like Kyle Rittenhouse and Derek Chauvin, to groups that are anti-social and anti-democracy, like the Proud Boys, or Oath Keepers, and those who followed them into the abyss by traitorously attecking the Capitol and Congress on January 6th, and to the whole far right wing political arm of the GOP which is actively engaged in subverting American constitutional democracy and is taking part of the American Christian church down with it.
The owner of the site told the interviewer for the article in Baptist News Global, linked above, that if the Ku Klux Klan wanted to use his site to raise money, he'd be OK with that. Because he's not about "controlling the narrative." So he can step back and not feel responsible for whatever crosses through the intersection, regardless of how harmful it may be to the cause of Christ or the image of Christians and the church. I'm a firm believer in free speech, and the constitutional protection of individual conscience, so much so that I believe the Klan has a right to its existence and its abhorrent, disgusting, evil message of bigotry and hatred. They, along with the whole array of ignorance and wickedness displayed across this crowdfunding website, can do what they do because the first amendment freedom of speech, protected by democratic government, gives them that freedom.
But there is no room for the Ku Klux Klan in the Christian tent. Those on the far right wing of American Christianity, including those who are identified as Fundamentalist, and most Evangelicals, are quick to exclude and condemn anyone who disagrees with their doctrinal and theological perspective. That runs counter to the true Christian doctrine and conviction, which offers a message of grace, restoration to God, and spiritual freedom. The Klan, and other racist ideologies, are philosophically and religiously hostile to that perspective and their racism and bigotry are sinful obstacles to any Christian theology, doctrine and spiritual redemption.
So if this looks like guilt by association, there's a good reason for it. That's what it is. Any group willing to get this close to the likes of those who think Derek Chauvin and Kyle Rittenhouse are patriotic heroes is anti-patriotic and Anti-Christian [see I John 4:1-3 and 2 John 7-11].
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