Meet James Lindsay, the sword-wielding atheist hoaxer and former massage therapist who wants to save the Southern Baptist Convention.
Over the past two years, Lindsay has been on a crusade against what he sees as a “woke” invasion of the nation’s largest Protestant denomination.
Through online videos, conference speeches and a relentless Twitter feed, Lindsay has warned that discussions about race and sexism in the SBC are really a Trojan horse, designed to destroy the church from within. In particular, he’s taken aim at Bible teacher Beth Moore, SBC President J.D. Greear and Baptist ethicist Russell Moore — all of whom he claims are part of a woke agenda infiltrating the SBC.
Lindsay’s concerns are summed up in a recent video clip from Founders Ministries, a Florida-based group that claims the SBC is being taken over by liberal and godless ideologies.
If you want to end Christianity, Lindsay warns in the clip, “Make them woke.”
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But Lindsay is an odd choice to save the SBC from “wokeness” or guide the denomination’s discussions of race.
Indeed, it might seem strange Lindsay would concern himself over the demise of Christianity at all. He’s a longtime skeptic of religion, a self-described “seeker of truth” who, like horror writer H.P. Lovecraft, wasn’t made to believe in God. In the past, Lindsay has warned that belief in God could undermine America’s future, and he co-wrote about the so-called God problem.
While he has a doctorate in mathematics, Lindsay has no formal training in religion or in critical theory or in how race affects American culture. In fact, Lindsay is best known for his role in the so-called grievance studies hoax. He and two colleagues — magazine editor Helen Pluckrose and philosopher Peter Boghossian — wrote a series of fake papers, on topics like fat bodybuilding and rape culture at dog parks, and submitted them to niche academic journals.
The articles were submitted under a false name. Several were published before Lindsay and his colleagues revealed their hoax in 2018. Since that time, Lindsay and his colleagues have claimed to be experts in what they call grievance studies, based on getting those hoax papers published.
Lindsay and Pluckrose’s 2020 book “Cynical Theories: How Activist Scholarship Made Everything About Race, Gender, and Identity — and Why This Harms Everybody” became a bestseller and go-to source for critics of critical theory.
The grievance studies hoax transformed Lindsay’s career. Before the hoax, he was a massage therapist who ran a business called Twisted Roots Bodywork, which combined massage with martial arts.
On social media, he’s joked about his lack of credentials in critical theory.
“Looks like the story finally broke too,” he wrote on Twitter last summer. “The guy who pranked all those academic journals was a massage therapist too. LOL lol LOL.”
The hoax got the attention of Michael O’Fallon, a conservative activist and president of Sovereign Nations, a conservative Christian nationalist group. O’Fallon, who also has organized cruises for tea partyers and Calvinist Christian nationalists, has long been a critic of liberal causes and critical theory. He has claimed that evangelical and Catholic leaders have been bought off by the Open Society Foundation led by philanthropist George Soros.
On social media, O’Fallon claimed he wants to start a new reformation to counter the social justice movement in the church.
O’Fallon did not reply to repeated requests for comment. Lindsay initially said he was open to an interview but then did not reply to repeated scheduling requests.
Lindsay and O’Fallon have close ties.
According to a report filed with the Florida secretary of state, O’Fallon is the owner and registered agent for New Discourses LLC, which runs the website that promotes Lindsay’s work. Lindsay is also featured in a series of videos about critical theory and the SBC, posted on the Sovereign Nations website.
In Southern Baptist circles, Lindsay has become a key critic of Resolution 9, a statement about critical race theory and intersectionality passed at the SBC’s annual meeting in 2019. That resolution refers to those two theories as analytical tools that “can aid in evaluating a variety of human experiences.” The resolution also says those theories “are insufficient to diagnose and redress the root causes of the social ills that they identify, which result from sin.”
Lindsay and his friend Tom Ascol, president of Founders Ministries, say Resolution 9 is a sign critical theory has invaded the SBC and will lead to more divides.
Ascol’s group drew on Lindsay’s work for a documentary about what it sees as a liberal infiltration of the SBC. Lindsay was also included in a promotional video put out by Founders Ministries to encourage people to attend the SBC’s annual meeting in Nashville, Tennessee, this summer.
Ascol did not respond to repeated requests for comment.
Despite his admitted status as a hoaxer, Lindsay was a featured guest on an interview program with Albert “Al” Mohler, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. Mohler described Lindsay as a “public intellectual” and labeled his new book an “intellectual tour de force.”
In an interview with me, Mohler described Lindsay as a “provocateur” who has no “intellectual respect for conservative Christians.”
“But his analytical work has been quite helpful,” said Mohler.
Mohler also defended Lindsay’s hoax papers, saying they were an attempt to show what he called “the vacuity of the world of theory.”
“I find that interesting from an apologetics point of view,” Mohler said.
Mohler and other Southern Baptist seminary professors issued a letter last year saying CRT is incompatible with the SBC’s statement of faith. That move led several high-profile Black pastors to leave the denomination.
When asked why he looked to Lindsay to understand critical race theory, rather than Christian scholars, Mohler claimed few people had “given sustained attention to critical theory from a conservative viewpoint.”
However, several Southern Baptist academics, including a former professor at the seminary Mohler leads, have taught about critical race theory in the past. That former professor, now pastor of a Southern Baptist church in Kentucky, was chair of the committee that presented Resolution 9.
Andre E. Johnson, a professor who studies race, religion and rhetoric at the University of Memphis, said there are a number of Christian scholars and Southern Baptists who study critical race theory. But those scholars are unlikely to view CRT in a way that is appealing to conservative critics.
So it is no surprise Baptists have turned to a hoaxer like Lindsay, rather than having a good faith engagement with scholars, Johnson said. He said SBC leaders aren’t coming to the table to learn about CRT.
“They have already made their minds up,” said Johnson, who is Black. “They could really care less if I tell them about the tenets of CRT.”
Johnson, who is the longtime pastor of a church in Memphis, said he sees no contradictions between the study of critical theory and Christianity, despite claims by critics that CRT conflicts with the Christian gospel.
Critical theory looks at the way race operates in society, said Johnson. It doesn’t say anything about salvation or theology or other spiritual concerns. But it can show, he said, the way sin can permeate any system.
Bob Smietana is a national reporter for Religion News Service.
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16 Responses
When most of us first heard Lindsay, we thought, “No, way,” but now, not so much. Okay, if it is not Lindsay blowing the whistle, one of our own, even brighter than Lindsay, Neil Shenvi says almost the same things and like DeYoung, Tim Challies and others, Shenvi thinks that “Cynical Theories” is a must read. As an SBCer, we are sick over how we were deceived 2 years ago at the annual meeting. I don’t think Dr. Akin, Mohler and others will let it happen again. I was “warned by my people” to not watch “By What Standard?” Well, if you warn me to not be open minded about the other side, I have to investigate. Wow, yes that documentary is a bit harsh but apart from that, what it clearly shows, is terrible and anti-Biblical behavior and thinking in some of our SBC leaders. We were deceived. Dr. Akin just did a good Q & T at Southeastern. You can listen or read some of it – he quotes Neil Shenvi a few times on questions about CRT. This years meeting could be the shake up that has needed to come.
Critical Theory functions as a worldview; one that collides head-on with the worldview of Biblical Christianity. At best, some that say it doesn’t speak of salvation or theological matters haven’t really looked into it. Others have an ulterior motive in pushing it. Jemar Tisby’s boss Ibram Kendi laid out the difference in gospels pretty clearly when he spoke at Judson Memorial Church recently. He claimed the true gospel (informed by a lens of critical theory) is that Jesus came solely to start a liberating social revolution, tearing down structural oppression. The false gospel, according to them, is the “savior theology” gospel, where believers share the good news of Christ with other people in hopes they will repent of their sin and follow Him as disciples. Despite this being the gospel of historic Christianity, they claim gospel this is actually the product of white evangelicals.
I don’t know who James Lindsay is, and frankly he doesn’t sound like someone the church would want to get into business with, but at the same time the tone of Bob’s article seems to certainly be sympathetic to Critical Theory, which is heartbreaking. I wish people like Bob would do their own research into Critical Theory instead of just trusting what the people they interview say about it.
I thought the same thing, Gus, so it made me nervous about “why” Julie Roys would be posting this article by Bob. There are better sources out there and too much is at risk. She needs some new people to get to write for her.
This article and its tone give me pause. Perhaps this isn’t the site for news anymore.
Great points! (Meg I and Gus H, commenters above.) I also could detect this article author’s view point. Lindsay is an unlikely character, and ought to be approached with some caution by the church, but he is quite compelling from a secular logic point of view— from the times I’ve heard his argumentation on podcasts. Despite his lack of formal training, he is clearly intelligent and well read based on his articulate command of the subject and ease in lengthy interviews. For example, he was interviews by catholic Michael Knowles on the Daily Wire while filling in for Ben Shapiro (both highly educated hosts and commandingly articulate in themselves). Lindsay could keep right up. I did not know that he was an atheist or a hoaxer from the interviews. He comes across as a classic liberal free thinker that can wrestle with ideas, but ahead of his age in terms of sophistication in that area. Hoaxer or not, player or not, he probably has a high IQ and probably did pull off those troll-like academic papers quite well. Honestly I approve that he was able to expose some of the absurdity of academia. I don’t know his motive for working with the SBC. Maybe he is simply amused by it— who knows. But the SBC is adopting secular cultural whims, and a secular cultural contrarian is what it takes to ask obvious questions, then that is fascinating indeed.
Melissa, if the SBC does not take the Biblical steps to repent and forgive over some key issues – not dating back 100 years ago but more like 2 years ago- the entire annual meeting will implode or the work will be as “wood, hay and stubble.” Julie could get articles or reviews via very wise Godly men like Tim Challies or Neil Shenvi and give up on that “Religion News Service.” Like CT, they are NOT evangelical friendly. Not surprised to see Russell Moore jumping ship and he is going over to a job that fits him much better – with the liberal writers of CT. I am trusting Julie does not tie her wagon to that bunch. I have carefully read and watched CT go further and further away from Biblical orthodoxy over the last 40 years. Besides Dr. Graham, I am sure that Carl Henry would hate the way they are heading.
As I re-read this, I realized that this is rather deceitful on Bob’s part. The SBC leaders are listening to knowledgeable men – like Neil Shenvi. They have listened to men like Curtis Woods whom Bob mentions without using a name and of course Walter Strickland over at SEBTS. Both come from the “add this to your Bible” camp and SBC leadership like Mohler are too wise for this and have seen it before. None of these men are willing to discuss Voddie’s book, “Fault Lines” as it is just too accurate and knowledgeable. Voddie studied this mess in Oxford over 20 years ago. Men like Strickland see the teachings of men like James Cone as being solid and something to use as a measuring tool for handling things in a “Christian” way. I was raised liberal and can smell a liberal anti-Biblical viewpoint a mile a way. Strickland is dabbling in dark places. If Bob is going to present things accurately for “such a time as this,” please present all sides clearly.
“Academic with a PhD in Mathematics, who is also an Avowed Atheist, Wants to Save the SBC”
I fixed the title for you. To call Lindsay a grievance hoaxer is the type of gaslighting I’d expect from elsewhere.
For those who are wanting a more nuanced and fair critique of Lindsay, I’d suggest reading this article by Cathy Young https://cathy.arcdigital.media/p/dissidents-crackpots-and-bad-allies. Young has some sophisticated views and concedes where Lindsay has good points and takes him to task for his bad points.
Simply put, Bob Smietana missed the mark here. I strongly recommend Lindsay’s “Cynical Theories” book, along with his related articles and videos on his website New Discourses: https://newdiscourses.com
Critical theory ,aka Critical Race Theory (CRT) is the greatest threat America has ever faced, yes even more so than the Nazi’s and Japanese in WWII. Lindsay and Helen Pluckrose and their associates are on the cutting edge of exposing this potential apocalypse. That is their focus and they’ve done an excellent job at communicating it.
All of us have at one time or another flipped burgers at fast food joints .. what difference does that make? As far as his religious ideology, that also seems from my knowledge of James Lindsay’s works independent of the issue at hand.
This is a plain case of careless reporting if you ask me, and fortunately, does not reflect the otherwise excellent work before it from Bob Smietana.
He’s not wrong. As bad as Paige Patterson and camp were, it’s impossible to deny the magnitude of the poison wrought by the two Moores and Greear (who is an abuse enabler vis-a-vis Bryan Loritts).
One form of evil has been replaced with another that’s substantially worse.
As if Lindsay is the only critic of CRT (see: https://ischristianitytrue.wordpress.com/2021/02/02/critical-race-theory-a-contemporary-challenge-for-the-church/):
1. Colson Center What Would You Say? – “Is Critical Theory Biblical?”
The Colson Center produced a video asking the question, “Is Critical Theory Biblical?” The introduce the clip: “Is Critical Theory Biblical? You’re in a conversation and someone says, “Since God cares about the oppressed, Christians should embrace critical theory, because its trying to eliminate oppression too.” What would you say? Critical theory is one way our culture attempts to explain and confront power structures. Some Christians have embraced it as well. But what is it?”
John Stonestreet, president of the Colson Center for Christian Worldview, released a Breakpoint feature on CT on April 30, 2020 titled “Is Critical Theory Compatible with Christianity?”
2. Tom J. Nettles on Resolution 9 of the SBC: CRT/I
Tom Nettles was a professor of historical theology and church history for over three decades at three different SBC seminaries and Trinity Evangelical Theological Seminary. He does a careful line-by-line analysis of the SBC 2019 Resolution #9 on Critical Race Theory/Intersectionality.
An Anti-Racist Intention | A Critical Analysis of Resolution 9 – Part 1
An Analogy to Critical Theory | A Critical Analysis of Resolution 9 – Part 2
The Leaven of CRT and Intersectionality | A Critical Analysis of Resolution 9 – Part 3
Nettles concludes this careful analysis by stating:
“CRT, in fact, exacerbates division, for the theory depends on absolutizing divisive categories; one is a dominant [and therefore oppressive] tribe; others are minority [and therefore oppressed] tribes. The differences are nurtured so as to bring shame (not a sense of fellowship and unity) to the dominant tribe and virtually endless observations of disadvantage for the minority tribe (absent from positions of power and prestige, oppressed by ‘whiteness,’ post traumatic slavery syndrome, micro-aggressions). If we really are to focus on ‘unity in Christ’ in the present, then the purveyors of CRT as a useful critical tool must do some serious re-evaluation.”
3. Ratio Christi on Critical Theory
Probably the most extensive criticism of CRT has been from Dr. Neil Shenvi who has written copiously about it on his website. Dr. Shenvi and Dr. Sawyer wrote a free downloadable short booklet (31 pages) for Ratio Christi about Critical Theory and the Social Justice Movement.
Engaging Critical Theory and the Social Justice Movement by Neil Shenvi and Pat Sawyer
The conclude the booklet by stating, “Contemporary critical theory is highly influential on college campuses and among progressives, and is also moving into the church. Identifying unbiblical ideologies like contemporary critical theory helps us not only to evangelize non-Christians, but to equip Christians to recognize and repudiate false ideas, so that we can remain rooted and grounded in Scripture.”
4. Neil Shenvi on CRT
Here is an article by Neil Shenvi (PhD from UC-Berkeley in theoretical chemistry) and Pat Sawyer (PhD in education and cultural studies from UNC-Greensboro, an MA in communication studies from UNC-Greensboro, and a BA in psychology from UNC-Chapel Hill. He currently teaches at UNC-Greensboro) on “Critical Theory” at The Gospel Coalition titled “The Incompatibility of Critical Theory and Christianity.”
Some interesting quotes and summary from the article:
[Opening Paragraph of article]: “Over the last few years, new terms like ‘cisgender,’ ‘ intersectionality,’ ‘ heteronormativity,’ ‘centering,” and ‘white fragility’ have suddenly entered our cultural lexicon—seemingly out of nowhere. In reality, these words and concepts have been working their way through academia for decades, perpetuated by disciplines such as Post-Colonial Studies, Queer Theory, Critical Pedagogy, Whiteness Studies, and Critical Race Theory, among others. These fields can be placed within the larger discipline of ‘critical theory,’ an ideology more popularly known as ‘cultural Marxism.’”
“The points of tension are numerous. Invariably, we will be forced to choose between critical theory and Christianity in terms of our values, ethics, and priorities.” [emphasis added]
“This stance [point 5 above] is particularly dangerous because it undermines the function of Scripture as the final arbiter of truth, accessible to all people regardless of their demographics (Ps. 119:130, 160; 2 Tim. 3:16–17; 1 Cor. 2:12–14; Heb. 8:10–12). If a person from an oppressor group appeals to Scripture, his concerns can be dismissed as a veiled attempt to protect his privilege.”
“Christians should be hesitant to throw around words like “intersectionality” or “white privilege” without taking the time to understand the ideology in which these concepts are embedded. On the other hand, the bare fact that someone talks about “oppression” or “social justice” isn’t remotely sufficient to conclude that they’ve embraced critical theory.”
5. Voddie Baucham on CRT
Video of Voddie Baucham on Social Justice. Dr. Baucham serves as Dean of Theology at African Christian University in Lusaka, Zambia.
Baucham’s book on social justice, wokeness, and CRT is coming out in April of 2021 titled Fault Lines: The Social Justice Movement and Evangelicalism’s Looming Catastrophe with Salem Press.
6. “By What Standard?” on CRT
A must watch documentary is “By What Standard? God’s World . . . God’s Rules” by Founders Ministries. Here is the link to the Vimeo documentary.
7. Owen Strachan on CRT
Owen Strachan, an associate Professor of Christian Theology at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, has written a series of articles at Patheos asking the question: should Christians embrace critical race theory (CRT)? Here is a screenshot of his facebook post about his blog. Notice in answering the question, Should Christians embrace critical race theory? he answers: No.
He concludes by stating that “It is not a system that we can or should marry to biblical Christianity. We should instead reject it and pray for those who have fallen captive to it in some form.” Here are the blog posts: Part 1 (first principles), Part 2 (overview), Part 3 (critique), Part 4 (critique).
Dr. Strachan will be coming out with a book titled Christianity and Wokeness: How the Social Justice Movement is Hijacking the Gospel – and the Way to Stop It in July of 2021 concerning these issues.
8. William Lane Craig on CT
“The Dangers of Critical Theory” by William Lane Craig Reasonable Faith Podcast
A taste of what Dr. Craig says about Critical Theory:
“Sometimes Critical Theory is called neo-Marxist because of this, but it would not be classical Marxism because it’s not an economic division between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat, but rather it will be between, say, heterosexuals and homosexuals, or males and females, or white persons and non-white persons. But the relationships are viewed in terms of these power dynamics of oppressors and the oppressed.”
and
“You see a difference with Critical Theory which assigns unequal value in dignity to people based on their class, whereas the Christian view is that all persons are equal in value and dignity in virtual of being in the image of God.”
9. Gerald McDermott on CRT
Gerald McDermott holds the Anglican Chair of Divinity at Beeson Divinity School, and is Distinguished Senior Fellow, Baylor Institute for Studies of Religion; and Fellow, Institute for Theological Inquiry, Jerusalem, Israel. An Anglican priest, he has written, co-authored, or edited nineteen books. Dr. McDermott has recently posted at Patheos at the “Northampton Seminar” on Critical Race Theory:
Critical Race Theory I: What Is It?
Critical Race Theory II: Is It Coherent?
Critical Race Theory III: Is It Compatible with the Christian Faith
McDermott concludes by stating:
“It [CRT] is a violation of Jesus’ Golden Rule, ‘Whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets’ (Matt 7.12). No one wants to be judged by the color of their skin. Jesus forbids us to do that to others. Because CRT teaches a new racism in the name of a fight against racism, it instructs its devotees to do what the New Testament condemns—’do[ing] evil that good may come’ (Rom 2.8). In effect, CRT endorses the principle that the end justifies the means. Let me be clear. Slavery and Jim Crow were evil and systemic. Racism is sin. But Christians must not allow their hatred for the sin of racism to so cloud their vision that they put their faith in a philosophy that has become a new religion for its devotees—a religion that in significant ways conflicts with historic Christian faith. The danger is the same that has tempted Jews and Christians for millennia–idolatry that seduces men and women away from the living God.”
10. Carol M. Swain on Critical Race Theory and Its Impact on America
Dr. Swain is a former professor of political science and law at Vanderbilt University and author and editor of several books. Her scholarly work has been cited by two associate justices of the Supreme Court of the United States
“Critical Race Theory’s Destructive Impact on America” by Carol M. Swain
Here is a taste of Swain’s take on CRT:
“Critical race theory is an analytical framework to analyze institutions and culture. Its purpose is to divide the world into white oppressors and non-white victims. Instead of traditional forms of knowledge, it uses personal narratives of marginalized minority “victim” groups (blacks, Hispanics, Asians) as irrefutable “evidence” of the dishonesty of their mostly white heterosexual oppressors. The ultimate goal of this theory’s proponents is to remake society so that the victim class eventually displaces the oppressors and becomes the new ruling class.”
11. Dr. Craig Mitchell on CRT: “Marxist Concepts Have a Foothold at SEBTS and SBTS”
Dr. Craig Mitchell, president of the Ethics and Political Economy Center, an evangelical think tank based in Dallas, Texas, expressed worries that these Marxist ideologies have gained footholds among the faculty of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, and the Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina.
Speaking to Louisiana College students as part of a “Christ, Church, and Culture” series about current cultural issues from a biblical perspective, Dr. Craig Mitchell, “described Critical Race Theory and Intersectionality as emerging from Marxist thought, which as its primary tenet declares that there is no God. He added that these two concepts also developed within the framework of different branches of thought that inform the Social Justice movement. But, ultimately, both of these concepts present a perspective that there is conflict between ‘an oppressor’ and ‘an oppressed’ and that the oppressor cannot know right or morality.” The rest of the article can be read here.
Craig Mitchell, former professor at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (2002-2014) and at Criswell College (2014-2017), also served as a research fellow for the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention from 2005-2014, is now president of the Ethics and Political Economy Center.
Probably Dr. Mitchell’s most enlightening comment was concerning the “analytical tools” of critical race theory and intersectionality that the SBC passed under Resolution #9 this past year in 2019 at the convention: “It [CRT] is not a useful tool to get people saved – I can tell you that.”
12. Free Thinking Ministries
Free Thinking Ministries led by Tim Stratton has published a series of articles critiquing Critical Race Theory:
“Biblical Christianity VS Critical (Race) Theory” by Phillip Mast (of Theist Thug Life) | Free Thinking Ministries June 19, 2020
“Critical Theory vs Critical Thinking” by Tim Stratton (The FreeThinking Theist) | Free Thinking Ministries June 29, 2020
“The Appeal & the Problems of Critical Theory” By John White | Free Thinking Ministries June 30, 2020
“White Fragility: A Study in Irrelevance” By Phil Bair | Free Thinking MinistriesJuly 1, 2020
13. Monique Duson, a former promoter of CRT
A longer video of Monique on CRT can be found with the Alisa Childers Podcast. The opening salvo my Monique in the video affirms my point of division that CRT brings: “The Spiritual Goal of Critical Theory, Critical Race Theory is to divide.”
14. Dr. Randy Trahan: Former Critical Theorist Scholar
Professor Randy Trahan, a former adherent to Critical Theory, tells his journey as academic practitioner of CRT in this series of videos. The first video (in total series of six videos) Dr. Trahan gives his backstory, episode 2 Dr Trahan explains what Critical Race Theory is, ad episode 3 covers 9 problems with CRT:
15. Ryan Bomberger of the Radiance Foundation on What Would You Say?
Bomberger, the founder of the Radiance Foundation, deals with the situation if you’re in a conversation – or maybe a diversity training session at work – and the topic turns to systemic racism and someone asks, “Are we all racist?”
I don’t see James Lindsay any differently than I see Steve Baughman, and neither should anybody else. They couldn’t be more analogous.
I don’t care what someone’s ideology is, and I don’t even care all that much about their agenda. I want to know if they are speaking TRUTH and in both cases, these men are. God is using these atheists to do what thousands of so-called “Christians” refused to do–clean house in His body on earth.
I will always support whistleblowers, even if they are not terribly likeable as people in the eyes of the mainstream. Christ’s saints on earth must ALWAYS stand for truth above all else.
Why should Christians pay attention to critiques made by atheists, such as James Lindsay? Because sometime we can learn something from our most severe critics, who can point out blind spots that we have missed.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but I assume you like Lindsay’s idea, because they are something you want to hear (before you knew he was an atheist). I highly doubt you’d listen to an atheist who actually challenged any or most of your other Christian beliefs… but I’m open to hearing another example, related to another subject.
CRT must be hitting some kind of nerve (or getting too close to something dearly held) given the panic it has induced in some people…but it’s motivating me to study it more and evaluate it closely, for myself. (CRT itself… as opposed to listening to those screaming most shrilly about it)