Culture, Faith and Politics with Pat Kahnke

I break down a chilling moment from Charlie Kirk’s recent memorial service — where Donald Trump explicitly rejects the words of Jesus in front of a cheering, supposedly Christian audience. I wasn’t planning to cover this, but what I saw horrified me. This wasn’t a memorial. It was a Christian nationalist rally thinly veiled in religious language. (September 23, 2025)

Part three in a serious about the obnoxious ways Christians try to defend Trump. Donald Trump should be mocked, and I explain why here.

If you call yourself a Christian and still support Donald Trump—or the Republicans helping him cover this up—this is your wake-up call. I speak directly to Christians who still support Trump. You’re out of excuses. The lines are clear now. And if the visible church doesn’t speak up, America will keep believing what they already suspect: that authoritarian abuse isn’t a bug of Christian nationalism—it’s the feature. (September 3, 2025)

I unpack another argument I hear from well-intentioned Christians—"God chose Trump for a purpose, so opposing him means opposing God." This isn’t about politics. It’s about the misuse of theological language that enables silence, compromises integrity, and dismisses justice. (August 19, 2025)

What does Romans 13 really say about obeying political leaders—and why are so many American Christians using it to defend authoritarianism? Former evangelical pastor Pat Kahnke breaks down the history, theology, and misuse of passages like Romans 13 and 1 Peter 2—passages used to justify everything from slavery to fascism. This is part of a YouTube series exposing how scripture has been weaponized to support corrupt power, particularly in the age of Donald Trump and Christian nationalism. It’s time for Christians to grow up, read responsibly, and speak out against injustice.

I tackle a question I hear often: *“If it weren’t for Donald Trump, would you still be open to the rest of what the GOP/MAGA movement stands for?”* I used to think *yes*. But after 2016, the marriage between the religious right and MAGA woke me up—especially when I saw even “Christian” leaders abandon their convictions overnight.

I confront the Trump administration's newly proposed 2026 refugee policy, which slashes the U.S. refugee cap to an all-time low--and openly prioritizes white South African immigrants. It's a near "white's-only" refugee policy, and it's not just political...it's spiritually bankrupt. This isn't about border security. It's about  white nationalism dressed up as patriotism, and too many white evangelicals are defending it in Jesus' name. As a pastor, I call that what it is: anti-Christian and anti-American.

This week voters across the country showed up and pushed back against Trump’s MAGA movement in a big way. And while I don’t do political hype, I saw real signs that MAGA is scared—and with good reason. (November 5, 2025)

A huge number of white conservative Christians in America aren't misled -- they're committed.  Committed to a dangerous, unbiblical view of authority. Today, I break down a deeply revealing 2024 survey from PRRI that shows how authoritarian beliefs -- not just abortion or party loyalty -- are driving Christian support for Donald Trump.

Join us as Pat Kahnke and Amy Hawk dive into the controversial teachings of Christian nationalist leader Doug Wilson (Moscow, Idaho), exploring his “church network” ties, his public interview with CNN, and what it really means for faith, culture & power.

 In this episode we cover:

Why we’re paying closer attention to Doug Wilson — from fringe pastor to movement figure.

His representation of the “good eggs” analogy and what it signals about his worldview.

How his interview with CNN frames “clown world,” drag‑queen story hours, abortion, and America ruled by Christ.

The deeper concerns around domination, obedience, legalism, and authoritarianism in the churches Wilson leads.

A preview of our upcoming guest interview with Tia Levings (author of A Well‑Trained Life: My Journey Out of a Patriarchal Church) and what we can learn from her story.

Why it matters: This conversation isn’t just about one church or one pastor. It’s about how religious authority, cultural power, and gender dynamics play out in real life.

Link to the Report from Doug Wilson's organization about his handling of the difficult situation we talked about: https://heidelblog.net/crec-presiding-ministers-report-on-the-sitler-and-wright-sex-abuse-cases/