May 10, 2022 - Straight White American Jesus
03:43
| 
| Time | Text |
|---|---|
| Axis Mundy | |
| Axis Mundy I thought a lot about the end of the world after I converted to evangelicalism. | |
| Most mornings I wondered if Jesus would return that day, maybe at lunch or during a quiet moment in the afternoon when everyone was rushing to fifth period. | |
| The idea of the end of the world both enthralled and terrified me. | |
| I wanted Jesus to return so I could go home with him to paradise. | |
| But that would mean eternal damnation for those who didn't know him, including many of my friends and family. | |
| It motivated me to proselytize to anyone I came into contact with. | |
| From my brothers, to my cousins, to complete strangers at school or outside the local movie theater. | |
| When I think back to that version of myself, the one who awkwardly asked unwitting teenagers about their eternal salvation, Or jammed religion into casual conversations with second cousins at family functions. | |
| I cringe. | |
| It's hard to remember that strong-willed teenager without wincing. | |
| The one who eschewed cares for social norms in order to complete the mission of telling every person possible about the imminent end of all things. | |
| In some ways, however, I'm proud that I was ready to live out my beliefs, as misguided as they now seem. | |
| The end of the world may be militant, but my actions were based on a sincere belief that every human being needed the love of God in order to be saved. | |
| Even if I now view my evangelism as intrusive and anti-pluralist, it's not impossible for me to see it as a sincere reaction to the imminent end of days. | |
| My goal was not to rule the world. | |
| It was to save as many as I could from the end of it. | |
| As it turns out, the end of the world doesn't work like that for everyone. | |
| Many see it as an opportunity to gain power, wealth, and prestige. | |
| The fires destroying civilization are, for some, the blazes clearing a path to a new way of life. | |
| One where they will seize control and live as gods, or at least the representatives of God on Earth. | |
| The apocalypse, in other words, is the new beginning some are waiting for. | |
| The portal to a new world order. | |
| Thanks for listening to this free sample of The Orange Wave. | |
| My name is Brad Onishi, the author and creator of the series. | |
| I want to invite you to head over to our show notes and to hit the link if you'd like to continue listening to The Orange Wave. | |
| I know a paywall isn't something you want to see, and I get it, but I poured my heart and soul into making this docuseries, and we're an indie podcast. | |
| We're self-funded, self-produced. | |
| We do everything we can on our own to do this work. | |
| And so, it's a nominal fee, and your contribution will help us make more of these docuseries, continue to do our show a couple times a week, and simply keep an eye on everything that's happening with the religious right, Christian nationalism, and so many other things. | |
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| Thanks again. |
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